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The Conversation Weekly

The Conversation
Donald Trump
Climate Change
South Africa
Israel
Covid-19
United States
Artificial Intelligence
Iran
Gaza
Creative Flow
Far-Right Politics
Anti-Feminism
Social Media Influence
Women's Roles In Politics
Right-Wing Nationalism
Traditional Gender Roles
Social Media Influencers
Online Radicalization
Democracy
Nelson Mandela

A show for curious minds, from The Conversation. Each week, host Gemma Ware speaks to an academic expert about a topic in the news to understand how we got here.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes289Founded6 years ago
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News CommentaryScienceNews

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Latest Episodes

Timothy Piatkowki was scrolling when a targeted ad landed in his feed. Cheap peptides! Straight from the factory! Naturally, he started a chat with the dealer and found himself deep in the world of a thriving grey market.

The more he found out, the ... more

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With growing evidence about concussion, repetitive head impacts and long-term brain disease, have we underestimated the risks of sport all along? How did we get here, what do we really know about head injuries and given the risks, is it time to rethi... more

YouTube

Three months ago, Andy Burnham’s desk was filled with the business of running Greater Manchester. Buses. Housing. Policing. This mayoral region in the north of England is home to 3 million people and Burnham, a former minister in the Labour governmen... more

YouTube

When Taylor Swift launched her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, in October 2025, she recorded two short clips to promote it. One for Amazon Music began with “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift”. Another, for Spotify with “Hey, it’s Taylor”.

These two phras... more

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Recent Guests

Alan Pearce
Neuroscientist researching sports-related concussion
Episode: Save our brains: how dangerous is sport?
Kirsty Fairclough
Professor of Screen Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University, expert in Manchester culture
Manchester Metropolitan University
Episode: How Manchester shaped Andy Burnham, the UK's incoming prime minister
Phil Brown
Professor of Housing and Communities at the University of Huddersfield
University of Huddersfield
Episode: How Manchester shaped Andy Burnham, the UK's incoming prime minister
Graeme Austin
Professor of Law, University of Melbourne; chair of private law, Victoria University of Wellington
University of Melbourne; Victoria University of Wellington
Episode: How celebrities like Taylor Swift are fighting back against AI deepfakes
Ioana Colfescu
Lead researcher, National Centre for Atmospheric Science Research Group, University of St Andrews; visiting fellow at the University of Edinburgh
University of St Andrews; University of Edinburgh
Episode: The anatomy of a super El Niño
Rosa Abraham
Head of the Center for Sustainable Employment at Azim Premji University
Azim Premji University
Episode: Cockroach party hits nerve with angry young Indians
Susan Sawyer
Professor of Adolescent Health at the University of Melbourne and Murdoch Children's Research Institute
University of Melbourne / Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Episode: Teens are still on social media, but does that mean Australia's ban has failed?
John Sloop
Professor of Communication Studies at Vanderbilt University; historian of soccer and its fans in the United States
Vanderbilt University
Episode: How the US finally fell in love with soccer
Teresa Lambe
Kaleeva head of Vaccine Immunology at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
Episode: Two scientists on their race to make a new Ebola vaccine

Host

Gemma Ware
Host of The Conversation Weekly

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 399 ratings
  • Happy with

    Heard almost all so far, thanks, looking forward to more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ZoomStrange
    Australia4 months ago
  • Top

    Great job

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alfelfe
    France5 months ago
  • I had high hopes but this seems to be more biased than advertised. Still, it's an interesting podcast.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    bjt282
    6 months ago
  • This is a great initiative! So glad i found this. I listen to nearly every episode. Great for learning about the leading edge of our world.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Aurorespera
    8 months ago
  • Informative & Fascinating

    Try listening! You will keep going back to this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Reading Ruth
    Australia8 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality, expert-led discussions with global relevance
Accessible yet rigorous, making complex topics approachable
Consistently strong guests and thoughtful hosts

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How celebrities like Taylor Swift are fighting back against AI deepfakes
Q: What about non-celebrity individuals facing deepfakes?
For ordinary people, civil remedies and platform takedowns are more common, with steps to document and report the abuse, while criminal approaches are expanding in contexts of sexualized deepfakes in some jurisdictions.
How celebrities like Taylor Swift are fighting back against AI deepfakes
Q: Why trademarks instead of relying on copyright?
Copyright protects specific works, while trademarks protect in the marketplace from confusion and misrepresentation, enabling targeted protections for services and celebrity branding rather than broad image rights.
How celebrities like Taylor Swift are fighting back against AI deepfakes
Q: Talk me through, why has she done this?
Trademarks act as a defensive layer to prevent confusion and to create a controlled space around her identity, including catchphrases and branded imagery, which could deter fake websites and misrepresentations.
How Manchester shaped Andy Burnham, the UK's incoming prime minister
Q: How do you think Burnham's experience in Manchester has prepared him for being UK Prime Minister in number 10?
Phil and Kirsty note that Burnham's long experience with devolution, negotiation across multiple authorities, and a consistent argument for place-based governance could translate into a national governance style that emphasizes collaboration and regional power while facing a larger-scale policy landscape.
How Manchester shaped Andy Burnham, the UK's incoming prime minister
Q: What's another thing that you think he did well?
The episode highlights Burnham's handling of the COVID restrictions as a defining national moment, where he spoke plainly and defended local needs against central policies, elevating his standing beyond Manchester to a national stage.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Conversation Weekly

What is The Conversation Weekly about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features in-depth conversations with academic experts to unpack current events through historical and policy perspectives. Episodes frequently cover global politics, international relations, economics, demography, climate science, and technology, with a steady emphasis on how institutions, policy decisions, and historical context shape contemporary outcomes. Noteworthy is the consistent pairing of seasoned scholars with clear, accessible hosts, producing thoughtful, evidence-based analyses that help listeners understand complexity without oversimplification. This format is likely appealing to professionals seeking rigorous, interview-driven background on pressing world issues and policy debates, including sponsorships and guest opp... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Conversation Weekly?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Conversation Weekly:

1. Politics with Michelle Grattan
2. Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today
3. Big Ideas
4. Full Story
5. If You're Listening

How many episodes of The Conversation Weekly are there?

The Conversation Weekly launched 6 years ago and published 289 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on The Conversation Weekly?

Recent guests on The Conversation Weekly include:

1. Alan Pearce
2. Kirsty Fairclough
3. Phil Brown
4. Graeme Austin
5. Ioana Colfescu
6. Rosa Abraham
7. Susan Sawyer
8. John Sloop

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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