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The Prospect Podcast

Prospect Magazine
Labour Party
Conservative Party
Russia
Gaza
UK General Election
The Muslim Vote
Palestine
Israel
Reform Party
Election Campaign
Brexit
Donald Trump
Ukraine
South Africa
Political Discourse
Higher Education Crisis
Political Engagement
Election Culture Wars
US Democracy
Rishi Sunak

The brightest minds discussing the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes439Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Prospect Podcast

Latest Episodes

Are we all being manipulated? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Cass Sunstein–one of the scholars behind “nudge” theory–who explains how companies exploit our cognitive biases for their own profit.

Cass is the founder and director of the Prog... more

The question of what is antisemitic and what is legitimate criticism of the state of Israel has long been a difficult question—but it has become even more fraught since 7th October 2023 and the continuing atrocities in Gaza. On 31st July 2025, Prospe... more

On the podcast this month, Ukrainian journalist and Second Life writer Vitali Vitaliev explains why he hates book signings, while sex worker Tilly Lawless argues that porn doesn’t make her clients more violent. Meanwhile Anglican Priest Alice Goodman... more

As Labour tanks in the polls, left and right-wing populists are on the rise. This week, Ellen and Alona and are joined by Prospect’s political columnist Ben Ansell, whose cover essay in this month’s magazine explored the government’s big challenge. more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Ben Ansell
Political columnist and professor of comparative democratic institutions at Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
Prospect
Episode: Should Starmer embrace populism?
Conor Gearty
Professor of Human Rights Law, barrister, and writer on human rights and international law
London School of Economics (LSE)
Episode: Are we losing our civil liberties?
Vitaly Vitaliev
Ukrainian journalist and writer
Episode: Books, sex and a sacred summer
David Blunkett
Former Labour Home Secretary who oversaw the introduction of identity cards under New Labour
Labour Party
Episode: Does the UK need ID cards?
Rebecca Vincent
Interim Director of Big Brother Watch, a campaign group for civil liberties in the UK
Big Brother Watch
Episode: Does the UK need ID cards?
Oliver Bullough
Journalist and author of several books, including 'Moneyland' and 'Butler To The World'
Episode: How privatisation led to the sewage scandal
Stewart Home
Writer, artist, filmmaker and activist
Episode: Yoga’s secret fascist history
Laura Bates
Author of numerous books including The New Age of Sexism, founder of Everyday Sexism
Independent Author/Social Activist
Episode: Laura Bates: AI is reinventing sexism
Marc Stears
Political theorist and director of the UCL Policy Lab
UCL Policy Lab
Episode: What Blue Labour gets wrong

Hosts

Alona Ferber
Host of The Prospect Podcast, engaging with complex political and societal themes.
Sarah Collins
Host of Prospect Lives, discussing critical social issues and narratives.
Ellen Halliday
Co-host contributing to discussions on cultural and political narratives.
Imaan
Co-host of The Prospect Podcast, engaging with diverse societal themes.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 132 ratings
  • Lucky Australia

    You’d never know from listening to that podcast about why Australia is better that a lot of the wealth, both common and private, came from a mass expropriation of land, water and other resources from the original owners.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Lynette responds
    Australia7 months ago
  • Assisted dying with jaunty break music

    A serious, sober and thoughtful conversation - interspersed by jarring jingly “showbiz” music. Surreal!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Dissatisfied2019
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • British magazine. Good. But they interviewed an author and neither interviewer had read his entire vote. I do, and strongly recommend you also, reserve 5 stars for truly outstanding podcasts so those ratings are more meaningful and the best podcasts stand out. This is good but not great.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    curmudgeon
    a year ago
  • World’s most annoying podcaster?

    Dear Prospect, please stop Ms Collins from getting near a microphone. Her recent squeaky ramblings of her OCD were the last straw. Spoiler: we’re not interested in her neuroses or self obsession - and the timbre of that voice [insert scream emoji here]. She needs to grow up, hone a public speaking voice and stop doing such an incredible disservice to Gen Z, by reinforcing perceptions of that generation’s immaturity and fragility.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ADL London
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • It was all going so well…

    But today’s episode - on the speculation around a certain Ms T Swift as the author of a new thriller - with the squeaky, breathless Swiftie-swooning by the sub-editor - was, frankly, rather ridiculous and inane.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    ADL London
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

A mix of admiration for the depth of discussion and feedback on presentation styles.
Host interviews with experts bring depth and insight to important topics.
Quality content that reflects a commitment to uncovering deeper social truths.
Some episodes may come off as too niche or complex for casual listeners.
Engaging and thoughtful discussions that challenge mainstream narratives.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#99
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#248
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#141
Hong Kong/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#229
New Zealand/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#242
South Africa/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Are we losing our civil liberties?
Q: If the Human Rights Act is repealed, what could that mean for civil liberties in the UK?
Gearty suggests that repealing the Human Rights Act could lead to dire circumstances for many, potentially allowing harmful actions against migrants and diminishing protective laws for citizens.
Are we losing our civil liberties?
Q: What do you make of the Labour government's current approach to protests?
Gearty argues that the Labour government seems to be catering to middle-class biases, viewing protests as irritating, and not advocating for the importance of protest or engaging with the complexities surrounding it.
Are we losing our civil liberties?
Q: Can you talk a bit about what you think the future of protest and civil liberties related to protest looks like now?
Conor Gearty expresses concern that there's a political culture resistant to accepting protests as legitimate and notes a communal rejection of freedom of expression, suggesting it might indicate a future of increased restrictions on civil liberties.
Does the UK need ID cards?
Q: David, if I could ask you to sort of put forward the best argument you can think of about why now ID cards might be a good idea for Britain.
David Blunkett highlights that having verified identities is crucial for enforcement of employment rights and access to public services, leveraging modern technology and smartphones.
Does the UK need ID cards?
Q: Explain to me why Big Brother Watch thinks that ID cards would be not the right thing for Britain.
Rebecca Vincent argues that the proposal violates the privacy rights of millions and does not effectively address illegal immigration concerns.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Prospect Podcast

What is The Prospect Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Engaging with pressing issues in politics, society, and culture, discussions typically feature esteemed experts addressing critical topics that shape contemporary discourse. The content often touches on the interplay between politics and civil liberties, the effects of technology on societal norms, and the ramifications of public policies, particularly in the UK context. Notable themes include political populism, the complexities of identity, and the implications of privatization on public services, making it a rich resource for listeners seeking nuanced perspectives on current affairs.

What sets this series apart is its dedication to exploring uncomfortable truths and controversial viewpoints, moving beyond mere headlines to facilitate de... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Prospect Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Prospect Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Prospect Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Prospect Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Prospect Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Prospect Podcast?

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How many subscribers and views does The Prospect Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Prospect Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Prospect Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Prospect Podcast:

1. Media Confidential
2. The New Statesman: politics and culture
3. Past Present Future
4. Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards
5. The LRB Podcast

How many episodes of The Prospect Podcast are there?

The Prospect Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 439 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Prospect Podcast?

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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Prospect Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Prospect Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Prospect Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Prospect Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Prospect Podcast?

Recent guests on The Prospect Podcast include:

1. Ben Ansell
2. Conor Gearty
3. Vitaly Vitaliev
4. David Blunkett
5. Rebecca Vincent
6. Oliver Bullough
7. Stewart Home
8. Laura Bates

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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