BBC Radio 4 · Education

In Our Time

A world-class seminar, every week. In Our Time explores the ideas, people and discoveries that have shaped our world, spanning history, philosophy, religion, science, literature, art and culture. On Thursdays, hear brand-new episodes hosted by Misha Glenny and leading academics. On Mondays, discover Misha's Archive Picks: classic conversations from the In Our Time archive, originally presented by Melvyn Bragg. Recent episodes have featured topics as wide-ranging as the Roman Arena, Handel's Messiah, John Keats, On Liberty and the Mariana Trench, bringing expert insight to pivotal events, influential thinkers and remarkable discoveries. Throughout the archive, you can hear discussions on historical figures such as Marie Antoinette, Nefertiti, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx and Albert Einstein; explore great works of literature such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the poetry of John Donne; uncover the stories behind cultural masterpieces including Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel; or journey from Jupiter and the death of stars, to the theories of Plato and Aristotle. In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.

Episodes

This BBC podcast episode of "In Our Time" features Melvyn Bragg and three experts—Penelope Wilson, Campbell Price, and Richard Bruce Parkinson—discussing the Rosetta Stone. The discussion covers its physical characteristics, historical context, and significance in deciphering hieroglyphs and unlocking ancient Egyptian ...

Emilie du Châtelet

04 Feb 2021

49m

Saint Cuthbert

28 Jan 2021

56m

The Plague of Justinian

21 Jan 2021

48m

The Great Gatsby

14 Jan 2021

55m

AI processed

In this episode of "In Our Time," Melvyn Bragg and a panel of literary experts—Philip McGowan, William Blazek, and Sarah Churchwell—delve into F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." They explore the novel's setting in the Roaring Twenties, the themes of wealth, class, and the American Dream, and the character of Jay...

Eclipses

31 Dec 2020

50m

The Cultural Revolution

17 Dec 2020

48m

AI processed

In this episode of In Our Time, Michael Rapport leads a discussion with Rana Mitter, Sun Peidong, and Julia Lovell about the Cultural Revolution in China, initiated by Chairman Mao in 1966. The panel explores the historical context, including the Great Leap Forward and the Sino-Soviet split, Mao's motivations for launc...