Programme Index:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
0-9 etc

Analysis

First broadcast from 19890525 to 20100315.

Analysis is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Thursdays at 2030 GMT and repeated on Sundays at 2130 GMT.

For more than 30 years, Analysis has been examining the ideas and forces which shape public policy in Britain and abroad.

The subjects the programme covers range from the principles guiding foreign policy to the influence of Darwinism on present-day ideas about human nature; from arguments about whether the better-off will be more willing to pay higher tax to the reasons behind the rise of the populist Right in Europe.

Our presenters are distinguished writers, journalists and academics; our contributors are policy-makers or leading authorities in their fields.

Radio 4

Official Site

265 episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Description
		All Quiet On The Western Front	19890525
202C	01	Once Upon A Time In Whitehall	20020704	20020707	Does scenario planning work, and should government policy be guided by plans for hypothetical future contingencies? Ian Christie investigates.
202C	02	Flirting With Fascism?	20020711	20020714	Parties of the far right are enjoying a comeback across much of Europe. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto asks why voters are prepared to dally with Fascism.
202C	03	Cells, Souls And Scientists	20020718	20020721	Should we be manipulating our cells to create a race of better humans? Kenan Malik investigates how far the biotechnological revolution is taking us.
202C	04	Miraculous Mandarins	20020725	20020728	As the government's emphasis on delivery is subjected to constant scrutiny, David Walker asks if our civil service can cope with increasing expectations.
202C	05	The Expired Mandate	20020801	20020804	John Kampfner asks why Europe is powerless to intervene in the Middle East peace process.
202C	06	Home Economics	20020808	20020811	Frances Cairncross reports on the current boom in house prices and asks how much we should worry about its effect on the economy.
202C	07	Follow The Leader	20020815	20020818	Stock market falls frequently precede economic slowdowns, but will the recent trend prove an exception? Diana Coyle asks if the current pessimism is justified.
202C	08	Facing The Fats	20020822	20020825	Recent scientific research questions the established wisdom that fat is harmful. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto asks whether we are confusing health with aesthetics.
203A	01	Interesting Times	20030306	20030309	David Walker asks if the idea of Britain's ""national interest"" has any validity in our globalised, US-dominated world.
203A	02	Strange Bedfellows	20030313	20030316	Thirty years after the sexual revolution, Margaret Doyle asks why we are still so keen to invite the state to interfere in our private relationships.
203A	03	Neurotic Nation	20030320	20030323	More of us are turning to counselling or chemical fixes for our unhappiness.
203A	04	A Silver Lining	20030327	20030330	As conventional wisdom tells as we're doomed to an impoverish future, Diane Coyle asks whether the economic solution lies with young people.
203A	05	Home Time	20030403	20030406	Frances Cairncross asks what's driving the fashion for flexible working, whether it's a good idea, and whether it can last if there's a recession.
203A	06	Thinking In Public	20030410	20030413	Kenan Malik asks whether we need to revive the public role of intellectuals, especially at times of national crisis.
203A	07	Great Expectations	20030417	20030420	This month sees tax increases to fund the National Health Service. Julian Le Grand asks if Labour's promise to improve public services is on track.
203A	08	Neurotic Nation?	20030424	20030427	Counselling is one of the fastest-growing industries in Britain and more and more of us are turning to chemical fixes like Prozac or Ritalin for our unhappiness, or our children's anti-social behaviour. But is our mental health really getting worse? Felipe Fernández-Armesto asks whether modern life is driving us crazy - or whether we're just becoming a nation of neurotics.
203A	09	With Friends Like These	20030501	20030504	European hopes for a common foreign and security policy have suffered their worst blow ever as a result of the Anglo-American war against Iraq and Franco-German opposition to it. Is it time for Europe's pro and anti-Atlanticists to go their separate ways? Bruce Clark weighs the costs of a split and asks if a reconciliation based on long-term common interests is still achievable.
203C	01	Only Human	20030710	20030713	Is there anything unique about humans? Studies of apes and other primates have shown that we are not the only beings capable of morality, altruism and superstition. So how does society justify giving certain rights to all humans which are not extended to any animals? Felipe Fernandez-Armesto investigates what it is to be human and whether there is a coherent case for treating a clever chimp worse than a person.
203C	02	Europe's Vision Thing	20030717	20030720	Undaunted by its divisions on Iraq, the European Union is planning the next ambitious steps in its future. Quentin Peel asks whether Europeans share the vision and values to make a larger and more complex Union work, and who will pull the strings under the new Constitution?
203C	03	The Numbers Game	20030724	20030727	Asylum and migration continue to be loudly and hotly debated. But hasn't the argument been mealy-mouthed, as ministers and their critics on left and right decline to be precise about either principles or numbers? David Walker asks why both public and policy-makers have allowed fundamental questions of rights, identity and collective choice to be obfuscated.
203C	04	The Rain In Spain	20030731	20030803	Is economic success determined by climate rather than culture? Do temperate conditions produce richer economies? Diane Coyle investigates.
203C	06	Home Alone	20030814	20030817	Surveys suggest that within twenty years, 40 per cent of us will be living alone. While caring family man David Beckham is one of our chief male icons, aren't we really living in the age of Bridget Jones, finding it harder than ever to find lasting relationships? Kenan Malik asks whether our culture - so keen to encourage greater openness about feelings and emotions - in fact undermines the creation of permanent relationships.
203C	07	Democratic Deficits	20030821	20030824	Democracy can produce illiberal regimes, civil war and corruption. Yet in the West, the term democracy has become almost synonymous with liberalism, peace and good government. As the US attempts to set Iraq on an uncertain path towards democracy, Frances Cairncross asks whether the West is sufficiently questioning of majority rule and whether other values, such as the rule of law, might be better guarantors of peace and freedom.
203C	08	Manners	20030828	20030831	As we become a more culturally and ethnically diverse society, the very concept of behaving according to an agreed code of manners seems antiquated to many. But is this just a licence for boorish, selfish and yobbish behaviour? Felipe Fernandez-Armesto asks if civilised society can survive without rules for showing mutual respect and consideration.
203C	09	Safe As Houses?	20030904	20030907	With its plans to help key workers find affordable homes, liberalise the planning laws and make our mortgages more like those in other European countries, the government wants the housing market to achieve much wider political goals. David Walker asks if these efforts at reforming the notoriously sensitive world of property will work - and what they might mean for all of us who own homes.
204A	01	Look After Yourself	20040304	20040307	The Government says we should all be taking more responsibility for our health and public health professionals are keen to show us how to modify our lifestyles accordingly. But how easily can the nation's health be improved by exhortation and education? And is it any of the government's business what we eat or how we live? David Walker assesses the effectiveness of health promotion and asks whether it's likely to deliver better and more equitable health outcomes.
204A	02	Bending The Golden Rule?	20040311	20040314	With budget deficits soaring in the UNITED STATES and Europe, might Britain also join in the borrowing spree? So far the Chancellor of the Exchequer has set strict limits on how much the Government can borrow. But Diane Coyle asks if politicians are losing control of public finances, and why it could be dangerous if they are.
204A	03	Open Door Migration	20040318	20040321	An open door to disaster? However politicians differ, there is cross-party consensus that Britain needs a managed migration policy. But is it any longer feasible or desirable for governments to control migration flows? Is it time to think the unthinkable, remove controls, and let the market decide how many people come in? Kenan Malik asks whether leaving immigration to the free market would solve our problems - or be an open door to disaster. An open door to disaster? Is it any longer feasible or desirable for governments to control migration flows? Kenan Malik asks whether immigration should be left to the free market.
204A	04	The News From Here	20040325	20040328	Do we still need rules governing the impartiality of broadcast news? Tim Gardam reflects on the growth of news outlets and asks if regulation designed to prevent bias is still necessary or even workable. Where once we worried that a small number of broadcasters could wield too much influence for the democratic good, can we now expect the market to be better at achieving balance?
204A	05	A Tricky Inheritance	20040401	20040404	Inherited wealth has long been a cornerstone of British society, and high house prices mean much more can now be passed on. Frances Cairncross asks what will happen to inheritance as family relationships change and older people take on more financial commitments.
204A	06	Public Honours	20040408	20040411	The public honours system is under scrutiny as never before. Reviews at the highest level are currently underway, but instead of trying to reform this anachronistic system, would it be better to abolish it altogether? Bob Tyrrell finds out what purpose the honours system serves and asks whether it's a reliable indicator of what and whom we value most.
204A	07	Ethnic Divorce	20040415	20040418	Ethnic cleansing - the use of force and intimidation to make an area ethnically 'pure' - is often regarded as an evil only one step removed from genocide. We believe that all ethnic groups should be able to live peacefully side-by-side. But is this practical in places like Kosovo when two populations really can't live together? We think that divorce is better than murder, so are there ever times when dividing warring populations is the only answer to a civil war? Andrew Brown asks whether the international community should sometimes accept ethnic separation, or even help bring it about.
204A	08	Fear And Voting	20040422	20040425	Can democracy defeat terrorism? Or does it risk its own destruction in the attempt? Felipe Fernandez-Armesto asks how western democracies and their voters can combat a terrorist threat that appears to have no negotiable ends, without eroding their own fundamental values.
204A	09	New Cities For Old	20040429	20040502	Our old industrial cities have been declining for decades - but now some, like MANCHESTER, seem to be bouncing back. Could they be models for other British provincial towns, and is the key to success a new "creative class" of yuppies, artists and gay entrepreneurs? Diane Coyle asks whether there's real substance to this urban renaissance, and who will be the losers.
204C	01	Making Our Minds Up	20040708	20040711	Britain has long excelled at failing to decide about Europe. Bob Tyrrell explores the instincts and influences that will shape the choice we make.
204C	02	Give And Take	20040715	20040718	In the past, giving used to be a matter of conscience and receiving was regulated by hoary tradition. But for the first time in 400 years, the Government is trying to come up with a new legal definition of charity. David Walker asks if our wealthy, pluralist and largely irreligious society can ever agree on who should give to whom, let alone where the boundary between public benefit and private concern should be drawn in the 21st century.
204C	03	Sanctions: Persuasion Or Punishment?	20040722	20040725	Directed against South Africa, they received world-wide support. Against Iraq they were condemned for bringing misery to the innocent. When and why are 'sanctions' effective? Taking the examples of South Africa, Iraq and Zimbabwe, Diane Coyle analyses how sanctions have been used over the last two decades - and looks at some of their unforeseen consequences.
204C	04	Who Owns Culture?	20040729	20040801	From the Elgin Marbles to Aboriginal skulls, many of the collections in British museums are the products of empire. Now there are growing demands for the 'repatriation' of artefacts. Most controversial is the question of human remains: for some, they're objects to study, for others, ancestors to bury. Kenan Malik asks whether the clash between cultural identity and scientific rationality could spell the end for our universal museums and their role as custodians of the common inheritance of everyone on the planet.
204C	05	Protecting Privacy	20040805	20040808	New technologies - everything from camera phones to Internet shopping - link people in liberating ways. They also threaten our personal privacy. Frances Cairncross explores the new boundary between public and private life.
204C	06	The Appliance Of Violence	20040812	20040815	The modern state has traditionally been defined by its monopoly of lawful violence. Is this being eroded in Britain and elsewhere, as private security firms take over work from of the police and the prison service; and why is government moving into new areas of control, such as smacking of children? Andrew Brown asks where the balance of legitimate force lies and how it's shifting.
204C	07	Just Wars Or Just More Wars?	20040819	20040822	The Persian Gulf, Kosovo, East Timor and Iraq have all shown that there is no longer an agreed means of telling if a war is just. And now terrorism, pre-emptive action and how we confront tyrannies have made matters even more complicated. Felipe Fernández-Armesto asks if we still need a concept of just war and, if so, what practical form it can take?
204C	08	Catch Them Young?	20040826	20040829	Nursery for under-threes makes children aggressive, smacking causes long term emotional damage, bottle feeding increases the risk of obesity and parents need to be taught parenting skills. The early years are crucial, we're told. But is it true? Kenan Malik asks whether the scientific evidence is reliable enough to justify policymakers' preoccupation with catching them young to save society trouble later on.
204C	09	Some More Equal	20040902	20040905	Many British employers are facing criticism and legal challenges for allegedly failing to offer equal opportunities to sexual, ethnic and other groups. The conventional wisdom is that discrimination has economic costs and stops us getting the best person for the job. But is it that simple? Diane Coyle weighs political correctness against profits in the arguments for more equality and diversity at work.
205C	01	Unscrambling Europe's Eggs?	20050707	20050710	The French and the Dutch pushed Europe's Humpty Dumpty off the wall; Eurosceptics are exultant. So is this the moment to declare the whole project dead? In the first of two programmes about the future of Europe, Quentin Peel asks: how could we unscramble the Brussels omelette and reverse 50 years of integration?
205C	02	Or Saving Europe's Bacon?	20050714	20050717	Tony Blair wants a great debate about Europe's purpose. Its voters are fearful of unemployment, immigration and ever-widening borders. In the second of two programmes about the way forward for Europe, Quentin Peel asks: can the enlarged EU still offer the safety, democracy and prosperity for all that its founders once dreamed of?
205C	03	The Theology Of Terrorism	20050721	20050724	In the wake of the London bombings, Edward Stourton reveals a debate within Islamic thinking on the use of violence. Whilst some young Muslims are being drawn into support for terrorism, a number of former jihadists now regard their old beliefs as un-Islamic. Even within the militant camp, there are now deep divisions. Could Islamic scholarship succeed where Western anti-terrorist tactics have failed?
205C	04	Love Thy Neighbour	20050728	20050731	New Localism is in fashion. We now have a Cabinet Minister for communities; politicians of all parties talk of making local services more accountable to local people. But recent initiatives, from Anti Social Behaviour Orders to High Hedge Legislation, don't seem to encourage neighbourliness, and do whinges about cracked pavements constitute real civic engagement? David Walker examines the prospects for community in an individualistic age.
205C	05	Ba Uk	20050804	20050807	Britain is second only to the United States in the number of overseas students we attract to our universities. But can we sustain our share in the face of new competitors, and are we in danger of short-changing our own home students in the race for the extra funding which overseas fees provide? Frances Cairncross assesses the pros and cons of being a leader in the global higher education market.
205C	06	The Right End Of The Stick?	20050811	20050814, RptdSun9.30pm	From diplomacy to personal relationships, from business dealings to team sports, mutual understanding seems mandatory. Yet all too often it breaks down, leading to wars, sundered friendships, lost customers and defeated heroes. But how is it that we fall victim to confusion so often? In a studio discussion, Felipe Fernández-Armesto explores why misunderstanding matters and if it is something we want and need to do.
205C	07	The Asset Effect	20050818	20050821	All 21-year-olds should get £50,000 from the government: so says one of the gurus of the new philosophy of asset-based welfare. New Labour is listening attentively to the argument that giving people assets makes them healthier and more entrepreneurial. The danger, however, is that the lucky recipients will just blow the cash. Stephanie Flanders asks whether the government should be giving people lump sum handouts and whether it really is the key to creating social justice.
205C	08	Flirting With Armageddon	20050825	20050828	Global nuclear disarmament seems to have been replaced by the targeting of 'rogue' states like Iran and North Korea. And yet, the danger of nuclear armageddon could be more real today than at any time since the Cuban missile crisis, with even a local nuclear exchange engulfing the rest of the world in a catastrophic radioactive fall-out. Zareer Masani asks if it's time for a new process of multilateral disarmament and whether Britain should be ready to give up its own nuclear deterrent.
205C	09	Goodbye Autocratic Allies	20050901	20050904	What sort of governments would free and fair elections produce in the Middle East and North Africa? Recent indications suggest that Islamist, anti-Western parties would fare better than the liberal secularists. But the United States government seems prepared to accept the will of the Middle Eastern people: it is now putting pressure to reform on those unelected regimes it previously supported. The British government has given the policy its cautious support. The Cairo-based writer, Hugh Miles, assesses the risks of replacing autocratic allies with democratic foes.
206C	01	A Healthy Meltdown?	20060706	20060709	Unaffordable pay rises, staff cuts, huge deficits and postcode lotteries - the headlines suggest that the NHS is in crisis and the government's reforms are making matters worse. But is some 'creative destruction' necessary if the NHS is to become more responsive to patients? Bob Tyrrell asks whether the perception of meltdown is actually a sign that the reforms are starting to work.
206C	02	Yankee Doodle Dandy	20060716		Opposition to policies and political trends in Washington has been growing elsewhere in the world. Yet consumption of American culture continues unabated abroad. Felipe Fernández-Armesto explores why there is so little anti-Americanism beyond the political, and if Britain wins or loses by it.
206C	03	Control Orders	20060720	20060723	: David Walker asks whether individualism is diminishing the ability of government to reassure us that someone is in control. [Rpt of Thu 8.30pm] David Walker asks whether individualism is diminishing the ability of government to reassure us that someone is in control. Control Orders: David Walker asks whether individualism is diminishing the ability of government to reassure us that someone is in control. [Rpt of Thu 8.30pm]
206C	04	Searching Questions	20060727	20060730	With ever more sophisticated search engines and smarter websites, Diane Coyle investigates the battle for our attention in the 'information society'.
206C	05	Over A Barrel	20060803	20060806	With world energy prices now high and global demand - especially from fast-growing China and India, as well as the West - showing no sign of abating, it's a good time to be holding reserves of oil and gas. But perhaps it's less good to be like Britain - dependent on energy from countries which have been adversaries rather than allies. Quentin Peel asks what a seller's market in fuel means for our future security; and if Russia, Iran and regimes from Africa to Asia have got us over a barrel of oil - and a gas pipeline?
206C	06	Workers Of The West, Retire?	20060810	20060813	Many Western companies are shifting investment and jobs eastwards, particularly to the dynamic young economies of China and India, with their huge reserves of cheap labour. Could we soon see a world divided along new lines - producer countries in the East and consumer countries in the West? Zareer Masani asks whether that could mean mass redundancies in this country and, if so, whether we can survive as the affluent consumers of cheap imports.
206C	07	What China Wants	20060817	20060820	How will China use its economic muscle on the world stage? Carrie Gracie asks if we can trust China's promises of a 'peaceful' rise to superpower status.
206C	08	The Gnome Zone	20060824	20060827	Although as many as four out of five of us live in suburbs that hasn't stopped suburbia being mocked for its alleged pretensions and conservatism. But has the rot now really set in as official alarm grows about the state of our suburbs and the lifestyles pursued there? Richard Weight asks how far we understand our core habitat and if this pioneering British idea about how to live in modern society can still work.
206C	09	Victims Or Villains?	20060831	20060903	Kenan Malik asks how we can tackle society's confusion about masculinity, with manliness close to becoming a dirty word.
206D	01	The Class Barrier	20061109	20061112	David Walker asks what class means in Britain today. Has social class become the inequality that no longer dares to speak its name? Now even Labour politicians attack inheritance tax, one of the principal means of preventing the passage of wealth across generations, and media mockery of the cult of celebrity suggests that these days class is more about taste than wealth.
206D	02	Do Mention The War!	20061116	20061119	In recent weeks, Western security services and even senior military figures have blamed Anglo-American foreign policy, and the Iraq War in particular, for our failure to isolate extremist jihadism from moderates. Zareer Masani asks whether the West can ever get it right as we tread the minefield of Muslim grievances against us, and considers how best we might rethink our foreign policy towards the Islamic world.
206D	03	Frontiers Too Far?	20061123	20061126	NATO is fighting for its future in Afghanistan while the unpopularity of the Iraq war has hit new heights. But if the US retreats, does Europe have the manpower, resources and political will to fill the gap in the Middle East, Africa or Afghanistan? Quentin Peel considers whether NATO is the right instrument to play global policeman and asks if Europe can rethink its defence and security strategy for a world in which America is in retreat.
206D	04	Training Minds	20061130	20061203	Ruth Scurr asks whether changes in the payment of university tuiton fees are altering our view of higher education and sets out to discover what students, teachers and society now expect universities to deliver.
		Morals Made To Measure	19900126		Producer: STEEL, Fraser Next in series: EURO DEFENCE CUTS Previous in series: EASTERN VENTURES Description SBH:Morals Made to Measure - has the rise of the free market brought about a moral malaise? Presenter: David Walker. PRE:Reel (22'24") Reel 2 (20'43") See script DTF:Script OTN:TLN004/90VT1004 TXN/TDT:R4 26-Jan-1990 Broadcast history 26 Jan 1990 00:00-00:00 (RADIO 4) Contributors Fraser Steel (Producer) William Rees-Mogg (Speaker) Jonathan Sacks (Speaker) David Marquand (Speaker) Anthony O'Hear (Speaker) Raymond Plant (Speaker) Timothy O'Riordan (Speaker) Anthony O'Hear (professor (spkr)) (Speaker) Michael Campbell-Johnston (Speaker) Brian Barry (Speaker) John Gray (doctor (spkr)) (Speaker) Notes: CAIRS 460120.
		Euro Defence Cuts	19900208		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 15 February 1990 Previous in series: MORALS MADE TO MEASURE Broadcast history 08 Feb 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 09 Feb 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Euro Defence Cuts	19900209		First broadcast on 1990-02-08 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 15 February 1990 Previous in series: MORALS MADE TO MEASURE Broadcast history 08 Feb 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 09 Feb 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 15 February 1990	19900215		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: DOLLARS, DEBT AND DEPENDENCE Previous in series: EURO DEFENCE CUTS Broadcast history 15 Feb 1990 20:00-20:40 (RADIO 4) 16 Feb 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 15 February 1990	19900216		First broadcast on 1990-02-15 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: DOLLARS, DEBT AND DEPENDENCE Previous in series: EURO DEFENCE CUTS Broadcast history 15 Feb 1990 20:00-20:40 (RADIO 4) 16 Feb 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Dollars, Debt And Dependence	19900222		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 01 March 1990 Previous in series: 15 February 1990 Description SBH:The effect of the U.S.A. status as the world's largest debtor nation on the postwar international economic order. References to budget deficit, relationship with Japanese & European economies, President George Bush's tax policies. Presenter: Roland Dallas. Broadcast history 22 Feb 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) Contributors Roland Dallas (int) Lee Hamilton (Speaker) Enrique Iglesias (Speaker) Mike Moran (Speaker) John Williamson (Speaker) Jacob Frenkel (Speaker) Alice Rivlin (Speaker) Michael Boskin (Speaker) Herbert Stein (Speaker) Rozanne Ridgway (Speaker) Horst Schulmann (Speaker) William Niskanen (Speaker) Bob Brackfeld (Speaker) Val Mccomie (Speaker) Notes: CAIRS 368902.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 01 March 1990	19900301		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 08 March 1990 Previous in series: DOLLARS, DEBT AND DEPENDENCE Broadcast history 01 Mar 1990 20:00-20:40 (RADIO 4) 02 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 01 March 1990	19900302		First broadcast on 1990-03-01 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 08 March 1990 Previous in series: DOLLARS, DEBT AND DEPENDENCE Broadcast history 01 Mar 1990 20:00-20:40 (RADIO 4) 02 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 08 March 1990	19900308		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 15 March 1990 Previous in series: 01 March 1990 Broadcast history 08 Mar 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 09 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 08 March 1990	19900309		First broadcast on 1990-03-08 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 15 March 1990 Previous in series: 01 March 1990 Broadcast history 08 Mar 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 09 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 15 March 1990	19900315		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: TOWER OF BAUBLE Previous in series: 08 March 1990 Broadcast history 15 Mar 1990 20:00-20:40 (RADIO 4) 16 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 15 March 1990	19900316		First broadcast on 1990-03-15 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: TOWER OF BAUBLE Previous in series: 08 March 1990 Broadcast history 15 Mar 1990 20:00-20:40 (RADIO 4) 16 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Tower Of Bauble	19900329		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 05 April 1990 Previous in series: 15 March 1990 Description SBH:Tower of Bauble - what does the British Honours system tell us about our society? Who determines merit & how? Could virtue be rewarded without status? Presenter: Peter Hennessy. With Lord Annan, Joe Haines, MPs Tam Dalyell, Tony Benn & Julian Critchley; & others. PRE:Reel 1 (22'25") Includes Haines explaining how he turned down a CBE, a peerage & a knighthood. Reel 2 (21'40") See script DTF:Script & PasB OTN:TLN013/90VT1013 Broadcast history 29 Mar 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 30 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4) Contributors Anthony Benn (Speaker) Tam Dalyell (Speaker) John Walker (Speaker) Julian Critchley (Speaker) Tom Mcnally (Speaker) Peter Hennessy (Speaker) Noel Annan (Speaker) Joe Haines (Speaker) Tim Congdon (Speaker) Robert Carr Of Hadley (Speaker) David Carlton (Speaker) Charles Regan (Speaker) Notes: CAIRS 460089.
		Tower Of Bauble	19900330		First broadcast on 1990-03-29 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 05 April 1990 Previous in series: 15 March 1990 Description SBH:Tower of Bauble - what does the British Honours system tell us about our society? Who determines merit & how? Could virtue be rewarded without status? Presenter: Peter Hennessy. With Lord Annan, Joe Haines, MPs Tam Dalyell, Tony Benn & Julian Critchley; & others. PRE:Reel 1 (22'25") Includes Haines explaining how he turned down a CBE, a peerage & a knighthood. Reel 2 (21'40") See script DTF:Script & PasB OTN:TLN013/90VT1013 Broadcast history 29 Mar 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 30 Mar 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4) Contributors Anthony Benn (Speaker) Tam Dalyell (Speaker) John Walker (Speaker) Julian Critchley (Speaker) Tom Mcnally (Speaker) Peter Hennessy (Speaker) Noel Annan (Speaker) Joe Haines (Speaker) Tim Congdon (Speaker) Robert Carr Of Hadley (Speaker) David Carlton (Speaker) Charles Regan (Speaker) Notes: CAIRS 460089.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 05 April 1990	19900406		First broadcast on 1990-04-05 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 03 May 1990 Previous in series: TOWER OF BAUBLE Broadcast history 06 Apr 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 19900503	19900503		03 May 1990 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 10 May 1990 Previous in series: 05 April 1990 Broadcast history 03 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 04 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 03 May 1990	19900504		First broadcast on 1990-05-03 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 10 May 1990 Previous in series: 05 April 1990 Broadcast history 03 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 04 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 19900510	19900510		10 May 1990 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 17 May 1990 Previous in series: 03 May 1990 Broadcast history 10 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 11 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1990-05-04.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 10 May 1990	19900511		First broadcast on 1990-05-10 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 17 May 1990 Previous in series: 03 May 1990 Broadcast history 10 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 11 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1990-05-04.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 19900517	19900517		17 May 1990 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: PURPOSE OF MUSEUM AND GALLERIES Previous in series: 10 May 1990 Broadcast history 17 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 18 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 17 May 1990	19900518		First broadcast on 1990-05-17 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: PURPOSE OF MUSEUM AND GALLERIES Previous in series: 10 May 1990 Broadcast history 17 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 18 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Purpose Of Museum And Galleries	19900524		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 31 May 1990 Previous in series: 17 May 1990 Broadcast history 24 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 25 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1990-05-21.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Purpose Of Museum And Galleries	19900525		First broadcast on 1990-05-24 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 31 May 1990 Previous in series: 17 May 1990 Broadcast history 24 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 25 May 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1990-05-21.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 19900531	19900531		31 May 1990 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 07 June 1990 Previous in series: PURPOSE OF MUSEUM AND GALLERIES Broadcast history 31 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 01 Jun 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 31 May 1990	19900601		First broadcast on 1990-05-31 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 07 June 1990 Previous in series: PURPOSE OF MUSEUM AND GALLERIES Broadcast history 31 May 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 01 Jun 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Living With Clem Atlee	19900603		First broadcast on 1989-09-05 Next in series: OUT OF THE COLD Previous in series: 20 July 1989 Broadcast history 05 Sep 1989 20:30-21:15 (RADIO 4) 03 Jun 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1989-06-20.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 07 June 1990	19900607		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 7/11, DEUTSCHMARK UBER ALLES Previous in series: 31 May 1990 Broadcast history 07 Jun 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 08 Jun 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 07 June 1990	19900608		First broadcast on 1990-06-07 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 7/11, DEUTSCHMARK UBER ALLES Previous in series: 31 May 1990 Broadcast history 07 Jun 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 08 Jun 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 7/11, Deutschmark Uber Alles	19900614		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 21 June 1990 Previous in series: 07 June 1990 Broadcast history 14 Jun 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 21 June 1990	19900621		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 05 July 1990 Previous in series: 7/11, DEUTSCHMARK UBER ALLES Broadcast history 21 Jun 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 22 Jun 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 21 June 1990	19900622		First broadcast on 1990-06-21 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 05 July 1990 Previous in series: 7/11, DEUTSCHMARK UBER ALLES Broadcast history 21 Jun 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 22 Jun 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 05 July 1990	19900705		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 12 July 1990 Previous in series: 21 June 1990 Broadcast history 05 Jul 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 06 Jul 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 05 July 1990	19900706		First broadcast on 1990-07-05 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 12 July 1990 Previous in series: 21 June 1990 Broadcast history 05 Jul 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 06 Jul 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 12 July 1990	19900713		First broadcast on 1990-07-12 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 11 October 1990 Previous in series: 05 July 1990 Broadcast history 13 Jul 1990 11:02-11:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 11 October 1990	19901011		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: NATIONALIST REVIVAL Previous in series: 12 July 1990 Broadcast history 11 Oct 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 14 Oct 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 11 October 1990	19901014		First broadcast on 1990-10-11 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: NATIONALIST REVIVAL Previous in series: 12 July 1990 Broadcast history 11 Oct 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 14 Oct 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Nationalist Revival	19901021		First broadcast on 1990-10-18 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 25 October 1990 Previous in series: 11 October 1990 Broadcast history 21 Oct 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 25 October 1990	19901025		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 01 November 1990 Previous in series: NATIONALIST REVIVAL Broadcast history 25 Oct 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 28 Oct 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 25 October 1990	19901028		First broadcast on 1990-10-25 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 01 November 1990 Previous in series: NATIONALIST REVIVAL Broadcast history 25 Oct 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 28 Oct 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 01 November 1990	19901101		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: STANDING ROOM ONLY Previous in series: 25 October 1990 Broadcast history 01 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 04 Nov 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 01 November 1990	19901104		First broadcast on 1990-11-01 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: STANDING ROOM ONLY Previous in series: 25 October 1990 Broadcast history 01 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 04 Nov 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Standing Room Only	19901108		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 15 November 1990 Previous in series: 01 November 1990 Broadcast history 08 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 11 Nov 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Standing Room Only	19901111		First broadcast on 1990-11-08 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 15 November 1990 Previous in series: 01 November 1990 Broadcast history 08 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 11 Nov 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 15 November 1990	19901115		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 22 November 1990 Previous in series: STANDING ROOM ONLY Broadcast history 15 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 18 Nov 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 15 November 1990	19901118		First broadcast on 1990-11-15 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 22 November 1990 Previous in series: STANDING ROOM ONLY Broadcast history 15 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 18 Nov 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 22 November 1990	19901122		Next in series: 25 November 1990 Previous in series: 15 November 1990 Description SBH:Diminished Responsibility? Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, Denis Healey & Enoch Powell discuss cabinet responsibility. Is it still practical given the demands of modern politics? Will Mrs Thatcher's successor be able to restore it? Includes declaration from Healey: Harold Wilson an inadequate character & a bad prime minister. Chairman: Peter Hennessy. Broadcast history 22 Nov 1990 00:00-00:00 (RADIO 4) Contributors Peter Hennessy (int) Denis Healey (Speaker) Roy Jenkins (Speaker) Enoch Powell (Speaker) Notes: CAIRS 510702.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 25 November 1990	19901125		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 29 November 1990 Previous in series: 22 November 1990 Broadcast history 25 Nov 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1990-11-21.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 29 November 1990	19901129		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 06 December 1990 Previous in series: 25 November 1990 Broadcast history 29 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 02 Dec 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 29 November 1990	19901202		First broadcast on 1990-11-29 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 06 December 1990 Previous in series: 25 November 1990 Broadcast history 29 Nov 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 02 Dec 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 06 December 1990	19901206		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 13 December 1990 Previous in series: 29 November 1990 Broadcast history 06 Dec 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 09 Dec 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 06 December 1990	19901209		First broadcast on 1990-12-06 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 13 December 1990 Previous in series: 29 November 1990 Broadcast history 06 Dec 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 09 Dec 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 13 December 1990	19901213		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 20 December 1990 Previous in series: 06 December 1990 Broadcast history 13 Dec 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 16 Dec 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 13 December 1990	19901216		First broadcast on 1990-12-13 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 20 December 1990 Previous in series: 06 December 1990 Broadcast history 13 Dec 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 16 Dec 1990 16:02-16:42 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 20 December 1990	19901220		Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 31 January 1991 Previous in series: 13 December 1990 Broadcast history 20 Dec 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 23 Dec 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: 20 December 1990	19901223		First broadcast on 1990-12-20 Producer: C. ANSTEY Next in series: 31 January 1991 Previous in series: 13 December 1990 Broadcast history 20 Dec 1990 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 23 Dec 1990 16:02-16:47 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Power To The Judges	19960201		Producer: A. DWORKIN Next in series: DIRT ACROSS THE BORDER Previous in series: WELCOME DEVELOPMENTS Broadcast history 01 Feb 1996 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 04 Feb 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Power To The Judges	19960204		First broadcast on 1996-02-01 Producer: A. DWORKIN Next in series: DIRT ACROSS THE BORDER Previous in series: WELCOME DEVELOPMENTS Broadcast history 01 Feb 1996 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 04 Feb 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Dirt Across The Border	19960208		Producer: I. HASSLER Next in series: SCOTT REPORT DISCUSSION Previous in series: POWER TO THE JUDGES Broadcast history 08 Feb 1996 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 11 Feb 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Dirt Across The Border	19960211		First broadcast on 1996-02-08 Producer: I. HASSLER Next in series: SCOTT REPORT DISCUSSION Previous in series: POWER TO THE JUDGES Broadcast history 08 Feb 1996 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 11 Feb 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4).
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Scott Report Discussion	19960218		Producer: S. COATES Next in series: LIVING APART... ? Previous in series: DIRT ACROSS THE BORDER Broadcast history 18 Feb 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1996-02-15.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Living Apart... ?	19960222		Producer: M. BLASTLAND Next in series: LIVING APART? (2/2) Previous in series: SCOTT REPORT DISCUSSION Broadcast history 22 Feb 1996 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 25 Feb 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1996-02-15.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Living Apart... ?	19960225		First broadcast on 1996-02-22 Producer: M. BLASTLAND Next in series: LIVING APART? (2/2) Previous in series: SCOTT REPORT DISCUSSION Broadcast history 22 Feb 1996 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 25 Feb 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1996-02-15.
		Programme Catalogue - Details: Living Apart? (2/2)	19960229		Producer: M. BLASTLAND Next in series: THE MORAL MARKETPLACE Previous in series: LIVING APART... ? Broadcast history 29 Feb 1996 20:00-20:45 (RADIO 4) 03 Mar 1996 16:15-17:00 (RADIO 4) Recorded on 1996-02-19.
		Public Virtue	19991115	19991121	Doctors, teachers and civil servants are under attack as `forces of conservatism'. Tony Blair wants them to be more like the private sector. David Walker asks if the public is at risk of losing its servants' prized professionalism.
		United But Falling Apart?	20021031	20021103	Opinions in Europe are divided over Iraq, Israel and the International Criminal Court. Can the EU maintain its unity and still keep the US on board?
		The Last Resort	20021107	20021110	In today's multicultural Britain and globalised society, what sort of patriotism is possible? Felipe Fernandez examines loyalty in a world of rapid change.
		What About The Children?	20021114	20021117	In the light of recent tragic events, how do we reconcile the conflicting demands of child protection and increased children's rights?
		The Undeadly Sin	20021128	20021201	Recent corporate scandals have caused widespread public concern about business ethics. But without greed, could capitalism survive? Diane Coyle investigates.
		The European Juggernaut	20021205	20021208	There is no great enthusiasm for political unity among EU states. What does the future hold for a Union which may lose members as well as gain them?
		Eurotest	20021212	20021215	How close are Britain and the Eurozone to meeting the conditions set out in Gordon Brown's five economic tests to be passed before the UK joins the euro?
		Mr Chips Or Microchips?	20021226	20021229	Bringing computers into schools has long been a central plank of government education policy - but how helpful is it? Frances Cairncross investigates.
		Europe's Slow Lane	20031113	20031116	The Eurozone is now the slowest growing of the major advanced economies and its largest member states are in trouble: Italy and Germany are in recession, and the French economy is almost at stagnation point. Some Germans are even asking themselves if they need their own Margaret Thatcher. Frances Cairncross investigates the causes of Europe's poor economic health and asks whether the Euro is part of the problem or part of the solution.
		The Trust Game	20031120	20031123	In the wake of the Hutton inquiry, talk is rife about a 'trust deficit' in politics. But how much trust does a democracy really need, and should it work both ways with politicians able to trust the public? David Walker asks if we are in danger of confusing healthy scepticism with system failure.
		Development On The Front Line	20031127	20031130	Is the 'War on Terror' boosting development policy or undermining it? Kirsty Hughes investigates.
		Pulp Nation	20031204	20031207	Are we still ""dumbing down""? Felipe Fernandez Armesto asks if we are getting what we want and need from TV, newspapers and publishers. Are we increasingly pandering to the lowest common denominators in the name of ""entertainment""? Or do we enjoy a richer cultural diversity than ever before?
		Risky Business	20031211	20031214	Is fear of unproven risks to the environment and human health hampering technological innovation? Over the past decade, Europe's policy makers have become increasingly convinced that when it comes to protecting human health or the environment, it is far better to put innovations on hold rather than risk uncertain harm. This so-called 'precautionary principle' has been used to delay the use of new products, such as genetically modified crops. It has also been invoked to ban previously legal technologies and practices such as the use of hormones in milk production, despite the fact that to date they are not known to cause adverse effects in humans. The precautionary principle is supported by environmental campaigners and consumers who believe that where there is a possibility of irreversible harm, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for inaction. But can the costs of the better-safe-than-sorry approach outweigh the benefits? In the case of GM crops, for example, should the uncertain harm caused to the environment be given more weight than the more certain benefits their use might bring to poor farmers in the developing world? Presenter Diane Coyle asks whether the better-safe-than-sorry approach is encouraging the development of alternative, safer technologies or hampering scientific innovation.
		Playing The Global Game	20031218	20031221	As the dividing line between foreign and domestic policy disappears. Quentin Peel asks whether Britain is equipped for change.
		Agenda For The Next Pope	20031228		As Pope John Paul becomes increasingly frail, Vatican-watchers are speculating about the identity of the next Pontiff and the challenges he will face. In the West, the Roman Catholic Church has been weakened by falling numbers of priests, scandals and galloping secularisation. Andrew Brown asks whether the next Pope can reassert the Church's political and moral authority, and whether Roman Catholicism can survive as a truly global faith.
		They Already Know What You Want	20041111	20041114	Choice has become the political mantra for our public services. But the practical limits on NHS patients deciding what care they want, with whom and where remain immense. Bob Tyrrell asks why politicians are so reluctant to give us the choices we seek and how our health care would change if they did.
		Eyes Wide Shut?	20041118	20041121	Europe - once the world's most important continent - seems to be becoming peripheral to world events. Asia is overtaking it economically; while divisions over Iraq call into question whether the European Union can ever be a major player in global affairs. Martin Jacques asks whether Europe's in danger of becoming introverted and provincial, and what that could mean for the continent's future.
		Where Have All The Liberals Gone?	20041125	20041128	Right and left seem to agree that when it comes to law and order, we need more sticks and fewer carrots. David Blunkett and Tony Blair argue that everything went wrong in the 1960s, thanks to the pernicious influence of weak-kneed liberals. Paradoxically, however, we are now freer than ever when it comes to our private life. Historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto asks whether the liberal consensus has vanished forever.
		The Economy On The Couch	20041202	20041205	We do odd things. With pensions for example, we behave as if we won't get old. That's a problem for economists and policy makers who typically assume we're rational. Diane Coyle looks at what economics is now learning of the twists in our psychology, and the strange ways we behave.
			20041209	20041212	President Bush says he wants to work anew with formerly close old allies. So is a new American love affair with Europe set to blossom? Quentin Peel examines whether, in the light of the Euro and closer European defence co-operation, the United States will want to work with the Europeans or will pick its friends as it chooses.
		Problems In The Pipeline	20041216	20041219	Fuel prices and carbon emissions are rising, and for the UK, self sufficiency in gas and oil is over. However, much of the public don't seem not to care, even though there are strong objectors saying 'no' to wind farms and more NUCLEAR power plants. David Walker looks at the hard decisions that have to be made - and soon - if we want to continue to drive, heat homes and switch on lights.
		Modern Fundamentalism	20041223		In our post-Marxist and supposedly secular era, strong beliefs seemed permanently out of fashion. But modern forms of 'fundamentalism' are emerging in response. Bruce Clark asks why certainty is still proving so attractive, and where the search for it might take us.
		Nanotechnology	20041230	20050102	What could happen when we tinker with matter at the tiniest level - NANOTECHNOLOGY - has got royalty and even eminent scientists worried. But the technology that some fear could bring so-called 'grey goo' also offers us huge opportunities in energy, electronics and biomedicine. Natasha Loder asks if the potential of NANOTECHNOLOGY merits running risks with the unknown and how those exploiting it should be policed.
		Bill Of Frights?	20050303	20050306	Opponents of the European Union's constitution argue that its terms imperil Britain's hallowed and unique political traditions. Felipe Fernández-Armesto asks if this is just a difference of perception or if there is a fundamental incompatibility between European and British conceptions of politics.
		Order! Order!	20050310	20050313	For centuries Britain has been a nation that likes a drink: in 1066 the invading Normans considered the Saxons a bunch of hopeless drunks. The association between drink and street disturbances is long standing - but so is the link between alcohol and prosperity. David Walker asks why Government plans to deregulate pub hours in ENGLAND have provoked a panic, and whether the freedom to drink will become a licence to drink to excess.
		Is Demography Destiny?	20050317	20050320	Societies constantly worry about their populations growing too fast or too slowly. How accurate are such predictions likely to be, and do they influence eventual population size? Andrew Brown considers demography's role in our debate about the future.
		The Tiger Or The Tank?	20050324	20050327	Action on climate change is the new political imperative. But, post-Kyoto, are radical steps to halt degradation of the environment consistent with our hopes of getting richer? Dieter Helm asks if economic growth can be made globally sustainable or if our way of life is too precious to sacrifice.
		Going To The Blogs?	20050331	20050403	The internet is becoming a key political battlefield, with thousands of people debating the issues on their own web pages. Kenan Malik investigates.
		Empire Strikes Back	20050407	20050410	For more than half a century, empire has been a dirty word, associated with exploitation, racism and war. But now amid a welter of failed nation-states, imperial ideas seem to be back in fashion unofficially at least - in the USA, RUSSIA and CHINA. Zareer Masani asks whether its possible to free empire from its unequal past and reinvent it as a benevolent, pluralistic and cosmopolitan form of government.
		Is Sid Dead?	20050414	20050417	In the 1980s, privatisation promised to make Britain a share-owning democracy. But how far did capitalism really spread? Diane Coyle investigates. Is Sid dead? In the 1980s, privatisation promised to make Britain a share-owning democracy. But how far did capitalism really spread? Diane Coyle investigates.
		The Godless Continent?	20050421	20050424	Europe is supposedly the cradle of Western CHRISTIANity, yet the European Constitution omits any reference to God. Turkey models its secular state on FRANCE, yet in its quest for EU membership finds the coolest reception in PARIS. Quentin Peel asks if secularism is now Europe's defining characteristic and whether it is a growing cause of division with the UNITED STATES and the developing world.
		The Anxious Voter	20050428	20050501	John Kampfner asks why insecurity plays such an important part in the political process and whether it makes people more or less likely to vote.
		The Colour-coded Prescription	20051117	20051120	Kenan Malik looks at the medical and social consequences of drugs being developed for specific racial groups - especially in the wake of American authorities having just licensed a heart drug to be used solely on African-Americans. It's the first-ever racially specific medicine.
		The Trade Trap	20051124	20051127	Better trade normally brings wealth to rich and poor countries, and benefits consumers everywhere. So why are crucial global trade talks in Hong Kong next month prompting such pessimism? Diane Coyle reveals how the deals done there might affect us all.
		Orb And Spectre	20051201	20051204	The monarchy's virtues of tradition and continuity will be celebrated next year on the Queen's 80th birthday. But beyond the respect accorded to the sovereign, what are the principles which will guide the monarchy's future? Richard Weight investigates.
		Planning Against Panic	20051208	20051211	Epidemics, natural disasters, terrorism government emergency planning has never seemed more urgent. But in a real crisis, how could Whitehall seize practical and psychological control of an ever more individualistic society? David Walker investigates.
		Generation Hexed	20051215	20051218	The generation that is now under 35 is the first that will pay for a welfare state from which it will derive comparatively little benefit. People born after 1970 will have to be more self-reliant than their parents. Will they also be more selfish? Journalist Camilla Cavendish asks whether the concept of mutual obligation, which has underpinned the welfare state, can possibly survive in a culture where workers are burdened with debt, rising taxation and the need to save for their own welfare.
		Why Can't We Stop Shopping?	20051222		Every year there are more shops full of more things to buy, and every year the consumer buys them. For most of the last decade we've relied on ever higher levels of consumer spending and borrowing to keep the world economy going. But can this go on for ever? Bob Tyrrell examines the future of consumption and looks what might happen to our economy if more of us decided we had bought enough.
		Is God On Their Side?	20051229	20060101	From the Supreme Court to what should be taught in the country's schools, religious beliefs profoundly shape US politics on all sides. And the sacred also affects American attitudes to world leadership, global problems and war. Andrew Brown asks why Americans see themselves and so much of world history in religious terms, and where this outlook is taking the global superpower.
		Feeling Whose Collars?	20060302	20060305	David Walker asks what the limits of police action in tackling criminality are, and whether greater efficiency comes cost free.
			20060309	20060312	The growth in China's economic potential has been spectacular, and the West is rushing to adjust. But is it inevitable that China's growth will continue at such a rate? Diane Coyle asks whether it's just as likely that the Chinese mix of communism and capitalism will prove increasingly volatile.
		A Human Politics	20060316	20060319	Kenan Malik asks whether humanism still has any meaning - and what politics might look like without a humanist impulse.
		The Prophet And The State	20060323	20060326	A confidential Home Office internal report warned the government, well before the 7/7 bombings, that radicalism amongst a minority of Britain's Muslim population had become a threat to security and community cohesion. Andrew Brown talks to those advising the government to discover what its strategy is.
		Europe's Tarnished Golden Door	20060330	20060402	Migration is often claimed to be essential to the EU's prosperity as populations age and global competition intensifies. But can economic migrants be absorbed across Europe without causing a backlash in either their richer new homes or their poorer old ones? Quentin Peel asks how economic migration can be managed so that some countries don't get all the benefits and others all the pain.
		What Did I Do To Be So Green And Blue?	20060406	20060409, RptofThu8.30pm	David Cameron says the environment will be at the centre of Conservative policy. But can he deliver? And what does this shift mean for the future of his party? Camilla Cavendish of the Times asks the questions as the true blues go green. For some prominent Tories, of course, there are no problems. John Gummer, who is leading the party's review group about quality of life, says Conservatives have always been environmentalists, starting with Disraeli. The concept of stewardship of the land for future generations is, he argues, central to conservatism. Others aren't so sure. Tom Burke, who advised three Conservative environment secretaries, says the party now faces a key choice between its support for free market economics and its commitment to the environment. For Andrew Simms of the New Economics Foundation, the choice is starker. He says Mr Cameron must choose between the recommendations of Mr Gummer's commission and those of the review group on competitiveness, led by John Redwood. In a fascinating interview, Mr Redwood discusses his views on the environment. On aviation, he sees two Tory impulses in conflict: environmental protection versus enterprise and consumer choice. Camilla discovers another potential area of disagreement: Europe. Apparently, 80% of British environmental legislation originates at EU level, yet Mr Cameron wants to withdraw his MEPs from their alliance with the European People's Party. While Mr Cameron's shift in rhetoric has changed the party's image, tough choices remain if his words are going to be translated into concrete policies.
		Politics For Plumbers?	20060413	20060416	"I don't believe in isms", said David Cameron. "We're beyond ideology", said Tony Blair. Are we? Bob Tyrrell examines the apparent convergence of political parties, asking if we face a contest of competence. Is this politics for mechanics and technocrats? If so, is a lack of explicit ideology a good thing?
		Atomic Ayatollahs	20060420	20060423	Iran's Islamist regime is widely perceived as aiming to become a nuclear power which would dominate the Middle East. Are Western governments right to feel threatened, and if so what can they do about it? Zareer Masani considers how far the US and its allies, having learned from the mistakes of the Iraq intervention, have succeeded in building a strong international consensus against Iran's nuclear ambitions, bringing on side, not merely the Europeans, but Russia, China and India. The programme asks whether the multilateral approach via the IAEA and the UN will last, whether the West can come up with strong enough economic sanctions, and if so, whether the latter would prove more damaging to Iran or to Western economies vulnerable to oil prices. Analysis also challenges the assumption that most Iranians want to go nuclear, regardless of the political and economic price. Zareer Mansani asks whether the nuclear bluster of Iranian hard-liners is part of an attempt to shore up their dwindling political base in an increasingly modern society, which is growing tired of clerical obscurantism and international isolation.
		Wasted On The Young	20060427	20060430	Just how wide now is the generation gap when the whole family attends the same gig - and who's narrowing it? Richard Weight asks if the middle-aged and even older are shamelessly colonising youth culture and, if so, when they'll grow out of it.
		Stick Or Twist	20061207	20061210	Richard Weight explores the conflict between the money that gambling generates for the government and concerns about the social damage it may cause.
		March Of The Monstrous Regiment	20061214	20061217	For the first time in history, the brightest women in western societies can take up any occupation or career they please. While this has brought enormous benefits, the downsides are only just emerging. Alison Wolf asks whatever happened to sisterhood, female altruism and bringing up children.
		Spoilt By Choice?	20061221	20061224, RptdSun9.30pm	We take choice for granted in everything from hospital care to the latest gadgets, changing suppliers and brands when we're unhappy or just bored. So when some of us freely admit we would dump our partners for £1million, is this just the next logical step or personal gratification going far too far? Bob Tyrrell asks how far we now regard loyalty as anachronistic and what exactly we win and lose by being more selfish.
		Telling Muslim Stories	20061228	20061231	Since 9/11, Britain's media has grappled with a real sense of cultural dysfunction, and the fault-line is ethnicity and religious extremism. Has reporting of the Iraq war abroad and the terrorist threat at home damaged the trust of ordinary Muslims in the mainstream news media? And does it matter if it has? Charlie Beckett explores whether it's journalism's role to foster social cohesion and whether journalists have been questioning enough - or are knowledgeable enough - about Muslim matters.
		Clipping Our Wings?	20070301	20070304	Ever greater mobility for people and goods has been vital for global development. But will we keep moving as before? Zareer Masani asks whether environmental angst can persuade us to stay closer to home.
		Faith In The State	20070308	20070311	The row over gay adoption has raised questions about the relationship between faith and the state. Under Labour, faith-based voluntary organisations have been given increased public funding and praise from politicians, and now the government has given protection against discrimination to both religious believers and gay people. David Walker asks whether the state, by enshrining the rights of mutually antagonistic groups, has created more problems than it can solve.
		Anchor Aweigh?	20070315	20070318	The US remains the world's pre-eminent power, but its ability to shape the international order has been much diminished by Iraq and divisions with allies. Meanwhile, the fast-growing countries of Asia and the South shun responsibility. Philip Stephens asks what elements of the Pax Americana should survive and what interdependence might emerge in a new political order.
		Officially Ignorant?	20070322	20070325	It is generally believed that the state is more intrusive than ever. But amid the deluge of modern information, how well can top policy makers really grasp what is happening in our society and economy? Frances Cairncross investigates the black holes in official knowledge.
		Le Malade Imaginaire?	20070329	20070401	Despite remaining a tourist's idyll and a bon viveur's delight as well as boasting many of Europe's best-loved brands and cultural jewels, France is unhappy with itself. Low economic growth, the remoteness and failings of its political class and the nation's diminished role in the EU have all led to social unease. Quentin Peel asks if France has deep-seated problems that require radical reform by its next president or is just suffering from hypochondria.
		1707: Bravehearts And Bankers	20070405	20070408	The Act of Union between England and Scotland in 1707 provided opportunities for Scots to become key players in the nascent British Empire, which brought wealth to Scotland and power to many Scots. Is there a link between the end of Empire and the resurgence of Scottish nationalism? Dr Richard Weight examines the relationship between patriotism and economics.
		Miserable Children	20070412	20070415	A recent UNICEF report prompted accusations that the UK is failing its children. Is Britain breeding a uniquely unhappy youngest generation or are we allowing adult angst and an idealised image of childhood to distort our view? Andrew Brown investigates.
		Secrets And Mysteries	20070419	20070422	More resources than ever before are being devoted to combating terrorism. But how good is the intelligence on the threat and what are the wider consequences for society? Sir David Omand, until recently the Government's top Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, talks to Peter Hennessy about what we know of the terrorist threat and how well organised the state is to confront and overcome it.
		I'm So Sorry	20070426	20070429	Why have apologies for past misdeeds become politically fashionable? Tony Blair has apologised for the Irish famine, but stopped short and instead merely expressed regret about the slave trade. The Queen has apologised to New Zealand's Maoris and Pope John Paul II said he was sorry for the Crusades. Kenan Malik considers whether people today really bear responsibility for the crimes of their ancestors, and who can say sorry on behalf of others.
		Changing Charity	20070705	20070708	Political leaders are promising a much greater role for charities in delivering public services. But what kind of difference can they make, and will voluntary organisations change fundamentally as they move closer to the state? Alison Wolf investigates.
		Repugnant Markets	20070712	20070715	Thousands of people die every year while waiting for a kidney; billions have a spare kidney. There's the possibility of a trade, but buying and selling organs is widely regarded as unethical. Tim Harford asks whether our objections to this kind of transaction are based on practical grounds, on ethics, or on sheer distaste.
		Go Green, Or Else!	20070719	20070722	The British government's dramatic targets for halving carbon emissions allow little more time than it took to stigmatise drink-driving. And while opinion polls suggest that most people in Britain are worried about climate change, there's little sign of action on their part. Camilla Cavendish asks how the government can make us greener.
		No More Wars?	20070726	20070729	Patient diplomacy rather than military force is the new watchword of British foreign policy. Philip Stephens investigates.
		Family Footsteps	20070802	20070805	Children following parents into careers might be thought a thing of the past. But dynasties seem to be thriving everywhere from politics to business to crime. Frances Cairncross examines why family networks still matter.
		Travel And The Mind	20070809	20070812	How much do our increasingly exotic foreign holidays really improve our understanding of the world? British tourists now take over 44 million trips abroad each year, yet a glance at the British media reveals that public interest in serious analysis of other cultures seems to be lessening. Richard Weight asks why our interest in foreign news coverage and serious travel reportage seems to be shrinking.
		The Roof Over Your Head	20070816	20070819	With growing numbers of younger people struggling to find affordable homes, Gordon Brown has placed housing at the centre of his government's policies. But can we really hope to revive the home-ownership revolution of the 1980s, and will that provoke new social tensions? Zareer Masani weighs the role of government against that of the market and asks how best we can ensure that the new homes we build go to those who need them most.
		The Will To Power?	20070823	20070826	From supercasinos to drugs, the tide seems to be turning against socially harmful self-indulgence. But is legislation the right instrument to curb our excesses? Felipe Fernandez-Armesto asks whether the passing of self-discipline is to be regretted.
		One Wales?	20071025	20071028	Mukul Devichand investigates the onward march of the Welsh language. After 15 years of official protection and revival, the new coalition government in Cardiff intends to legislate so that even private businesses must support Welsh. Yet the views of the English speaking majority are surprisingly mixed, caught between pride for a language they cannot speak and resentment of what they view as the creation of a new Welsh-speaking elite.
			20071101	20071104	David Kilcullen, an Australian anthropologist and key adviser to the Pentagon, talks to Frank Gardner about the future of the war on terror. He believes that the key to a successful campaign is knowledge rather than weaponry.
		With Friends Like These	20071108	20071111	Why are people happy to disclose huge amounts of personal information online, especially to social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace? Ben Hammersley asks whether our notion of privacy has changed and what the consequences for society might be.
		Keeping Us Afloat?	20071115	20071118	Frances Cairncross reports on the credit crunch and its effect on the world economy. How much influence will be wielded by new global players such as India and China?
		The Blessing Of Marriage	20071122	20071125	Camilla Cavendish asks what role the government should play in our relationship choices and the way we bring up our children. Cohabiting couples and single mothers are predicted to outnumber married parents by 2031. So why are both major parties trying to boost traditional forms of marriage through the tax and benefits system at a time of single-sex partnerships and increased rights for cohabiting parents?
		Let The People Decide?	20071129	20071202	From the European Union to abortion, calls for referendums abound across politics. But are popular votes a good way of resolving contentious issues? In a studio discussion, Quentin Peel asks if plebiscites enable the voice of the people to be heard unequivocally. Do electorates really end up deciding complex questions or do referendums simply let politicians off the hook?
		The Beginner's Guide To Separation	20071206	20071209	Tensions between Holyrood and Westminster have increased since the Scottish elections. But exactly how would an end to the Union be achieved, and who would decide what form it would take if the parties failed to agree? Chris Bowlby asks how any separation would affect the monarchy, the currency, the armed forces and Europe.
		Africa's Chance	20071213	20071216	Many African nations may be experiencing the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty. Thanks to the boom in prices for raw materials, coupled with major Chinese investment, countries such as Kenya and Mozambique are now among the world's fastest-growing economies. Richard Dowden asks whether this windfall can be channelled into a long-term path to development.
		Jackanory Politics	20080221	20080224	Frances Stonor examines the increasingly popular method of delivering a political message by telling a story. The narrative can be an effective communicating tool, but can it sometimes obscure the facts? Contributors include former political adviser Lord Gould, writer Robert McKee, psychologist Drew Westen, journalist Daniel Finkelstein and BBC Home Editor Mark Easton.
		India, The Reluctant Tiger	20080228	20080302	India's economy is growing three times faster than that of western nations. In the last seven years the country's middle class has doubled and is spending its new wealth on more and more consumer goods. Dr Zareer Masani travels to his homeland to discover if this prosperity is filtering down to the mass of the population or simply creating a larger gulf between the rich and poor.
		Doing Our Duty	20080306	20080309	Both major parties have promised to create legal responsibilities to balance our rights, but what should our responsibilities be? Is it the state's business to tell us about our duties and enforce them by law? David Walker investigates.
		What Are We Fighting For?	20080313	20080316	The campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have seriously stretched the armed forces and raised questions about Britain's use of military power. What are the armed forces for and do today's wars justify asking young men and women to make the ultimate sacrifice? Five years after the invasion of Iraq, Edward Stourton talks to those doing the fighting as well as the commanders and politicians back home who have had to make difficult decisions about their deployment.
		Revealing Religion	20080320	20080323	Andrew Brown explores how believers and sceptics see the role of religion in thought and action.
		Kicking The Habit	20080327	20080330, RptofThu8.30pm	Can We Kick the Habit? Social historian Richard Weight asks why the problem of drug addiction has proved so intractable to a range of public policy approaches. He asks if we have misunderstood the nature of addiction to hard drugs and whether we are simply managing drug abusers rather than trying to help them. Experts and former addicts consider new approaches to the problem. Social historian Richard Weight asks why the problem of drug addiction has proved so intractable to a range of public policy approaches.
		The Wrong Road To A Warmer World	20080403	20080406	Kenan Malik asks whether we are approaching climate change and how to combat it from the wrong direction. Government ministers and green lobbyists want to reduce global warming by persuading us to take drastic action to reduce our carbon footprint. But might a better strategy be to accept that climate change is going to happen anyway and to adapt society to meet its challenges? And if so, why is no one talking about it?
			20080410	20080413	Mukul Devichand meets China's eco-warrriors in Beijing and asks how the rest of the world should understand the significance of their activism. Polluted China is increasingly seen as a threat to the planet, but many Chinese blame the West for its outsourcing of dirty industries. They feel the developed countries should stop preaching to China about reducing carbon emissions and start helping to clear up the mess.
		A Nation Of Billy Elliots?	20080417	20080420	The government is promoting the arts, including a proposed five hours of culture per week in schools. Yet recent Arts Council cuts have caused uproar, and the arts in the UK now receive more money from private donors than from the public purse. Camilla Cavendish asks why our cultural industries are now so attractive to the government and whether the agenda is to encourage creativity or simply to entertain.
		War On The Professions	20080424	20080427	Alison Wolf asks if the idea of the independent self-regulated professional has become outmoded. When we deal with lawyers, doctors, or other professions, are we enjoying a guarantee of truly professional service, based on ancient tradition and proud independence from outside interference? Or are we at the mercy of a highly effective closed shop, more interested in protecting its own members' interests than in serving society and consumers in the best way possible?
		Responsible Journalism	20080703	20080706	Former editor of the Today programme Kevin Marsh asks how the press can rediscover its public purpose in order to help citizens join the big debates and solve genuine problems at a time when sales and advertising are crashing and readers stopped trusting what they read in the newspapers a long time ago. Many people resent smart editors telling them what to think and only buy their daily paper for the sudoku, celebrity gossip and TV schedules.
		Character Factories	20080710	20080713	Lord Baden-Powell called the scout movement he founded a 'character factory', designed to impart his own public school and military values to the masses. Richard Reeves, commentator and part-time scout master, asks whether it is time for the chattering classes to unashamedly promote their own virtues.
		The World's Shifting Balance	20080717	20080720	Martin Wolf of the Financial Times analyses the crisis facing the global economy, now perceived to be unlike anything seen before. A combination of financial shocks and booming commodity prices have confronted us with the simultaneous threats of inflation and recession. But could the dynamism of the developing world pull rich countries out of the current slowdown?
		Bad Elections	20080724	20080727	Recent months have seen several allegedly flawed elections in various countries. Are they evidence of a dangerous trend for autocratic regimes to seek legitimacy through the ballot box, or are even bad elections better than none at all? Zareer Masani considers the relationship between voting and other democratic rights and asks if we are too obsessed with elections as the key to democracy.
		Climate Change: The Quick Fix?	20080731	20080803	Frances Cairncross investigates geo-engineering, the idea that technology can be developed to cool the world if global warming accelerates. The theory is highly controversial and raises many questions which governments would prefer not to think about. Contributors include US legal expert David Victor of Stanford University, Prof Brian Launder of the University of Manchester and Julian Morris of the International Policy Network.
		Al Qaeda's Enemy Within	20080807	20080810	Could Osama bin Laden's erstwhile comrades be responsible for bringing about the collapse of Al Qaeda? As criticism of the terrorist leader from within the ranks of the Islamist movement itself grows, BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner talks to former allies of Osama bin Laden who are now engaged in countering the terrorist leader's agenda.
		Fair Play?	20080814	20080817	Historian Richard Weight asks why many nations with far fewer resources than Britain frequently perform much better at sports. Does the country that invented so many sports take them too seriously or not seriously enough, and does it really matter?
		Trust Me, I'm A Patient	20080821	20080824	Consumer-driven health care is a hot political issue. But as patients, we demand treatments of unproven worth, regardless of cost, in an apparent frenzy of health anxiety. Michael Blastland asks if patients are fit to take charge in what is being described as a historic shift in power.
		Do Public Inquiries Work?	20081030	20081102	Ann Alexander, a lawyer who represented some of the families of relatives killed by Dr Harold Shipman, examines the public inquiries system. She talks to the insiders who have run and worked in major public inquiries and asks if the system now needs reform so that recommendations for the future are fully implemented.
		Dead Cert	20081106	20081109	Michael Blastland examines the damage done by the demand for certainty in politics and asks why our leaders seem unable to say 'I don't know'. He hears calls from former education secretary Estelle Morris that it is time for politicians to admit that the people in charge do not have all the answers.
		Revealing Religion	20081116		Andrew Brown explores how believers and sceptics see the role of religion in thought and action.
		World Cities, Urban Nightmares?	20081120	20081123	Mukul Devichand asks if the megacities of the developing world are going to follow the model of London and New York, privileging a global elite and marginalising the poor. He travels from London to Mumbai and Delhi to meet thinkers, planners, architects and city leaders and discovers that many of the world's biggest cities are making uncannily similar choices about housing and architecture as they compete to attract global companies.
		Paying The Piper	20081127	20081130	Frances Cairncross examines what lessons must be learned from the credit crunch. Frances Cairncross examines what lessons must be learned from the events of the credit crunch and the effects it has had on the capitalist system.
		Blow-back From Edinburgh?	20081204	20081207	David Runciman asks if political forces are pushing Edinburgh and London onto increasingly divergent paths, with radical implications for how the next Westminster general election will be fought and British government formed.
		My Dna	20081211	20081214	Ben Hammersley investigates the predictive genetics industry, which advocates claim could extend a person's lifespan by 20 years. Online companies can claim to tell people their chances of contracting a whole host of diseases and, with costs falling, such information is becoming much more accessible. Ben examines the concerns of sceptics and asks whether this is information we really want to have and what the consequences might be for the medical world.
		Rolling Stones	20090219	20090222	Alison Wolf asks whether human beings have an innate need to travel and, if so, whether that raises profound questions for transport policy. As we get richer, so we choose to travel faster, despite the damage it does to the planet. But what does the wrong kind of travelling or no travelling at all mean for our personal health and happiness? How should governments respond to this complex side of our psyche? Is it right to subsidise any form of transport or should towns and cities be designed in such a way that we are forced to abandon our cars? Alison Wolf asks whether human beings have an innate need to travel.
		Anti Social Housing	20090226	20090301	Richard Reeves, director of the independent think tank Demos, argues that social housing has failed everyone - those who cannot get housing, those in social housing and the taxpayers who pay for it. The government is committed to a new wave of affordable housing, but have we learnt the lessons of the past? Richard Reeves, director of the think tank Demos, argues that social housing has failed.
		The Threat Of Thrift	20090305	20090308	After decades of easy credit, Chris Bowlby asks if the concept of thrift has lost its moral attraction and if its revival could further damage the economy. Chris Bowlby asks if the concept of thrift has lost its moral attraction.
		Clever.com	20090312	20090315	Kenan explores the reality behind the stereotype of the 'Google generation', the young people who have become so hooked on the web and computer games that they are unable to think, study and concentrate. This characterisation is motivated by genuine concerns that heavy use of the internet and computer games are actually rewiring the brains of young people. They are learning and thinking differently to their forebears in a massive technological and social experiment. Kenan investigates these concerns and asks Stephen Fry, among others, whether the rise of the digital generation should be a cause for celebration or concern. The reality behind the stereotype of teenagers apparent over-reliance on the internet.
		The Financial Tsunami	20090319	20090322	Ngaire Woods considers how the financial crisis is affecting the world's most vulnerable people. As global leaders prepare to meet in London to try to clear up the western world's economic mess, where does the global banking meltdown leave developing countries? Ngaire Woods on how the financial crisis is affecting people in developing countries.
		Obama's Pentagon	20090326	20090329	Newsnight's defence correspondent Mark Urban asks if the Obama presidency will see substantial reform at the Pentagon. During his campaign to become commander-in-chief, Barack Obama pledged to adapt 'US military capabilities for current, not Cold War, needs'. Mark looks at whether the 'small war' strategists, those promoting 'non-kinetic' approaches such as better intelligence gathering and nation building are going to win out over the traditionalists who believe that the defence of America still lies in investing billions of dollars in planes, tanks and ships.
		No Escape	20090601		Richard Weight asks why prison policy is so difficult to unlock and whether anyone has the key. Crime is not getting any worse but the number of inmates has almost doubled in the last 20 years. What is more, the majority of prisoners reoffend, with an annual cost to the Treasury of more than 12 billion pounds. Featuring contributions from: Jonathan Aitken, former MP and prison inmate Professor Andrew Coyle, Professor of Prison Studies Baroness Corston, author of the Corston report on women's prisons Frances Crook, Director, Howard League for Penal Reform David Hanson MP, prisons minister Kenny MacAskill MSP, Scottish cabinet secretary for justice Ex-offenders from the Open Book Project, Goldsmith's College.
		Economy On The Edge	20090608	20090614	In 2008 one of the world's most respected economic observers, Martin Wolf, the chief economic commentator of the Financial Times, forecast that the global downturn could be even worse than most experts realised. A year on, he returns to examine the current state of the global financial markets and talks to a range of financial experts to analyse what the future may hold.
		A New Iraq?	20090615	20090621	As British forces complete their withdrawal from Iraq and the government declares the mission a success, Bronwen Maddox considers the prospects of lasting peace for the Iraqi people. Have lessons been learnt that will change the way in which similar missions are tackled in the future?
		Doesn't Everyone?	20090622		Michael Blastland asks if 'group-think' is distancing policy from the public and asks if our political elite have forgotten how most voters live. People measure their behaviour and beliefs by those around them, so MPs might have thought that the expenses system was reasonable. Might it also mean they have lost touch with what Britain is really like?
		Thought Experiments	20090628	20090629	Studies have shown that if the smell of fresh bread is in the air we are far more generous than otherwise. In the past few years, a fascinating range of experiments has begun to shed light on the moral choices humans make. Philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards asks whether the results can tell us not just how we tend to behave, but how we should behave.
		Doesn't Everyone?	20090705		Michael Blastland asks if 'group-think' is distancing policy from the public and asks if our political elite have forgotten how most voters live. People measure their behaviour and beliefs by those around them, so MPs might have thought that the expenses system was reasonable. Might it also mean they have lost touch with what Britain is really like? Michael Blastland asks if 'group-think' is distancing policy from the public.
		Inspiring Green Innovation	20090706	20090712	The dangers of climate change are well understood, but what innovations need to be nurtured to fight global warming? Tim Harford, The Undercover Economist, examines the different ways to inspire the creators and inventors who will lead the way in this field. Inspiring the inventors who will lead the way in the fight against global warming.
		Preserving Pakistan	20090713	20090719	International leaders have warned that the survival of Pakistan's government could be threatened by Islamic radicals. Owen Bennett-jones discovers who the radicals are, why they have made such an impact and whether military action alone can ever defeat them. Owen Bennett-jones investigates Pakistan's Islamic radicals.
		In Defence Of Targets	20090921	20090927	As NHS targets fall out of political fashion, journalist Michael Blastland argues that they could be good for our health. Targets, once seen by New Labour as the key to improving public services, look as if they may be on the way out. The devolved health services of Wales and Scotland have Already retreated from their previous target regimes, the Conservative Party has pledged to scrap them in England and there are signs that some of Gordon Brown's ministers are losing faith in them, too. Why then does Michael believe that there is still a case for targets? As NHS targets fall out of political fashion, Michael Blastland argues in their favour.
		Who's Afraid Of The Bnp?	20090928	20091004	With the BNP hitting the headlines over their 2009 success in the European elections, Kenan Malik asks what the liberal response should be. Is it simply enough to demonise this far-right party, or has the time arrived for us all to open up to a more sophisticated debate which allows for a greater understanding of what the BNP stands for? Kenan Malik asks what the liberal response should be to the BNP's 2009 electoral success.
		Educating Cinderella	20091005	20091011	With youth unemployment in Britain at its highest level for decades, new evidence shows that only a tiny proportion of school leavers who go on to basic vocational courses find jobs at the end of them. Fran Abrams asks whether further education in this country has got the balance right between a choice-led system and a more paternalistic one. Should we be encouraging young people to follow their dreams or giving them vocational training more closely tied to the job market? Fran Abrams explores the balance between choice and paternalism in further education.
		Small States	20091012	20091018	Bronwen Maddox, chief foreign commentator of The Times, asks if small nations can survive as independent states. Tiny states like Liechtenstein, Brunei and Monaco give hope to independence movements elsewhere that size does not matter. Bronwen Maddox asks if the world's smallest countries are quite as independent as they appear and examines the difficulties of being small but truly sovereign. Bronwen Maddox of The Times asks if small nations can survive as independent states.
		Ayatollogy	20091019	20091025	It is Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's belief in a radical strand of Shia Islam that, according to some critics, makes him a danger to the world. He is said to be intent on a confrontation with the West, believing that any resulting chaos will only hasten the return of Islam's prophesied saviour, the Mahdi. Edward Stourton explores the extent to which millenarian populism motivates Iran's leader, at tensions between Ahmadinejad and Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and at the prospects for the more traditional ayatollahs' vision of a society that is less totalitarian, more secular but nonetheless Islamic. Ed Stourton explores Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's apparent desire for confrontation with the West Edward Stourton asks if a battle over theology could help bring about the end of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The demonstrations have been suppressed and the president is still in power, so has the storm that blew up in Iran after this summer's elections been stilled? Far from it, and now the opposition is coming from where you'd least expect. Some of the country's top theologians and clergymen think that President Ahmadinejad is doing grave damage to the standing of Islam and they want him out. The programme contains an exclusive email interview with one of Shia Islam's most senior and respected clerics, Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri, who calls on Iran's clerics to work with political activists to bring about reform and 'be in step with the people'. Other interviewees include Professor Ali Ansari from the Institute for Iranian Studies, journalists Amir Taheri, Baqer Moin and Nazenin Moshiri, theologian Mehdi Khalaji and human rights campaigner Roya Kashefi. Ed Stourton asks if a battle over theology could bring an end to Iran's Islamic Republic.
		Knowing Too Much	20091026	20091101	As a campaigning investigative journalist, Martin Bright has devoted much of his energy into uncovering things people in power want to be kept secret. He calls himself a 'freedom of information fundamentalist'. But in this programme, he plays devil's advocate and asks if the truth is really always desirable or always in the wider public interest. Through interviews with psychologists, intelligence officers, whistleblowers and academics, he explores the importance of institutional and personal secrecy, and asks what happens when these two areas overlap, or even collide.
		The Economist's New Clothes	20091102	20091108	Many have said that the near collapse of the global financial system exposed the failures of 30 years of economic thinking. Stephanie Flanders, the BBC economics editor, examines the arguments raging within and outside the world of economics and asks what future students should learn from the 'great recession'. Stephanie Flanders examines the arguments over the meltdown of the global financial system
		Death To The Deficit!	20091109	20091115	Frances Cairncross explores the UK's options in the face of a growing deficit, and asks if the coming cuts in public service spending might afford us an opportunity rather than represent an unmitigated disaster. Frances Cairncross explores the UK's options in the face of a growing deficit.
			20091116		What would happen in reality if Britain opted to leave the European Union? This is a scenario little talked about in mainstream politics but highly relevant to popular debate. And, as Chris Bowlby discovers, it poses challenging questions for both pro and anti-Europeans. What would happen in reality if Britain opted to leave the European Union?
		Divorcing Europe	20091122		What would happen if Britain chose to leave the European Union? The new Lisbon Treaty contains a clause whch sets out the exit process for the first time. But, as Chris Bowlby reports, the final deal between Britain and its former EU partners would depend a lot on the mood of their 'divorce' - amicable or acrimonious. What would happen if Britain chose to leave the European Union? Chris Bowlby reports.
		Are Environmentalists Bad For The Planet?	20100125	20100131	The BBC's 'Ethical Man' Justin Rowlatt asks if the environmental movement is bad for the planet. He explores the philosophical roots of a way of thinking that developed decades before global warming was an issue. He also examines some of the ideological baggage that environmentalists have brought to the climate change debate, from anti-consumerism and anti-capitalism to a suspicion about technology and a preference for natural solutions. Could these extraneous aspects of green politics be undermining the environmental cause, and are some environmentalists being distracted from the urgent task of stopping global warming by a more radical agenda for social change? Justin speaks to green capitalists including the Conservative MP John Gummer, who thinks that technology and reinvented markets hold the answer to tackling global warming. He talks to Greenpeace chairman John Sauven about green attitudes to so-called techno fixes, including nuclear power, and discusses green conversion tactics such as so-called identity campaigning with Tom Crompton from the conservation charity WWF and Solitaire Townsend, co-founder of the green public relations company Futerra. The programme also hears from the leading green thinkers Jonathon Porritt and Professor Mike Hulme, founding director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and from the theologian and United Nations advisor on climate change and world religions Martin Palmer. Martin sees parallels between some parts of the green movement and millenarian cults who have claimed that 'the end of the world is nigh'. Justin also interviews Andrew Simms from the New Economics Foundation, who believes we can only tackle climate change if we are weaned off our addiction to consumption and economic growth. Is it time the green movement ditched some of its ideological baggage?
		A Price Worth Paying?	20100201	20100207	Investment banks warn that if British taxpayers cease to guarantee to bail them out, they will leave the UK. That, according to a senior Bank of England official, might be 'a price worth paying'. Edward Stourton talks to the growing band of experts who believe that risk-taking investment banks should be forced to face the consequences of their losses and finds out why the government remains unconvinced. The experts who say investment banks should face the consequences of their losses. Should the taxpayer bail out so-called casino banking? Edward Stourton explores the arguments for and against the return of Glass-Steagall, a 1930s American law which split the banks into high street and investment banks. President Obama's recent declaration of willingness to fight the banks has pushed the issue of whether taxpayers should bail out so-called casino banking to centre stage in America and across the world. There are growing calls for a British version of an American post-Depression law called the Glass-Steagall Act. In this new banking world there would be retail banks which would look after the needs of ordinary customers and there would be separate investment banks which could play the stock markets without putting depositors' savings at risk. Edward speaks to Professor Niall Ferguson of Harvard University, a specialist in financial history and author of The Ascent of Money, about how banking activities in the UK used to be separate. He talks to the former Chancellor Nigel Lawson about the events that led to the creation of 'universal' banks in the UK, banks that take ordinary people's money, lend and invest. He admits that at the time he did not think twice about the consequences. Lord Lawson is now one of the most prominent people calling for a British-style Glass-Steagall. As is Liam Halligan, the chief economist at the investment fund Prosperity Capital Management, who outlines the case for a new separation of banking activities. Another surprising person calling for Glass-Steagall to be resurrected is former Wall Street banker John S Reed. Back in the 1980s and 90s he was one of the people calling for the original law to be repealed. Now he's convinced that some kind of separation is crucial to protect taxpayers from future bank bail-outs. But critics like Brandon Davies, a former head of retail risk at Barclays Retail, fear that splitting the banks would severely damage the economy. Angela Knight, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association warns that Britain could not take this kind of action alone. Professor John Kay, formerly of Oxford University, the London Business School and the Institute for Fiscal Studies - probably the most prominent academic economist making the Glass-Steagall case - tells the programme why he thinks there is not more political support for the idea of splitting the banks.
		Foreigner Policy	20100208	20100214	In the past decade, Britain has experienced mass immigration on an unprecedented scale. A former government aide recently suggested this was a deliberate policy, motivated in part by a desire to increase racial diversity. David Goodhart investigates the ideological forces behind one of the most significant social changes to have affected the UK. David Goodhart investigates the ideological forces behind mass immigration. Andrew Neather, a former Number 10 speechwriter, recently wrote a much-discussed article in the Evening Standard in praise of multicultural London, but suggesting that those who have influenced immigration policy under Labour were politically-programmed to be relaxed about such numbers. His article was immediately seized upon by anti-immigration campaigners as evidence of a conspiracy to make Britain a more racially diverse society. In this programme, David Goodhart investigates the truth about reasons for recent increases in migration to Britain. Political insiders, including former home secretary David Blunkett, talk candidly about the real influences behind the scenes. None of them give credence to the accusation that there was a plan to create a more multicultural Britain. An unexpected increase in asylum applications and the demand for cheap labour from employers were the main motivators, according to those who influenced policy. But, admits former Home Office special adviser Ed Owen, a nervousness about discussing immigration policy meant that New Labour was, in its first years in office, poorly prepared to deal with the issue. We may not have witnessed a grand act of social engineering, concludes David Goodhart, but New Labour's combination of economic liberalism and cultural liberalism led it to regard mass immigration as a trend which would bring great social benefits and few disadvantages. Interviewees include: Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, former home secretary Tim Finch, head of migration, equalities and citizenship, and director of strategic communications at the Institute for Public Policy Research Andrew Neather, Comment editor at The Evening Standard and former Number 10 speechwriter. Sir Andrew Green, Migrationwatch Sarah Spencer, deputy director, Centre on Migration Policy and Society John Tincey, Immigration Services Union Ed Owen, former Home Office special adviser Claude Moraes MEP.
		Crying Treason	20100215	20100221	There have been calls for the treason laws to be used against an Islamic group protesting about British troops in Afghanistan. Such laws are widely regarded as out of date, so can any citizen now challenge the state with impunity? Chris Bowlby asks if treason still matters in modern Britain. Chris Bowlby asks if treason still matters in modern Britain.
		Failing Better	20100222	20100228	Mistakes often provide the best lessons in life, so why are they so undervalued? Michael Blastland explores our attitude to failure and the impact it has on politics. We may accept, in our personal lives, that 'to err is human'. But, when it comes to politicians, we enjoy pouring scorn on those who make mistakes: we relish the cock-up, the blunder and the humiliating U-turn. But what effect does this bloodthirsty approach have on policy-making? Michael talks to former cabinet minister Estelle Morris about her experience of dealing with mistakes in government. We also hear from former civil servant Paul Johnson and from David Halpern - a former prime-ministerial advisor who helped create The Institute for Government. Michael goes in search of inspiration from two professions which, far from seeking to bury mistakes, see them as opportunities to learn. He speaks to surgeon and writer Atul Gawande and he visits RAF Cranwell, where mistakes made by airman are seen as 'clues'. He also talks to philosopher Susan Wolf about blame and 'moral luck' and he interviews the editor of The Spectator magazine, Fraser Nelson. Michael Blastland explores how different professions deal with failures and mistakes.
		Tea Party Politics	20100301	20100307	It's been described as the 'most vibrant political force' in America today, but what is the Tea Party movement and who are its supporters? Launched in 2009 as a grass-roots protest group against deficit spending and big government, the Tea Party movement is now being seen by some commentators as a viable threat to the Republican Party as supporters seek to uphold what they see as real right-wing principles. Author and journalist Gary Younge assesses the strength and influence of the 'tea baggers'. Gary Younge assesses the strength and influence of the Tea Party movement in the US. is sweeping across America. Not genteel chat over cucumber sandwiches but a right wing protest movement against big government and high taxes, now widely regarded as the most vibrant political force in the United States. Author and journalist Gary Younge investigates the tea party movement. He finds out what sparked this grass roots insurgency, who the supporters are and assesses the potential impact of the tea party movement. Gary is invited to a tea party rally in Little Rock Arkansas where he meets supporters who are angry with the political establishment particularly the Republican party. "If the Republican Party does not pay attention to the tea party folks, they're not going to win the next election", one delegate told Gary. "We have to change the Republican Party and get more conservative, instead of the direction they've been trying to go over the last few years, which is leaning towards the middle". The impetus for the launch of the tea party movement a year ago was the recent financial crisis and frustration at the bank bail-outs while ordinary people were losing their jobs, homes and savings. David Frum, a former speech writer for George W Bush tells Gary that the frustration with the Republican Party began much earlier. Over the last year the tea party movement has made its presence known with huge protests across the country. If 2009 was the year tea part activists got angry, 2010 is the year they get political. Now supporters have their eye on the mid-term elections later this year. Gary meets Rand Paul, an eye surgeon who is standing in the Senate elections. A few months ago he was a rank outsider. Today, after some intense campaigning and the endorsement of Sarah Palin he is the front runner. In several other campaigns the tea party movement is making an impact. Ring wing pollster Frank Luntz warns supporters not to jeopardise their chances of success by getting too angry and stubborn. Publisher and commentator Andrew Neil, who has long had a foot on either side of the Atlantic, tells Gary that there's a popular strand to American history and American politics which doesn't exist in the UK and which allows a phenomena like the tea party movement to merge: "I think it's the size of America and the diversity of America", Neil says, "that allows for grass root movements to grow up and become independent of New York or Washington". Contributors: Andrew Neil, Publisher and Commentator Frank Luntz, Right wing pollster David Frum, Author, journalist and former speech writer for George W Bush Rand Paul, candidate for Senate in Kentucky, USA.
		Babies And Biscuits	20100308		Do party leaders need to hug babies and advertise their favourite biscuits in pursuit of the female vote? Are women more likely to vote for female MPs and do they care more than men about politicians' personalities? Alison Wolf examines gender gaps in the polling booth and asks why men and women vote differently. Alison Wolf examines gender gaps in the polling booth.
		Babies And Biscuits	20100314		The 2010 election campaign has started and politicians seem to be pitching harder than ever for the female vote. Party leaders are falling over each other to webchat with women on Mumsnet: David Cameron has Already made three appearances and Gordon Brown recently went on, too. Brown's Mumsnet webchat resulted in headlines like: 'Biscuitgate: After 24 Hours of Dithering Gordon Brown finally confesses his favourite dunk'. But does it really influence women's votes whether top politicians know about the most environmentally-friendly nappies or whether they can name their favourite biscuits? Women make up more than half of the electorate in the UK. But just like men, they're not a homogenous group. Women are just as affected by their class, locality, individual beliefs, age, ethnicity, jobs, social and marital status etc.. as men are when it comes to their voting behaviour. Yet there is a difference in how women and men vote. This difference seems to be more pronounced in the US and other European countries like Sweden. But the UK is not immune to it, either. So there is a gender gap which manifests itself when women or men enter the polling booth. Professor Alison Wolf, of King's College, London, explores the reasons for this gender gap. She asks whether there are particular women's issues that politicians need to hit in order to attract the female vote. Are women MPs more likely to attract women voters? And is true that women respond to the touchy-feely side of politicians more than men or is that just a cliche? Contributors: Justine Roberts, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Mumsnet Dr Ruth Fox, Director of the Parliament and Government Programme at the Hansard Society Annika Strom Melin, Columnist on Dagens Nyheter, one of the largest circulation papers in Sweden and former Director of the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies Philippa Roberts, founder of the consultancy Pretty Little Head which helps organisations (including the Conservative Party) to connect better with women Dr Rosie Campbell, Senior Lecturer in Politics, Birkbeck College, University of London Dr Roger Mortimore, Head of Political Research, Ipsos- Mori Paul Whiteley, Professor of Government at the University of Essex and Co- Director of the British Election Study Dr Scott Blinder, Political Scientist, University of Oxford. Alison Wolf examines gender gaps in the polling booth.
		Minds Of Our Own?	20100315		Policy-makers have long looked to science to help understand human behaviour and to influence it. But what if science could actually read people's thoughts and intentions? That's the promise of the latest research from neuroscientists, who claim to be able to scan our brains for lies, broken promises and violent intentions. But how reliable is the science of 'mind-reading'? How might it change our ideas about free will, responsibility and rehabilitation? And should we not be able to keep the thoughts in our head private? Presented by Kenan Malik. What if science could read people's thoughts and intentions? Kenan Malik investigates.
		The Economist's New Clothes