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In an era of news fatigue and constant information, Prospect steps back from the daily news grind—asking not just what is happening, but why.
Join Prospect editors Alona Ferber and Imaan Irfan, along with the magazine’s cast of contributors, to explore the people and trends that explain the world today.
Each week, we explain the ideas behind the week’s biggest stories. From populism and protest to artificial intelligence, our guests share their unique perspectives.
Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives:
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Music “Big Continent” composed by Maayan Madar
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Tell Me Why… The preppers were right all along
Sales of tinned food and wind-up radios have rocketed since the government announced that UK families should prepare for potential crises. But preparedness advocates—or “preppers”—have been saying this for years. In this episode, Imaan and
Tell Me Why... The Cornell 7 case could happen here
Content warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence The Cornell story has shocked many. But how surprised are we really? This week, Alona and Imaan are joined by Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley and former mi
Tell Me Why... AI has killed the author
Would you care if AI wrote your favourite novel? In the second episode of Tell Me Why, tech journalist and Londoner editor Alys Key joins Prospect’s Alona Ferber and Imaan Irfan. They explore how artificial intelligence is shaping literatur
Tell Me Why... Fascism has a new face, ft. Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor
Religious zealots, tech accelerationists and ethnonationalists are trying to fast-track the apocalypse. But why? In the first ever episode of Tell Me Why, Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor join Imaan Irfan and Alona Ferber in the Prospect studio
Ethan Zuckerman: Will artificial intelligence destroy us all?
As tech insiders warn about an impending apocalypse, Ellen and Imaan are joined by Ethan Zuckerman, Prospect contributor and associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to examine those claims. He discusses AI agents goin
Prospect Lives: Unexpected lessons from my alcoholic father
This month, Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu shares her love for her late father, who was an imperfect but brilliant parent. Meanwhile, Second life writer Vitali Vitaliev is reminded of his former, Soviet life when he reads about the hounding
Elon Musk, space solar and eternal power
Have scientists found the secret to eternal power? Engineers, inventors and sci-fi writers have long dreamed of harvesting the constant power of the sun. Now, plans to build solar panels in space are tantalisingly close to fruition. This we
Andy Burnham’s theory of power
Who really runs the United Kingdom? Power is badly misallocated, argues journalist and author Phil Tinline, and Andy Burnham understands that better than most of his recent predecessors. But there is still a major gap in the prime minister’
Daron Acemoglu: How to save liberal democracy
According to Nobel prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu, liberal democracy made three promises: that prosperity would be shared equitably, that capable government would deliver public services and that citizens would have voice to express
How cabbies see England
What can a taxi ride tell us about the state of the UK? Driving home is an immersive documentary staged inside a real black cab where audiences hear from taxi drivers across the UK about migration, belonging, politics, and community. Today
Eternal youth and billionaire biohacking: The politics of longevity
Billionaires, millionaires and biohackers are plying themselves with supplements and consulting AI to extend their lives indefinitely. But would you want to live forever? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist and author Kather
How long will the ‘Burnham bounce’ last?
As Andy Burnham marks his first two weeks in Downing Street, the polls are registering a bump in support for Labour. This week, Ellen and Imaan are joined by Prospect’s contributing editor Tom Clark to assess the prime minister’s first step
Prospect Lives: I’ve had an old-lady fall!
This month Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu decides to embrace materialism, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman recounts the ballad of the Tithe pig. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock is taken to hospital after a fall and is very impressed by th
Stateless: How the UK government strips citizenship—and why it matters
Citizenship has been described as “the right to have rights”. But, in recent years, the UK government has increasingly stripped people of their citizenship— effectively leaving many stateless. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journa
Marie Le Conte: Britain's youth and the death of social mobility
The UK’s young adults are ready to be taken seriously—so why aren’t they? This week, Alona and Imaan are joined by journalist and author Marie Le Conte to discuss why a whole generation seems stuck in an extended adolescence, priced out of
Big money, big problems: Reform’s donation problem—with Peter Geoghegan
As Nigel Farage continues to face scrutiny over his finances and undeclared donations, is big money hurting our democracy? This week, Alona and Imaan are joined by Peter Geoghegan, investigative journalist and founder of Democracy for Sale.
A history of power: the creation of data empires
Humans have collected data for thousands of years—but now we’re doing it on a whole new level. This week, Ellen and Alona and joined by Roopika Risam, professor of Digital Humanities and Social Engagement at Dartmouth College in New Hampshi
A barrel of rotting apples: Political corruption in modern Britain
Lying, lobbying, and luxury donor gifts—has UK politics gone crooked? This week, Ellen and Imaan are joined by Robert Barrington, professor of anti-corruption practice at Sussex University’s Centre for the Study of Corruption. He argues tha
Prospect Lives: I can’t stop singing my thoughts
This month, our Mindful life writer Sarah Collins explains how her OCD had her singing her thoughts, while Second life writer Vitali Vitaliev asks: what’s in a nose? A trip to the Museum of Brands takes actor Sheila Hancock down memory lane
Jens Beckert: Democracy won’t beat climate change
As a heatwave sweeps across Europe, Ellen and Imaan are joined by sociologist Jens Beckert, the author of 'How We Sold Our Future: The Failure to Fight Climate Change'. He argues that the cultural, political and economic structures of capit
It's time to take maternal mental health seriously
The UK has a maternal mental health support crisis. The leading cause of maternal deaths in the UK is mental health issues, including suicide, with maternal deaths from suicide having risen by seventy-four per cent in the last seven years a
World Cup 2026: Does Maga hate football?
What does the World Cup mean to you? This year’s tournament has been highly political so far: as it began, one of the host nations was at war with one of the competitors and referees and staff have been banned from the United States. This w
Ravi Gurumurthy has a plan for Britain
The country feels stuck. But can Britain prosper again? On the Prospect podcast this week, Prospect editor Philip Collins is joined by Ravi Gurumurthy to discuss this question. Ravi is CEO of Nesta, which is a research foundation and “innov
Sarah O’Connor: Should we fight the AI revolution?
Would you want to work with a robot? A new technological revolution is underway—but what that revolution looks like, and where it takes us, is still being determined. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sarah O’Connor, award-winning re
Hettie O’Brien: The hidden cost of private equity
From nurseries to nursing homes, private equity increasingly affects all of us. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Hettie O’Brien, who investigates the rise of private equity in her book The Asset Class: How Private Equity
Sally Hayden: Finding love in a war zone
Although the world seems full of war and conflict, love—of all kinds—is everywhere. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sally Hayden, award-winning journalist and author of This is Also a Love Story: Searching for Good in a Divided Wor
Prospect Lives: Restroom censorship and mates rates
This month our family of writers is in a whimsical mood: Vitali Vitaliev reflects on the very different purpose toilet paper once had in Soviet Ukraine, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman laments the poor quality of the Church’s Cheeky Pan
Starmer's leadership nightmare
It’s been a nightmare week for Keir Starmer. After devastating results for Labour in the 7th May elections, pressure has this week mounted on the prime minister to resign. He has said that he will stay, and that he wants to lead Labour into
Election special! With Carys Afoko
It’s the week every political nerd has been waiting for. Tomorrow, voters go to the polls in England, Scotland and Wales to elect local councils, Holyrood and the Senedd. Just how bad do things look for Labour—and Keir Starmer? Why are Refo
Europe’s forgotten Muslim history
Twenty years ago, Tharik Hussain moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia with a sense that he and other Muslims didn’t belong in Europe. But, as he explains today on the podcast, he has since been on a journey to uncover some 1,400 ye
