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David Runciman

The History of Ideas Podcast
with David Runciman

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A bi-weekly podcast exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, science to fiction.

Latest episode

The Great Political Fictions: The Years

14 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

The penultimate great political fiction in this series is not strictly a fiction: it’s Annie Ernaux’s retelling of her own life in The Years (2008), thereby recapturing the story of France in the second half of the twentieth century. How can one woman’s story stand in for all the others? What does this book tell us about the passing of political time? Why do the years 1968 and 1981 mark the end of idealism? What comes next?

Join us on Friday 19th June at the Regent Street Cinema in London for the final film in our current season: a screening of Never Let Me Go followed by a live podcast recording with geneticist and science writer Adam Rutherford. Tickets available now https://bit.ly/4x641XC

You can find out everything you need to know about this podcast – who we are, what we do, plus merch, events and full lists of all episodes including PPF+ bonus episodes on our website https://www.ppfideas.com

Next Time in Great Political Fictions: HHhH

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More episodes

The Great Political Fictions: The Human Factor

10 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

The Great Political Fictions: The Dispossessed

7 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

The Great Political Fictions: The Golden Notebook Part 2 w/Catherine Taylor

3 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

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