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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

Live Film Special: Never Let Me Go w/Adam Rutherford

28 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

Today’s episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Regent Street Cinema in London: David talks to the geneticist and science writer Adam Rutherford about Mark Romanek’s 2010 film of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2005 novel Never Let Me Go. A story of cloning and organ donation that explores the meaning of mortality, is it science fiction, speculative fiction or something else entirely? How can a film set in a wholly familiar version of late 20th-century Britain feel so otherworldly? And are we ultimately meant to pity the donors we are watching or to identify with them?

Out now on PPF+: part 2 of David’s conversation with Robert Saunders on the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum exploring how we got from there to here: is the state of British politics today a direct result of what happened in June 2106? To get this and all our bonus episodes plus ad-free listening sign up to PPF+ now https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus

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 Where Are We Going?: The History and Future of the Future w/Ivan Krastev

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More episodes

Now & Then with Robert Saunders: The Brexit Referendum 10 Years On

24 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

Live Special: Jimmy Wales on the Lessons of Wikipedia

21 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

The Great Political Fictions: HHhH

17 June 2026

00:00 / 01:04

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