Quillette Podcast
Society & Culture
About
The Quillette Podcast is a platform for rigorous, academic discussions rooted in common sense and free inquiry. Non-dogmatic and grounded in liberal values, the podcast serves as a beacon for thoughtful conversation on science, politics, philosophy, and culture. Quillette prides itself on intellectual honesty, avoiding ideological extremism in favor of evidence-based reasoning and progress. Hosted by leading voices in academia and journalism, past guests include evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins , social psychologist Jonathan Haidt , and journalist Douglas Murray , among others. Expect candid conversations that promote common sense and challenge anti-science and conspiratorial narratives from both the far left and right.
Episodes
- The Case Against State-Sanctioned Euthanasia
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Kathleen Stock about her new book, Do Not Go Gentle —in which she argues that governments should be denied any institutional role in facilitating the death of their citizens. Learn more about…
- An Ivy League University Looks Inward
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Yale Law School professor Sarath Sanga, co-author of a surprisingly candid new report explaining why the American public is losing trust in the country’s colleges and universities. Learn m…
- The Last Straight Woman
Iona Italia speaks with writer Phoebe Maltz Bovy about her book "The Last Straight Woman: On Desiring Men." The discussion covers Bovy's latest work.
- Is Fighting Antisemitism a Waste of Time?
Bret Stephens suggests that Jews should prioritize strengthening their own community rather than attempting to reason with intractable bigots on both the political right and left.
- Girls in an Online World
The Quillette Podcast features Iona Italia in conversation with writer Freya India about India's book, "Girls: Gen Z and the Commodification of Everything," which explores themes related to Gen Z and consumerism.
- Documenting a Decade of Academic Meltdowns
Jonathan Kay discusses the documentary 'Speechless' with filmmaker Ric Esther Bienstock. The film examines the rise of censorship and mobbing on college campuses.
- The Search for Truth
On the Quillette Podcast, Managing Editor Iona Italia speaks with author Michael Shermer about his book exploring the nature and importance of truth.
- The Historical Case for Israel
Judge Roy Altman's new book examines the indigenous presence of Jews in the Holy Land over the past 3,231 years. Information regarding ad choices is also provided.
- The Ayatollahs' Assassins
Iona Italia interviews Roya Hakakian about her book "Assassins of the Turquoise Palace." The discussion covers past and present crimes attributed to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- When Everyone Knows Every Knows...
Iona Italia speaks with cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker about his book covering common knowledge, money, power, and everyday life.
- Has the Gay Rights Revolution Gone Too Far for the Gay Community’s Own Good?
Jonathan Kay talks with professor Ronan McCrea about McCrea's book, "The End of the Gay Rights Revolution," which examines concerns of hubris and overreach within the gay rights movement and their potential impact on gay freedom.
- The Extraordinary Exploits of Agent Zo
Quillette Podcast features Managing Editor Iona Italia in conversation with historian Clare Mulley. They discuss Mulley's biography of Elżbieta Zawacka, a Polish war heroine who went by the code name Agent Zo.
- Will Post-Islamist Iran Get a Royal Restoration?
Jonathan Kay speaks with Kaveh Shahrooz about the potential rise of Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran's last Shah, to power in a post-Islamist Iran.
- Catching a Serial Killer
Iona Italia speaks with Maureen Callaghan about Callaghan's book, American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century.
- Why We Need to Talk About Transgender School Shooters
Quillette Podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with journalist Adam Zivo about the February 10 school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. The discussion covers the perpetrator, identified as a trans-identified male, and the initial re…
- Guests of the Nation
Iona Italia interviews author Lionel Shriver about her novel "A Better Life," focusing on its exploration of immigration.
- British Columbia’s Radical Political Landscape
Jonathan Kay interviews B.C. politician Dallas Brodie on Quillette Podcast about the province's social justice policies and associated myths, such as the discovery of 215 Indigenous children.
- The Demise of Private Life
Iona Italia interviews Tiffany Jenkins about Jenkins' book, "Strangers and Intimates: The Rise and Fall of Private Life," which explores the history of private life.
- Understanding Journalistic Groupthink
Jonathan Kay and Graham Majin discuss the recent BBC scandal on the Quillette Podcast, focusing on the need for reporters to avoid the 'poison of narrative' corrupting their work.
- Fighting for Freedom in Iran
Managing Editor Iona Italia speaks with Iranian writer and journalist Roya Hakakian about the ongoing protests in Iran, exploring the reasons behind them and the possibilities for their success.
- How to Think Like a Human
Managing Editor Iona Italia talks to psychologist David Weitzner about the differences between human cognition and artificial intelligence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Christmas in Byzantium
Jonathan Kay and Robin Pierson discuss the Christian traditions and imperial culture of the eastern Roman Empire.
- Sri Lankan by Birth, Tamil by Heritage, Canadian by Choice
Roy Ratnavel, author of Prisoner #1056, discusses his journey from Sri Lanka to Canada and shares insights on race, immigration, and multiculturalism.
- The Genius of Jane Austen
Managing Editor Iona Italia speaks with Jane Austen scholar John Mullan about the author's life and work, marking the 250th anniversary of her birth.
- Marriage and Divorce in America
Sociologist Nicholas Wolfinger joins Iona Italia to discuss trends in marriage, divorce, and maternity in the United States, covering the period from the 1950s to the present day.
- A Gay Author’s Escape from Cults, Drugs, Queer Radicalism, and ‘Scrupulosity’
Quillette Podcast features host Jonathan Kay in conversation with writer Ben Appel about Appel's memoir, 'Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic.' The discussion covers Appel's journey through cults, drug use, and queer radicalism.
- Jesse Brown’s Rude Awakening
Jesse Brown discusses with Jonathan Kay how an anti-Israel faction among his subscribers sought to cancel him after he addressed the rise of antisemitism.
- Ancient Christianities: The First 500 Years
Jonathan Kay interviews biblical scholar Paula Fredriksen about her book on the theological diversity of Christian communities before the adoption of Nicene Christianity as the Roman state religion.
- Finding Humor in Dark Places
Matthew Pettit, founder of Healing Roar and comedian, speaks with the Quillette Podcast host about his experiences with severe childhood abuse, which led to struggles with sexual confusion, meth addiction, crime, and incarceration. He shar…
- A Crisis of Tolerance
In this Quillette Podcast episode, Iona Italia and Harry Saul Markham examine the increasing threat of Islamism in the UK and how virulent antisemitism has become normalized among British Muslims.
- Is There a Politically Motivated ‘War on Science’? (And If So, Who’s Waging It?)
Jonathan Kay speaks with Lawrence Krauss on the Quillette Podcast about Krauss's book project, which compiles insights from scholars addressing dangers to scientific inquiry and the scientific process. Learn more about ad choices via megap…
- Machetes in Melbourne
Iona Italia interviews criminal justice researcher Andrew Bushnell about the factors contributing to the rise in crime in Melbourne.
- From Cult Child to Chess Wunderkind
Jonathan Kay speaks with Danny Rensch about his journey from being a child in the ‘Church of Immortal Consciousness’ to his current role as Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com.
- Desexing the Language of Motherhood
Iona Italia speaks with Dr. Karleen Gribble about how desexed language impacts women's healthcare and well-being in the context of maternal and infant health.
- Managing the Growing Gender-Critical Counterrevolution
Jonathan Kay and Mia Hughes discuss the 'gender glasnost' and strategies for addressing the excesses of trans activism.
- The End of Woke
Iona Italia interviews author Andrew Doyle about his book, "The End of Woke: How the Culture War Went Too Far and What to Expect from the Counter-Revolution."
- When New Netherland Became New York
Jonathan Kay discusses Russell Shorto's new book detailing the 1664 events that led to Manhattan transitioning from Dutch to British control.
- Should Feminists Work with the Right?
Managing Editor Iona Italia speaks with philosopher Holly Lawford-Smith about her book, "Feminism Beyond Left and Right." The discussion covers feminist ideas that extend beyond the conventional political divisions of left and right.
- RFK Jr.’s Unprecedented Attack on Life-saving Vaccines
Jonathan Kay interviews Jake Scott about RFK Jr.'s stance on vaccines and the potential dangers of declining immunization rates for diseases like COVID, RSV, and Measles.
- The Modular Mind
Managing Editor Iona Italia speaks with evolutionary psychologist Rob Kurzban about his book, "Why Everyone Else Is a Hypocrite: Evolution and the Modular Mind."
- A Jewish Girl in Revolutionary Iran
The Quillette Podcast features a discussion between Iona Italia and Roya Hakakian about Hakakian's memoir detailing her childhood experiences during the Iranian Revolution.
- What Does It Take to Develop a ‘Scrabble-Shaped Brain’?
Jonathan Kay hosts John Chew, a linguist, mathematician, and tournament organizer, on the Quillette Podcast to discuss the world of elite Scrabble players and what develops a 'Scrabble-shaped brain'.
- Parsi: A Fiercely Contested Identity
Iona Italia talks to novelist and historian Nev March about how a series of landmark court cases in the 19th and 20th centuries upended both the Indian legal system and the Parsi community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone…
- How LGB Became Estranged from T
Gay activist-turned-journalist Adam Zivo explains how radicalized forms of trans and queer advocacy became a liability to the once-united LGBT movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- War and the End of Empire
Iona Italia talks to historian and film-maker Phil Craig about the latest in his series of books about World War II: 1945: A Reckoning: War, Empire and the Struggle for a New World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch…
- When Entertainment Reporting Gets Political
Quillette podcast host interviews veteran entertainment journalist Ben Mulroney—whose career has taken him to the Oscars red carpet and Kelly Ripa’s studio—about how ideological fads have damaged his industry. Learn more about your ad choi…
- The First Journalists
The philosopher Stephen Harrop interviews Quillette ’s Managing Editor Iona Italia about her book Anxious Employment on the journalism of Enlightenment London. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Social Work Without Stereotypes
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to Heterodox Academy scholar Nafees Alam about the need to challenge political orthodoxies in the field of social work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Science vs Māori Knowledge
Iona Italia talks to Professor Kendall Clements of the University of Auckland about attempts to conflate traditional Maori knowledge with science, which, he argues, debases both. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic…
- The Wars Before the War
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay interviews Jonathan Spyer, director of research at the Middle East Forum, about how Israel laid the groundwork for its war with Iran by confronting threats in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. Learn more…