Radical with Amol Rajan

Is removing statues and decolonising the curriculum the answer?
A member of the first generation born after the end of colonial rule in Zimbabwe, Simukai Chigudu came to the UK as a teenager and later became one of the founding members of a campaign to try to get the statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes moved from Oriel College in Oxford.
Now an associate professor of African politics at the University of Oxford, he’s written a memoir called Chasing Freedom: Coming of Age at the End of Empire.
In this episode he discusses the legacy of the Rhodes Must Fall campaign and whether countries like Britain should pay reparations for slavery.
TIMECODES:
(00:03:00) The history of colonialism in Zimbabwe
(00:05:10) Cecil Rhodes’ role in Zimbabwe and the ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ campaign
(00:09:35) Attitudes to England
(00:16:37) Decolonising the curriculum
(00:18:47) Statues
(00:34:53) Experiencing racism
(00:44:40) The case for reparations
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* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd and Cordelia Hemming. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Philip Bull. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Leading pollster James Kanagasooriam answers your questions about how his idea of agency could advance social mobility, how it might be used by politicians and whether there are any reasons to be cheerful at a time of global instability.
He also explains how voters might be influenced by the reporting of opinion polls.
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O'Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

On this week’s episode, leading pollster James Kanagasooriam explains how a sense of powerlessness amongst voters is shaping politics.
His research suggests that people who feel like they have control over their lives are more likely to vote for traditional parties whereas those who don’t tend to vote for populists promising to change the status quo.
So what can we learn from this and how could the idea of ‘agency’ help solve some of Britain’s problems?
TIMECODES
(00:04:12) Why James thinks agency is the next big idea in politics
(00:11:34) What does agency say about politics today?
(00:16:30) Degradation of civic institutions and cultural loss
(00:29:29) Cultural pessimism
(00:34:41) The attention economy
(00:40:17) Trade-offs
(00:45:19) The impact of Covid
(00:48:29) James’ radical solutions
(00:52:06) Amol’s reflections
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis and Jem Westgate. Technical production was by Dave O'Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Ed Davies, research director at the right-leaning anti-poverty think tank Centre for Social Justice, answers your questions about modern family life and relationships.
He also discusses why young men are falling behind in work and education, how economic pressures are reshaping marriage rates, and why he argues that we need to re-prioritise social connection and community.
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Tom Smithard, Anna Budd and Lewis Vickers. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Marriage rates in the UK have fallen to historic lows, but what are the consequences?
Ed Davies, research director at right‑leaning anti‑poverty think tank the Centre for Social Justice, explains what has led to this shift and argues that it has caused a decline in family stability with profound consequences for society.
To deal with it he says we need to modernise marriage and adopt a range of policies that promote family life.
TIMECODES
(00:04:29) The decline of marriage in the UK
(00:06:33) Why is the marriage decline happening?
(00:19:10) Delayed adulthood and rise in autonomy
(00:21:52) Are there benefits to the decline in marriage?
(00:24:49) The consequences of the decline in marriage and family stability
(00:32:37) Can marriage be modernised?
(00:34:57) Feminism and motherhood
(00:47:04) How this affects the UK’s welfare bill
(00:53:37) The impact of Andrew Tate on young boys
(00:58:57) Ed’s radical ideas
(01:03:57) Amol’s Reflections
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Tom Smithard, Anna Budd and Lewis Vickers. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.