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Past Present Future podcast

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Past Present Future

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  David Runciman  

Past Present Future is a bi-weekly History of Ideas podcast with David Runciman, host and creator of Talking Politics, exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, culture to technology. David talks to historians, novelists, scientists and many others about where the most interesting ideas come from, what they mean, and why they matter. Ideas from the past, questions about the present, shaping the future. New episodes every Wednesday and Sunday.

Past Present Future is a bi-weekly History of Ideas podcast with David Runciman, host and creator of Talking Politics, exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, culture to technology. David talks to historians, novelists, scientists and many others about where the most interesting ideas come from, what they mean, and why they matter. Ideas from the past, questions about the present, shaping the future. New episodes every Wednesday and Sunday.

 

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Duration

Release Date

#266

Films of Ideas extra: The Designated Mourner

An extra episode to accompany our Films of Ideas series: David explores The Designated Mou... more

04 Jan 2026

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:08

04 Jan 2026

#265

Films of Ideas: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind w/Beeban Kidron

Today it’s the last in our series of live episodes recorded at the Regent Street Cinema in... more

31 Dec 2025

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:22

31 Dec 2025

#264

Films of Ideas: Wittgenstein w/Nikhil Krishnan

The fourth episode in our season of live recordings from the Regent Street Cinema is about... more

28 Dec 2025

59 MINS

59:29

28 Dec 2025

#263

Films of Ideas: Rosa Luxemburg w/Lea Ypi

Today’s episode in our season of live recordings from the Regent Street Cinema looks at th... more

24 Dec 2025

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:55

24 Dec 2025

#262

Films of Ideas: My Dinner with Andre w/Lee Hall

The second episode in our live series from the Regent Street Cinema explores Louis Malle’s... more

21 Dec 2025

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:41

21 Dec 2025

#261

Films of Ideas: Rope w/Nicci Gerrard & Sean French

Today it’s the first in our series of live episodes recorded at the Regent Street Cinema i... more

17 Dec 2025

59 MINS

59:17

17 Dec 2025

#260

Fixing Democracy: Citizens’ Assemblies

David talks to Claudia Chwalisz, founder and CEO of Democracy Next, about how citizens’ as... more

21 Sep 2025

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:51

21 Sep 2025

#259

Fixing Democracy: Electoral Reform

For the first episode in a new series about the ideas that could help democracy work bette... more

14 Sep 2025

59 MINS

59:04

14 Sep 2025

#258

Politics on Trial: Nelson Mandela vs Apartheid

Today’s episode explores the trials of Nelson Mandela, variously charged by South Africa’s... more

14 Dec 2025

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:07

14 Dec 2025

#257

Politics on Trial: Eichmann in Jerusalem

Today’s episode is about a momentous trial and the incendiary book that followed: the tria... more

10 Dec 2025

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:06

10 Dec 2025

#256

Politics on Trial: Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Today we return to our series about epoch-making trials with the case of the book they tri... more

07 Dec 2025

58 MINS

58:56

07 Dec 2025

#255

Ian McEwan on the Present as Future Past

David talks to novelist Ian McEwan, who was our first ever guest on PPF, about how the fut... more

03 Dec 2025

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:44

03 Dec 2025

#254

Now & Then with Robert Saunders: Thatcher@100 – Her Legacy

Today’s episode is the second part of David’s conversation with historian Robert Saunders ... more

30 Nov 2025

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:39

30 Nov 2025

#253

Now & Then with Robert Saunders: Thatcher@100 – Her Life

Today’s episode in our occasional series about momentous political anniversaries with hist... more

26 Nov 2025

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:28

26 Nov 2025

#252

The Rise and Fall of Homo Sapiens

Today’s episode explores some very big picture history: David talks to palaeontologist and... more

23 Nov 2025

54 MINS

54:22

23 Nov 2025

#251

Trump-like Leadership in German History w/Chris Clark: Part 2 – Chancellor, Tyrant, Emperor?

Part two of David’s conversation with historian Chris Clark asks whether the best historic... more

19 Nov 2025

58 MINS

58:54

19 Nov 2025

#250

Trump-like Leadership in German History w/Chris Clark: Part 1 – Kaiser Wilhelm II?

Today’s episode is the first of a two-part conversation with historian Chris Clark explori... more

16 Nov 2025

51 MINS

51:53

16 Nov 2025

#249

Politics on Trial: France on Trial Part 2 – Vichy vs the Jews

Today’s episode is the second part of David’s conversation with historian Julian Jackson a... more

12 Nov 2025

51 MINS

51:50

12 Nov 2025

#248

Politics on Trial: France on Trial – Pétain vs De Gaulle

Today’s episode is the first of two on the extraordinary treason trial of Marshal Pétain i... more

09 Nov 2025

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:34

09 Nov 2025

#247

Politics on Trial: The Moscow Show Trials

Today’s episode is the first of two exploring the origins, conduct and legacy of the Mosco... more

05 Nov 2025

55 MINS

55:01

05 Nov 2025

#246

Politics on Trial: Darwin vs God / Darrow vs Bryan – the Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial

We return to our series about the most significant trials in history with the trial of the... more

02 Nov 2025

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:25

02 Nov 2025

#245

Live Special: Who Rules the World? Trump, Tech and the Fight for the Future

Today’s episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Cheltenham Literature Fest... more

29 Oct 2025

57 MINS

57:15

29 Oct 2025

#244

Fixing Democracy Q&A w/David Klemperer: Oligarchy, Ageing Populations and How to Make Things Worse

In today’s episode the two Davids try to answer some of the hundreds of questions, comment... more

26 Oct 2025

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:14

26 Oct 2025

#243

Fixing Democracy: Confronting the Strongmen

For the final episode in this series David talks to historian Ayse Zarakol about the prosp... more

22 Oct 2025

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:42

22 Oct 2025

#242

Fixing Democracy: TikTok, Disinformation and Distraction

In our penultimate episode in this series David talks to writer Sam Freedman about whether... more

19 Oct 2025

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:55

19 Oct 2025

#241

Live Special: Prime Minister Farage?

In this special live episode recorded in front of pupils from Hill House and Hayfield scho... more

15 Oct 2025

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:59

15 Oct 2025