Intelligence Squared

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

On today’s episode, the female pioneer of abstract expressionism whose lyrical compositions came to reset market expectations. Courtney Kremers examines King of Spades, Joan Mitchell’s formative masterpiece, which signalled the convergence of her critical acclaim and market recognition. Courtney is Vice Chairman, Sotheby's New York, and oversees strategy for Private Sales across fine art categories, and advises major clients on acquisitions and consignments.

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Are Pagan Traditions Shaping a New British Identity?

In this episode, Academic, broadcaster and critic Shahidha Bari speaks to journalist, DJ and author Zakia Sewell about her book Finding Albion: Myth, Folklore and the Quest for a Hidden Britain which has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026.

In this episode, Sewell recounts her discovery of an alternative Britain, which lies beyond divisive national myths and symbols. On her quest – punctuated by folk festivals, seasonal celebrations and mystic stone circles – she uncovers how new identities are being formed. Folk and pagan groups are increasing in numbers across the country and are taking ancient myths and repurposing them, in order to make sense of past and present struggles. From the ghosts of Empire that still haunt the nation to increasingly siloed politics, Sewell discusses how and why ancient British folklore and mythology is more relevant than ever. 

Zakia Sewell is a broadcaster, writer and DJ from London with a passion for music. She has regularly produced and presented radio documentaries and podcasts for platforms including BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service, Tate, and Boiler Room. She currently hosts Dream Time on BBC 6 Music on Sunday nights, and hosted The NTS Breakfast Show, and Questing w/ Zakia on NTS Radio between 2016-2024. Her first book is Finding Albion: Myth, Folklore and the Quest for a Hidden Britain.

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In the twenty-first century, Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most extraordinary revolutions in attitudes to sex and gender in human history, bringing liberation for some and fury and fear for others. Understanding the history of Christianity and its influence on our cultural identity is essential to understanding debates around the role of women in society, same-sex relationships and the public exploration of gender and trans identity. 

In March 2026, Diarmaid MacCulloch, one of Britain’s foremost experts on the history of Christianity, and Mary Beard, acclaimed and award winning classicist best known for her work on the history of women and power, came to Intelligence Squared to help us understand the 3000-year-long story of Christians, and Jews before them, encountering sex, gender and the family. 

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In the twenty-first century, Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most extraordinary revolutions in attitudes to sex and gender in human history, bringing liberation for some and fury and fear for others. Understanding the history of Christianity and its influence on our cultural identity is essential to understanding debates around the role of women in society, same-sex relationships and the public exploration of gender and trans identity. 

In March 2026, Diarmaid MacCulloch, one of Britain’s foremost experts on the history of Christianity, and Mary Beard, acclaimed and award winning classicist best known for her work on the history of women and power, came to Intelligence Squared to help us understand the 3000-year-long story of Christians, and Jews before them, encountering sex, gender and the family. 

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This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

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In an age of grinding wars, nuclear brinkmanship, and political volatility, what does strategy really mean - and how do leaders make decisions when the world feels chaotic?

In this episode, Lawrence Freedman draws on decades of scholarship and his experience as official historian of the Falklands War and adviser to the UK’s Iraq inquiry to explore how strategy evolves under pressure.

Together with Adam McCauley, Freedman discusses the long arc of the Russia–Ukraine conflict and the opportunities seized and missed along the way. They examine the uneasy balance between rational calculation and irrational impulse in global conflict, whether Putin could be serious about nuclear escalation, and whether Donald Trump’s unpredictable actions on the world stage represent the absence of strategy - or a strategy in itself.

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