Understand Podcast
Did learning to read rewire our brains and change the way we live today? And with reading on the decline, what does this mean for our ability to think? With writer James Marriott.
NEW in Understand: How Reading Made Us
Did learning to read rewire our brains and change the way we live today? And with reading on the decline, what does this mean for our ability to think? With writer James Marriott.
Understand from BBC Radio 4 - unravelling the complexities of the biggest stories and subjects that really matter right now.
Episodes to download
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Trailer—How Reading Made Us
Today
1/3The story of how reading made us and what might happen if we stop - with James Marriott.
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4. Life and Liberty—An American Journey
Mon 9 Feb 2026
4/4The idea of freedom is foundational to America, but whose freedom, and what kind?
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3. Establishing Justice—An American Journey
Mon 2 Feb 2026
3/4How has 'justice' been understood by different generations of Americans?
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5. The Bush Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 23 Jan 2026
5/5How the September 11 attacks led to conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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4. The Reagan Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Thu 22 Jan 2026
4/5How US policy changed towards the Soviet Union and the challenge of communism.
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3. The Nixon Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Wed 21 Jan 2026
3/5How did the Vietnam War change America’s foreign policy?
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2. The Truman Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Tue 20 Jan 2026
2/5What impact did WWII have on US policy towards the rest of the world?
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1. The Pursuit of Happiness—An American Journey
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/4How have Americans understood the connection between economic and democratic freedom?
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1. The Monroe Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/5What is the 1823 doctrine, and how has it been used since by US presidents?
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Trailer—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 16 Jan 2026
1/5Justin Webb looks at five big US foreign policy shifts, from Monroe to Trump.
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10. Unknown unknowns—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
10/10What more is there to learn about psychedelics? Tim Hayward makes a case for curiosity.
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9. Sacred plants for sale—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
9/10Who stands to profit from the commercialisation of psychedelics?
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8. A tipping point?—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
8/10Significant barriers exist for research looking at psychedelics. Is that about to change?
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7. Fascination and taboo—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
7/10Psychedelic drugs have a chequered history. How did wonder turn to fear?
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6. Critical periods—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
6/10Can psychedelics help the brain to learn things anew?
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1. Altered States—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
1/10Tim Hayward looks at the science, culture, history - and future - of psychedelics.
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5. Message in a bottle—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
5/10Tim Hayward travels into the past to better understand today’s psychedelic research.
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4. Looking for a cure—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
4/10Tim Hayward investigates why people are travelling abroad seeking a psychedelic cure.
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3. Stranger things—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
3/10Tim Hayward visits the outer reaches of cutting edge psychedelic research.
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2. When the drugs take hold—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
2/10Tim Hayward investigates the anatomy of a trip.
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Introducing The Trip—The Trip
Wed 30 Jul 2025
1/10Tim Hayward looks at the science, history - and future - of psychedelics.
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9. You Can Do One—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Thu 24 Jul 2025
9/10Rishi Sunak is faced with the decision of what to do about HS2's future.
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8. Help I’m Under a Digger—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Wed 23 Jul 2025
8/10HS2 begins building, and environmental protestors make their presence felt
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7. Gold Plated—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Tue 22 Jul 2025
7/10HS2's contracts with major firms become a new focus for critics.
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6. The Only Friend that Mattered—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Mon 21 Jul 2025
6/10As HS2 faces fresh threats, a new prime minister steps in.
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5. Worry About the Detail Later—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Fri 18 Jul 2025
5/10Dissent grows within HS2 itself.
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4. Well Done Geoffrey—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Thu 17 Jul 2025
4/10Costs mount as compromises with protesting locals are struck
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3. That can’t be right—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Wed 16 Jul 2025
3/10Protest groups begin to organise as the line's route is announced.
