Downstream | Novara Media

Downstream is an in-depth interview show featuring conversations with activists, authors, economists, politicians, scientists, philosophers and thinkers of all stripes.

Abolish the Monarchy

Will Harry and Meghan bring down the monarchy? Ash Sarkar is joined by gal dem political editor Moya Lothian-Mclean and Novara Media’s very own James Butler to discuss how we ended up with a family of dysfunctional aristocrats at the very top of British society, why republicanism is still so marginal, and the collision course […]

Should We All Be Vegan? Interview with Peter Singer

Should we all be vegan or vegetarian? Does climate change require a new relationship to nature and non-human animals? And will Covid-19 be the moment when we realise industrial farming carries devastating, unacceptable risks? Aaron Bastani speaks to author of ‘Animal Liberation’ and professor of Bioethics at Princeton University Peter Singer.

Is the Left Failing on Free Speech? Interview With Ronan Burtenshaw

Does the right actually care about free speech? Why should free speech matter to the left? Aaron Bastani speaks to editor of Tribune Magazine, Ronan Burtenshaw.

Maybe Don’t Defund the BBC? Interview With Nish Kumar

This week on Downstream Ash Sarkar met with Nish Kumar – comedian and host of The Mash Report – to talk about how he became the accidental face of the Defund the BBC movement, and why rightwing comics are the real snowflakes.

Can Capitalism Solve Its Crises? Interview With Mariana Mazzucato

What can the Apollo Missions teach us about dealing with the major crises of the 21st century? And why are politicians so eager to dwell on caricatures of the public rather than engage in problem-solving – from climate change to housing and education? Aaron Bastani speaks to author and academic Mariana Mazzucato to find out.

Why Has Britain Failed on Covid? Richard Horton

A year after the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a pandemic, with Britain enduring more than a 100,000 deaths since, a number of major questions remain unanswered. Why was the response of the UK among the worst in the world? How is it possible that the death toll of countries in Europe and North America […]

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The Influencer Industrial Complex. Interview With Moya Lothian-McLean

The last few years have heralded the rise of the influencer: social media users who have, in essence, found a way to get paid for being themselves on the internet. But has this commodification of the self poisoned the public sphere? Or are we witnessing the end of gatekeeping – and the beginnings of a […]

‘A Red Flag and a Silver Dress?’ Interview With Divina De Campo

RuPaul has turned drag into a multi-million dollar industry and a global TV franchise, but has that meant that the art of drag has lost its claim to being punk? Ash Sarkar was joined by Divina De Campo, first runner up from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 1, to talk about drag, gender identity, and the […]

Can the Left Trust Keir Starmer? Interview With Richard Burgon

Was the Corbyn leadership a complete failure for the left – and what can be learned for next time? What are the chances of a socialist Labour government implementing the kinds of policies seen in the 2017 and 2019 manifestoes? And can the left trust Keir Starmer as party leader after a disappointing first year? […]

Does the US Want Julian Assange Dead? Interview With Yanis Varoufakis

On Monday a British judge ruled that Julian Assange should not be extradited to the United States on charges of espionage and computer hacking. Yet despite that verdict the judgment arguably represented a blow to freedom of the press – with the judge accepting the substance of the case made by the US state department. […]

Can Lab-Grown Meat Save the World? Aaron Bastani Meets Michael Selden

On this week’s Downstream, Aaron Bastani meets Mike Selden, co-founder of Finless Foods – a cellular agriculture business in California – to find out whether lab-grown meat can live up to the hype.

Can You Change the Police From Within? Ash Sarkar Meets Leroy Logan

20 years after the Macpherson Report, the Metropolitan Police is still dogged by accusations of institutional racism, while the Black Lives Matter movement has forced a reckoning with police brutality and inequalities in the criminal justice system. But should Black and Asian people protest from the outside to force change, or join the ranks of […]

Can Britain Become an ‘Innovation Superpower’ After Brexit? Aaron Bastani Meets David Edgerton

For Brexiteers Britain’s departure from the EU offers a shot at national renewal, with the country once more becoming a free trade and innovation superpower. But how likely is that, and are the Tories really serious about a break with the politics of the last 40 years? Aaron Bastani interviews Professor David Edgerton, author of […]

Every Nihilist Is Really an Optimist. Ash Sarkar Meets Frankie Boyle

Ash Sarkar spoke to comedian Frankie Boyle about his new book ‘The Future of British Politics’ and whether there’ll actually be one.

Welcome to the Intersectional Empire. Ash Sarkar Meets Naomi Klein

Ash Sarkar is joined by Naomi Klein to discuss what Biden in the White House means for the world, whether Trumpism has a future, and what next for the left.

Make America Normal Again. Interview With Adam Tooze

Joe Biden is President-elect of the United States. But what might his Presidency mean for working class Americans, US foreign policy and perceived national decline? Does his victory represent a return to political ‘normality’ after 4 years of the Trump White House? And what might Trump’s legacy be within the Republican Party? Joining Aaron Bastani […]

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