Downstream

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

Rory Stewart on Empire, Austerity & Why Corbyn Was Right About Iraq

Ash Sarkar Meets Rory Stewart

Rory Stewart sat down with Ash Sarkar to discuss his admiration for Jeremy Corbyn, why Tony Blair was wrong about Iraq and Afghanistan, and what makes the left think all conservatives are ‘evil’.

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This Is How Power Really Works. Aaron Bastani Meets Grace Blakeley

Most people know that the game is rigged. Those who set the rules – win the game. Grace Blakeley has made a career of studying the rules, exposing the exploitative ways in which powerful institutions govern our lives and figuring out ways in which we can beat the banker and resist the game itself. Grace […]

Oligarchs Are Ruining This Country. Ash Sarkar Meets Sam Bright

Who exactly are the ruling class? The conspicuous top hat and tailed Bullingdon Club still exert dominance, but their era is waning and new folks are in town. They can’t beat the obscene wealth of petrostate oligarchs, so they’ve joined them – ransacking the country. Ash is joined by Sam Bright, author of: ‘Bullingdon Club […]

A History of Sex Scandals

The media and the public seem to be fixated on sex scandals this year, from household names in the headlines to salacious rumours spread on social media. But haven’t we always been intrigued by the private lives of those in power? Ash Sarkar is joined by Novara Live researcher Steven Methven to delve into the […]

Social Mobility Is a Lie. Aaron Bastani Meets Dan Evans.

With more strikes taking place and ever rising inequality, you’d think the left would be well-placed to talk about class with authority. But what if the movement had made a disastrous error when trying to understand the state of our nation? And what if we’re still missing a fundamental bit of understanding? Sociologist and trade […]

Going Undercover With Neo-Nazis. Aaron Bastani Meets Julia Ebner

Since 2016 we’ve seen mainstream politics take a turn for the weird, epitomised by the surprise success of populist projects like Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. And fringe views have continued to muscle into the middle ground, with conspiracy theories and far-right talking points trickling into political discourse. Julia Ebner has been charting […]

What Have We Got Wrong About Antiracism? Aaron Bastani Meets Arun Kundnani

After the summer of 2020, the liberal consensus was that in order to tackle racism one had to look inwards. White people had to look inside themselves and ‘do the work’. In 2023 this ethic has spread from well-meaning allies on Twitter to the HR departments of corporate behemoths like BlackRock, all while institutions that […]

Is It Time for a Universal Basic Income? Aaron Bastani Meets Will Stronge

Most peoples lives are defined by the exchange of labour for a wage – but what if they weren’t? What if the state gave us a regular wage with zero strings attached, to spend as we wish? Proponents of this idea call it ‘Universal Basic Income’. Aaron is joined by Will Stronge, Director of Research […]

Leaving London’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community. Ash Sarkar Meets Izzy Posen

Izzy Posen grew up in London’s Hasidic Jewish community in Stamford Hill, receiving the bare minimum of secular education in an illegal school which still practiced corporal punishment. Even with the strictures of this insular community, he developed an acute curiosity about the world, resulting in him teaching himself English and eventually leaving the community […]

Can the Green Party Transform British Politics? | Aaron Bastani Meets Zack Polanski

The Green Party of England and Wales has made extraordinary gains in the last two decades, especially in the last round of local elections. As well as its one MP – Caroline Lucas – the Greens are also the biggest party on several councils and have a majority on Mid Suffolk District Council. Aaron is […]

This Man Predicted the Future. Aaron Bastani Meets Peter Turchin

History is not just one thing after another. Historians spend lifetimes figuring out how X event in medieval France impacted Y event in 20th century Polynesia – but none of these historians have truly ‘done the math’ like this week’s guest. Coming from a background in applied mathematics, Peter Turchin has gathered an unprecedented amount […]

The British Media Is Broken. Ash Meets Moya Lothian-McLean & Michael Walker

For this Downstream family special, Ash is joined by Moya and Michael – contributing editors at Novara – to discuss their lives as journalists, the scandal surrounding Nick Cohen, the combustion of Vice and gal-dem and why Novara is uniquely placed to take on the mainstream media in the UK.

Corporations Control the Government: Here’s How. Aaron Bastani Meets Matt Kennard

Most of you will agree that corporations have undue influence over our democracies, but exactly how this influence is exerted is tricky to illustrate – and that is by design. Behind innocuous sounding acronyms and worthy sounding trade agreements are the real cogs that allow the global corporate machine to corrupt societies and our guest […]

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

Everything You Know About the Future Is Wrong | Aaron Bastani Meets John Gray

Starmer Is Defying Common Sense. Ash Sarkar Meets Gary Younge

American Big Tech Has Enslaved Us. Aaron Bastani Meets Yanis Varoufakis

How Conspiracy Theories Gain Their Power | Ash Meets Naomi Klein

“There Is No Money in Helping Poor People”. Aaron Bastani Meets Nick Dearden

Rory Stewart on Empire, Austerity & Why Corbyn Was Right About Iraq

Ash Sarkar Meets Rory Stewart

This Is How Power Really Works. Aaron Bastani Meets Grace Blakeley

Oligarchs Are Ruining This Country. Ash Sarkar Meets Sam Bright

A History of Sex Scandals

Social Mobility Is a Lie. Aaron Bastani Meets Dan Evans.

Going Undercover With Neo-Nazis. Aaron Bastani Meets Julia Ebner

What Have We Got Wrong About Antiracism? Aaron Bastani Meets Arun Kundnani

Is It Time for a Universal Basic Income? Aaron Bastani Meets Will Stronge

Leaving London’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community. Ash Sarkar Meets Izzy Posen

Can the Green Party Transform British Politics? | Aaron Bastani Meets Zack Polanski

This Man Predicted the Future. Aaron Bastani Meets Peter Turchin

The British Media Is Broken. Ash Meets Moya Lothian-McLean & Michael Walker

Corporations Control the Government: Here’s How. Aaron Bastani Meets Matt Kennard

Build a
      new
      media
for a
      different
      politics.

Build a new media.

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

Everything You Know About the Future Is Wrong | Aaron Bastani Meets John Gray

Starmer Is Defying Common Sense. Ash Sarkar Meets Gary Younge

American Big Tech Has Enslaved Us. Aaron Bastani Meets Yanis Varoufakis

How Conspiracy Theories Gain Their Power | Ash Meets Naomi Klein

“There Is No Money in Helping Poor People”. Aaron Bastani Meets Nick Dearden

Rory Stewart on Empire, Austerity & Why Corbyn Was Right About Iraq

Ash Sarkar Meets Rory Stewart

Sign up to the Downstream Newsletter

This Is How Power Really Works. Aaron Bastani Meets Grace Blakeley

Oligarchs Are Ruining This Country. Ash Sarkar Meets Sam Bright

A History of Sex Scandals

Social Mobility Is a Lie. Aaron Bastani Meets Dan Evans.

Going Undercover With Neo-Nazis. Aaron Bastani Meets Julia Ebner

What Have We Got Wrong About Antiracism? Aaron Bastani Meets Arun Kundnani

Is It Time for a Universal Basic Income? Aaron Bastani Meets Will Stronge

Leaving London’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community. Ash Sarkar Meets Izzy Posen

Can the Green Party Transform British Politics? | Aaron Bastani Meets Zack Polanski

This Man Predicted the Future. Aaron Bastani Meets Peter Turchin

The British Media Is Broken. Ash Meets Moya Lothian-McLean & Michael Walker

Corporations Control the Government: Here’s How. Aaron Bastani Meets Matt Kennard

Build a new mediafor a different politics.

Build a new media.

Build a
new
media
for a
different
politics.