Can Britain be great again?

Can Britain be great again?

Author: Chatham House June 13, 2025 Duration: 30:17

Is Britain chasing faded glory or forging a credible future? As the government lays out its latest spending review, Bronwen Maddox is joined by Jeremy Hunt and Samir Puri to ask whether bold talk of growth, defence and science hides a deeper strategic driftor a real path back to global influence.

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Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Amanda Nunn. 'Independent Thinking' is an Indio Media production for Chatham House.

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Hosted by Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox, Independent Thinking brings the institute’s private deliberations into the public ear. This isn’t a rehearsed lecture series, but a direct channel into candid, high-level discussions typically held behind closed doors. Maddox guides conversations with a carefully selected mix of leading policymakers, frontline journalists, and Chatham House’s own deep bench of experts, focusing on the international political issues that are shaping headlines and rewriting global strategies. The tone is analytical yet accessible, privileging substance and nuance over soundbites. Each episode feels like a privileged seat at a crucial roundtable, where complex topics-from shifting alliances and economic sanctions to climate diplomacy and conflict-are unpacked with clarity and intellectual rigor. Listeners gain a clearer understanding of the forces driving world events, hearing diverse perspectives clash and converge in real time. For anyone looking to move beyond the superficial news cycle and engage with the substantive arguments defining our geopolitics, this podcast offers an essential and thoughtful resource. It’s where informed opinion meets the pressing questions of our moment, fostering a deeper kind of political literacy.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Independent Thinking
Podcast Episodes
What's next for Israel after events at the ICC and ICJ? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Bronwen Maddox is joined by Philippe Sands, a barrister specialising in international law and a Professor of the Public Understanding of Law at University College London. Joining them both are Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne, an…
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Duration: 35:58
In this special episode, Bronwen Maddox interviews a key figure in US foreign policy to the Middle East for over a decade, Ambassador Dennis Ross. Ambassador Ross engaged directly with both Israeli and Palestinian partie…
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Duration: 40:30
This week, Bronwen Maddox discusses whether we are seeing a resurgence of the threat posed by nuclear weapons, given recent events in the Middle East and rhetoric from world leaders. She is joined by Robert E Kelly, Prof…
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Duration: 38:48
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by journalist Oz Katerji and Phillips P. O'Brien, a Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews. Joining them both in the studio is Ukrainian journalist Olga Tokariuk…
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Duration: 30:07
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Sanam Vakil, the director of our Middle East programme to discuss Iran's missile attack on Israel and the possible consequences across the region. Joining them both are Professor Yos…
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Duration: 34:51
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Mohammed al-Ta'ishi, a civilian member of Sudan's Sovereignty Council - where he served as the chief negotiator and main architect of the Juba Peace Agreement. Joining them both are…
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Duration: 33:33
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