Archive: Can the Arts Drive Social Change? With Idris Elba, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Intelligence Squared LiveShow Notes
In the summer of 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests swept the world, the arts and creative industries faced urgent questions about racism, representation and their role in driving meaningful change.
In this episode from the Intelligence Squared archive, actor Idris Elba and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah join writer and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied to examine systemic racism in the cultural sector, the limits of diversity initiatives and what it really takes to turn promises of equality into lasting change.
Six years on, as debates about race, power and representation continue, we revisit a conversation that remains as relevant today as it was in 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More from Intelligence Squared Live
Few figures in modern British politics have operated as close to the centre of power as Michael Gove. Over more than a decade in government, he has held some of the most senior offices of state – including Education Secretary, Justice Secretary and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, shaping policy across domestic reform, economic strategy and the future of the Union.
On the 70th anniversary of the publication of Giovanni’s Room, James Baldwin’s seminal novel about sexuality, race and myth in America, Booker Prize-winning writer Ben Okri joined us to reflect on the life, literature and enduring legacy of one of the world’s most loved writers.
Who are we? Why are we here? Are we alone in the universe? How did we become the creatures that we are? How might we further evolve? These are some of the big questions that Brian Cox and Alice Roberts tackled when they came to the Intelligence Squared stage in December 2014.
Carlo Rovelli is an award-winning theoretical physicist and writer with a gift for making complex ideas feel real and accessible. Whether exploring black holes, quantum mechanics, philosophy, or history, he inspires audiences with his sense of wonder and curiosity at how the world works.
The bestselling author of more than 36 novels, including Fool Me Once, Tell No One and the Myron Bolitar series, Coben is renowned for his ability to build tension, wrong-foot his readers and create intricately plotted narrative worlds. His thrillers have been published in 46 languages and adapted into more than twenty television and film adaptations, including Netflix hits The Stranger, Stay Close and I Will Find You. He is also the first author to win crime fiction’s grand triple crown: the Edgar, Shamus and Anthony awards.