Podcast Episodes

Albania’s Stalinist purges

In the 1970s, Albania’s Stalinist leader, Enver Hoxha, launched a new series of purges against government ministers and officials, following numerous purges in previous decades.

Those accused of bein…

Published on 3 years, 1 month ago

The Little Black Book survival guide

In 1985, Carol Taylor wrote a survival guide for young black men in the Unites Stated who were stopped by the police.

Her son, Laurence Legall, tells Ashley Byrne the story of the small and important…

Published on 3 years, 1 month ago

Julia Gillard’s misogyny speech

In October 2012, Prime Minister Julia Gillard made an impromptu speech in the Australian parliament setting out the misogyny she endured for years as a prominent female politician.

Ten years on, she …

Published on 3 years, 1 month ago

Arrested for wearing trousers in Sudan

In 1991, a law was introduced in Sudan which was used to control how women acted and dressed in public. It resulted in arrests, beatings and even deaths during the 30 years it was in place.

Amiera Os…

Published on 3 years, 1 month ago

Theatre siege in Moscow

It is 20 years since heavily-armed Chechen rebels took an entire theatre full of people hostage.

They threatened to kill them all if the Russian government didn't call off the war in Chechnya. When…

Published on 3 years, 1 month ago

The Iranian Revolution and women

Many women supported Iran’s 1979 revolution against the monarchy but some later became disillusioned.

Islamic rules about how women dressed were just one of the things that women objected to. Shara…

Published on 3 years, 1 month ago

Indonesia’s indigenous people take a stand

In 1998 President Suharto of Indonesia resigned after more than thirty years of military rule. It meant people from indigenous communities were finally free to speak out after years of being ignored.…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

Founder of the Cuban National Ballet

We go back to 1959 when Cuba’s most famous ballet dancer Alicia Alonso turned her back on a successful career on the world stage and returned home to form Cuba’s National Ballet Company.

She spoke to…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

Cuba's boxing ban

Earlier this year, Cuba lifted a 60-year ban on professional boxing, which Fidel Castro imposed in 1962.

Before then, amateur boxers who wanted to turn pro, had to risk everything in order to defect.…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

The ‘army’ that taught Cuba to read and write

In 1961, Fidel Castro launched a nationwide campaign aimed to eradicate illiteracy in Cuba.

An ‘army’ of volunteers known as brigadistas equipped with books and pencils travelled across the country …

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago