Syria

My knowledge of Syria has always been scant but this programme was quite an insight.

Prison Visitor

I’d long known of Johnny Cash’s performances in Folsom And San Quentin Prisons. But I was surprised to learn in this programme of the extent of his prison reform endeavours.

Hackers

Hackers. Hacktivists. Who are they? What do they want? Radio 4’s Simon Cox explores. There seem to be a few Scots voices in there. One interesting phrase caught my ear: Transnational Global Cyber Insurgency.

Governance

As the world’s largest democratic and non-democratic countries set about the process of selecting new leadership, Martin Jacques, author of When China Rules the World, compares the systems.

Free Thinking

Radio 3’s year is punctuated by seasons and festivals: Proms; Edinburgh Festival; London Jazz Festival; Christmas across Europe etc. The one whose title I like best is the Free Thinking Festival. Is it just me or does the title suggest something about processes and qualities of thought elsewhere?

One discussion has the appealingly misanthropic title Hell is Other People. It seems to be less about Sartre than planetary overcrowding, globalism and the ubiquity of social media. Participating in the panel are Kate Adie and Julian Baggini.

The full schedule is here.

Analysis

This edition of Radio 4’s Analysis deals with the notion of a UK with a possible reduced role in Europe. Another strand, not mentioned in the programme, is the effect of this on Scotland’s 2014 referendum. If it were felt that the UK might ease out of Europe, would Europhile Scots be more inclined to a Yes vote?