Podcast/Events — Adam McCauley

Podcast / Events

Coming soon: A new podcast exploring ideas (across time and space)

In June 2026, I chatted with journalist Hannah Lucinda Smith about her most recent book, Hinterlands: Journeys through Europe’s Unfinished Frontiers. The book, compiled from first-hand experience and reporting across Europe’s edges, highlights the often-overlooked back-stages of global politics — and exploring how tensions simmering in unwatched places can provide fruitful opportunity for great and middle-power manipulation — with stark and uncertain consequence. You can listen to our discussion here.

In April 2026, I spoke with former UK Diplomat Arthur Snell about the relationship between climate change and political instability — and how the physical-material world is likely to drive key shifts in the balance of political power in the generations to come. We discuss his latest book, Elemental, and you can listen here.

In March 2026, I had the esteemed pleasure of speaking with Sir Lawrence Freedman about the war in Ukraine. In a wide ranging discussion, we discussed the role of the historian, the long arc of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and what this modern conflict is teaching us (anew) about escalation, deterrence, and the prospects of stability in Europe. That discussion is available here.

In January 2026, amidst the political furor around the future of Greenland, I spoke with the journalist Kenneth R. Rosen about his new book, Polar War: Submarines, Spies and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic. You can listen to our conversation here.

In September 2025, I sat down with Professor Anthony King to discuss his new (and timely) book, AI, Automation, and War: The Rise of a Military-Tech Complex — which explores both how AI might be used in conflict, and which actors will shape this future operating environment (and with what consequence). You can listen to our conversation here.

In July 2025, I spoke with Mehran Gul about his new book, The New Geography of Innovation. His book offers a timely invitation to widen, deepen, and enrich how we understand the shape and substance of the present and coming technological landscape — and the myriad forms (and paths) innovation might emerge. You can listen to our discussion her e.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Frank Close, Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Physics at the University of Oxford, about his new book Destroyer of Worlds: The Deep History of the Nuclear Age — a crisp and compelling narrative about the development of a most influential (and world-shaping) scientific field. You can listen to our conversation here.

Finally, I spoke with the journalist Chris Horton about his new book, Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and its Struggle for Survival. This sweeping political survey comes at a critical moment for Taiwan (and the Indo-Pacific). You can listen to our wide-ranging conversation here.

In February, I spoke with the prophet of our digital times, Nicholas Carr, about his new book Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart. You can hear our wide-ranging conversation here.

Late last year, I spoke with the journalist Atoosa Abrahamian about her book, The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the World. That conversation, hosted by Intelligence Squared, went live in February. You can listen here.

In January, I spoke with the charming Markus Zusak, author of the best-selling The Book Thief and — most recently — a memoir, Three Wild Dogs and the Truth. We discussed chaos, community, creativity — and some wild canine compatriots. You can listen to our conversation here.

This January, I had the pleasure of speaking with Samuel Moyn about his recent book, Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times. You can listen to our conversation here.

In November 2024, I was invited to host a panel on AI and the future of warfare at Web Summit (in Lisbon) featuring Kenneth Cukier (The Economist) and Agnes Callamard (Amnesty International). To watch a recording of this discussion, click here. The full podcast (from Intelligence Squared) is available here.

In October 2024, I spoke with the journalist Dan Hancox about his book, Multitudes. You can listen to our discussion, now live for Intelligence Squared, here.

In October, I spoke with the journalist Dan Hancox about his book, Multitudes. You can listen to our discussion, no live for Intelligence Squared, here.

In September, I spoke with the philosopher Roman Krznaric about his new book, History for Tomorrow: Inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity. You can listen to our conversation (for Intelligence Squared) here.

In July 2024, I spoke with the science journalist Olive Heffernan about her new book, The High Seas, for Intelligence Squared. You can listen to that conversation here.

In April 2024, I interviewed the Japanese philosopher and economist Kohei Saito (University of Tokyo) about his new book, Slow Down, for Intelligence Squared. You can listen here.

In December 2023, I interviewed Prof David Runciman (University of Cambridge) about his new book, The Handover: How We Gave Control of Our Lives to Corporations, States, and AIs, for the Intelligence Squared Podcast Series. That conversation is now live — listen here.