Crossroads and TV soaps

Russell T Davies and Paula Milne on the power of soap operas.

• 44 mins

Gwendolyn Brooks

Shahidha Bari looks at the writing of a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet (1917-2000).

• 44 mins

Lady Macbeth

From Kurosawa and Shostakovich to Zinnie Harris. New takes on the Scottish play.

• 44 mins

Donkeys

From Aesop and the bible to the film EO which looks at a donkey born in a Polish circus.

• 44 mins

Stories of Love

Romeo and Juliet reworked, Proust and Rita Mae Brown's coming-of-age tale Rubyfruit Jungle

• 44 mins

People's History

The people's history of banners, a dress diary, Sheffield sculptures and a new musical.

• 44 mins

Idrissa Ouédraogo

Matthew Sweet and guests explore the work of Burkinabé film-maker Idrissa Ouédraogo.

• 44 mins

Phaedra, Cretan palaces and the minotaur

Knossos, birthplace of myths and tragedies, is explored by Rana Mitter and Natalie Haynes.

• 44 mins

Ghosts of Caribbean history

New writing by Colin Grant and Kevin Jared Hosein; art by Michael Elliott and Mary Evans.

• 44 mins

Climate change and empire building

The long history of climate change and empire: historians Nandini Das and Peter Frankopan

• 44 mins

Tin cans, cutlery and sewing

New research into the history of stainless steel cutlery, tinned food and sewing machines.

• 44 mins

Sesame Street and Soviet culture

Anne McElvoy on Russian punk protest and a version of US TV's Big Bird, Bert and Ernie.

• 1 min

Concrete poetry

Matthew Sweet and guests on the career of poet and monk Dom Sylvester Houédard (1924-92).

• 44 mins

Anarchism and David Graeber

Matthew Sweet and guests look at the ideas of the American anthropologist (1961-2020)

• 44 mins

Making your voice heard

Dina Nayeri, Kirsty Sedgman, Michelle Assay and Alberta Whittle join Shahidha Bari.

• 44 mins

Emigration

Laurence Scott finds out about 'Bad Bridgets', bush-ranger history and 'Home Children'.

• 44 mins

Debt

As Budget day approaches, Anne McElvoy looks at debt from the South Sea Bubble to Sunak.

• 44 mins

Decadent Art

New research into ideas about decadence and connections with France, England and Iran.

• 44 mins

The wicked? stepmother

Ahead of Mother's Day Matthew Sweet and guests discuss new ways of looking at stepmothers.

• 1 min

Busking and Billy Waters

The early 19th century street performer Billy Waters, Streetwise Opera and street ballads.

• 44 mins

Wild Isles and nature writing

Writers Elizabeth-Jane Burnett, Horatio Clare and Jacob Polley.

• 44 mins

The culture of Albania

Matthew Sweet is joined by Lea Ypi, Adela Demetja, Ani Kokobobo and Aurel Qirjo.

• 44 mins

East Germany

Katja Hoyer on East Germany, behind the Berlin Wall and the Cold War caricature.

• 44 mins

Translating cultures

Composer Alex Ho, novelist Xiaolu Guo, curator George Young and director Anthony Lau.

• 44 mins

Introducing New Generation Thinkers 2023

Christopher Harding finds out about the research done by ten academics chosen this year.

• 44 mins

The Rossettis and Walter Pater

Matthew Sweet and guests visit a Tate Britain show and look at Pater's Renaissance ideas.

• 44 mins

Religion and Science

Is the idea that religion and science are at odds a myth?

• 44 mins

Pirates

From Treasure Island to Kynance Cove, Anne Bonney to Captain Pugwash. Anne McElvoy hosts.

• 44 mins

Ginger Rogers

Matthew Sweet and guests discuss Ginger Rogers's dancing, comic timing and 'sass'.

• 44 mins

Caruso, Elsie Houston, Peter Brathwaite

Exploring the flow of cultural influences in both directions across the Atlantic.

• 44 mins