The Explanation Podcast
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin.
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world. Episodes from The Explanation, Unspun World, The Global Jigsaw and The Media Show.
Episodes to download
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How Syria's peaceful uprising became a civil war
Sat 14 Jan 2023
Lina Sinjab tells Claire Graham about the conflict in her native country
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Understanding the long history between Russia and Ukraine
Sat 16 Apr 2022
What has bound Russia and Ukraine together, and what has pulled them apart?
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Understanding South Africa鈥檚 continuing quest for equality
Sat 9 Apr 2022
Why has the post-apartheid dream of a 鈥楻ainbow Nation鈥� not been easy to realise?
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Understanding the power that Saudi Arabia wields
Sat 2 Apr 2022
How has the Saudi royal family maintained strong worldwide influence in spite of critics?
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Understanding relations between Taiwan and China
Sat 26 Mar 2022
Why is Taiwanese reunification so important to China?
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Understanding the rise of Boko Haram
Sat 19 Mar 2022
How the militant Islamic group took hold in northern Nigeria
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Understanding North Korea and the Kim dynasty
Sat 12 Mar 2022
How the Kim family shaped one of the world鈥檚 most secretive countries
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Understanding the Islamic State group
Christmas Day 2021
Quentin Sommerville on the rise, fall and potential re-emergence of IS
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Understanding how Russia has changed under Putin
Sat 18 Dec 2021
Sarah Rainsford on how everyday life in Russia has changed under Putin
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Afghanistan: Women, girls and their rights
Sat 11 Dec 2021
How a turbulent history dictates the ever-shifting attitudes towards women and girls
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Understanding Iran: Reconciling religion and democracy
Sat 4 Dec 2021
Rana Rahimpour explains how religion, democracy and ideals combine in Iran
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Israeli-Palestinian relations
Sat 27 Nov 2021
In 2021, Jeremy Bowen discussed the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
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