Past Present Future

David Runciman

ppfideas@gmail.com

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Booking Overview

This history-of-ideas interview show explores politics, philosophy, culture, and technology through conversations with historians, political scientists, broadcasters, and other subject-matter experts. Agencies could credibly pitch academics, authors, historians, scientists, and public intellectuals with original research or well-developed ideas; booking difficulty is medium because guests need strong expertise and intellectual relevance, though not necessarily broad celebrity.

Metrics

Episodes: 329

Frequency: Multiple_weekly

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10k-100k

Gender skew: Unknown

Location: United Kingdom

Contact Information

ppfideas@gmail.com

For verified host and producer emails, sign up to view.

Host

David Runciman - Political theorist, author, and host and creator of Talking Politics. He writes and teaches on political ideas, institutions, and contemporary democracy.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium
Typical Credentials:  
Academic researchers, historians, authors, broadcasters, scientists, and public intellectuals with recognized expertise in politics, philosophy, culture, technology, or the history of ideas.
Required Achievements:  
Published books or substantial research, Academic or professional expertise in a relevant field, Broadcasting, writing, or other public-facing work

Recent Guest Discussions

Jane Green - Why Political Leaders Are Often Overestimated At Election Time, What Shapes Voting Decisions, And Whether Leaders Such As Blair, Johnson, Starmer, Or Burnham Determine Electoral Outcomes.

Greg Jenner - The History Of Celebrity, Distinctions Between Celebrity, Fame, And Renown, And The Relationship Between Celebrity Culture And Commercial Culture.

David Klemperer - The History And Risks Of Deliverism, The Relationship Between Political Storytelling And Material Benefits, And How Elections Are Decided.

Recent Topics

Political Theory, Philosophy, Intellectual History, Technology, Politics

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Past Present Future
:

The History of Bad Ideas: Decadence

August 05, 2026

Today’s bad idea is also one that is very hard to pin down: David talks to writer and literary scholar Ian Ellison about the concept of decadence, which went from explaining the fall of ancient Rome to becoming a label modern artists wanted to claim for themselves. What makes a society decadent? Is it always a bad thing? When does decadence explain what’s happening and when does it distract from what’s happening? Was Weimar Germany the best of decadence or the worst of it? And how decadent ar...

The History of Bad Ideas: The Romantic Hero

August 02, 2026

Today’s bad idea spans literature, film, pop culture and plenty else besides: David talks to literary critic and memoirist Catherine Taylor about what’s wrong with romantic heroes, from Byron and Heathcliff to James Dean and Jack Kerouac to Bridget Jones’s Mr Darcy and Andy Burnham. How did Romanticism give rise to the template for the brooding outsider who gets the girl? Which was the only Bronte sister to see through the myth? Why do romantic heroines get such a raw deal by comparison? And ...

The History of Bad Ideas: The Electoral College

July 29, 2026

Today’s bad idea is one the United States has been stuck with for a long time: David talks to historian of America Adam Smith about the damage done by the idea of the electoral college. Why was it thought necessary by the Founders to have special electors between the voters and their choice of president? What made it a dead letter almost as soon as it was created? How has it served to distort or discredit electoral outcomes? When, if ever, will it be replaced and if so by what? Out now on PP...

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