Understand Podcast
Understand from BBC Radio 4 - unravelling the complexities of the biggest stories and subjects that really matter right now.
New in Understand: Ten Fights That Made The Green Movement
The modern green movement has been shaped not only by protest, but by conflict within the ranks. Shared ideas are forged through friction - battles over tactics, solutions, or who gets a voice. Justin Rowlatt goes to the heart of these battles - to learn about these dramatic moments from the people who were there. Friends, or sometimes enemies, hashing out big ideas that help define what it means to be green.
Understand from BBC Radio 4 - unravelling the complexities of the biggest stories and subjects that really matter right now.
Episodes to download
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2. The Greenpeace—Ten Fights That Made the Green Movement
Tuesday
2/11Environmentalist hippies set sail to stop a nuclear test.
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1. Rebellion—Ten Fights That Made the Green Movement
Monday
1/11Extinction Rebellion launches one of its early occupations - against Greenpeace.
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Trailer—Ten Fights That Made the Green Movement
Wed 24 Jun 2026
1/11The story of the power struggles that forged the green movement
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8. Sorry?—Rinsed
Wed 20 May 2026
8/13New legislation promises to slash the sewage released into rivers, but will it become law?
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7. The Eureka Moment—Rinsed
Tue 19 May 2026
7/13The data scientist, the ex-detective and the politician trying to clean up our rivers.
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5. The Camel's Humps—Rinsed
Fri 15 May 2026
5/13Rivers work when everything is in balance, but what happens when that’s disrupted?
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4. Inkblot—Rinsed
Thu 14 May 2026
4/13We can all look the same picture, but what you make of it depends on who you are.
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3. Turd Nerds—Rinsed
Wed 13 May 2026
3/13The 'Dossier of Despair' that reveals what's happening to some of Britain’s rivers.
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2. Water Works—Rinsed
Tue 12 May 2026
2/13The centuries-old battle between public good and private profit still being fought today.
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1. The Bridge—Rinsed
Mon 11 May 2026
1/13After watching their local river grow murky and lifeless, two neighbours fight back.
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Trailer—Rinsed
Wed 6 May 2026
1/13A sewage scandal and a centuries old battle between public good and private profit
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3. How Reading Made Our Politics—How Reading Made Us
Mon 23 Mar 2026
3/3Did reading create democracy? And what does it mean for our politics if reading dies out?
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2. How Reading Made Our Feelings—How Reading Made Us
Mon 16 Mar 2026
2/3Did reading make us lonely, set us free, and even end torture? James Marriott investigates
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1. How Reading Made Our Brains—How Reading Made Us
Mon 9 Mar 2026
1/3Did learning to read rewire your brain? With James Marriott.
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Trailer—How Reading Made Us
Thu 5 Mar 2026
1/3The story of how reading made us and what might happen if we stop - with James Marriott.
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4. Life and Liberty—An American Journey
Mon 9 Feb 2026
4/4The idea of freedom is foundational to America, but whose freedom, and what kind?
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3. Establishing Justice—An American Journey
Mon 2 Feb 2026
3/4How has 'justice' been understood by different generations of Americans?
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5. The Bush Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 23 Jan 2026
5/5How the September 11 attacks led to conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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4. The Reagan Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Thu 22 Jan 2026
4/5How US policy changed towards the Soviet Union and the challenge of communism.
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3. The Nixon Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Wed 21 Jan 2026
3/5How did the Vietnam War change America’s foreign policy?
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2. The Truman Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Tue 20 Jan 2026
2/5What impact did WWII have on US policy towards the rest of the world?
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1. The Pursuit of Happiness—An American Journey
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/4How have Americans understood the connection between economic and democratic freedom?
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1. The Monroe Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/5What is the 1823 doctrine, and how has it been used since by US presidents?
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Trailer—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 16 Jan 2026
1/5Justin Webb looks at five big US foreign policy shifts, from Monroe to Trump.
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10. Unknown unknowns—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
10/10What more is there to learn about psychedelics? Tim Hayward makes a case for curiosity.
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9. Sacred plants for sale—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
9/10Who stands to profit from the commercialisation of psychedelics?
