Quillette Podcast
The Quillette Podcast is a platform for rigorous, academic discussions rooted in common sense and free inquiry. Non-dogmatic and grounded in liberal values, the podcast serves as a beacon for thoughtful conversation on science, politics, philosophy, and culture. Quillette prides itself on intellectual honesty, avoiding ideological extremism in favor of evidence-based reasoning and progress. Hosted by leading voices in academia and journalism, past guests include evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, and journalist Douglas Murray, among others. Expect candid conversations that promote common sense and challenge anti-science and conspiratorial narratives from both the far left and right.
76
Tracing the Roots of the Ideological Movement (...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Johns Hopkins University professor Yascha Mounk about the role of Karl Marx, Michel Foucault, Edward Said, and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak in shaping today’s illiberal, identity-fixated political mantras—and how we can help lead progressives back to their liberal roots.
58 min
77
Journalist John Colapinto on the Tragic Tale of...
Journalist John Colapinto on the Tragic Tale of David Reimer, The Boy Who Was Raised a Girl
57 min
78
Understanding Gender Radicalism and White Racia...
Indian-Canadian podcast host Kushal Mehra interviews Quillette’s Jonathan Kay about the radicalized beliefs and usettling rituals that now characterize performative progressive politics in Canada and the rest of the Western world.
45 min
79
Talking Science and Substacking in ‘Nash Vegas‘
Podcast host Jonathan Kay shares a Nashville breakfast with journalist Christina Buttons and her Quillette-alumnus boyfriend, Colin Wright, author of the popular Substack, ‘Reality’s Last Stand.’
25 min
80
When DEI ‘Training’ Becomes a Pretext for Bully...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with municipal politician Bill Dennis about diversity consultant Kike Ojo-Thompson, whose training methods became infamous following the recent suicide of Toronto educator Richard Bilkszto (1963-2023).
21 min
81
McMaster University’s Imaginary Sex Ring: Uncov...
Lawrence Krauss, host of The Origins Podcast, interviews Jonathan Kay about his Quillette investigation into the spread of false rape allegations on a Canadian university campus in 2020.
27 min
82
Eight Hundred Years of Russian Despotism
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to acclaimed historian Orlando Figes, whose new book traces Russia’s political dysfunction back to the age of Byzantium and the Mongol invasion.
48 min
83
'Learning From an Ex-White Supremacist' with He...
Iona Italia speaks with Henry Rambow, whose ‘Hate No More’ podcast tells the story of ‘Casper,’ a one-time leader of the State Prison Skinheads.
40 min
84
Whom is the Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Indus...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to Atlantic Magazine writer Conor Friedersdorf about his recent article, “The DEI Industry Needs to Check Its Privilege”
40 min
85
Bastardizing Beethoven, Mangling Mozart
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to author Heather Mac Donald, whose newly published book argues that western civilization’s cultural treasures are being debased in the name of racial equity
47 min
86
Meghan Murphy on Sex, Feminism, Sports, Fast Fo...
‘The Same Drugs’ podcaster Meghan Murphy and Quillette’s Jonathan Kay explore how COVID, gender bending, and progressive politics have combined to shape a new kind of social tribe.
60 min
87
Kellie-Jay Keen on Protecting Women, and Facing...
The British activist once known as Posie Parker talks to Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay about the assault she endured in New Zealand, why she doesn’t call herself a feminist, and the dangers of the ‘full-on cult’ that has mobilized against her
30 min
88
A Sample Episode from Our New Quillette Narrate...
Don’t Let Cancellation Become Banal,’ by Nina Paley. Published at Quillette.com on March 27, 2023. Narrated by Corinna Cohn.
7 min
89
Youth Gender Dysphoria and Social Contagion: Ex...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Northwestern University psychology professor J. Michael Bailey, co-author of the newly published peer-reviewed academic article, ‘Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1,655 Possible Cases’
31 min
90
Keeping Biological Males Out of Women’s Swimming
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to NCAA backstroke champion-turned-activist Marshi Smith about her years in the pool, the Lia Thomas controversy, and Smith’s campaign to protect the integrity of female sport.
22 min
91
In Defence of the British Empire
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to Oxford Professor Nigel Biggar, author of a newly published, best-selling book that examines the mixed legacy of British colonial rule.
42 min
92
Fair Play for Female Athletes—Then and Now
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to former U.S. Olympic team rower Mary O’Connor about her 1970s-era fight against sports sexism—and today’s battle to keep male bodies out of women’s rowing
34 min
93
The Fight to Provide Gender Dysphoric Children ...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with James Esses, an aspiring British therapist who was expelled from his training institute for voicing concerns about ideologically programmed restrictions on the care of trans-identified youth.
29 min
94
Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard: The Definitive ...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to literary journalist Charlotte Allen about her self-confessed “secret appetite” for trashy Hollywood stories, and her exhaustive Quillette article about Depp’s successful defamation suit against his ex-wife.
53 min
95
From Golden Girls Superfan to Right-Wing Cultur...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to writer Ross Anderson about the Rubin Report’s increasingly conservative (and angry) star host
46 min
96
Discovering Your Inner ‘Demisexual’
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to Phoebe Maltz Bovy and Kat Rosenfield of Feminine Chaos, about why young straight women are inventing new (and dubious) queer subcategories
29 min
97
A Marriage Lost to Gender Identity
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks to author Shannon Thrace—whose 16-year marriage fell apart after her newly transitioned husband became immersed in the ideologically uncompromising world of online transgender activism.
36 min
98
How Dubious Racism Accusations Brought Down the...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Atlantic Magazine writer Helen Lewis about the fate of Nancy Spector, who lost her job at the pinnacle of the Manhattan art world amidst a flurry of unsubstantiated accusations by independent scholar Chaédria LaBouvier.
50 min
99
Sahar Tartak on Fighting Back Against Coerced ‘...
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Yale undergraduate student Sahar Tartak, who led a successful revolt against the ultra-progressive administration of her Long Island public high school
34 min
100
Jonathan Kay on the State of Journalism, the Pe...
For the 200th episode, Quillette founder Claire Lehmann interviews host Jonathan Kay about the evolution of his journalistic career before and after joining Quillette.
33 min