Episodios

  • Are lost ancient civilizations real?

    Are lost ancient civilizations real?
    Mar 31 2026
    Archaeology textbooks tell a familiar story about human history: Stone tools, cave art, nomadic life, then civilization. But a growing number of voices think we're missing a chapter—signs of an earlier advanced culture, lost to time. This episode explores the question underneath it all: Is there really a forgotten era of human ingenuity, or are we inventing a more epic past because it makes the human story feel bigger? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Eduardo Góes Neves: Professor of archeology, University of Sao Paulo Edwin Barnhart: Director, Maya Exploration Center Flint Dibble: Teacher in archaeology, Cardiff University Sarah Parcak: Professor of anthropology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
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    2 h y 11 m
  • Are we the most intelligent beings in the universe?

    Are we the most intelligent beings in the universe?
    Mar 24 2026
    For millennia, we’ve wondered about the possibility of intelligent life beyond Earth. Recently, former U.S. president Barack Obama asserted that aliens are, in fact, real, and the Trump administration has pushed to declassify government files on UAPs and UFOs, leaving us with even more questions. In this episode, we explore what might happen if we discovered that we are not alone in the universe. What if our morality, spirituality and intelligence was not unique? How would the discovery of extraterrestrials reshape our understanding of ourselves and our role in the cosmos? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Matthias Determann:  Historian, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar David Grinspoon: Senior scientist, Planetary Science Institute Shaykh Hamza Karamali: Founder of Basira Education Nick Pope: UAP investigator, UK Ministry of Defense (retired
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    2 h y 25 m
  • Is war inevitable?

    Is war inevitable?
    Mar 17 2026
    This program was recorded in August 2025. The views expressed in this episode are the participants’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of Doha Debates. Is war inevitable, or preventable? This episode examines whether we’re capable of breaking the cycle of war. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Charli Carpenter: Author and professor of political science and legal studies Ian Morris: Historian, archaeologist and classics professor R. Brian Ferguson: Professor, author and specialist in Indigenous conflict studies Noha Aboueldahab: Author, professor and transitional justice specialist
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    2 h y 10 m
  • Has modern architecture lost touch with humanity?

    Has modern architecture lost touch with humanity?
    Mar 10 2026
    What does our architecture say about who we are—and who we want to become? For centuries, architecture has represented our cultural beliefs, traditions and needs. It’s shaped how we live, how we relate to each other and even our mood. But modern architecture’s critics say it has a big problem. They argue it’s disconnected from human expression and context, with uniform or minimalist buildings that erase uniqueness, ignore the landscape and even increase stress. Modern architects, however, praise it for functionality and efficiency, saying it addresses global problems like climate change and affordable housing. In this episode, we explore whether architecture in the modern age has lost touch with humanity, or whether it is just as expressive and responsive as in any other era. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Marwa Al-Sabouni: Architect, urbanist and author Bidisha Sinha: Associate director at Zaha Hadid Architects Lucien Steil: Author, professor and architect
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    1 h y 40 m
  • Are we on the verge of civilization’s collapse or rebirth?

    Are we on the verge of civilization’s collapse or rebirth?
    Mar 3 2026
    The prospect of societal collapse has been examined throughout human history. Thinkers from Ibn Khaldun to Karl Marx have argued that civilization carries the seeds of its own downfall. This episode asks whether we are witnessing modern-day civilization’s collapse or renewal. Will our modern-day focus on individualism, technology and comfort lead to decline or a revolutionary new beginning? Or are we living in a transitional moment where terms like “civilization” fail to capture our global reality altogether? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Aurora Payal: Author, professor and digital anthropologist Jonathan Brown: Author, professor and scholar of Islamic studies Faisal Devji: Professor of global and Iimperial history Joseph Tainter: Author, anthropologist and historian
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    1 h y 55 m
  • Will tech utopias rescue or ruin humanity?

    Will tech utopias rescue or ruin humanity?
    Feb 24 2026
    Would you live in a futuristic, tech-run city? Tech leaders from across the globe are racing to build so-called tech utopias, claiming that they’re a new societal blueprint for humanity. But will this approach actually uplift us all or leave most of us behind? This debate explores whether tech-run cities like Praxis or Próspera truly offer a brighter future for all, or whether they are exclusive enclaves for the elite. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Gökçe Günel: Author and professor of anthropology at Rice University Titus Gebel: Tech entrepreneur; founder and president of the Free Cities Foundation Evgeny Morozov: Theorist and publisher of The Syllabus
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    1 h y 55 m
  • Are superheroes the moral leaders of our time?

    Are superheroes the moral leaders of our time?
    Feb 3 2026
    Are superheroes moral leaders—or caped propagandists? From comic books to billion-dollar blockbusters, superheroes have fascinated us for over a century. But what do these stories really teach us? Are they our moral guides or do they reinforce Western ideals, individualism and even militarism? This debate explores why anti-heroes like the Joker captivate us, what it means when our moral icons are billionaires or kings created by entertainment giants, and whether superhero stories shape a new moral compass or uphold the status quo. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Nnedi Okorafor: Award-winning novelist, Black Panther comics author Hussein Rashid: Independent scholar of religion and pop culture Keith Spencer: Author and social critic focused on culture, media, and tech
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    1 h y 28 m
  • Have universities become bastions of ideology instead of truth?

    Have universities become bastions of ideology instead of truth?
    Jan 27 2026
    Over the past decade, critics argue that identity politics and censorship have stifled academic freedom, while others say these concerns are overstated. This debate explores whether initiatives for justice and inclusion of historically excluded voices actually strengthen academia’s truth-seeking mission or risk replacing critical inquiry with moral conformity—and what kind of intellectual culture universities should build for the future. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. Featuring: Dorian Abbot: Professor of Geophysics at the University of Chicago Pablo Avelluto: Former Minister of Culture of Argentina Omer Bartov: Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University Mohammad Fadel: Professor of Law at the University of Toronto
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    2 h y 22 m