Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

listworldabout

← back

Political realists

Realism is one of the dominant schools of thought in international relations theory, theoretically formalising the Realpolitik statesmanship of early modern Europe. Although a highly diverse body of thought, it is unified by the belief that world politics is always and necessarily a field of conflict among actors pursuing wealth and power.

5 episodes

Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:

HistoryPhilosophyOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writersPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersNatural law ethicistsEmpiricistsPhilosophers of language17th-century English writersAlumni of St John's College, CambridgePeople whose existence is disputedTheoretical historians17th-century writers in LatinBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationPhilosophers of warRhetoric theorists17th-century English philosophers19th-century German writersEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophers5th-century BC Athenians5th-century BC historiansAncient Athenian generalsAttic Greek writersClassical-era Greek historiansConsequentialistsGerman untitled nobilityMilitary theorists15th-century Italian philosophers470s BC births6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writersAncient Athenian historians, Ostracized AtheniansAthenians of the Peloponnesian WarBritish critics of ChristianityDeaths from choleraEnglish theologiansGerman military writersJourney to the West charactersMaterialistsMilitary personnel from Saxony-AnhaltThomas Hobbes

  1. Clausewitz and On War

    Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss On War, the 19th-century treatise on the theory of warfare by the Prussian soldier Carl von Clausewitz.

    17 May 2012

    listen ↗

    Featuring: Saul David, Hew Strachan, Beatrice Heuser

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    PhilosophyGerman male non-fiction writers19th-century German male writersTheoretical historiansPhilosophers of warPolitical realists19th-century German writersMilitary theoristsGerman untitled nobilityDeaths from choleraGerman military writersMilitary personnel from Saxony-Anhalt

  2. Hobbes

    Melvyn Bragg discusses Thomas Hobbes, the great 17th century philosopher who famously said that ungoverned man lived a life that was ‘solitary, poor, brutish and short’.

    1 December 2005

    listen ↗

    Featuring: Quentin Skinner, David Wootton, Annabel Brett

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsAlumni of St John's College, Cambridge17th-century English writers17th-century writers in LatinBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsPolitical realistsBritish philosophers of education17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersBritish critics of ChristianityThomas HobbesEnglish theologiansMaterialists

  3. Machiavelli and the Italian City States

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli. Inspired by the model of Cesare Borgia, he wrote a notorious manual of power still read today.

    9 December 2004

    listen ↗

    Featuring: Quentin Skinner, Evelyn Welch, Lisa Jardine

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    PhilosophyPhilosophers of warPolitical realistsMilitary theoristsConsequentialists15th-century Italian philosophers

  4. Sun Tzu and The Art of War

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Chinese military adviser Sun Tzu from the 6th century BC and the influential work of military strategy associated with him, The Art of War.

    1 March 2018

    listen ↗

    Featuring: Hilde de Weerdt, Tim Barrett, Imre Galambos

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    HistoryPhilosophers of cultureAphoristsPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of social scienceTheoretical historiansPeople whose existence is disputedPhilosophers of warPolitical realistsMilitary theoristsJourney to the West characters6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writers

  5. Thucydides

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ancient Greek historian Thucydides and his work entitled The History of the Peloponnesian War.

    29 January 2015

    listen ↗

    Featuring: Paul Cartledge, Katherine Harloe, Neville Morley

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    HistoryPolitical realistsAttic Greek writers5th-century BC historiansClassical-era Greek historians5th-century BC AtheniansAncient Athenian generalsAthenians of the Peloponnesian War470s BC birthsAncient Athenian historians, Ostracized Athenians