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Quillette Cetera

Quillette Cetera

Zoe Sankey 67 Episodes Jul 23, 2026

Quillette's Zoe Sankey sits down each fortnight with scientists, writers, activists, and independent thinkers to interrogate the ideas shaping — and dividing — the Western world. From evolutionary psychology and gender to cancel culture, free speech, Islamism, and the collapse of progressive orthodoxies, no topic is too contentious and no question is off limits. Guests have included policy researchers, evolutionary biologists, political dissidents, and some of the sharpest heterodox thinkers writing today. If you're tired of being told what to think, this is the podcast for you.

Episodes

Why Ireland Became Europe's Most Antisemitic Country | Rachel Moiselle
Why Ireland Became Europe's Most Antisemitic Country | Rachel Moiselle Jul 23, 2026 4651 Rachel Moiselle is a PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin and one of Ireland's most visible activists against antisemitism. In this episode of Quillette Cetera, she joins Zoe Sankey to discuss what it's like to defend a community of roughly 3,000 Jews in a country that largely denies it has an antisemitism problem at all. Rachel talks candidly about the ignorance surrounding Jewish culture in
Why Ireland Became Europe's Most Antisemitic Country | Rachel Moiselle
Why Ireland Became Europe's Most Antisemitic Country | Rachel Moiselle Jul 22, 2026 4651 Rachel Moiselle is a PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin and one of Ireland's most visible activists against antisemitism. In this episode of Quillette Cetera, she joins Zoe Sankey to discuss what it's like to defend a community of roughly 3,000 Jews in a country that largely denies it has an antisemitism problem at all. Rachel talks candidly about the ignorance surrounding Jewish culture in
The NGO Industrial Complex: Gerald Steinberg on How Human Rights Became a Racket
The NGO Industrial Complex: Gerald Steinberg on How Human Rights Became a Racket Jul 3, 2026 3948 NGOs have a great deal of influence over our lives. This episode uncovers the hidden power structures behind the world's most powerful non-governmental organisations — and why they deserve far more scrutiny than they get. Zoe Sankey sits down with Gerald Steinberg — founder of NGO Monitor and professor emeritus of political science at Bar-Ilan University — to discuss the evolution of NGOs from
Oikophobia: Why the West Hates Itself | Benedict Beckeld
Oikophobia: Why the West Hates Itself | Benedict Beckeld Jun 29, 2026 4168 What does it mean for a civilisation to turn against itself? In this episode, Quillette's Zoe Sankey speaks with philosopher and author Benedict Beckeld — whose 2019 Quillette essay on oikophobia remains one of our site's most popular pieces — about the recurring historical phenomenon he has spent his career documenting: the tendency of successful Western societies to denigrate their own culture,
Hava Mendelle: From Climate Activist to Critic of Radical Left and Gaza Flotilla
Hava Mendelle: From Climate Activist to Critic of Radical Left and Gaza Flotilla Jun 9, 2026 4329 Hava Mendelle defies easy categorisation. Openly gay and proudly Jewish, she is a fifteen-year Australian Army veteran, emergency department nurse, published author, and co-founder of Minority Impact — a coalition of Australian minorities united in their opposition to Islamic radicalism and far-left extremism. She writes for The Spectator Australia, The Times of Israel, and The Jewish Independent,
Australia's Broken Justice System with Andrew Bushnell
Australia's Broken Justice System with Andrew Bushnell May 22, 2026 3875 Zoe Sankey speaks with Andrew Bushnell — policy researcher, criminal justice expert, and fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs — about crime, justice, and some of the most urgent and uncomfortable questions in Australian public life. They start with the alleged murder of Kumunjayi, a five-year-old Aboriginal girl killed in the Northern Territory despite six child protection notifications in t
Does Western Civilisation Exist? James Kierstead on Ancient Greece, Christianity, and the West
Does Western Civilisation Exist? James Kierstead on Ancient Greece, Christianity, and the West May 7, 2026 4527 Does Western civilisation actually exist — or is it just a modern political myth? In this episode of the Quillette Cetera podcast, Zoe Booth speaks with classicist James Kierstead about the origins of the West, the “Greek miracle,” Christianity, monogamy, democracy, and the cultural foundations of modern civilisation. They discuss: Whether the West is real or an invented concept Ancient G
Oikophobia and the Crisis of Western Democracy with Shany Mor
Oikophobia and the Crisis of Western Democracy with Shany Mor Feb 20, 2026 3450 In this conversation, Zoe Booth and Shany Mor discuss the complex interplay between Australia's reputation in relation to Israel, the impact of anti-Israel activism, and the cultural and intellectual anxieties that contribute to anti-Semitism. They explore the role of guilt in Western society, the challenges of identity and belonging in multicultural contexts, and the evolution of political discou
Inside Iran’s Deadly Protests with Shay Khatiri
Inside Iran’s Deadly Protests with Shay Khatiri Jan 20, 2026 3710 Shay Khatiri is one of the most clear-eyed analysts of Iran’s regime and its role in global geopolitics. Raised in the Islamic Republic before escaping to the U.S., he now serves as Vice President and Senior Fellow at the Yorktown Institute and writes The Russia–Iran File, a Substack dissecting the domestic and foreign policy strategies of both regimes. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Jou
Adam Louis-Klein on Why He Founded the Movement Against Antizionism
Adam Louis-Klein on Why He Founded the Movement Against Antizionism Jan 14, 2026 4123 In this conversation, Zoe Booth and Adam Louis-Klein delve into the complexities of antizionism, exploring its ideological roots, the language used to propagate it, and its normalisation in contemporary society. They discuss the formation of the Movement Against Antizionism (MAAZ) and the importance of recognising antizionism as a distinct form of bigotry. The dialogue also addresses the historica
Exposing the Qatar Lobby: Chama Mechtaly on Islamism, Censorship, and the West
Exposing the Qatar Lobby: Chama Mechtaly on Islamism, Censorship, and the West Dec 12, 2025 4520 Chama Mechtaly is a Moroccan-American artist, activist, and policy advisor whose work sits at the intersection of cultural preservation, deradicalisation, and Middle Eastern diplomacy. Born in Casablanca in 1992 to a Muslim mother and a Jewish father of Amazigh heritage, she draws on her complex identity to promote dialogue and coexistence between Muslim and Jewish communities throughout North Af
How Audience Capture Fuels Antisemitism, Identity Politics, and Anti-Israel Hysteria | Corey Walker
How Audience Capture Fuels Antisemitism, Identity Politics, and Anti-Israel Hysteria | Corey Walker Dec 12, 2025 4806 From algorithmic incentives to progressive posturing, this episode explores how anti-Semitism has become a feature—not a bug—of influencer culture. Zoe Booth speaks with Corey Walker, a Washington, D.C.-based reporter focusing on the Middle East and global terror groups, about audience capture, the anti-Western project of the modern Left, and why Israel represents values worth conserving. Learn mo

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