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Humanism Now is the weekly podcast for everyone curious, interested or actively engaged in secular humanism. Each Sunday, host James Hodgson—founder of Humanise Live—welcomes scientists, philosophers, activists, authors, entrepreneurs and community leaders who are challenging the status quo and building a fairer, kinder world.
Together we unpack today’s toughest ethical questions—using reason and compassion instead of dogma—and champion universal human rights and flourishing. Expect in-depth interviews on today's pressing issues, from climate action, protecting freedoms, equality & justice to AI ethics and cosmic wonder. Every episode delivers practical take-aways for living an ethical, purpose-driven life while discovering more about ourselves, others and the universe.
Whether you’re a lifelong secular humanist or simply curious about a naturalistic worldview, hit follow for insight-packed conversations that challenge ideas, celebrate human potential and inspire positive change. Join our global community working toward a fairer, kinder and more rational world—for this generation and the next.
70 Episodes
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SUBSCRIBE TO FREEDOM OF THOUGHT: Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicPodcast AddictYouTubeAll other podcast platforms******** Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter Welcome to Freedom of Thought a new podcast series by Humanists International! In this first episode hosts Gary McLellend and Leon Langdon introduce Humanists International, the global representative body at the heart of the humanist movement, how a global humanist network works inside the UN system, and why universal rig...
"If science tells you what's real and compassion tells you what's right, you're a humanist" - Fish Stark Fish Stark, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association (AHA), joins Humanism Now to unpack what a modern humanist revival could look like in the United States. From creator-led storytelling to legal strategy and mutual aid, Fish shares how the AHA is building power, community, and a clearer public-facing vision of humanism rooted in empathy, agency, and responsibility. Conne...
“It was a very safe space to be able to say, I got that wrong.” CampQuest UK Programme Director Alistair Lichten (Humanist Dad) and camper-turned-volunteer Katy Pugh join Humanism Now to unpack why a secular camp matters, and how a weekend of outdoor adventure, hands-on science, and Philosophy for Children helps young people practise curiosity, confidence, and respectful disagreement. Discover CampQuest UK 2026 Family Camp – dates, location, pricing, booking– https://campquest.uk/2026-family-...
“Humanism is increasing well-being and decreasing suffering for as many people as possible.” - Wil Jeudy In this episode, Wil Jeudy, a secular humanist and political organiser based in Texas, shares how empathy shaped his journey from disengaged voter to coalition-builder, why secular government protects believers and non-believers alike, and how coordinated local action can push back against Christian nationalism. Topics we cover Humanism as empathy in action and a guide fo...
“I changed my mind because I cared about alleviating energy poverty.” Order now: Energy is Life: Why Environmentalism Went Nuclear, by Zion Lights AmazonGuardian BookshopNatural History Book ServiceZion Lights is an award-winning science communicator and environmental advocate whose work sits at the intersection of energy, climate, and public understanding of science. In this conversation, Zion shares her journey from prominent renewable-only activism to evidence-led support for a broader cle...
In this short update epsiode, we are pleased to welcome back Nathan Stilwell, Humanists UK's Assisted dying Campaign Coordinator, Campaigns and Communications Manager at My Death My Decision and a member of The Assisted Dying Coalition Secretariat. Nathan explains what has happened since the Assisted Dying Bill passed the House of Commons, why it now risks falling in the House of Lords, and what supporters can do to help ensure it becomes law. This episode follows Nathan’s first appeara...
“Most people want community, and yet these communities keep disappearing.” Dr. Darrel Ray is a psychologist, author, and organizational leader who has spent decades helping individuals leave religious belief systems and supporting secular communities around the world. He founded Recovering from Religion and the Secular Therapy Project, wrote influential books such as The God Virus, and recently launched the Institute for Secular Leadership to strengthen secular and humanist organisati...
"I blame dinosaurs, and I blame London." Astrophysicist and science communicator Dr Alfredo Carpineti (IFLScience, The Big Questions; creator of The Astroholic Explains; founder and chair of Pride in STEM) joins Humanism Now to explore why the cosmos still sparks childlike wonder, how great science communication balances accuracy with storytelling, and why his upcoming book Invisible Rainbows pairs “unseen light” with the human stories too often left out. Connect with Alfred...
As Humanism Now wraps up 2025, host James Hodgson is joined by familiar voices from across the UK humanist movement to reflect on the year just gone and look ahead to 2026. Together, they explore community-building, youth engagement, activism, collaboration, and why humanism continues to resonate in uncertain times. Guests & Links Lola Tinubu – Association of Black Humanists (ABH) Association of Black Humanists – https://www.meetup.com/association-of-black-humanists/Festival of Freethinki...
“[Magical beliefs in childhood] serve an important function.” - Dr Lois Lee For our festive special, Dr. Lois Lee, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Kent and one of the world’s leading scholars of non-belief, joins Humanism Now to explore why atheism spreads culturally and what Christmas reveals about humanist meaning in everyday life. Connect with Dr. Lee University of Kent profileExplaining Atheism ProfileExplaining Atheism ProjectTopics we cover ✔︎ Why a...
“Humans didn’t evolve to believe in gods — we evolved to learn from culture, and sometimes culture points away from gods.” Dr Will M. Gervais, psychologist and author of Disbelief, joins Humanism Now to examine one of the most persistent puzzles in the study of religion: why a species capable of deep religiosity also produces millions of convinced non-believers. Drawing on cultural evolution, cognitive science, and cross-cultural data, Will shows why belief and disbelief are shaped less by ra...
“Activism is the rent we pay to live on this world.” Alavari Jeevathol AJ board member of Humanists International, founding trustee of the National Multifaith Youth Centre, and National Coordinator of Young Humanists UK — returns to Humanism Now to explore a humanism shaped by South Indian pluralism, UK youth organising, and a lifelong commitment to duty, solidarity, and awe. This conversation traces India’s rationalist heritage, the case for humanistic spirituality, and why...
“We will lose a lot before we win — that’s just the reality of starting the race 50 years behind.” — Sarah M. Levin Sarah M. Levin - strategist, lobbyist, founder of Secular Strategies and co-founder of The Secular Vote, joins us to explore how secular voters are reshaping U.S. politics. She breaks down the real demographics behind the “nones,” why neutrality protects both believers and non-believers, and how church–state separation is at the heart of today’s fights over rights, democra...
“Nursing is the most humanistic of professions — it operationalises the philosophical groundings of humanism.” — Jamie Bourgeois “Nurses have 24/7 eyes on the human experience — we see how policy shows up in real people’s lives.” — Melissa Anne DuBois Jamie Bourgeois and Melissa Anne DuBois are the co-hosts of Nursing the Nation — a podcast giving nurses a national voice in debates that shape health, policy, and our daily lives. Together they explore how an ethic of evidence and empathy...
This week we bring we are delighted to share the a guest episode from Sentientist Conversations, a podcast hosted by Jamie Woodhouse (Humanism Now Episode 4). In this episode, Jamie speaks with legendary primatologist Frans de Waal. Follow Sentientism Sentientism.infoAppleSpotifyYouTube“You cannot go wrong with compassion” – primatologist Frans de Waal – Sentientist Conversations Frans (fransdewaal.com) is a primatologist & ethologist. He is Professor of Primate Behavior at Emory Universi...
This week we bring we are delighted to share the first episode of The Secular Sankofa Podcast, from the Association of Black Humanists. Subscribe to The Secular Sankofa wherever you get your podcasts! Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubePodcast IndexOvercastPodcast AddictGoodpodsAll other directories & RSS FeedIf you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review. ***** "We believe in people, not prophets, we believe in freedom, not fear, and we believe in integrity, not doctrine" - ...
“Human dignity is really the foundation for reasoned morality — there’s nothing we can do to increase it or decrease it. Even the worst people still deserve it simply because they’re human.” - David B. McLaughlin David B. McLaughlin, leadership coach and author of Humanism: Five Values for Living Well, joins us to map a practical, hopeful framework for meaning without dogma. From life in the U.S. Bible Belt to boardrooms wrestling with equity, we explore how meaning, dignity, reason, co...
“Being a skeptic doesn’t make me smarter or infallible—it just means I’m trying to fail slightly less often.” Michael Marshall has spent more than 15 years investigating pseudoscience, conspiracy theories and the psychology that sustains them. As Project Director of the Good Thinking Society, President of the Merseyside Skeptics Society and Editor of The Skeptic, Marsh has gone undercover at flat-earth conventions, exposed fake psychics, and campaigned successfully to end NHS funding for home...
"Another form of resistance is joy.” Maggie Ardiente, newly elected President of Humanists International, joins Humanism Now to share how humanism grounded in curiosity, compassion, and community can meet today’s rising threats to democracy and science. From a Catholic upbringing to global leadership, Maggie lays out a practical, joyful vision: build resilient humanist networks and live our values in the one life we know we have. Connect with Maggie: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/magg...
“No one ever said it was going to be easy. Humanists don’t think a better world is inevitable—we think a better world is possible, but we have to work for it.” Andrew Copson OBE, Chief Executive of Humanists UK and former President of Humanists International, joins us for our 50th episode to reflect on two decades of humanist leadership. From growing up in a secular working-class community to championing global human rights, Andrew explains why humanism remains vital in a time of rising extre...
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