Free Thinking Folgen

American author Jonathan Franzen's interest in the Austrian satirist and journalist resulted in him publishing The Kraus Project. He joins Philip Dodd, novelist Lawrence Norfolk and literary historian, Heide Kunzelmann for a programme exploring the writing and politics of Karl Kraus (1874–1936) - whose artistic achievements include 700 one man performances of works by Brecht, Goethe, Shakespeare and others - plus performances of Offenbach's operettas, accompanied by piano and singing all the roles himself; whose magazine Die Fackel published Oskar Kokoschka, Adolf Loos, Heinrich Mann, Arnold Schönberg, August Strindberg and Oscar Wilde and whose support for other artists included assisting Frank Wedekind in staging his controversial play Pandora's Box. In 1915 Kraus began writing a satirical play about World War One called The Last Days of Mankind which mixes dialogue drawn from contemporary documents with fantasical expressionist scenes of apocalypse. A dramatisation featuring actors Giles Havergal and Paul Schofield was broadcast by BBC Radio 3. Part of Radio 3's Breaking Free series of programmes exploring music and culture in Vienna. Producer: Zahid Warley

Anne McElvoy explores the history and possible future of the Union Jack or Union flag in a year which has seen the Brexit Vote. With: Graham Bartram - chief vexillologist at the Flag Institute, who grew up in Scotland, Northern Ireland and West Africa John Bew – professor of history and foreign policy at Kings Afua Hirsch – Sky News correspondent, writing a book called Brit(ish) which will be published next year Ash Sarkar - a senior editor for Novara Media and who hosts an online video series #OMFGSarkar Andrew Rosindell - Conservative MP for Romford and chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Flags and Heraldry Committee With contributions on the design from Jonathan Meades and Amber Butchart.At the Conservative Party Conference Theresa May's speech argued that the establishment must stop sneering at the patriotism of ordinary Britons. With renewed discussions about Scottish independence in the wake of the Brexit vote, what might this mean for the idea of patriotism in Britain - and for the flag which was created in 1606 as ‘the flag of Britain’, and which gained the name ‘Union’ in 1625.Part of a week-long focus on Free Thinking on the idea of patriotism and why politicians of all stripes are claiming that their parties are the most patriotic.Producer: Eliane Glaser.

Rana Mitter debates the meaning of patriotism in Russia, China, Japan and Latin America with guests including historian and policy analyst Michael Auslin, David Priestland who is Professor of Modern History at Oxford University, Chinese-British novelist and filmmaker Xiaolu Guo (whose autobiography is published in January) and Oscar Guardiola-Rivera, lawyer and author of What If Latin America Ruled the World?Part of a week of programmes on Free Thinking exploring the way patriotism has become a subject of intense debate amongst politicians and thinkers in countries across the world.Definition of patriotic. : having or showing great love and support for your country/ being proud of itThis summer saw Russia opening a “patriotic” summer camp for hundreds of veterans' children and President Putin talked about patriotism being the only possible unifying national idea. In China a directive, issued earlier this year by the Communist Party organization of the Ministry of Education, called for “patriotic education” to thread through the curriculum in schools and tensions in the South China Sea have seen a rise in political rhetoric talking about patriotism.Producer: Torquil MacLeod