Ian BurumaEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

In this episode of The Long View , Ian Buruma discusses his book Stay Alive: Berlin, 1939–1945 and reflects on the broader question of how war is written and remembered. The conversation considers life in Berlin during the Second World War, the cultural and human dimensions of wartime experience, and the moral complexities faced by individuals living under authoritarian rule. It also expands beyond World War II to examine the craft of writing about war, both during conflict and after the fact. This episode offers a historical and reflective perspective on how narratives of war shape our understanding of the past and inform the present.

In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz speaks with Ian Buruma, a writer, journalist, educator, and award-winning thinker, as well as the Paul W. Williams Professor of Human Rights and Journalism at Bard College. Buruma shares his insights on civility and decency in society, drawing from his personal experiences in post-Nazi-occupied Europe. They discuss the harsh judgment against collaborators versus resistance fighters and the nuances of maintaining decency in an indecent society. Reflecting on the political climate in the U.S., they debate whether America currently constitutes a decent society, considering the behavior and policies of its leaders. The dialogue delves into patriotism, roots, and the responsibilities of intellectuals versus politicians. Additionally, Buruma and Berkowitz touch on the implications of leaders' actions on societal decency, the importance of rule of law, and the potential dangers of preemptive obedience. Look for Buruma's upcoming essay, Staying Decent in an Indecent Society , set to appear in Liberties Journal in July. ABOUT: Produced by the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College, this podcast offers close readings of Arendt's books alongside engaging interviews and thought-provoking conversations. Released weekly, each episode provides listeners with a deeper understanding of Arendt's philosophy and its relevance to contemporary issues. Available on all major podcast platforms, listeners join us on a captivating intellectual journey through the mind of Hannah Arendt. New episodes every Friday morning! Join Roger Berkowitz, Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities at Bard College, as he discusses the works of German Jewish political theorist Hannah Arendt (1906-1975). THE HANNAH ARENDT CENTER: The Hannah Arendt Center provides an intellectual space for passionate, uncensored, and nonpartisan thinking that reframes and deepens the fundamental questions facing our nation and our world. Become a member and enjoy several benefits including access to our virtual reading group that takes place every Friday: https://hac.bard.edu/membership/ More information can be found on our website: https://hac.bard.edu/ Follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/arendt_center and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hannaharendtcenteratbard/ THE HOST: Roger Berkowitz is the Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College. He is the editor of The Perils of Invention: Lying, Technology, and the Human Condition , and co-editor of Thinking in Dark Times: Hannah Arendt on Ethics and Politics (2009) , and Artifacts of Thinking: Reading Hannah Arendt’s Denktagebuch (2017). Berkowitz edits HA: The Journal of the Hannah Arendt Center and the weekly newsletter Amor Mundi . He is the winner of the 2019 Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought given by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Germany. EDITED BY: Alex Fox Tschan is the editor & co-producer of the “Reading Hannah Arendt with Roger Berkowitz” podcast. He is a working musician, creative producer, & audio/visual editor at his Brooklyn-based studio, The Fox & The Sound. With 25 years of recording & performance experience, Tschan’s recent projects range from indie-pop albums to audiobooks for McNally Jackson. A full spread of his work & collaborations can be found at pastelhell.com

Originally Recorded April 11th, 2025 About Ian Buruma: https://ianburuma.wordpress.com/ https://www.bard.edu/faculty/ian-buruma Check out Ian Buruma's new biography of Spinoza, titled Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah: https://www.amazon.com/Spinoza-Freedoms-Messiah-Jewish-Lives/dp/030024892X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit musicallyspeaking.substack.com

The Heartland Institute's Tim Benson is joined by Ian Buruma, Paul W. Williams Professor of Human Rights and Journalism at Bard College, to discuss his new book, The Collaborators: Three Stories of Deception and Survival in World War II . They chat about the backstory behind the three subjects of the book—Felix Kersten, Yoshiko Kawashima, and Friedrich Weinreb—and why all three have been vilified and mythologized. They also discuss the three subjects’ varying levels of culpability for the crimes committed by the people and regimes they served. Get the book here : https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/659322/the-collaborators-by-ian-buruma/ Show Notes: The Guardian : Matthew Reisz – “The Collaborators by Ian Buruma review – intriguing study of the frenemy within” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/12/the-collaborators-three-stories-of-deception-survival-world-war-ii-by-ian-buruma-review-intriguing-study-of-the-frenemy-within New York Times : Lesley M.M. Blume – “Amoral Traitors? War Heroes? Survivors? Depends Whom You Ask.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/11/books/review/the-collaborators-ian-buruma.html The Times : Ben McIntyre – “The Collaborators by Ian Buruma review — three stories of deception and survival in the Second World War” https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-collaborators-by-ian-buruma-review-jljr2msmd Times Literary Supplement : Josh Ireland – “Unholy compromises” https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/the-collaborators-ian-buruma-book-review-josh-ireland/ Wall Street Journal : Diane Cole – “‘The Collaborators’ Review: They Dealt With the Devil” https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-collaborators-book-review-world-war-ii-history-they-dealt-with-the-devil-8a1cad6b Washington Post : Scott Martelle – “For three liars during WWII, deception proves to be both good and evil” https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/world-war-ii-collaborators-book/ In The Tank broadcasts LIVE every Thursday at 12pm CT on on The Heartland Institute YouTube channel. Tune in to have your comments addressed live by the In The Tank Crew. Be sure to subscribe and never miss an episode. See you there! Climate Change Roundtable is LIVE every Friday at 12pm CT on The Heartland Institute YouTube channel. Have a topic you want addressed? Join the live show and leave a comment for our panelists and we'll cover it during the live show!

The Heartland Institute's Tim Benson is joined by Ian Buruma, Paul W. Williams Professor of Human Rights and Journalism at Bard College, to discuss his new book, The Collaborators: Three Stories of Deception and Survival in World War II . They chat about the backstory behind the three subjects of the book—Felix Kersten, Yoshiko Kawashima, and Friedrich Weinreb—and why all three have been vilified and mythologized. They also discuss the three subjects’ varying levels of culpability for the crimes committed by the people and regimes they served. Get the book here : https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/659322/the-collaborators-by-ian-buruma/ Show Notes: The Guardian : Matthew Reisz – “The Collaborators by Ian Buruma review – intriguing study of the frenemy within” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/12/the-collaborators-three-stories-of-deception-survival-world-war-ii-by-ian-buruma-review-intriguing-study-of-the-frenemy-within New York Times : Lesley M.M. Blume – “Amoral Traitors? War Heroes? Survivors? Depends Whom You Ask.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/11/books/review/the-collaborators-ian-buruma.html The Times : Ben McIntyre – “The Collaborators by Ian Buruma review — three stories of deception and survival in the Second World War” https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-collaborators-by-ian-buruma-review-jljr2msmd Times Literary Supplement : Josh Ireland – “Unholy compromises” https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/the-collaborators-ian-buruma-book-review-josh-ireland/ Wall Street Journal : Diane Cole – “‘The Collaborators’ Review: They Dealt With the Devil” https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-collaborators-book-review-world-war-ii-history-they-dealt-with-the-devil-8a1cad6b Washington Post : Scott Martelle – “For three liars during WWII, deception proves to be both good and evil” https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/world-war-ii-collaborators-book/

Originally Recorded July 10th, 2023 About Ian Buruma: https://ianburuma.wordpress.com/ Check out Ian Buruma's article in Harper's Magazine, titled Doing the Work: https://harpers.org/archive/2023/07/protestant-ethic-and-the-spirit-of-wokeness/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit musicallyspeaking.substack.com

Ian Buruma, author of Taming the Gods: Religion and Democracy on Three Continents , sat with Columbia University professor Andrew Delbanco during the Pen World Voices Festival . The two intellectuals met head-to-head at powerHouse Arena in Dumbo, Brooklyn and hashed out some of the most important and highly controversial topics in modern discourse both in America and Europe: religion, freedom, immigration and democracy. Stream and download the entire conversation here.