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Society & Culture

The Documentary Podcast

by BBC World Service
DocumentarySociety & Culture

Today: #164 in Society & Culture on our combined chart.

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Ranking history · United States

Latest daily rankings: Oct 27. New rankings will appear after the next update.

Position on the Society & Culture combined chart over the last 14 days. Toggle platforms to compare their positions. Lower rank numbers are better.

Episode releases
#142#157#172#187#202Chart rankOct 15Oct 18Oct 21Oct 24Oct 27#164Episode released Oct 18: Shadowmen: Russians working with Ukraine · Afghan refugees: 3. Back to zeroEpisode released Oct 19: What China's solar panel obsession means for the worldEpisode released Oct 20: China and the UK: After the golden eraEpisode released Oct 21: The dolphin whisperer of the AmazonEpisode released Oct 22: Navi Pillay · The silence of the oligarchsEpisode released Oct 23: The right thing: Gaza's parish priestEpisode released Oct 24: Living with dementiaEpisode released Oct 25: Germany's rust belt revivalEpisode released Oct 26: If China's exports are booming, why are consumers struggling?Episode released Oct 27: Duo-euthanasia – a family’s story
View as table
DateCombined RankApple Podcasts
Oct 27#164#153
Oct 26#152#140
Oct 25#192#183
Oct 23#191#182
Oct 21#188#179
Oct 20#159#150
Oct 19#164#155
Oct 18#190#180
Oct 15#191#181
Oct 14#189#180

Latest episodes

  • Duo-euthanasia – a family’s story

    October 27, 2026 · 55 min

    When Linda Pressly met them in 2024 in the Netherlands, Els and Jan had fewer than three days left on Earth. Els was living with dementia. Jan was in continual physical pain. A married couple, they chose to die together by lethal injection…

  • If China's exports are booming, why are consumers struggling?

    October 26, 2026 · 20 min

    China's booming export figures, driven in part by demand for AI-related products, suggest a high-tech economy that's thriving. Yet many consumers at home continue to face economic pressures. Ed Butler asks whether there's a link between…

  • Germany's rust belt revival

    October 25, 2026 · 49 min

    On location in Dortmund, in Germany's Ruhr region, historian and author Katja Hoyer reports on the dramatic transformation that has taken place in the city in the last 20 years. Once known for its heavy industry, especially steel…

  • Living with dementia

    October 24, 2026 · 24 min

    A major new international study predicts that the number of people diagnosed with dementia will more than double by 2050. Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia, who led the study, predict that new cases worldwide…

  • The right thing: Gaza's parish priest

    October 23, 2026 · 27 min

    As a young missionary priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli left his native Argentina to work in the Middle East. He went out of a passion for bringing Christ to the people wherever he was called. He became Gaza’s only Catholic parish priest at…

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  • Navi Pillay

    October 22, 2026 · 22 min

    Navanetham 'Navi' Pillay has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026. The 85-year-old South African jurist and former UN Human Rights chief initially thought the news was a joke. Born in Durban, South Africa, to a Tamil family, her…

  • The silence of the oligarchs

    October 22, 2026 · 28 min

    Russia's super-rich once ruled the country, holding deep influence over the country's politicians in the years immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They then gradually saw their power decline under the rise of Vladimir…

  • The dolphin whisperer of the Amazon

    October 21, 2026 · 23 min

    Deep in the Amazon jungle, pink river dolphins are under threat from pollution, deforestation, illegal mining and climate change. As a powerful El Niño looms, raising fears of drought and extreme heat, renowned Colombian scientist Fernando…

  • China and the UK: After the golden era

    October 20, 2026 · 27 min

    Journalist and author Paul Kenyon investigates rising suspicions over China’s presence in the UK. From shadow policing operations, to spies and the infiltration of universities and public bodies, Beijing is being accused by the UK’s…

  • What China's solar panel obsession means for the world

    October 19, 2026 · 18 min

    China's latest trade data show another huge surplus, putting the country on course for what could be a record $1.5 trillion trade surplus this year. In the first of two episodes examining China's export machine, we look at the country's…

  • Shadowmen: Russians working with Ukraine

    October 18, 2026 · 27 min

    A network of Russians say they are secretly fighting their own country. They claim armed resistance to stop Russia winning in Ukraine is the best way to undermine Putin’s regime. BBC Eye investigates. Presenter: Monica Garnsey Reporter…

  • Afghan refugees: 3. Back to zero

    October 18, 2026 · 32 min

    Why are millions of Afghans pushed into circular migration and what awaits them in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan? In this series, The Global Jigsaw explores one of the world’s largest and longest-running refugee crises - a story spanning…

Full episode archive on Apple Podcasts →

About the show

The best documentaries from the BBC World Service. Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. From Australia's relationship with China, to Turkey's sinkhole problem, to understanding the behaviour of dictators, we go beyond the headlines. Each week, all year round, we bring you the stories shaping our world. From the personal voices behind the headlines to perspectives on faith and spirituality and how work and money impact our lives. Discover how people find solutions to global problems and look at the world through the lens of its media. Powered by the BBC World Service’s global network, The Documentary Podcast is about the people living the story – helping you see the world with greater clarity.