Writer and historian Subhadra Das is in conversation about her new book (Un)Civilized that looks at topics from medicine, law, art and death.

Some things are a given: knowledge is power, time is money, justice is blind. But many of the big ideas that underpin Western civilisation are just that – ideas. Taking cues from Greek philosophy and honed in the Enlightenment, certain notions about humanity and society grew into the tenets we still live by today, and we haven’t questioned them a great deal since.

But what if they’re not just ideas? What if they’re outright lies? Isn’t it time we asked who really benefits from the values at the core of our society? What is unbiased about a science that conjured up ‘race’? Who do laws and nations actually protect? What even is ‘art’? And the real question: is the West really as ‘civilised’ as it thinks it is?

Uncivilised puts everything back on the table and asks readers to reconsider what they thought they knew about civilisation, starting with the ten lies that have shaped their lives.

Subhadra Das is a writer, historian, broadcaster and comedian who looks at the relationship between science and society. She specialises in the history and philosophy of science, particularly the history of scientific racism and eugenics. For nine years she was Curator of the Science Collections at University College London. She has written and presented podcasts and stand-up comedy shows, curated museum exhibitions, and has appeared on radio and TV.