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Writer Reza Aslan is one of the world’s foremost scholars of religion. As a teenager he converted from Islam to Christianity, then back again. He joins Richard to discuss his latest work, ‘God - A Human History’.

As a photojournalist she’s witnessed war in some of the most dangerous places on the globe. Lynsey Addario’s new collection of photography captures the intimate and raw cost to those caught in conflict, often focusing on women’s experience of war.

Today marks the beginning of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. Richard talks to Linda Rodgers, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, and Miriam Weibye, Church Relations Officer of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

On a summer night 22 years ago, 18-year-old Attiya Khan ran through the streets, fleeing her abusive boyfriend Steve. Years later she meets him again and together they agree to explore that old relationship and the scars that have remained in an extraordinary documentary. Linda Rodgers of Edinburgh Women’s Aid highlights some of the issues raised by ‘A Better Man’.

Are humans predominantly the product of our environment or mainly the embodiment of our genes? The nature versus nurture debate is fraught with historical and political tensions, and in his latest book ‘Blueprint - How DNA Makes Us Who We Are’, American psychologist and geneticist Robert Plomin unpacks some of his fascinating findings.

Christmas is approaching, and in the some places the traditional Advent Calendar that counts the days down has been turned on its head. It’s being referred to as the Reverse Advent Calendar, based on giving, not taking. Richard talks to anti-poverty campaigner, Ewan Gurr, about the ethos behind it.