This episode of The Original Contribution podcast discusses the contribution made by Dr. Iain Overton. Iain is a distinguished British investigative journalist, author, and human rights activist, Iain's work has profoundly reshaped our understanding of contemporary issues. With a significant educational background in history and international relations from Cambridge University, his journey through journalism has seen service with the BBC, ITN, and various independent projects. His achievements have been recognised with prestigious awards, including a Peabody, a BAFTA Scotland, and multiple Amnesty Awards.

As the first managing editor of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and with his current non-profit charity Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), Iain has demonstrated a relentless dedication to uncovering truth and advocating for change. His investigative endeavours have led to two impactful books, earning him a PhD by published works. The first, "Gun Baby Gun: A Bloody Journey into the World of the Gun," explores complex global narratives. The second, "The Price of Paradise: how the Suicide Bomber Shaped the Modern World," It is this latter piece of work that we will be discussing today.

Time Points: 00:00:53 - Introduction to Dr. Iain Overton 00:05:15 - Motivation for the PhD 00:07:00 - Methodology of conflict reporting 00:12:25 - The metaphor of virgins and Nazi zombies. 00:15:00 - The Chicago Database 00:18:25 - Investigative journalism 00:25:35 - The Tzar of Russia and Alfred Nobel's TNT 00:30:00 - The Police state 00:34:54 - The cost of foreign policy 00:37:23 - Lenin 00:39:37 - Motivation of the suicide bomber 00:47:49 - The language of violence 00:48:45 - Climate-driven suicide attacks 00:50:15 - The drone vs the suicide attack 00:53:25 - Drones and facial recognition 00:55:25 - Traits of the suicide bomber 00:58:30 - How do you suppress suicide attacks

01:03:30 - Advancing the research on suicide attacks 01:06:05 - Doctorate by publication 01:09:20 - Benefits of the Ph.D. 00:11:55 - "The drugs don't work"

Music that represents this thesis: "The drugs don't work" (The Verve) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQ0n3itoII

Guest research and socials:

LikedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-iain-overton-0b3328226/?originalSubdomain=uk

Website: https://aoav.org.uk/

Thesis: ⁠

“The Price of Paradise” https://amzn.eu/d/66wdV84

“Gun Baby Gun”. https://amzn.eu/d/2hJ0pZr

Podcast link & contact info: www.TheOriginalContribution.com

To guest on TOC please email: Ant@TheOriginalContribution.com

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