A Conversation Among Friends

Forum & Friends

An ongoing roundtable of thinkers, writers, and dissidents who gather to debate the ideas, events, and cultural currents that mainstream media would rather leave unexamined.

The Idea

Unhurried debate in an age of noise.

Forum & Friends is where the conversation goes deeper. Each week, a rotating circle of journalists, academics, and public figures sit down for hours—not minutes—to work through the arguments that shape our politics and culture.

No chyrons, no commercial breaks, no sound-bite format. Just long-form discussion in the tradition of the great salons and coffee houses that once animated Western intellectual life. The livestreams are hosted on our YouTube channel, and the accompanying essays, transcripts, and follow-ups live on our Substack.

Whether you prefer to listen, watch, or read, there is a seat at the table.

Join the Conversation

Where to find us

Latest video Substack

🏛️ The Forum & Friends: Is Iran WINNING? with Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi

In Forum & Friends, John Laughland and Peter Lavelle interview guests about current events, geopolitics, health, science and many other topics.

·1 hr 02 min

External links open in a new window · Hosted by Forum for Democracy International