On this episode, writer and human rights campaigner Sophie Radice talks about many issues that need a deeper conversation; xenophobia, travel vs escape, identity and how she ended up on court after working in the Jungle in Calais.
Her latest novel, The Year of Bad Maps, is a deeply personal and politically resonant story inspired by her solo travels across ten countries and her experiences surrounding the Calais refugee camps, being arrested and put on trial. Blending wit, travel writing and contemporary politics, the novel explores themes of migration, motherhood, friendship, ageism and xenophobia, while asking challenging questions about why movement is romanticised for tourists but criminalised for refugees. The book has been praised for tackling difficult political themes with warmth, humour and humanity rather than polemic.
She is a British journalist, novelist and human rights campaigner whose work spans literature, politics, journalism and social justice. Over the course of a varied career, she has written for major publications including The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent, Vogue and The Sunday Times, developing a reputation for intelligent, compassionate writing that often explores identity, inequality and the human stories behind political issues.
Alongside her journalism, Radice has spent more than two decades working in communications and campaigning roles for organisations focused on refugee rights, women’s rights and humanitarian issues. She has worked on campaigns involving immigration detention, wrongful convictions and violence against women, and has collaborated with NGOs both in the UK and internationally, including projects in Sierra Leone. She currently works with the United Nations Association UK as Head of Campaigns.
Radice is also an accomplished novelist. Her debut novel, The Henry Experiment, received critical praise for its sharp psychological insight and was later adapted into a BBC drama. Her writing is known for combining humour, emotional intelligence and social commentary, often examining the tensions between personal freedom, morality and modern society.
Key points of the interview:
- How she wrote her book about her year off from the point of view of her guides.
- How her adventure was incredible....
- .....but ended up facing a 5 year prison sentence.
- The easy emotional bonds she forms with people.
- Reminiscing on some amazing memories.
- Dealing with peoples distress who are escaping bad situations elsewhere in the world, and being treated badly here.
- The questionable meetings she had in Goa, and how she was advised not to travel alone.
- How freeing it was travelling alone.
- How the wanderlust did not satisfy her.
- What she learned about herself.
- The place she visited that was the most challenging and why.
- Many profound moments.
- The court case and what she was arrested for.
- The court case outcome
Get the book here "The Year of Bad Maps"
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