AntiSocial

A history of Eurovision and politics

<p>Amidst conflict in the Middle East, some people have been calling for Israel to be banned from the Eurovision Song Contest. Now that Israel’s participation in the 2024 competition has been confirmed, critics are vowing to boycott the event in protest. 
 
Eurovision’s organisers say that the song contest is “a non-political music event and a competition between public service broadcasters”, not between governments. But over the years, Eurovision has found itself caught up in controversy and geopolitics. 
 
Adam Fleming charts this history with Dean Vuletic, historian and author of ‘Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest’.</p>

<p>Peace talks for the culture wars.
In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, AntiSocial offers an alternative: understanding, facts, and respect. Each week, Adam Fleming takes on a topic that's generating conflict on social media, blogs, talk shows and phone-ins and helps you work out what the arguments are really about.</p>