Humanities Matter by Brill: Recent Episodes
Brill
With the challenges the world is facing today, the humanities and social sciences are needed and more relevant than ever to help us understand what it means to ‘lead a good life’. The authors and editors, with whom Brill collaborates, dedicate their academic life to asking critical questions on globalization, the rise and fall of societies, migration, the functioning of our democracies, the history of conflicts and international relations, inequality, water security or climate change, to name just a few. In this year’s article we let our authors and editors explain – from their personal perspectives – why it is crucial for society to continue investing in research in the humanities and social sciences. They give us a glance into their field of research, individual work, methodologies and motivation, and they demonstrate why the humanities have been and will remain a vital pillar of academia and society.
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we explore how history textbooks shape collective memory in Lebanon. How are national narratives constructed? Are these textbooks as divided as the country's politics, or do they tell a more unified story? And what happens when different communities hold competing versions of the past?
All this and more with Dr. Bouchra Saab, author of History Education in Lebanon and the Borders of the Nation, which is Volume 56 in the series “Studies on Modern Orient” published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Bouchra Saab
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we explore what having confidence in science really means. What separates healthy skepticism from deliberate doubt? How do politics, economic interests, and misinformation shape public opinion around scientific research? And what role can scientists themselves play in rebuilding trust?
All this and more with Dr. Peter Mahaffy, member of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry's (IUPAC) Committee on Ethics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and contributor to their Chemistry International journal, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Peter Mahaffy
Reach out to Dr. Mahaffy at www.linkedin.com/in/petermahaffy
Some papers Dr. Mahaffy refers to during the conversation:
- Cologna, V., et. al. Trust in Scientists and Their Role in Society Across 68 Countries, 2025, Nature Human Behaviour, 9, 713-730. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-02090-5
- Garcia-Martinez, J; Mahaffy, P.G., et. al. Responsible Chemistry for a Changing World: IUPAC’s Guiding Principles, RSC Chemical Science, 2026, DOI: 10.1039/D5SC08844E.
- Mahaffy, P. G.; Garcia-Martinez, J. From what Chemistry can do to what Chemists should do, J. Chem. Educ. 2025, 102, 11, 4661–4665. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c01467
- Mahaffy, P. G.; Matlin, S. A.; Holme, T. A.; MacKellar. J. Systems thinking for educating about the molecular basis of sustainability. Nature Sustainability. 2019, 2, 362–370.
- Mahaffy, P.; Cornell, S. (2025). Sustainability frameworks I – Planetary boundaries. Chapter 6 in Kirchhoff, M.; Kummerer, K.; Mahaffy, P.; Middlecamp, C. (eds) Chemistry Education for a Sustainable Future. Advances in Chemistry Education series, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK.
- Mahaffy, P. G.; Elgersma, A.K. “Systems Thinking, the Molecular Basis of Sustainability and the Planetary Boundaries Framework: Complementary core competencies for chemistry education,” Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 2022, 100663, ISSN 2452-2236, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2022.100663.
It’s pride month, and in this episode of Sustainability Matters we discuss how queer and trans youth have always fought to shape their own futures—and why their rights have become a flashpoint in contemporary culture wars. From Gay-Straight Alliances and gender-neutral bathrooms to representation in sports and the concept of trans joy, we unpack the narratives shaping identity, belonging, and inclusion in today’s political climate.
All this and more with Dr. Julia Sinclair-Palm, author of “Queer and Trans Youth Political Activism,” which is Chapter 17 in theDe Gruyter Handbook of Youth Activism, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Julia Sinclair-Palm
Citations:
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Sinclair-Palm, Julia. (2024). Names as a trans technology: Exploring the naming practices of trans youth in Australia, Ireland and Canada. Nordic Journal of Socio-Onomastics, 4 (1), 137-161. https://doi.org/10.59589/noso.42024.16669
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Sinclair-Palm, Julia. (2023). The Role of Family in Trans Youths’ Naming Practices. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2023.2181450
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Dyer, Hannah, Julia Sinclair-Palm and Miranda Yeo. (2020). "Drawing Queer and Trans Kinship with Children: Affect, Cohabitation, and Reciprocal Care." Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 42(4), 257-276. https://doi.org/10.1080/10714413.2020.1724764
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Dyer, Hannah, Julia Sinclair-Palm, Chase Joynt, Miranda Yeo, and Calla Tait. (2020). Aesthetic Expression of Queer kinship in Children’s Drawings. Journal of Canadian Studies, 54(2-3), 526-543. https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/780618.
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https://thebaffler.com/latest/reject-transgender-liberalism-gill-peterson
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https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1088&context=jqtsie
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Tourmaline, S., Eric, A., & Burton, J. (2017). Trap Door: Trans Cultural Production and the Politics of Visibility.
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Westbrook, L., & Schilt, K. (2014). Doing gender, determining gender: Transgender people, gender panics, and the maintenance of the sex/gender/sexuality system. Gender & society, 28(1), 32-57.
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Cruz, C. (2001). Toward an epistemology of a brown body. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 14(5), 657-669.
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McCready, L. T. (2004). Understanding the marginalization of gay and gender non-conforming Black male students. Theory Into Practice, 43(2), 136-143.
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Brockenbrough, E. (2015). Queer of color agency in educational contexts: Analytic frameworks from a queer of color critique. Educational Studies, 51(1), 28-44.
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we explore how Jewish Europe is being reshaped across physical and digital spaces in the 21st century. How do virtual environments change the way heritage is preserved and shared? Can digital reconstructions and online communities sustain cultural identity? What happens when these spaces are affected by rising antisemitism, shifting politics, and changing public visibility—against a longer history of loss and reconstruction?
All this and more with Dr. Maja Hultman and Dr. Joachim Schlör, editors of Virtual and Real-Life Spaces of Jewish Europe in the 21st Century, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Discourse on sustainable digital spaces is just one of our sustainability initiatives here at De Gruyter Brill. Explore the recent De Gruyter Brill Annual Impact Reportfor a closer look at our sustainability commitments and progress in 2025.
Host: Dr. Shawn Rowlands
Guests: Dr. Maja Hultman and Dr. Joachim Schlör
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we examine how indigeneity is defined and contested in conversations around identity, science, and sovereignty. Is it something we inherit, or a political construct? How can scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems collaborate without losing their distinct integrity? And what happens when genetic research defines belonging in ways that conflict with cultural and political self-understandings?
All this and more with Dr. Benjamin Gregg, author of “Scientific Integrity and Indigenous Justice in Genetic Research,” which is Chapter 5 in the book Indigeneity as Social Construct and Political Tool: Critique and Reconstruction of a Contested Identity, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Benjamin Gregg
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we look at how video games are reshaping the representation of girlhood, identity, and coming-of-age through play. Why have games so often been associated with boyhood? What overlooked histories of girls’ gaming cultures challenge this narrative? And how are contemporary games challenging traditional heroic narratives with more complex stories about growing up, belonging, and self-discovery?
All this and more with Dr. Stephanie Harkin, author of Girlhood Games: Gender, Identity and Coming of Age in Video Games, which is Volume 20 in the series “Video Games and the Humanities”, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Stephanie Harkin
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we ask: why do unions rise, why do they fall, and what does it take for them to rise again? How do leadership, strategy, and internal democracy shape their trajectory? And what can the turbulent history of a major New York transit union teach us about the labour movement today?
All this and more with Dr. Marc Kagan, author of Take Back the Power: The Fall and Rise and Fall of NYC’s Transport Workers Union Local 100, 1975–2009, which is Volume 7 in the series Studies in Political Economy of Global Labor and Work, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Marc Kagan
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we ask: How is digital technology transforming religious belief and practice today? How does digital culture reshape religious authority, education, and governance? And how do emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence complicate questions of belief, legitimacy, and responsibility within religious communities?
All this and more with Dr. Thomas Schlag and Katharina Yadav, editors of Religious Communication, Interaction and Transformation in a Culture of Digitality, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Dr. Thomas Schlag and Katharina Yadav
What are the limits of the utilitarian approach to studying the environment? How do we go beyond Western philosophies in our thinking around the environment? Can Western and Non-Western approaches work together? And why is it imperative that we expand our political imagination?
In this episode of Sustainability Matters, Dr. Aleksandra Ross and Dr. Krzysztof Skonieczny talk about the importance of looking at ecological challenges from pluralistic, culturally diverse perspectives and discuss ways in which non-Western styles of thought help us not only understand the problem better, but also find solutions. This episode is based on their book Non-Western Approaches in Environmental Humanities, published by De Gruyter Brill, of which they’re co-editors alongside Dr. Gabriela Jarzębowska.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Dr. Aleksandra Ross and Dr. Krzysztof Skonieczny
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we ask: What does it mean to narrate the heritage of psychiatry? Why is the history of mental health research so relevant today? How can we celebrate diverse experiences of "madness" without romanticising potentially harmful behaviours? And what role do contemporary systems play in the future of mental health heritage?
All this and more with Dr. Christoph Singer, co-editor of Narrating the Heritage of Psychiatry, which is Volume 1 in the series “Narratives and Mental Health”, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Christoph Singer
This month on Sustainability Matters, we discuss whether external research promotion has any tangible effects. Can external media attention translate into academic citations? Does choosing the “right” journal matter? And do we risk perverse outcomes from over-incentivising citations?
All this and more with Dr. Steffen Lemke and Dr. Isabella Peters, authors of “Path model of the interplay between the promotion and the received attention of research articles” along with Dr. Athanasios Mazarakis. This is a chapter in the book The Science-Media Interface, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Guests: Dr. Steffen Lemke and Dr. Isabella Peters
Host: Ramzi Nasir
On this episode of Sustainability Matters, we celebrate the progress of Open Access in expanding the reach of research, while also asking how it can become more inclusive. From evolving publishing models and transformative agreements to bridging Global North–South inequities, we look at how publishers and researchers can work toward a more equitable and sustainable system of knowledge sharing.
All this and more with Stephanie Veldman, Director of Open Research at De Gruyter Brill, and Dr. Soumitra Datta, research-active clinician and consultant psychiatrist at the Tata Medical Centre, India.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Stephanie Veldman and Dr. Soumitra Datta
In this second half of our special double episode of Sustainability Matters, we take a look at the impact of generative AI on academic culture. Should AI tools be used for peer review, grant writing, performance assessments, and the like? What makes “imperfect” human writing still worth defending? And finally, what happens to the value of voluntary reading in a world saturated with autogenerated content?
All this and more with Dr. Naomi S. Baron, author of the chapter, “AI and Human Writing: Collaboration or Appropriation?” which is part of The De Gruyter Handbook of Robots in Society and Culture, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Guest: Dr. Naomi S. Baron
Host: Ramzi Nasir
This month on Sustainability Matters, we discuss the persistent underrepresentation of Global South scholars in leading English-language journals. From editorial appointments to peer review practices, structural biases continue to shape who gets published—and whose knowledge is valued. While efforts are being made to address these imbalances, the question remains: what more can be done?
All this and more with Dr. Eve Ng and Dr. Melissa A. Click, authors of the article “Democratizing publishing in communication/media studies: a case study of Communication, Culture & Critique”. The article ispublished in a special issue of the De Gruyter Brill journal Online Media and Global Communication.
Guests: Dr. Eve Ng and Dr. Melissa Click
Host: Ramzi Nasir
In honour of Pride Month, on this episode of Sustainability Matters, we explore the politics, practice, and perceptions of gender-fair language. Is it the same as gender-neutral language, or something more expansive? How do linguistic reforms for inclusivity play out across the evolution of a language? And what motivates scholars to adopt—or reject—more inclusive forms of writing?
All this and more with Dr. Christine Ivanov and Dr. Maria B. Lange, authors of the chapter “Motivations for the Use of Gender-Fair Language in Research Literature in German Academia” from the book Public Attitudes Towards Gender-Inclusive Language, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests:
Dr. Christine Ivanov (Ln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-ivanov-77518a2b2/)
Dr. Maria B. Lange (Ln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-maria-b-lange-b2b35b2b1/)
If you’re interested in delving further into gender-inclusive language in academia, here’s a reading list curated by the guests:
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https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2023.2199531.
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https://doi.org/10.32872/spb.13719
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https://doi.org/10.1080/01690960701702035
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https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13428-013-0409-z
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01437
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https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.1.206
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https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00369
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https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2015.1067611
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https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0261927X01020004004
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https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-023-01411-8
In this first half of a special double episode on Sustainability Matters, we unpack how generative AI is challenging traditional ideas of writing, learning, and originality. Are large language models truly that revolutionary, or just glorified predictive text tools? How are universities responding to this shift? And—perhaps most importantly—where does morality come into the equation?
All this and more with Dr. Naomi S. Baron, author of the chapter, "AI and Human Writing: Collaboration or Appropriation?" which is part of The De Gruyter Handbook of Robots in Society and Culturepublished by De Gruyter Brill.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Naomi S. Baron
In this episode of Sustainability Matters, we get into the numbers behind scholarly publishing. We unpack why publishing consumption patterns vary so widely across countries, how data can inform efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how it supports progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Finally, we explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of data and sustainability in publishing.
All this and more with Dr. Michiel Kolman and Rachel Martin, authors of the article “What Can Data Tell Us about Publishing? How data can potentially drive progress in sustainability” published in the Brill journal Logos.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Dr. Michiel Kolman and Rachel Martin
In this episode of Sustainability Matters, we explore what responsible research and innovation (RRI) means. How can science move beyond disciplinary siloes to embrace transdisciplinarity? What does it mean to conduct research that is truly socially responsible? And is the commitment to sustainable research declining?
All this and more with Dr. Siri Granum Carson and Dr. Matthias Kaiser, authors of the concluding chapter “A sea change in science and technology ecologies? Prospects of socially responsible research and innovation towards 2030” from the book The Fragility of Responsibility, published by De Gruyter Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Dr. Siri Granum Carson and Dr. Matthias Kaiser
On the first episode of Sustainability Matters (formerly Humanities Matter), we explore the complexities of diversity and inclusion in higher education. Do the frameworks in US universities today advance equity, or merely mask deeper systemic issues? How can academia move beyond optics to genuine transformation? And what does diversity and justice in higher education truly look like? All this and more with Dr. Nimisha Barton, author of “Diversity Practitioners and Institutional Whiteness”, a chapter in her book A Just Future, published by Cornell University Press—a partner of De Gruyter Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Nimisha Barton
This month on Humanities Matter, we discuss the variation in literacy rates among India’s social strata, the importance of considering a gendered perspective in adult education policies within the country, and how such policies can empower marginalized communities and bring about social change.
All this and more with Dr. Preeti Dagar, author of “Subaltern Perspectives in Adult Education”, a chapter in the book Adult Education in India, Volume 35 in the series International Issues in Adult Education, published last year by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Preeti Dagar
In this episode of Humanities Matter, we take a closer look at the documented sightings of the so-called Gloucester Sea Serpent over the years. Are there truly monsters lurking in the deep? Or do these stories reveal a stark truth about marine sustainability and the lasting impact of human fishing practices on our oceans?
All this and more with Dr. Robert France, author of Disentangled: Ethnozoology and Environmental Explanation of the Gloucester Sea Serpent, published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Robert L. France
In the second half of this episode on Humanities Matter, we examine when countries might deploy autonomous weapons systems, whether these weapons could better follow international human rights law than humans if properly programmed, the feasibility of a global ban, and the challenges in regulating or limiting their production.
All this and more with Dr. Barry de Vries, author of Individual Criminal Responsibility for Autonomous Weapons Systems in International Criminal Law, which is volume 65 in “International Human Law Series” published by De Gruyter Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Barry de Vries
In this special extended episode of Humanities Matter, we take a closer look at Autonomous Weapons Systems and the legal frameworks surrounding their use.
What exactly defines an autonomous weapon? Can an individual be held legally responsible for the consequences of deploying such a weapon? And can international law keep pace with the rapid rise of AI-driven weaponry?
We answer all these questions and more in the first half of this episode with Dr. Barry de Vries, author of Individual Criminal Responsibility for Autonomous Weapons Systems in International Criminal Law, which is volume 65 in “International Human Law Series” published by De Gruyter Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Barry de Vries
In this episode of Humanities Matter, we dive into human rights and humanitarian law development in Asia, exploring current regional challenges, persisting colonial legacies, external geopolitical pressures, and the push for greater accountability against selective enforcement.
All this and more with Dr. Matthias Vanhullebusch, co-editor ofvolumes 7, 8, and 9 of “The Asian Yearbook of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law”, published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Matthias Vanhullebusch
This month on Humanities Matter, we take a closer look at a groundbreaking environmental human rights law being developed in Latin America and the Caribbean. What is it? How is it connected to the Escazú Agreement and the American Convention on Human Rights? And how could these developments shape the global conversation on indigenous rights, property laws, sustainable development, and environmental justice?
All this and more with Dr. Mario Aguilera, author of the new book Environmental Human Rights: New Thinking from Latin America and the Caribbean—which is part of the series “Theory and Practice of Public International Law”, published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Mario Aguilera
In this episode of Humanities Matter, we look at the role of regenerative agrourbanism in creating sustainable urban living spaces. How can urban agriculture boost local economies and enhance community well-being? Is it possible to strike a balance between urban aesthetics and food supply? And can restoration design truly heal damaged landscapes and rejuvenate cities?
We answer these questions and more with Dr. Robert L. France, author of Regenerative agrourbanism: Experiencing edible placemaking transforming neglected or damaged landscapes, lives, and livelihoods, published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Robert L. France
In this episode of Humanities Matter, we explore various aspects of adult education, including the influence of Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, impact of environmental education on social change, and challenges and opportunities when it comes to decolonizing education. We also discuss inclusivity in educational practices, and explore what adult education for a sustainable future looks like.
All this and more with Dr. Bonnie Slade, Dr. Peter Mayo, and Dr. Thi Bogossian, editors of the new book Adult Education and Difference, which is volume 36 in the series “International Issues in Adult Education” published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Dr. Bonnie Slade, Dr. Peter Mayo, and Dr. Thi Bogossian
It’s pride month!
In this episode, we discuss the importance of an intersectional approach to research, the role of adult educators in fostering inclusive learning environments, the power of pop culture in addressing gender and sexuality issues, the homogenisation of the heterogenous trans community, and the rise of rainbow capitalism. We also tackle an important question: When does diversity stop being enough?
We speak with Dr. Bonnie Slade, volume editor, and Dr. Ksenija Joksimović and Lidiane Castro, chapter authors of the ‘Gender and Sexuality’ section, of the new book Adult Education and Difference—which is volume 36 in the series International Issues in Adult Education published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Dr. Bonnie Slade, Dr. Ksenija Joksimović, and Lidiane Castro
In this episode of Humanities Matter, we explore how partnerships among schools, communities, and higher education institutions can help disrupt inequitable social processes. We highlight the unique perspectives that Black educators bring to academic settings, talk about the power of a non-neutral stance in social justice, and understand the crucial role of rest in equity-oriented work.
Listen to all this and more from Dr. Leanne M. Evans, Dr. Kelly R. Allen, and Dr. Crystasany R. Turner—volume editors of Advancing Critical Pedagogy and Praxis across Educational Settings, the 4th volume in the series Urban Education, Cultures and Communities published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Dr. Leanne M. Evans, Dr. Kelly R. Allen, and Dr. Crystasany R. Turner
As global crises have time and time again demonstrated, NGOs play an invaluable role in the protection and promotion of human rights. But what exactly does this role entail? How do NGOs fulfil their responsibilities while adapting to technological, commercial, and legal landscape shifts? And finally, who or what really constitutes a protector?
We answer these questions and more with Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan, Volume Editor of The Protection Roles of Human Rights NGOs, which is part of Brill’s “International Studies in Human Rights” series; Adrien-Claude Zoller, in whose honour the book was written; and Ms. Inès French, who was instrumental in the compilation of this book.
If you like this podcast, have thoughts on the topic, or want us to address a specific theme in the future, write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Adrien-Claude Zoller, Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan, and Ms. Inès French
In another special episode on Open Access, Brill’s Head of Open Research Stephanie Veldman speaks with Dr. Anthony Watkinson, author of "Open Access: A publisher's view"by Brill.
Having worked in publishing for nearly five decades, Dr. Watkinson has been seen the Open Access movement unfold since its infancy. How has the movement developed since he wrote his article in 2006? What more can publishers do? How do publishers in the sciences and the humanities compare when it comes to enabling Open Access?
Listen to find out.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Stephanie Veldman
Guests: Dr. Anthony Watkinson
It’s open access week. So, this episode, we break down the concept of open access to research. Is it a basic human right? What’s its role in shaping global development? And how are technologies—both new and old—influencing a movement for it.
We speak with Professor John Willinsky, author of “Development and Open Access,” a chapter in Brill’s Critical Perspectives on International Education, and Professor Michael A. Peters, author of “Degrees of Freedom: Open Source, Open Access and Free Science,” a chapter in Knowledge Economy, Development and the Future of Higher Education published by Brill.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: John Willinsky and Michael A. Peters
This month on Humanities Matter, we talk about Music!
We wonder why apocalyptic soundtracks have captivated people since Medieval times, we re-discover the beauty and cultural significance of court music, and we explore the ways in which music brings stories to life in Western radio drama.
All this featuring the co-editors of Brill’s Music in the Apocalyptic Modeand Word, Sound and Music in Radio Drama, and author of Mutʿat al-asmāʿ fīʿilm al-samāʿ, The Ears’ Pleasure and the Science of Listening to Music by Aḥmad b. Yūsuf al-Tīfāshī al-Qafṣī.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Colin McAllister, George Dimitri Sawa, Jarmila Mildorf
This month on Humanities Matter, we talk about the need for space laws to include laws governing cybersecurity, data privacy, and war; role of capitalism in the West’s Covid-19 fatalities; and the precarity of certain types of labour in the Global South.
All this and more with the Volume Editors of Brill’s Space Law in a Networked World and Global Rupture: Neoliberal Capitalism and the Rise of Informal Labour in the Global South, along withthe author of F/Ailing Capitalism and the Challenge of Covid-19—which is part of our long-standing series onStudies in Critical Social Sciences.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Mahulena Hofmann, P.J. Blount, Noel Chellan, and Anita Hammer
This month, we talk about the ancient world going digital, pedagogy through virtual reality, how open access is changing scholarly publishing, and whether digital tools could make non-Western scholarship more mainstream. Also, is AI the greatest disruption yet to the humanities?
All this and more with editors of Brill’s Journal of Digital Islamicate Research, The Ancient World Goes Digital and Ancient Egypt, New Technology.
Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.
Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guests: Eid Ahmed Mohamed, Mai Zaki, Vanessa Bigot Juloux, Alessandro Di Ludovico, Rita Lucarelli, Joshua A. Roberson, and Steve Vinson
Global Health, Human Rights and Social Justice—Brill’s upcoming book series—provides multi-disciplinary perspectives on legal strategies across different fields and movements. The series addresses the gaps in writing about specific domains of law and hopes to foster transformative thinking in addressing global challenges of socio-economic inequality, health governance, restricted access to medicines, the climate crisis, and more. It aims to maintain a unified focus on the effectiveness of international law and global institutions, with respect to population health and social justice. It also focuses on normative development in the post-pandemic world.
In this new episode of Humanities Matter by Brill, Series Editor Alicia Ely Yamin discusses key topics addressed in the book series, focusing on advances and backlash relating to reproductive justice and human rights, ethical implications of biotechnological innovations, and resurgent calls for a ‘right to development.’
Guest: Alicia Ely Yamin
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Wie wurde die bescheidene Tomate zum Symbol der kulinarischen Globalisierung? Die komplexen Interessen und Machtstrukturen, die das Welternährungssystem prägen, sind ein deutlicher Hinweis auf den politischen Charakter von Lebensmitteln. Anhand zahlreicher Fallbeispiele aus Europa, Asien und Afrika stellen die Redakteure Cornelia Reiher und Sarah Ruth Sippel in ihrem Buch "Umkämpftes Essen" fest, dass privatwirtschaftlich finanzierte Unternehmen das globale Ernährungssystem maßgeblich beeinflussen. In dieser Folge der Sonderreihe „Mahlzeit“ des Humanities Matter Podcasts von Brill sprechen die Redakteure über die komplexen Machtverhältnisse in der globalen Lebensmittelindustrie und die Interessen der Hauptakteure. Sie betonen die Bedeutung einer öffentlichen und demokratischen Debatte über die Bedingungen von Produktion, Handel und den Konsum von Lebensmitteln.
How did the humble tomato become a symbol of culinary globalization? The complex interests and power structures that shape the world food system are clear indications of the political nature of food. Using a number of case studies from Europe, Asia, and Africa, in their book Umkämpftes Essen, editors Cornelia Reiher and Sarah Ruth Sippel determine that privately financed companies are the major influencers of the global food system. In this episode of the special series, Mahlzeit, of the Humanities Matter podcast brought to you by Brill, the editors discuss the complex power relations of the global food industry and the vested interests of the key players. They stress the importance of public and democratic debate around the conditions behind the production, trade, and consumption of food.
Guest: Cornelia Reiher and Sarah Ruth Sippel
Host: Ursula Stalmann
Der Wert der globalen Fleischindustrie beträgt aktuell ungefähr eine Billiarde Dollar. Fleisch ist überall leicht erhältlich und diese permanente Verfügbarkeit als Konsumartikel ist ein einzigartiges Merkmal des modernen Zeitalters. In seinem Buch: Fleisch: Die Geschichte einer Industrialisierung beschreibt Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung kulturelle Techniken industrieller Schweinefleisch-Produktion, von der Zucht, Haltung und Schlachtung bis zum Vertrieb und zur Zubereitung des Fleisches. In dieser Folge von „Mahlzeit“ des Humanities Matter Podcasts von Brill, geht er auf die Ursprünge des Fleischessens im Berlin des 19. Jahrhunderts ein und zeigt die Zusammenhänge zwischen Industrialisierung und Schweinefleischkonsum. Außerdem spricht er darüber, wie kulinarische Systeme und Esskultur durch den Fleischkonsum geprägt wurden.
The meat industry stands at a value of over one trillion dollars globally. Meat is easily available everywhere, and its availability as a consumer good is a unique feature of the modern age. In his book Fleisch: Die Geschichte einer Industrialisierung, Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung describes the cultural techniques of industrial pork production from breeding, husbandry, and slaughtering pigs to the meat’s distribution and preparation. In this episode of “Mahlzeit” by the Humanities Matter podcast from Brill, he discusses the origins of meat-eating from 19th century Berlin and unpacks the connections between industrialization and the consumption of pork. He also talks about how culinary systems and food culture have been shaped by meat consumption.
Guest: Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung
Host: Ursula Stalmann
Food science is a vast field that encompasses subjects ranging from microbiology to marketing. Considering the present global scenario, with factors such as climate change, war, and recession affecting supply chains worldwide, understanding the different aspects of food science and its connection with other fields is crucial for professionals, researchers, and the community at large.
Edited by Bart Wernaart (Professor, Moral Design Strategy at Fontys University of Applied Sciences) and Bernd van der Meulen (Director, European Institute for Food Law), Applied Food Scienceis a comprehensive look at the scope, terminology, methods, and content around the different food sciences.
The editors discuss the importance of mutual understanding and communication between the various branches of food science in this episode of Mahlzeit, the Humanities Matter special series brought to you by Brill.
Guests: Bart Wernaart and Bernd van der Meulen
Host: Ursula Stalmann
Esskultur und Essgewohnheiten sind ein prägnanter Teil von Kultur und entwickeln sich permanent weiter. Die Art, wie wir essen, ist nicht biologisch vorgegeben, sondern Ergebnis unserer sozialen und kulturellen Prägung. Warum haben sich bestimmte Gewohnheiten und Verhaltensweisen beim Essen im Laufe der Zeit durchsetzen können? Welche Entstehungsgeschichte steckt etwa hinter Esswerkzeugen und Geschirr?
Martin Hablesreiter und Sonja Stummerer zeigen in ihrem Buch „wie wir essen“ viele Facetten der Nahrungsaufnahme. Sie werfen einen detaillierten Blick auf Besteck und Werkzeuge und auf Tischgewohnheiten und die kulturellen Unterschiede rund um Essen und Esskultur. Was sie zu diesem Buch inspiriert hat und was sie über Tischkultur und Nachhaltigkeit denken, hören Sie in dieser Sonderfolge des„ Humanities Matter“ Podcasts von Brill.
Food culture and eating habits are a constantly evolving aspect of cultural design. The way we eat is not a biological trait but a result of our social and cultural conditioning. How have certain habits and behaviors while eating been able to assert themselves over time? What is the origin story of certain eating utensils?
Artist duo Martin Hablesreiter and Sonja Stummerer document the nuances of cutlery, utensils, table habits, and the cultural differences surrounding food and eating culture in their book, “How We Eat”. Listen to what inspired them to write this book, as well as their views on sustainability in table culture, in this special series of the Humanities Matter podcast by Brill.
Guests: Martin Hablesreiter and Sonja Stummerer
Host: Ursula Stalmann
Central Asia—the Eurasian heartland—is home to multiple culturally rich countries such as China, Iran, Mongolia, and Turkey. Naturally, with the advent of trade and globalization, multiple cultural exchanges occurred among these countries along the Silk Route, of which food was an essential aspect.
In this episode of Brill’s new Humanities Matter Podcast special series Mahlzeit, Dr. Eugene Anderson—a retired professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Riverside, talks about the various nuances and implications of these food exchanges, while discussing the book he has co-authored: “Crossroads of Cuisine: The Eurasian Heartland, the Silk Roads and Food: Crossroads – History of Interactions across the Silk Route, Volume 2.” His book delves deep into the history of foods, food exchanges and cultures, and the role they played in fostering a relationship between the East and the West.
Guest: Dr. Eugene Anderson
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Food security is threatened the world over, with the number of chronically undernourished people increasing from 775 million in 2014 to 821 million in 2017. This situation is likely to worsen by the effects of climate change, which is exacerbating problems in agricultural food supply, particularly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. Under these conditions, will the world community be able to meet its target of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030?
We discuss this crucial humanitarian crisis with Ivo Wallimann-Helmer, Professor for Environmental Humanities at the University of Fribourg Environmental Sciences and Humanities Institute, in this very first episode of our special series, Mahlzeit, brought to you by Brill as part of the Humanities Matter podcast. Join us to learn more about Prof. Wallimann-Helmer’s views on ethics, food security, and climate change as he discusses his edited book, Justice and Food Security in a Changing Climate.
Guests: Ivo Wallimann-Helmer
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The European Journal of Jewish Studies (EJJS) is a prominent voice in global Jewish studies, having delivered entirely new directions for research in the field. Recently, a new editorial team took charge of this prestigious journal. With the changing of the guard, the EJJS is all set for a major revamp.
In this episode, the editors of EJJS—Marcin Wodziński, a professor of Jewish History & Literature at University of Wroclaw, and Katja Smid, a distinguished researcher in Sephardic Studies at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid, discuss exciting new plans and future directions for the journal, as well as their motivation to revamp it. Among other issues, they discuss how upcoming issues will renew focus on thematic sections, starting with the first such section on Jewish history and culture in the Balkans, which is slated to appear in Spring 2023.
Guests: Marcin Wodziński and Katja Smid
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The intricacies of imperialism and colonialism within the context of the Bible are nuanced and varied. Understanding the legacy of European Imperialism requires careful reflection of the Bible’s affinity with the empire and concentration of power. In this episode of Humanities Matter, Dr. Steed Vernyl Davidson, author of “Writing/Reading the Bible in Postcolonial Perspective”,elaborates on the ambiguities of the Bible as an anti-imperial tool and his work in tracing the evolution of the Bible from its production in ancient empires to its role in the development of modern imperialism.
The book sets the context within which further exploration of postcolonial biblical critical work can take place and lays out the challenges of intersectional work with queer studies, terrorism studies, technology, and ecological studies as future tasks.
Guest: Dr. Steed Vernyl Davidson
Host: Leigh Giangreco
There has been no greater surge in global fashion trends and expressions of personal style than in the contemporary era of social media fashion influencers. But what constitutes “being in fashion” amongst this multiplicity of interpretations?
In this episode of Humanities Matter, Dr. Laura Petican, Associate Professor and Director of University Galleries at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and Dr. Jacque Lynn Foltyn, Professor of Sociology, Program Director BA Sociology, National University, San Diego, explore various disciplinary, professional, and creative perspectives to expand their proposition that fashion is about self-presentation. In Fashion: Culture, Commerce, Craft, and Identity, published by Brill and edited by Drs. Petican and Foltyn, is a deep exploration of fashion representations; being fashionable, shopping, luxury, and vintage; fashion materials, craft, industry, and innovation; museum-worthy fashion; and fashioning cultural identities.
Guest: Dr. Laura Petican and Dr. Jacque Lynn Foltyn
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The NATO rules of engagement (ROE) are highly important political and strategic laws that determine the circumstances surrounding the use of armed conflict. However, these laws are often ambiguous and confusing. It requires a great deal of situational awareness to assess a hostile act or intent, and to know when it is lawful to participate in direct hostilities.
Join us as we talk to Camilla Guldahl Cooper, Associate Professor at the Norwegian Defense Command & Staff College, whose book ‘NATO Rules of Engagement: On ROE, Self-Defence and the Use of Force during Armed Conflict’ provides clarity about the nature of military laws, especially in contexts where they risk being detrimental for the people involved and for mission accomplishment.
Guests: Dr. Camilla Guldahl Cooper
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The right to self-determination is, in some respects, the supreme right of rights, without which it is impossible to recognize a host of other human rights. The 2014–2015 crisis of Ukraine that continues with Russia’s invasion in 2022 calls into question whether the case of the secession of Crimea can be justified by the rules of international law on self-determination.
Joining us today on Humanities Matter are Dr. Majid Nikouei, SJD candidate at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Masoud Zamani, Assistant Professor of International Law and Law and Political Sciences Faculty at Shiraz University. Their paper, “The Secession of Crimea: Where Does International Law Stand?” published by Brill, delves into the controversial nuances of this issue.
Guests: Dr. Majid Nikouei and Dr. Masoud Zamani
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The post-World War 2 period saw the emergence of several peace-keeping institutions. The Council of Europe is one such international organization tasked with the responsibility to uphold democracy, human rights, and the rule of law throughout Europe. In times of war, the world bears witness to an overwhelming breach of human rights–Russia’s recent war against Ukraine is a case in point. During these difficult times, how does this organization–where expulsion of member states as punishment also means removing them from its purview of justice–maintain its integrity and fulfil its role?
In the latest episode of War and Peace, Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou, Professor in Human Rights Law at the University of Liverpool, and Vassilis P Tzevelekos, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Liverpool and a Member of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, put forth the suggestion that with the change in international law over the years, stricter sanctions should be in place to prevent human rights atrocities. They discuss this in context of their work “The Aggression Against Ukraine and the Effectiveness of Inter-state Cases in Case of War”, published by Brill.
Guests:Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou and Vassilis P Tzevelekos
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In the advanced capitalist nations, a new form of economic hierarchy is emerging, that of the professional class. While the managerial class thrives, the non-managerial workforce is plagued with decreasing job security, overqualified professionals, lesser role in organizational decision making, and increasing underemployment. And to bridge this gap, education is no longer the saving grace.
In this new episode, Dr. D. W. Livingstone, Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, presents a novel research on the class structure on the professional front, based onhis work, “Professional Power and Skill Use in the 'Knowledge Economy'. A Class Analysis.”
The book delves deeper into the employment structure of economies, which is failing to accommodate even skilled labor in its economic fabric.
Guest: Dr. D. W. Livingstone
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The sudden Russian aggression on Ukraine, besides wreaking havoc on the latter, has created a ripple effect impacting the socio-economic conditions of the rest of Europe and the world. The carefully built security order has been dismantled, necessitating the forging of new trade ties and alliances.
In the second episode of our new themed series War and Peace, Dr. Wolfgang Ischinger, former German ambassador and professor at the Hertie School in Berlin, focuses on Germany’s reaction to Russian aggression on Ukraine. He talks about the stringent measures that Germany has had to take as an outcome, driven by a sense of moral duty toward Ukraine in this humanitarian crisis, in the context of his work “International Security in the 21st Century. Chapter: The Ukraine Crisis and the European Security Order."
Guest: Dr. Wolfgang Ischinger
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Access to adequate food and nutrition is an essential human right. But ensuring food security has become a real challenge today. Climate change, natural disasters, and inefficient political systems are roadblocks in fortifying this basic need of human existence.
In this new episode, Dr. Olga Śniadach, Assistant Professor of European law at the University of Gdańsk, talks about the changing definition of food security over time and the evolving policies to tackle the same, based onher co-authored work, “Towards a Redefinition of the Food Security Concept in the Light of Climate Change.”
The article provides a legal perspective to food security with emphasis on European laws that now focus on sustainability as a basic principle to achieve the objective.
Guest: Dr. Olga Śniadach
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The UN has established a legal framework for marine and maritime activities called the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It is a convention that allows fishing, shipping, and exploration rights, among others, to countries over waters owned by them. However, with wars and annexations of territories, the rights of ownership become ambiguous. In such cases, how far is the UNCLOS competent in solving sovereignty issues?
In the first episode of our new themed series War and Peace, Dr. Valentin Schatz, a postdoctoral researcher at the Chair for International Law of the Sea and Environmental Law at the University of Hamburg, talks about the issues of arbitration concerning territorial domination, citing examples of Chagos Archipelago and the South China Sea, while emphasizing the need for a reasoned and balanced argument when it comes to territorial sovereignty, in the context of his work “The Status of Crimea and the Sea of Azov as a Jurisdictional Hurdle in Ukraine v. Russia”, published by Brill.
Guest: Dr. Valentin Schatz
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The climate crisis is here; its impacts are tangible. But surviving heat waves and hurricanes doesn’t mean we get through the crisis safe. What we need are systemic changes to the way we live and think.
If science tells us about the climate crisis and its consequences, the humanities tell us how to navigate the crisis through systems’ changes.
So, in this episode, we stitch together our conversations with five experts from various fields of the humanities. We speak about moral duties and the ‘collective’ nature of the climate problem, the trap of fossil capitalism, a historic litigation holding a corporate giant responsible for its global carbon footprint, the need to include gender in policy discussions on climate action, and the wisdom in starting young when attempting to effect a mindset change.
We’ve come together to solve climate crises before (see here); we can do it again.
Amid recent debates on racial injustice in the U.S.A, it is important to acknowledge the brutal historical roots of modern-day racism. To truly understand this problem and stimulate more meaningful societal change, one cannot disconnect the present from the past.
In this episode of Humanities Matter, Dr. Christine Sleeter, Professor Emerita at California State University Monterey Bay, discusses her new thought-provoking novel, “Family History in Black and White”.The book looks at contemporary racial dynamics, through the individual journeys of two competitors—white male and black female, vying for the same opportunity.
With this book, Dr. Sleeter hopes to inspire her readers to confront their own (uncomfortable) familial histories so as to effectively engage with the issue of racism today and become better allies.
Guest: Dr. Christine Sleeter
Host: Leigh Giangreco
One of the outcomes of globalization is the growth of diasporic communities worldwide. This population has continued to face a lot of complexities due to differences in ethnicities. However, these communities have the potential to contribute immensely to a nation’s development through their knowledge and skills. What is needed is to shed the ethnocentric lens for an inclusive one.
In the third episode of our new themed series Migration, Dr. Sarah Peck, a Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow at the Centre for International Development in Northumbria University, examines the role of diaspora in the development of a state, in the context of her work “Re-orienting the Diaspora–Development Nexus”, published by Brill.
Guest: Dr. Sarah Peck
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The Soviet Republic once held tremendous sway over the politics of Central Asia as the grand hegemon of the region. But now, in the post-Soviet world, geopolitics in this region is influenced by other powers, including the European Union (EU), and Central Asia’s own tilt towards China. In this changed environment, is the EU adjusting its policies to foster strong democracies in the region free from authoritarian influences, both foreign and domestic? Will these changes be enough to ensure regional stability and human security and focus on good governance and development?
In the second episode of our new themed series Migration, Dr. André W.M. Gerrits, professor of International Studies and Global Politics at Leiden University, talks about the changing political players in the Central Asian region and its implications and way forward for the EU and Russia, in the context of his work “Central Asia Under Brussels’ and Moscow’s Eyes”, published by Brill.
Guest: Dr. André W.M. Gerrits
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Yiddish is part of the family of Germanic languages with influences of Hebrew and Aramaic and encompasses many dialects spoken in several parts of Europe. This renders a diversity to the language, the development of which merits exploration through a close scrutiny of its history.
In this new episode, Dr. Bart Wallet, Professor of Jewish History at the Universiteit van Amsterdam, and Dr. Laura Almagor, Lecturer in Twentieth Century European History at the University of Sheffield, discuss the diversity in Yiddish language, its origins, and challenges, based on the recently published collection of articles titled “Yiddish in Europe” in the European Journal of Jewish Studies.
The authors argue the merits of delving deeper into the intricacies of the Yiddish language as an integral part of Jewish studies and bringing it to the public eye.
Guest: Dr. Bart Wallet and Dr. Laura Almagor
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The Schengen area consists of 26 European states, most members of the EU but some not, and consists of two main features: the absence of intra-Schengen state border controls on persons and a common external border control on entry into the Schengen area. However, this inclusivity has been threatened over time by events like refugee crises, terrorism, and a global pandemic. In light of the present refugee influx from Ukraine, the issue of border control in Europe merits closer inspection.
In the first episode of our new themed series Migration, Dr. Elspeth Guild, Jean Monnet Professor ad personam at Queen Mary, University of London, takes us through the trajectory of abolition and re-introduction of border control in the Schengen states from its formation in 1985 to the present day, in the context of her work “Schengen Borders and Multiple National States of Emergency: From Refugees to Terrorism to COVID-19”, published by Brill.
Guest: Dr. Elspeth Guild
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The Samaritans have been around since biblical times. They share history with the Jews, Christians, and Muslims; yet their identity is at odds with the people who trace their roots to ancient Israel. Who actually are Samaritans? And why did these biblical people turn into a micronation in this age?
In this new episode, Steven Fine, Dean Pinkhos Churgin Professor of Jewish History at Yeshiva University, and Director of the YU Center for Israel Studies and of the Israelite Samaritans Project,traces the history of the Samaritans from the ancient times to the present, while discussing his work, The Samaritans: A Biblical People.
The book collates the memories preserved by the Samaritans and others, from the time of Moses to the modern day, and makes them mainstream for our understanding of an insider race, now rendered outsider.
Guest: Prof Steven Fine
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Populism has been at the center of academic and non-academic discussions over the past century and one may argue that there has been an upsurge in populist movements in recent times, often with prominent religious ideals determining the course of political thought. Is populism, then, the source of politics in religion, or does political theology beat at the heart of populism?
In this episode, Dr. Ulrich Schmiedel, Lecturer in Theology, Politics and Ethics at the University of Edinburgh, and Dr. Joshua Ralston, Reader in Christian-Muslim Relations at the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, help listeners find answers to these questions with respect to Europe and America through a discussion of their book "The Spirit of Populism: Political Theologies in Polarized Times."
Guest: Dr. Joshua Ralston and Dr. Ulrich Schmiedel
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The emergence of self-government in the Jewish community in Eastern Europe has been a slow process, often encouraged by invitations of existing regimes and sometimes to escape state persecution. Nonetheless, the Jewish community has succeeded in establishing its autonomy as well as maintain a certain degree of control over its traditions.
In this new episode, François Guesnet, Professor of Modern Jewish History in the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at University College London, traces the travails and triumphs of the Jewish community in Eastern Europe from the Middle Ages to the present, based onhis edited volume, “Sources on Jewish Self-Government in the Polish Lands from Its Inception to the Present.”
The book offers insights into different aspects of Jewish sociopolitical life through expert translation of narrative sources in Hebrew, Latin, Yiddish, Polish, Russian, German, and other languages into English.
Guest: Dr François Guesnet
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The Pandemic led to a massive shift in the course of education as the world was forced to switch to distance learning. And with a new model comes new barriers, whether institutional, pedagogical, technical, or personal. These need to be solved through inclusive and strategic planning, comprehensive support infrastructure, collaboration among stakeholders, modern digital tools, and the creation of an environment of empathy and motivation both for the students as well as the instructors.
In this podcast, Dr. Lauren Cifuentes discusses her book A Guide to Administering Distance Learning, published by Brill, and talks about how she was preparing for a shift to the online model of education even before the pandemic. She believes that with the right infrastructure and resources it can be better than traditional learning.
Guests: Dr. Lauren Cifuentes
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The pandemic has rapidly changed the world, making it one rife with online activity and information abundance. Education systems must be modified to match this new world. It must cater to the entrepreneurial, competitive, and independent generation that thrives in this world.
In this podcast, Susana Gonçalves and Suzanne Majhanovich discuss their book Pandemic, Disruption and Adjustment in Higher Education and talk about the changing needs of students today, the challenges of tailoring higher education to be in tandem with the growing world of technology, and how to maintain integrity and mental health in the face of it all.
Guests: Susana Gonçalves and Suzanne Majhanovich
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Formal education became widespread only as recently as the end of the 19th century, as a way to train people for jobs created by the boom in industrialization. Today, with most of those jobs phasing out, world politics radically changing at both the individual and macro levels, diverse cultures and disciplines increasingly coming together as communities, and the pandemic catalyzing a global move to predominantly e-learning, it may be time for us to rethink formal education.
In this podcast, Dr. Rosemary Sage and Dr. Riccarda Matteucci discuss their book How World Events are Changing Education and talk about education in their day, what it has become for Gen Z, and lessons from pockets of the world where robots, online learning, and the science of human interest have been accounted for in education programs.
Guests: Dr. Rosemary Sage and Dr. Riccarda Matteucci
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Education is one of our main weapons in the fight against climate change. The need of the hour, therefore, is to enhance the world’s commitment to climate education, and incorporate climate change into our education systems.
In a special episode that combines two of our ongoing themed series, Survival by Degrees and Quality Education, Radhika Iyengar and Christina T. Kwauk, co-editors of the book “Curriculum and Learning for Climate Action”, urge readers to pay attention to climate change in education, not just as a peripheral topic, but as a core part of curriculum design and implementation.
Guest: Radhika Iyengar and Christina T. Kwauk
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Over the past few years and especially now— with COVID-19-related lockdowns necessitating that families stay at home—an increasing number of parents have chosen to home-school their children. This choice stems from several reasons: political views and distrust in the education system; anxiety about their children’s safety; or simply as an expression of their right to freedom.
In the newest episode of our podcast, Quality Education, Dr. Jameson Brewer, Assistant Professor of Social Foundations of Education at the University of North Georgia and author of ‘Homeschooling: A Guidebook of Practices, Claims, Issues, and Implications’, published by Brill, talks in detail about the changing trends in home-schooling practices. His compelling evidence makes us rethink our perception of formal education and lays bare the reality of educating a child without the support of experts or an educational system.
We discuss how COVID-19, and socioeconomic, political, and racial status (among other factors), influence a parent’s decision of choosing a school for their child.
Guests: Dr. Jameson Brewer
Host: Leigh Giangreco
With radical changes being engineered in society, education systems everywhere need to match up. As part of our podcast, Humanities Matter, the all-new series, Quality Education, looks at ways to improve these systems.
Higher education has traditionally been viewed as a privilege affordable to only specific strata of society, mainly higher income groups. However, this trend is now changing, with governments and institutes actively trying to make higher education accessible to all.
In this episode, we chat with Dr. Budd Hall, from the Centre for Global Studies at the University of Victoria, Canada, and Dr. Rajesh Tandon, the Founder-President of the Society for Participatory Research in Asia, a global research and training centre based in New Delhi, India. Dr. Hall and Dr. Tandon are both UNESCO co-chairs in community-based research and social responsibility in higher education.
Drawing insights from their book, “Socially Responsible Higher Education: International Perspectives on Knowledge Democracy”, published by Brill, they talk about the various changes that have been implemented in different countries to ensure social inclusivity in higher education.
Guests: Dr. Budd Hall and Dr. Rajesh Tandon
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The global trends of increasing climate change are predicted to intensify over the next few decades. General consensus remains that climate change is caused by actions of various entities at various levels, and it is nearly universally accepted that it is morally unacceptable. However, who does the onus of taking action against climate change lie with?
In the fourth episode of our new themed series Survival by Degrees, Dr. Anna Luisa Lippold, programme manager at THE NEW INSTITUTE, puts forth the suggestion that the responsibility for tackling climate change is a public notion, rather than an individual effort, in the context of her work “Climate Change and Individual Moral Duties”, published by Brill.
Guest: Dr. Anna Luisa Lippold
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The lives of ancient Egyptians were truly colorful, and of them, the royals led the most vivid lives. The military pharaohs have left behind many records that give us a glimpse into their warfare style and accounts.
In this new episode, Anthony John Spalinger, Emeritus Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Auckland,paints a captivating picture of the pharaoh court, based onhis work, “The Books behind the Masks – Sources of Warfare Leadership in Ancient Egypt. Ancient Warfare Series Volume 4.”
The book takes previous study of the leadership characteristics of the military pharaohs one step forward by analyzing the war records and literary compositions composed to glorify their rule.
Guest: Emeritus Professor Anthony John Spalinger
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Oceans are inextricably linked to the climate. Today, oceans are warming far more rapidly than they have in the past 65 million years, placing the spotlight on the important nexus between climate change and the ocean.
While there’s no doubt that climate change affects all people across the board, its effect is manifold among socioeconomically vulnerable communities, and among women in particular.
In the third episode of our new themed series Survival by Degrees, Prof. Nilufer Oral, Director of the Center for International Law, National University of Singapore, and member of the United Nations International Law Commission, takes a closer look at the place of gender in relation to climate change and oceans, in the context of her work “Climate Change, Oceans and Gender”, published by Brill.
Guest: Prof. Nilufer Oral
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In May 2021, a landmark court order from a district court in the Netherlands ruled that Royal Dutch Shell, one of the largest fossil fuel companies in the world, needs to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030.
How did a court in the Netherlands pass a ruling on a global company? Does the Paris Agreement hold for transnational private entities like Shell? What does this mean for corporations going forward?
In this second episode of our new themed series Survival by Degrees, Andreas Hösli answers these and other questions in the context of his article “Milieudefensie v. Shell: A Tipping Point in Climate Change Litigation against Corporations?”, published by Brill.
Guest: Andreas Hösli
Host: Leigh Giangreco
As we see in the news every day, climate change is already upon us. The climate crisis is no longer a bridge to be crossed in the future. It must be dealt with today.
In this first episode of our new themed series Survival by Degrees, Dr. Nicolas Graham describes the influence of fossil fuels in sustaining our unending quest for economic growth and profit. He also highlights the drastic changes needed along production lines to become eco-friendly. He talks about these in the context of his book “Forces of Production, Climate Change, and Canadian Fossil Capitalism,” published by Brill.
Guest: Dr Nicolas Graham
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Gender, and regulations of and discourses on it, have historically been a cornerstone of the conservative Christian belief system. The stance of the Catholic Church on feminism, for instance, has often been criticized for being reductive and exclusionary. As Christianity has exerted a profound influence on the government and principles of the United States from the time of its founding, in this modern age, it is natural to examine the extent of its influence on LGBTQ-related, and particularly trans-related legislation.
In the fourth episode of our themed series Across the Rainbow, Dr. SJ Crasnow, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Rockhurst University, Kansas City, and author of the article “The Legacy of ‘Gender Ideology.” Dr. Crasnow talks to us about the current state of anti-trans legislation in the U.S., and the role played by conservative Christianity in shaping it.
Guest: Dr SJ Crasnow
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The rich and complex prose of the celebrated Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky provides a detailed look at the fabric of European literary and social discourse and continues to attract scholarly attention, even 200 years after his birth.
2021 marks the bicentenary of Dostoevsky’s birth. To commemorate this occasion, join us in conversation with Prof. Slobodanka Vladiv-Glover, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Languages, Literature, Cultures and Linguistics at Monash University, as she takes us through the brief-yet-colourful life, most notable works, and myths surrounding the celebrated Russian author.
The discussion is an extension of “The Dostoevsky Journal: A Comparative Literature Review”, published by Brill and edited by Prof. Vladiv-Glover.
Guest: Prof Slobodanka Vladiv-Glover
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Social and political conditions, in association with the self, can hardly be explained by one factor. Instead, they are shaped by several factors in diverse, mutually influencing ways. This is the essence of intersectionality, a concept that helps us understand the complexity of the human experience.
In the third episode of our new themed series Across the Rainbow, catch us in discussion with Dr. Shanon Shah, Visiting Research Fellow in Theology and Religious Studies at King’s College, London, and author of the article “Ethnicity, Gender and Class in the Experiences of Gay Muslims”.
Drawing from the well of personal experience, Dr. Shah delves into the ways in which multiple axes of social division, such as religion, ethnicity, gender, and class, interact differently in Malaysia, where Islam is the majority and official religion, and in Britain, where it is a minority religion, to produce varied outcomes for gay Muslim men and women in both countries.
Guest: Dr Shanon Shah
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Imagination is a fundamental trait of the human species.
Given how our most commonplace experiences get filtered differently through the lens of our imaginations, it deeply influences everything we think about and do. For better or worse, imagination is “the resin that binds human civilization together.”
In this new episode, Keith Moser, Professor of French and Francophone Studies at Mississippi State University,leads a thought-provoking discussion on “Imagination and Art: Explorations in Contemporary Theory”, which is one of the most compelling transdisciplinary examinations of imagination to date.
The book collates a colorful collection of radical and fresh perspectives about imagination, ranging from reflections on gendered imagination to the oft-overlooked worldview of ecocentrism. This collection is also one of the first academic publications to provide a much-needed platform to contemporary artists in its final section, “Artists Reflect on Imagination: An Imaginative Epilogue.”
Guest: Prof Keith Moser
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In this episode, Steven Fine, Churgin Professor of Jewish History at Yeshiva University, Israel, discusses his new book Arch of Titus: From Jerusalem to Rome—and Back, published in Brill’s Religious Studies, Theology and Philosophy E-Books Online collection.
He explores how the Arch has been a symbol of subjugation as well as empowerment for both Jewish and Christian cultures as they evolved across centuries; how it is a door to the story of the Jewish community’s resilience; how it has inspired other monuments of power over globally; the layers of meaning it contains; and the reverberation, and thus enhancement, of its meaning in the digital age.
Guest: Prof Steven Fine
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The highest literacy rates worldwide, free universal healthcare, social security, strong economies —these are traits commonly associated with the Nordic countries.
They also reflect the equally renowned, well-developed system of education available to the residents of each country.
Despite the similarities, each country’s education system is distinct, thanks to their differing historical experiences and shifts in political climates. And the complexities of each system unfold neatly on pages of the school textbooks that have been used in each country throughout this time.
In this episode, Merethe Roos and Henrik Edgren, two of the editors of “Exploring Textbooks and Cultural Change in Nordic Education 1536–2020”talk about delving deep into the centuries-old history of the education systems in the Nordic countries through their school textbooks, right from the era of the Reformation in the 16th century and through the subsequent educational acts that shaped the systems in each country. Their book encapsulates the rich academic traditions in each country and highlights the role that textbooks have had to play in building each nation by influencing national cultural politics and legislation.
This episode is a part of a new special series by Brill, which focuses on Brill’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each episode is related to a specific SDG. This episode covers SDG 4: Quality Education.
Guests: Merethe Roos and Henrik Edgren
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people indoors and has moved even important businesses and interactions online. Diplomatic interactions are no exception.
In the second episode of our new themed series Across the Rainbow, we speak with Dr. Ann Towns, Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenberg, and Dr. Katarzyna Jezierska, Associate Professor of Political Science at University West, both co-authors of the article “COVID-19 and Gender: A Necessary Connection in Diplomatic Studies”.
Drs. Towns and Jezierska explore how the move online has changed gender dynamics in diplomatic practices and how interactions between diplomats and civil society actors have altered, making a case for why gender needs to be a key focus area in diplomacy research in the time of COVID-19.
Guests: Dr Ann Towns and Dr Katarzyna Jezierska
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Queer lives in semi-urban and rural India are typically required to conform to heteronormativity in a way that stands apart from Western and urban Indian experiences.
In the first episode of our new themed series Across the Rainbow, Dr. Jayaprakash Mishra, a research scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India, shares with us why he chose to examine the emotions of guilt in South Asian families through a queer perspective, as explored in his article “Queering Emotion in South Asia: Biographical Narratives of Gay Men in Odisha, India”.
Dr. Mishra examines how and why gay men negotiate between heteronormative expectations and homoromantic desire.
Guest: Dr Jayaprakash Mishra
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Today, millions of immigrants have found a home in the United States. But often, such people end up losing their individual cultures, languages, and identities—simply because they aren’t aligned with those of the rest of the crowd.
So what is it like to be living in a nation you weren’t born in? What are the stories and experiences of people who find themselves alternating between two linguistic and cultural worlds?
In this new episode, Luis Javier Pentón Herrera and Ethan Tính Trịnh, editors of “Critical Storytelling: Multilingual Immigrants in the United States”talk about how their book brings together powerful voices of immigrants living in the United States. The book is a fusion of narratives by individual immigrants—each story offering a fresh perspective on living as a trans-national person in the United States and containing strong messages of acknowledgment, negotiation, and resilience.
This episode is a part of a new special series by Brill, which focuses on Brill’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each episode is related to a specific SDG. This episode covers SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.Guests: Luis Javier Pentón Herrera and Ethan Tính Trịnh
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Forced labor and human trafficking in fisheries, albeit present in most parts of the world, have gone unnoticed for many years. Fishers at sea are out of sight for a long time, living in difficult and often inhumane conditions.
But this problem does not affect just fishers: it is much more layered than we think and can impact most of our lives. How, exactly?
Prof. Vasco Becker-Weinberg from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, and author of “Time to Get Serious about Combating Forced Labour and Human Trafficking in Fisheries,” explains further, in the fourth episode of our new themed series In Chains.
Guest: Prof Vasco Becker-Weinberg
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In the modern world, human trafficking and slavery take various forms: one such example is forced labor. But understanding exactly how and where forced labor might occur has been a challenge for researchers and regulatory authorities.
In the third episode of our new themed series In Chains, we speak with Dr. Alexis Aronowitz from University College Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands, who is the author of the article, “Regulating business involvement in labor exploitation and human trafficking”.
In her article, Dr. Aronowitz has presented various case studies of labor exploitation in the service industry, such as the cocoa industry in sub-Saharan Africa. In this episode, she further talks about how exploitative labor in businesses can be regulated using various approaches.
Guest: Dr Alexis Aronowitz
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Key to the revolutionary ideas of 19th century Italian modernist sculptor Medardo Rosso are his materials and technique. But for a long time, scholars and experts on his work took little time to truly explore these.
In this episode, Dr. Sharon Hecker, art historian and curator, and author of a recent Brill publication on Medardo Rosso titled Finding Lost Wax: The Disappearance and Recovery of an Ancient Casting Technique and the Experiments of Medardo Rosso, talks about how this sculptor took an age-old lost wax technique and remodeled it in radical ways and how his work and life are a reflection of art and artists in 19th century Italy and Paris.
Guest: Dr Sharon Hecker
Host: Leigh Giangreco
For centuries, slavery was prominent, driving economies and defining cultures. But in today’s socio-economically liberal world, it seems to have retreated into the shadows: where can it be found?
In the second episode of our new themed series In Chains, we speak with Dr Alexis Jonathan Martig, Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta, Instructor at MacEwan University, and author of the article “Slaving Zones, Contemporary Slavery and Citizenship: Reflections from the Brazilian Case”.
Dr Martig explores modern day slaving zones, their relation to socio-economic precariousness, and what their existence means for citizenship in the 21st century.
Guest: Dr Alexis Jonathan Martig
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The term “slavery” brings to mind transatlantic ships and human trade—both very disturbing visualizations of human experience. Historically, such slave trade has been at the center of the practice of slavery, which is still prevalent in the modern world.
In the first episode of our new themed series called In Chains, we speak with Dr. Raphaël Lambert, Professor at the Department of British and American Cultural Studies, Kansai University, Kyoto. Prof. Lambert is the author of the Brill book “Narrating the Slave Trade: Theorizing Community.”
Prof. Lambert offers a glimpse into slave trade through the prism of community, telling us how community is relevant to slave trade as they’re both closely related to human experience.
Guest: Prof Raphaël Lambert
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Viruses are not very different from machines that process information, and thus, how the virus functions can be simulated on a computer. This ability to “imitate” the way viruses behave is particularly useful today, as we battle the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and struggle to prepare for similar events.
Dr. Klaus Mainzer, Co-founder and Senior Professor at the Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Center of the University of Tübingen and President of European Academy of Sciences and Arts in Salzburg, explains this further in a new podcast episode, in which he talks about his book Leben als Maschine: Wie entschlüsseln wir den Corona-Kode? published by Brill. He explains how bringing together the fields of bioinformatics, machine learning, AI, and big data can help us to decipher the workings of the novel coronavirus and, perhaps, be better equipped to deal with such crises in the future.
Guest: Dr Klaus Meinzer
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Amidst the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Dr. Daniel J.N. Weishut, psychologist and lecturer at Hadassah Academic College in Israel, developed a cross-cultural friendship with a Palestinian Bedouin man.
In Brill’s new In this podcast episode, Dr. Weishut assesses the vast cultural differences that he observed through this close friendship, which he describes as a ‘life-changing experience’, from the perspective of the psychologist Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Further, he provides interesting insights into this intercultural bond from a sociopolitical context. This discussion is an extension of his book titled “Intercultural Friendship: The Case of a Palestinian Bedouin and a Dutch Israeli Jew,” published in the International Comparative Social Studies series of Brill.
Guests: Dr Daniel Weishut and Ahmad Abu Galia
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The story of the Passion of Christ has lived through the ages in the Netherlands despite secularism growing in the popular narrative of the nation.
In this episode, Dr. Mirella Klomp, of the Protestant Theological University, the Netherlands, discusses her book “Playing On: Re-staging the Passion after the Death of God,” published by Brill, and talks about how the Passion has seeped out from the liturgy to the wider cultural domain, why its story remains so popular today, whether depicting Christ in conjunction with popular music and pursuits is disrespectful, and whose story the Passion really is.
Guest: Dr Mirella Klomp
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The British Library preserves a unique collection of pictorial maps and descriptions of places and cultures along the road from Lhasa to Leh.
But finding the people behind this collection and decoding it have been journeys of their own. In this latest podcast episode, Dr. Diana Lange of Humboldt University, Germany, opens her book “An Atlas of the Himalayas by a 19th Century Tibetan Lama: A Journey of Discovery” published in Brill’s Tibetan Studies Library, and talks about how she made these journeys, what her experiences were of travelling to the region in the modern day, and the differences between Western and Eastern art and cartography.
Guest: Dr Diana Lange
Host: Leigh Giangreco
There is no doubt that teaching is a meaningful profession, but teachers often find themselves in stressful, emotionally challenging situations. How do they cope? How do they tackle commonly experienced emotions like anger and shame?
In this podcast episode, Roger Patulny, Associate Professor at University of Wollongong, Australia, and Alberto Bellocchi, Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow, Faculty of Education at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia answer some of these questions on the coping mechanisms of teachers, in terms of their emotions. This discussion is an extension of their study titled ‘Happy, Stressed, and Angry: A National Study of Teachers’ Emotions and Their Management’, published in the Brill journal Emotions: History, Culture, Society.
Guests: Dr Roger Patulny and Dr Alberto Bellocchi
Host: Leigh Giangreco
There is no doubt that teaching is a meaningful profession, but teachers often find themselves in stressful, emotionally challenging situations. How do they cope? How do they tackle commonly experienced emotions like anger and shame?
In this podcast episode, Roger Patulny, Associate Professor at University of Wollongong, Australia, and Alberto Bellocchi, Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow, Faculty of Education at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia answer some of these questions on the coping mechanisms of teachers, in terms of their emotions. This discussion is an extension of their study titled ‘Happy, Stressed, and Angry: A National Study of Teachers’ Emotions and Their Management’, published in the Brill journal Emotions: History, Culture, Society.
Guests: Dr Roger Patulny and Dr Alberto Bellocchi
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Sociocognitive abilities of animals have been studied over the past few decades, but there is still a huge gap in research looking at animal ethics. What are the implications of this and how does this influence human behavior towards animals?
In a new podcast, Dr. Judith Benz-Schwarzburg, Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at the University for Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, talks about pertinent questions on studying the cognitive and emotional abilities of animals and why they are important. Her discussion is an extension of her book titled “Cognitive Kin, Moral Strangers? Linking Animal Cognition, Animal Ethics & Animal Welfare,” published in the Human-Animal Studies series of Brill.
Guest: Dr Judith Benz-Schwarzburg
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the world has turned to science for effective solutions. However, using scientific research to influence government policies, especially in the middle of a crisis, requires the use of multiple other skills, which the humanities can provide. The field of humanities is more relevant now than ever before.
In this podcast episode, Dr. Amy Daughton, Lecturer and Head of the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham, discusses the importance of humanities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This discussion is based on Prof Charlotte Hempel’s paper “Let’s hear it for the humanities in the fight against COVID-19,” originally published in Brill’s Religion Media Centre.
Guest: Dr Amy Daughton
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Miniature ivory anatomical models or “manikins” were first created in the late 17th century, but their history as props for man-midwives, or even as kunstkammer objects, has not been fully explored.
In this podcast episode, Dr. Cali Buckley, of the Pennsylvania State University College, discusses how manikins grew as figures that mechanically and emotionally engaged with its owners, arousing their response. Her discussion is an extension of her paper “Pathos, Eros, and Curiosity: The History and Reception of Ivory Anatomical Models from the Seventeenth Century to Today,” which is published in the Brill journal Nuncius.
Guest: Dr Cali Buckley
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Is morality solely a human creation? Or can we find evidence of morality in other parts of nature? Honeybees and flowers have co-evolved to form a mutualistic relationship. This means that these creatures have developed optimization processes that ultimately contribute to the continuity of life itself, pointing towards the existence of morality between the two.
In this podcast episode, Dr. Christopher Ketcham, an independent researcher, discusses his theories on how studying the flower and honeybee facultative mutualism can help us to gain insight into the emergence of morality in nature. His discussion is an extension of his book “Flowers and Honeybees: A Study of Morality In Nature” published in the Critical Plant Studies series of Brill.
Guest: Dr Christopher Ketcham
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Rwanda witnessed a 100-day mass genocide back in 1994, when the ethnic Hutu government and its supporters led a campaign that left around 800,000 people, including Tutsis and moderate Hutus, dead. And while, shockingly, the event was not given enough attention by the international community at the time, Rwanda’s genocide later led to reform and innovation in order to prevent and respond to such crises and to help the recovery of societies post conflicts.
In this episode, Dr. Philip Drew, Associate Professor at Australia National University and Assistant Dean of Faculty of Law at Queens University, and Dr. Bruce Oswald, Professor at Melbourne Law School talk about what led to the events of 1994 and how it generated more focus on international communities’ responses to government-sponsored violence in the future. This discussion is an extension of a special issue of Brill’s Journal of International Peacekeeping, called “Rwanda Revisited: Genocide, Civil War, and the Transformation of International Law.”
Guests: Dr Philip Drew and Dr Bruce Oswald
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Rwanda witnessed a 100-day mass genocide back in 1994, when the ethnic Hutu government and its supporters led a campaign that left around 800,000 people, including Tutsis and moderate Hutus, dead. And while, shockingly, the event was not given enough attention by the international community at the time, Rwanda’s genocide later led to reform and innovation in order to prevent and respond to such crises and to help the recovery of societies post conflicts.
In this episode, Dr. Philip Drew, Associate Professor at Australia National University and Assistant Dean of Faculty of Law at Queens University, and Dr. Bruce Oswald, Professor at Melbourne Law School talk about what led to the events of 1994 and how it generated more focus on international communities’ responses to government-sponsored violence in the future. This discussion is an extension of a special issue of Brill’s Journal of International Peacekeeping, called “Rwanda Revisited: Genocide, Civil War, and the Transformation of International Law.”
Guests: Dr Philip Drew and Dr Bruce Oswald
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In addition to battling poverty, malnutrition, and disease, African countries today find themselves also having to fend off the numerous perils of climate change. The African problem is unique— socioeconomic development is crucial, but that also shouldn’t come at the cost of environmental destruction.
In this episode, Dr Robin Attfield, Professor Emeritus at the School of English, Communication and Philosophy at Cardiff University, talks about how Africa finds itself vulnerable to not only drought but also the flooding of its coastline, among other untoward environmental effects of climate change and civil war. And how it is in the best interest of African nations to develop in a climate-friendly manner.
This discussion is based on his paper “Africa and Climate Change” published in Brill’s Utafiti: Journal of African Perspectives.
Guest: Professor Robin Attfield
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Jewish religious architecture is central to the Jewish religion. Across the centuries, Jewish temples and synagogues have been treated as symbols of hope, representations of collective memory, and focal points of conflict. They are built around the Jewish way of life and in turn, define it.
What are the foundations of Jewish architecture? And what cultures and ideologies have shaped it? With particular reference to Herod’s Temple, these are questions that Professor Steven Fine, Director at the Center for Israel Studies at Yeshiva University, discusses in this podcast, based on the Brill publication Jewish Religious Architecture: From Biblical Israel to Modern Judaism.
Guest: Dr Steven Fine
Host: Leigh Giangreco
From the time of his introduction in the Detective Comics in 1940s, the Joker is a character that has both fascinated and repelled the collective psyche of the fans of the comic subculture and beyond.
In a new book titled “The Sign of the Joker: The Clown Prince of Crime as a Sign” published in the BrillResearch Perspectives series, Joel West of the University of Toronto, Canada, analyzes the history and personality of the character, speculates on the character’s sexuality, and ultimately suggests what exactly gave the Joker his iconic status today.
Guest: Joel West
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In 1999, the Organization of African Unity cited dissatisfaction with the solely “global” approach that the UN had applied in their International Decade for Disabled Persons (1983–1992), and declared an African Decade of Persons with Disabilities (1999–2009) to explore “local” approaches.
Was the UN’s approach truly detached from the ground reality? In this podcast, Sam De Schutter discusses his award-winning paper “A Global Approach to Local Problems? How to Write a Longer, Deeper, and Wider History of the International Year of Disabled Persons in Kenya” published in Brill’s Diplomatica, where he argues that to get to the truth historians must go beyond the global-local dichotomy. Sam de Schutter won the Brill/Diplomatica Mattingly Prize 2019 for this paper.
Guest: Sam de Schutter
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The current neoliberal era has seen a paradigm shift in terms ofeconomic liberalization, such as policies on privatization, deregulation, and globalization. Although neoliberalization promises to lessen the burden on government entities to provide welfare, it has evidently caused a greater economic and political divide, especially in advanced capitalist states.
In part 2 of this podcast episode, Cory Blad, Professor and Chair at Department of Sociology, Manhattan College, uses the example of Sweden and Finland to explain how neoliberalization plays a role in mitigating socioeconomic and political hardships—and how they can be overcome. His discussion is an extension of the book chapter “Searching for Saviors: Economic Adversities and the Challenge of Political Legitimacy in the Neoliberal Era,” which is published in the Brill series Critical Global Studies.Guest: Dr Cory Blad
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The current neoliberal era has seen a paradigm shift in terms ofeconomic liberalization, such as policies on privatization, deregulation, and globalization. Although neoliberalization promises to lessen the burden on government entities to provide welfare, it has evidently caused a greater economic and political divide, especially in advanced capitalist states.
In part 1 of this podcast episode, Cory Blad, Professor and Chair at Department of Sociology, Manhattan College, uses the example of Sweden and Finland to explain how neoliberalization plays a role in mitigating socioeconomic and political hardships—and how they can be overcome. His discussion is an extension of the book chapter “Searching for Saviors: Economic Adversities and the Challenge of Political Legitimacy in the Neoliberal Era,” which is published in the Brill series Critical Global Studies.Guest: Dr Cory Blad
Host: Leigh Giangreco
Modern science uses the “randomized controlled trial”—whereby people are randomly allocated either the drug or a placebo—as a gold standard to find out whether a newly discovered drug works.
In this podcast, Dr. Martin Edwards, a general practitioner and retired clinician affiliated to the University of London, discusses the British Medical Research Council’s exploitation of the term “controlled” to establish “controlled trials” as the gold standard for therapeutic evaluation. His discussion is an extension of his paper “Control and the Therapeutic Trial: Rhetoric and Experimentation in Britain, 1918-48,” which is published in Brill’s Clio Medica.
Guest: Dr Martin Edwards
Host: Leigh Giangreco
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has received unprecedented media coverage in the past 3 months. A large part of this coverage includes comparisons of the ongoing crisis to some major crises of the past, including the SARS epidemic of 2002-2003. In a new study titled “When the Analogy Breaks: Historical References in Flemish News Media at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic” published in Brill’s Journal of Applied History, Dr. Bram De Ridderfrom KU Leuven, Belgium, analyzes how three Flemish media outlets covered the crisis recently and how their misplaced historical analogies could affect public perception, causing a problem in dealing with the current pandemic.
Guest: Bram De Ridder
Host: Leigh Giangreco
In German law, a person strongly suspected of having committed a crime can be placed in pretrial detention; but a certain percentage of such people are ultimately acquitted.
In this podcast, Dr. Jorg Kinzig, Director of the Institute of Criminology, University of Tubingen, discusses his explorations of why this is. What do acquittals entail? Does Germany need a system and policy change? Dr. Kinzig speaks based on his paper “The Acquittal (After Pretrial Detention)—a Rare but Fascinating Phenomenon of the Criminal Justice System”, published in Brill’s European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law, and Criminal Justice.
Guest: Dr. Jorg Kinzig
Host: Emily Tamkin
This is also our last episode with our beloved host, Emily Tamkin. Next episode onward, we have a new host in Leigh Giangreco. Stay tuned for more!
Selective breeding of dogs currently helps meet the high demand for purebred dogs, but there are concerns about the ethicality of this practice.
In this podcast, Dr. Candace C. Croney of Purdue University talks about commercial breeding practices in the United States, social opposition to the practice, and the potential consequences of its outright abolition on the beings central to the discussion: dogs themselves. Her discussion is an extension of her paper “Turning up the Volume on Man’s Best Friend: Ethical Issues Associated with Commercial Dog Breeding,” which is published in Brill’s Journal of Applied Animal Ethics Research.
Guest: Candace Croney
Host: Emily Tamkin
Defence lawyers in adversarial legal systems are obligated to remain loyal to their clients, irrespective of the client or the crime. In such cases, lawyers are expected to manage inappropriate emotions to ensure conformity to the emotional regime of law, thereby making the job emotionally demanding. Lisa Flowerfrom Lund University, Sweden, in her study titled “Emotional Defence Lawyers”, published in Brill’s Emotions: History, Culture, Society, analyzes how defence lawyers employ emotion management strategies to perform their duty of loyalty and how this plays a role in the construction of justice.
Guest: Lisa Flower
Host: Emily Tamkin
Technological advancement through the 20th century has allowed religious leaders to broaden their reach, first through print, then televangelism, and now, social media.
In this podcast, Dr Ryan P. Burge, of the Eastern Illinois University, discusses how religious leaders use twitter today, whether successful tweeting means having conversations, and the extent to which evangelicals engage with politics on twitter. His discussion is an extension of his paper “Is Social Media a Digital Pulpit? How Evangelical Leaders Use Twitter to Encourage the Faithful and Publicize Their Work,” which is published in Brill’s Journal of Religion, Media, and Digital Culture.
Guest: Ryan Burge
Host: Emily Tamkin
Over decades, the Yoruba community of southwest Nigeria has thrived as an inter-religious community, balancing Christianity, Islam, and the ways of a modern and secular globalized world.
In this episode, Dr. Adeyemi Balogun, from the University of Bayreuth in Germany, explores the fabric of the Yoruba society in terms of the founding and development of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, the impact of colonialism, and the transformation of Islam over the last 20 years. His discussion is based on his paper titled “‘When Knowledge is there, Other Things Follow’: The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria and the Making of Yoruba Muslim Youths”, published in Brill’s Islamic Africa.
Guest: Adeyemi Balogun
Host: Emily Tamkin
The most intractable conflict in recent times is the Syrian Civil War: it has caused prolonged tensions, severe destruction, and devastating consequences and, despite several peacemaking efforts, has only escalated over time. How this conflict—which started out with the arrest of a few students—reached a state of intractability is much more nuanced than previously believed. Siniša Vuković and Diane Bernabei from The Johns Hopkins University, USA, in their study titled “Refining Intractability: A Case Study of Entrapment in the Syrian Civil War”, published in Brill’s International Negotiation, use the Syrian War as a case study to explain the factors that lead to an intractable crisis—and the ones that don’t.
Guests: Siniša Vuković and Diane Bernabei
Host: Emily Tamkin
The infamous 2011 uprisings in Arab countriesput their diplomats under scrutiny: they faced unprecedented political situations that could not be resolved through regular policies. This caused a dramatic shift in how diplomats perceived and responded to political crises, majorly affecting their decision-making abilities.
Judit Kuschnitzki, a PhD student at the Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, UK, talks about how, when in crises, diplomats should make use of discretion, the power of free decision within certain legal bounds, in her study titled “Navigating Discretion: A Diplomatic Practice in Moments of Socio-political Rupture”, published in Brill’s The Hague Journal of Diplomacy. She explains how the notion of discretion is under-used in diplomacy research but is crucial when it comes to making situational judgement calls.
Guest: Judit Kuschnitzki
Host: Emily Tamkin
Revisionism, a form of literary criticism, is an integral part of scholarly research, and revisionists often find themselves challenging the orthodox views held by scholars before their time. In Arabo-Islamic writing, modern scholars often tend to neglect traditional scholarly commentary, such as from the Mamlūk and Ottoman periods—two critical periods in the history of Arabic literature.
Dr Adam Talib, from Durham University, UK, explores these issues in his study titled “Al-Ṣafadī, His Critics, and the Drag of Philological Time”, published in Brill’s Phenomenogical Encounters. He focuses on the work and commentary of Al-Ṣafadī, a Turkic author, to show how modern scholarly agendas may have influenced the chronological plane of Arabic literature.
Guest: Dr Adam Talib
Host: Emily Tamkin
Despite the post-Holocaust UN convention to ensure the protection of minority communities globally, the International community has failed to notice the signs of the Rohingya genocide, but what stopped them from taking subsequent action so long after the atrocity? Who really were responsible? And what impact do the continuing campaigns by the displaced Rohingya and international civil society have?
Dr. Simon Adams, Director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, explores these and other questions in his recent paper “The Responsibility to Protect and the Fate of the Rohingya”, published in Brill’s Global Responsibility to Protect.
Guest: Dr. Simon Adams
Host: Emily Tamkin
Governing the world—A critical look at the current state of global governance
We live in a time of profound global crises. So, who exactly is responsible for identifying global solutions? Since there is no common world government, global issues are usually addressed by certain international institutions or organizations that develop laws, frameworks, and policies—a phenomenon called “global governance.” However, does this type of regulation actually work?
Prof Stephen Gill, FRSC, Distinguished Research Professor of Political Science at York University, Toronto, discusses the current state of global governance and its role in resolving global issues, as documented in a new study in the journal Global Governance, published by Brill. Listen to this podcast now!
Guest: Prof Stephen Gill
Host: Emily Tamkin
Girls Are Also People of the Holy Qur’an
Jun Akiba, Associate Professor at the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, discusses Muslim girls’ education in Ottoman Istanbul during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Through the extensive use of archival and narrative sources, Akiba demonstrates, in his article published in the Brill journal Hawwa, that girls in pre-Tanzimat Istanbul enjoyed ample opportunities for elementary education. Listen to this podcast now!
Guest: Jun Akiba
Host: Emily Tamkin
The person in the photograph of a thirteen-year-old Vincent Van Gogh
What did the influential Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh actually look like? Popular culture and media have propagated the belief that there have been only two photographs of Vincent Van Gogh himself. If his written exchanges are to be believed, Vincent despised self-portrait photography. However, a recent breakthrough study in the Brill journal Oud Holland suggests that there are not just two photographs of Vincent Van Gogh. There is just one.
So, what about the second photograph?
Teio Meedendorp, Researcher at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, discusses the breakthrough discovery he made with his co-author Yves Vasseur, General Commissioner of Mons 2015 European Capital of Culture. Listen to this podcast now!
Guest: Teio Meedendorp
Host: Emily Tamkin
Brexit: is Britain left out in the cold?
The new political sciences journal Diplomatica, published by Brill, explores the theme of diplomacy in international relations with special focus on Brexit and its implications for Britain, through some insightful articles.
Dr Giles Scott-Smith, professor of New Diplomatic History at Leiden University and editor of Diplomatica, discusses these articles and the overall implications of Brexit for Britain. Listen to Part 1 of this podcast now!
Guest: Dr Giles Scott-Smith
Host: Emily Tamkin
Brexit: is Britain left out in the cold?
The new political sciences journal Diplomatica, published by Brill, explores the theme of diplomacy in international relations with special focus on Brexit and its implications for Britain, through some insightful articles.
Dr Giles Scott-Smith, professor of New Diplomatic History at Leiden University and editor of Diplomatica, discusses these articles and the overall implications of Brexit for Britain. Listen to Part 2 of this podcast now!
Guest: Dr Giles Scott-Smith
Host: Emily Tamkin