Humanities Matter by Brill

Protecting Human Rights: The Role of NGOs in Today’s Landscape

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 ...

Open Access: The Publisher's Perspective

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: What Would it Take to Make Knowledge-Sharing Equitable?

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 Sci...

Humanity’s Harmonies: How Music Enriches Word, Dance, and Drama to Tell Our Collective Stories

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 Mode and Word, Sound and Music in Radio Drama, and author of Mutʿat al-asmāʿ fīʿilm al-samāʿ, The Ears’ Pleasure and the Science of ...

A Changing World Order in the 21st Century

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 with the author of F/Ailing Capitalism and the Challeng...

Digital Humanities: How the Future Will See its Past

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 addr...

[Message from Brill] Thank you listening. Stay tuned; we will be back with a new format and brand new insights on May 17th, 2023!

Re-Evaluating Our Laws: Discussing Brill’s Book Series Global Health, Human Rights and Social Justice with Series Editor Alicia Ely Yamin

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 in...

Episode 48: Re-Evaluating Our Laws: Discussing Brill’s Book Series Global Health, Human Rights and Social Justice with Series Editor Alicia Ely Yamin

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 in...

Mahlzeit: Folge 6: Umkämpftes Essen - Produktion, Handel und Konsum von Lebensmitteln in globalen Kontexten, mit Cornelia Reiher und Sarah Ruth Sippel / Mahlzeit: Episode 6: Contested Food—Production, trade and consumption of food in global contexts, with

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 beeinf...

Mahlzeit: Folge 5: Fleisch – Die Geschichte einer Industrialisierung, mit Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung / Mahlzeit: Episode 5: Meat—The history of an industrialization, with Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung

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 di...

Mahlzeit: Episode 4: Applied Food Sciences, with Bart Wernaart and Bernd van der Meulen

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 Ber...

Mahlzeit: Folge 3: Wie wir essen, mit Martin Hablesreiter und Sonja Stummerer / Mahlzeit: Episode 3: How We Eat, with Martin Hablesreiter and Sonja Stummerer

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 Facet...

Mahlzeit: Episode 2: Crossroads of Cuisine: The Eurasian Heartland, the Silk Roads and Food, with Dr. Eugene Anderson

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 t...

Mahlzeit: Episode 1: Changing Climate: Implications for Justice and Food Security, with Ivo Wallimann-Helmer

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 cri...

Episode 47: Rebooting the European Journal of Jewish Studies, with Marcin Wodziński and Katja Smid

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...

Episode 46: Writing/Reading the Bible in Postcolonial Perspective, with Dr. Steed Vernyl Davidson

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 Bib...

Episode 45: In Fashion: Culture, Commerce, Craft, and Identity, with Dr. Laura Petican and Dr. Jacque Lynn Foltyn

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, art historian and curator, and Dr. Jacque Lynn Foltyn, Professor of Sociology, Program Director BA Sociology, National University, San Diego, explore various disciplinary, professional, and crea...

“War and Peace” Episode 5: NATO Rules of Engagement: On ROE, Self-Defence, and the Use of Force during Armed Conflict, with Dr. Camilla Guldahl Cooper

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 ‘NA...

“War and Peace” Episode 4: Understanding Where International Law Stands on the Question of the Secession of Crimea, with Dr. Majid Nikouei and Dr. Masoud Zamani

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 Za...

“War and Peace” Episode 3: The Aggression Against Ukraine and the Effectiveness of Inter-state Cases in Case of War, with Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou and Vassilis P Tzevelekos

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 al...

Episode 44: Professional Power and Skill Use in the 'Knowledge Economy': A Class Analysis, with Dr. D. W. Livingstone

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 ...

“War and Peace” Episode 2: International Security in the 21st Century: The Ukraine Crisis and the European Security Order, with Dr. Wolfgang Ischinger

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 Russ...

Episode 43: Redefining Food Security in the Light of Changes in the Socio-Political and Environmental Climates, with Dr. Olga Śniadach

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 on her co-a...

“War and Peace” Episode 1: The Status of Crimea and the Sea of Azov as a Jurisdictional Hurdle in Ukraine v. Russia with Dr. Valentin Schatz

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 a...

"Special Feature": Quarterly Roundup: Surviving the Climate Crisis

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...

Episode 42: Going back to the roots: Addressing present-day racism by reflecting upon its violent past, with Christine Sleeter

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 contempor...

Episode 42: Going back to the roots: Addressing present-day racism by reflecting upon its violent past, with Christine Sleeter

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 contempor...

“Migration” Episode 3: Re-orienting the Diaspora–Development Nexus with Dr. Sarah Peck

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 Fe...

“Migration” Episode 2: Central Asia Under Brussels’ and Moscow’s Eyes with Dr. André W.M. Gerrits

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 re...

Episode 41: Yiddish in Europe, with Dr. Bart Wallet and Dr. Laura Almagor

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 t...

“Migration” Episode 1: Schengen Borders and Multiple National States of Emergency: From Refugees to Terrorism to COVID-19 with Dr. Elspeth Guild

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.  I...

Episode 40: The Samaritans: A Biblical People

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...

Episode 39: Religion and politics: Exploring the underbelly of populism

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, an...

Episode 38: Exploring Autonomy: A History of Jewish Self-Governance in Eastern Europe

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, tr...

“Quality Education” Episode 5: A Guide to Administering Distance Learning, with Dr. Lauren Cifuentes

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 ...

“Quality Education” Episode 4: Pandemic, Disruption and Adjustment in Higher Education, with Susana Gonçalves and Suzanne Majhanovich

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 high...

“Quality Education” Episode 3: How World Events are Changing Education, with Dr. Rosemary Sage and Dr. Riccarda Matteucci

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...

Survival by Degrees and Quality Education: Curriculum and Learning for Climate Action with Radhika Iyengar and Christina T. Kwauk

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 i...

Survival by Degrees and Quality Education: Curriculum and Learning for Climate Action with Radhika Iyengar and Christina T. Kwauk

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 i...

“Quality Education” Episode 2: Homeschooling: A Guidebook of Practices, Claims, Issues, and Implications, with Dr. Jameson Brewer

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 Foundatio...

“Quality Education” Episode 1: Socially Responsible Higher Education: International Perspectives on Knowledge Democracy with Dr. Budd Hall and Dr. Rajesh Tandon

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...

“Survival by Degrees” Episode 4: Climate Change and Individual Moral Duties with Dr. Anna Luisa Lippold

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 for...

Episode 37: War Stories: The Military Tactics of Ancient Egyptian Rulers As Illustrated by War Records, with Anthony Spalinger

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 on his work, “The Books behind the Masks – Sources of Warfare Leadership in Ancient Egypt. Anci...

“Survival by Degrees” Episode 3: Climate Change, Oceans and Gender with Prof. Nilufer Oral

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, Directo...

“Survival by Degrees” Episode 2: Milieudefensie v. Shell: A Tipping Point in Climate Change Litigation against Corporations? with Andreas Hösli

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...

“Survival by Degrees” Episode 1: Forces of Production, Climate Change, and Canadian Fossil Capitalism with Dr Nicolas Graham

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...

“Across the Rainbow” Episode 4: Gender Ideologies, Conservative Christianity, and Legislation in the U.S., with Dr. SJ Crasnow

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 particularl...

Episode 36: A Brief Look at The Life and Times of Fyodor Dostoevsky, with Slobodanka Vladiv-Glover

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 t...

“Across the Rainbow” Episode 3: Ethnicity and Gender—What It’s Like to be a Gay Muslim, with Dr. Shanon Shah

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, Lond...