BrainBox

What does it mean for half a million Oklahomans to be citizens of both the United States and of their tribal nations? We speak with Jay Hannah, who has served the Cherokee Nation as Secretary-Treasurer, Chairman of the 1999 Constitution Convention, and Chairman of all tribal enterprises, about the history and meaning of tribal citizenship within American democracy. Facebook: @Ok.HumanitiesTwitter: @OkhumanitiesInstagram: @OkhumanitiesOur homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox   View more about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep14

Why do we use this complicated 18th century invention to elect U.S. presidents? Where did the Electoral College come from, what problems and controversies has it caused, and what are its potential benefits for our election system? Our guests, Dr. Aaron Mason and Dr. Eric Schmaltz of Northwestern Oklahoma State University, discuss this hugely consequential quirk of our electoral system and how it has affected American democracy. Facebook: @Ok.HumanitiesTwitter: @OkhumanitiesInstagram: @OkhumanitiesOur homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox More information about this episode: https://www.okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep13 

How can philosophical and ethical concepts help us navigate the challenges of our current world? We speak with Dr. Guy Crain, a professor of philosophy at Rose State College, about ways of understanding and using philosophy in our everyday lives. Dr. Crain discusses his particular interest in the ethics of violence, and we discuss the deep importance of the humanities and the concept of "intellectual humility" in dealing with the anxieties and problems of life in 2020. Dr. Crain also recommends some excellent resources, including his own open sourcebook, for further exploration into the world of philosophy. Facebook: @Ok.HumanitiesTwitter: @OkhumanitiesInstagram: @OkhumanitiesOur homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox More information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep12

“Fantasy literature makes you look at the world from a different perspective, it makes you look at humanity in a totally different light.” We’re looking at the value and deeper meanings of fantasy literature in this episode, featuring Dr. Joshua Grasso of East Central University. We discuss why humans need fantasy, some common themes like exile and reluctant heroes, and key examples of cultural diversity seen in fantasy literature. Dr. Grasso also recommends some lesser known works of fantasy, and we talk about how to deal with the legacies of authors whose beliefs or personal lives can be troubling to 21st century readers.    Facebook: @Ok.HumanitiesTwitter: @OkhumanitiesInstagram: @OkhumanitiesOur homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox More Information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep11

“When you have shows that are centered on women, you allow for stories that finally give a platform to issues that women have been trying to put a spotlight on for years, whether it’s health care or sexual harassment or equal pay. Television is a perfect platform.”  We talk with Dr. Sunu Kodumthara, a professor of American History at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, about ways women have been portrayed on television and what those portrayals reveal about American society and culture. We discuss depictions of traditional #genderroles, programs that showed women in the workplace, representations of #womenofcolor, and finally some of the most significant female rebels on American television. For that last category, we are joined by Elizabeth Bass of the Oklahoma Historical Society for a free-flowing discussion of Blanche, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia – possibly the four most amazing (and golden) portrayals of women in the history of television. Facebook: @Ok.HumanitiesTwitter: @OkhumanitiesInstagram: @OkhumanitiesOur homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox   More information on this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep10

"Part of the story of the 1970s is the story of a decade that, at the time and for a couple of decades after, wasn't seen as being a very important decade. It is now seen as absolutely crucial."    We talk with Dr. Ben Alpers, a Professor of American Intellectual and Cultural History at the University of Oklahoma Honors College, about the 1970s and some of its most interesting cultural touchstones. We discuss how 1970s movies like American Graffiti, hit TV shows like Happy Days and Roots, and musical movements like punk rock help us understand both that remarkable decade and our own life and culture in the 2020s.       Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox More information on this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep9

Our guest, Dr. Tonnia Anderson, is the Founder and Director of the Dr. Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Center for Social Justice and Racial Healing at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, and she is an Associate Professor of History and American Studies at USAO. In this episode, we discuss the roots and consequences of #racism in America, ways to understand longstanding systems of racial oppression, and efforts to overcome racial trauma. Dr. Anderson also shares powerful stories of her own family's history dealing with racial issues in Oklahoma.   Facebook:  @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox More information on this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep8

Viewing the Civil War through the lens of its largest battle, Gettysburg gives deeper insights into the war's misconceptions, mythologies, and memories. We speak with one of the leading scholars of the Battle of Gettysburg, Dr. Jen Murray of Oklahoma State University, about the context of the battle, its impact on the ultimate defeat of the Confederacy, its role in the "Lost Cause" narrative, and the many ways the Civil War's legacy still affects American society and culture.   Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox

Anthropologists Suzette Chang and Dr. Elisha Oliver illuminate the history and significance of Oklahoma’s Black Towns. We look at the origins of the Black Towns following the Civil War, examine the challenges their citizens faced before and after Oklahoma’s statehood, and discuss these communities’ historical and ongoing importance to the identity of Oklahoma.  Facebook: @Ok.humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep6

What can we learn from the "Spanish Flu" pandemic that claimed at least 50 million lives worldwide a century ago? Dr. Justin Olmstead, a professor of history at the University of Central Oklahoma and one of the leading historians of this time period, discusses the impact of this pandemic on American life and culture. We discuss the origins and various names given to this pandemic (3:15), its impact on the final stages of the First World War (20:30), and its wide-ranging effects on everyday life a century ago and how they compare with our own experiences with the Coronavirus in 2020 (49:30). Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep5

How were over a quarter-million orphans and unwanted children resettled by trains across the United States from 1854 until 1929? We speak with Alison Moore and Phil Lancaster, whose "Riders on the Orphan Train" programs tell this little-known story from American history. Alison and Phil discuss the circumstances that led to the orphan train movement in the mid-19th century (1:40), tell how the program actually worked (12:30), and relate stories of orphan train riders brought to Oklahoma (27:15). We also discuss how circumstances have changed for orphans and unwanted children and how these situations help us understand our country and ourselves (42:00), and we hear Alison and Phil's song "Ezra's Lullaby," inspired by the stories of the orphan train riders (1:05:00). Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep4

Before the Civil War over 8,000 people were enslaved in Indian Territory, in what is now Oklahoma. A new exhibit on the site of a former plantation outside Tahlequah describes the lives and experiences of enslaved people on this land.  In this episode we speak with Jennifer Frazee, a historical interpreter at Hunter’s Home who has deeply researched the history of enslaved people in Indian Territory in an effort to keep their stories and history alive. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: www.okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep3 Find more information here about the historic site at Hunter’s Home: https://www.okhistory.org/sites/huntershome

How do public monuments and memorials express the values and concerns of their cultures? What makes an effective monument, and how can its planning and development be an example of public discourse at work? Our guest, Dr. Nathan Shank of Oklahoma Christian University, has thought and studied extensively about monuments and memorials. In this episode, we discuss their deeper meanings, the emotions they convey, and some of the controversies and new developments in monuments and memorials in Oklahoma and around the world.  Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: www.okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s3-ep2

Why did it take nearly a century and a half for women to have the right to vote in America? We speak with one of the nation's leading scholars of the women's suffrage movement, Dr. Sunu Kodumthara of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, about key aspects of the movement. As we observe the centennial of the 19th Amendment in 2020, we discuss key figures in the movements both for and against women's suffrage, surprising controversies along the way, and the impact of women's voting rights on American democracy and society.    Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox

“How do we live in time? How do we mark it? How do we make it meaningful?” In this episode, we talk with cultural historian Dr. Alexis McCrossen about what New Year’s celebrations, advances in timekeeping technologies, conflicts over the meanings of weekends and holidays, and other aspects of time can tell us about American history and culture. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode:  okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep12  

“The fact is, you can’t tell the story of country music without Oklahoma,” says our guest, Dr. Hugh Foley, a one-man encyclopedia of the state’s rich music history. In this episode, we discuss the huge importance and success of Oklahoma country music artists, and how country music reflects significant aspects of the state’s and the nation’s culture.  (So we basically take this podcast to the old town road and talk ‘til we can’t no more.) Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode:  okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep11

How has #Oklahoma established perhaps the most liberal #medicalmarijuana law in the nation? We talk with two of the key activists involved in creating and solidifying the legislation, Chip Paul of Oklahomans for Health and Allison Sims of Green Country NORML. In this episode, we discuss the history of marijuana use and regulations in Oklahoma, the efforts to establish the state's #medical #marijuana program, and the current state of the industry and laws in Oklahoma. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode:  www.okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep10

How should we remember the largest and deadliest conflict in human history, now that we are 75 years away from D-Day and 80 years from the beginning of the Second World War? We discuss the most significant aspects and some lesser-known parts of what might better be called “The Second Thirty Years War” with historian Dr. Justin Olmstead of the University of Central Oklahoma. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode:  okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-e9  

How do college sports affect, and reflect, American culture and society? Our guest, Dr. Amy Carreiro, is a sports historian who has taught at Oklahoma State University and the University of Tulsa. (She is also probably the nicest New England Patriots fan you’ll ever meet.) In this episode, we discuss the evolution of college athletics and how sports can help us understand larger issues in American society. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep8  

Why should we still listen to Woody Guthrie’s music and a message over 50 years after his death? This #BrainBoxOK episode features a discussion with scholars and musicians who are keeping Guthrie’s legacy of social activism alive through the folk music tradition. We look at Guthrie’s childhood in Okemah, OK; the wide range of influences on his work; stories from his life of wandering; and his continuing impact on American culture.   Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep7

How can we use the humanities to think about environmental issues? This #BrainBoxOK episode features a discussion with the State Scholar for Oklahoma Humanities’ upcoming Smithsonian Water/Ways traveling exhibition, Dr. Mark Davies of Oklahoma City University. The episode looks at ethical, cultural, and philosophical approaches to what our guest describes as “the greatest challenge not only of our time but for all time,” to maintain a livable climate for all life on Earth. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep6

How has Oklahoma become the world leader in mass incarceration?  What historical and cultural factors have led us here, and how does this affect almost every aspect of our society?  In this episode, we speak with Ryan Gentzler, Director of Open Justice Oklahoma and author of “Between You and Me,” a powerful article in the newest Oklahoma Humanities magazine analyzing Oklahoma’s criminal justice system and offering possible solutions.    Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep5

Research indicates the first person American children recognize outside their friends and family is the President of the United States.  The president is commonly known as "The Leader of the Free World," and "The Most Powerful Man in the World."  Did the Founders intend to create an American presidency this powerful?  How did presidents acquire more power over the last 230 years, and how might the presidency change in the future?  Our guests on this episode, Dr. Aaron Mason and Dr. Eric Schmaltz of Northwestern Oklahoma State University, discuss the history of the American presidency, the evolution of presidential power, and some key examples of successful and failed presidencies. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep4

What’s in Oklahoma’s DNA, historically speaking, that can help explain the state’s unique culture, laws, politics, and identity? There’s no one better to discuss this than Dr. Bob Blackburn, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society. In this episode, we’ll look at the state’s occasionally chaotic history, its approach to criminal justice, its outsized artistic impact, divisions between urban and rural communities, and many more aspects of what makes up Oklahoma’s DNA. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep3

We are now half a century away from the end of the 1960s, an era that in many ways still defines American life and culture. In this episode we talk with Dr. Ben Alpers of the University of Oklahoma Honors College about why the Sixties still loom so large in our culture and the meanings we can take from a re-evaluation of that pivotal decade. Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep2

Why is it a felony to fly the first Oklahoma state flag? Why did a group of rural Oklahoma farmers turn to armed rebellion? Why was there a book burning at an Oklahoma City high school stadium? We’re kicking off Season Two of BrainBox by talking with one of Oklahoma’s coolest humanities scholars, Dr. Rachel Jackson, about alternative views of Oklahoma’s history to help us better understand the state today.   Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s2-ep1

An exhibition sponsored in part by Oklahoma Humanities at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art focuses on rebellious artists and designers who reacted against the status quo of the Victorian Era.  In this episode, we talk with Dr. Pam Bracken of Southern Nazarene University and Bryon Chambers of OKCMOA about how this art movement gives us deeper insights into the Victorian Era and its connections with our own times.   Follow Us:  Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox Additional information about this episode: okhumanities.org/page/brainbox-s1-ep10

For a story that features dragons, killer zombies, direwolves, and magical priests, Game of Thrones has a lot to say about the human experience. In this BrainBox episode recorded in front of a live audience, we discussed the portrayals of gender, slavery, governance, religion, and more on the world’s most popular TV show by looking through the lens of the humanities. Two of Oklahoma’s coolest history professors, Dr. Becky Bruce and Dr. Sunu Kodumthara, joined host Chris Carroll for a great discussion and audience Q&A at Oklahoma Humanities’ recent Curiosity Fest for this special episode. The audio quality isn’t as good as our normal studio episodes, but we hope you will give it a listen #ForTheThrone.   Follow Us:  Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox  

How does a war that ended 100 years ago still affect the world today? As we near the centennial of its conclusion on Nov. 11, First World War scholar and UCO professor Dr. Justin Olmstead discusses the war's long shadow with BrainBox host Chris Carroll. We'll also find out what it means to be a "World War I Person" versus a "World War II Person."    Follow Us:  Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox

Jad Abumrad is the founder and host of NPR’s Radiolab, and he will be the featured speaker at the Oklahoma Humanities Curiosity Fest at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall on Oct. 20. In this episode, Jad talks with BrainBox host Chris Carroll about the weird paths where his curiosity has led him through the world of the humanities. This episode also features a discussion with Oklahoma Humanities Executive Director Ann Thompson about some of the other cool programs happening at Curiosity Fest. Check out information about the Curiosity Fest, featuring Jad Abumrad: okhumanities.org/curiosityfest Follow Us:  Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox

Description:  Hip Hop has influenced cultures from the Eskimo lands near the North Pole to all points south. Hear the Chair of OU’s Clara Luper Department of African & African American Studies, Dr. Karlos Hill, break down the history, impact, and meaning of hip-hop with BrainBox host Chris Carroll. (Check out the fresh remix of our BrainBox theme song too.) Follow Us:  Facebook: @Ok.Humanities Twitter: @Okhumanities Instagram: @Okhumanities Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox  

How should we live our lives? Are human beings “condemned to freedom”?  What did the Zen Buddhist say to the hot dog maker*? BrainBox tackles these and other weighty matters with Rose State philosophy professor Toni Castillo, as we take a look at the relevance of philosophy to our everyday lives.   (*”Make me one with everything.”)   Our homepage: okhumanities.org/brainbox  

Dr. Ryan Kiggins, a political science professor at the University of Central Oklahoma, talks with BrainBox host Chris Carroll about the history of the Internet and social media and their (not great) effects on American democracy.  Our homepage:  http://www.okhumanities.org/brainbox

Oklahoma Humanities recently sponsored a series of talks in four cities across the state about race and social issues. The writings of Oklahoma's own Ralph Ellison were used at the programs to give context to the state of race relations in the state today. In this episode the Ralph Ellison Foundation's Executive Director, Michael Owens, talks with BrainBox host Chris Carroll about the legacy of Ralph Ellison and his relevance to discussions of race in America today. Our homepage:  http://www.okhumanities.org/brainbox Learn more about the Ralph Ellison Foundation:  http://www.ralphellisonfoundation.org Read Ralph Ellison's essay "What America Would Be Like Without Blacks":  http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/what-america-would-be-like-without-blacks/

In this episode, Dr. Sunu Kodumthara, a history professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, talks with BrainBox host Chris Carroll about the #MeToo movement and its place in the history of women’s protests and #activism.  Our homepage:  http://www.okhumanities.org/brainbox

On the very first episode of Oklahoma Humanities’ BrainBox podcast, Dr. Ben Alpers of the OU Honors College talks with host Chris Carroll about why the Watergate scandal of the early 1970s is important to understanding American politics and culture today. Ben and Chris talk about Americans’ historical memory and the changing ways Americans have thought about Watergate, Richard Nixon, and the presidency itself in the decades since Nixon’s resignation. We’ll also find out why will the suffix “-gate” gets attached to every other scandal since Watergate. Our homepage:  http://www.okhumanities.org/brainbox Ben Alpers' Blog: https://s-usih.org/