CEU Podcasts

In this interview, Karen Stark discusses her on-going research into the cult of the Virgin Mary in late medieval Hungary.  Originally an archaeologist, Karen retains a great interest in material culture and place-making, and she uses this lens to analyse the Marian cult.Following King Stephen I dedicating the Hungarian kingdom to the Virgin, Karen notes how later kings venerated, and promoted the veneration of the Virgin Mary.  This public veneration, echoing and linking to King Stephen I, was particularly strong during times of dynastic transition when kingship and the right to rule was liable to be challenged.  Karen also notes how the nobility also promoted the cult of the Virgin Mary, potentially in order to gain favour with the king.Karen also discusses the malleability of the image of the Virgin, enabling many different communities to venerate her, for example, royalty, nuns, mothers, newly converted pagans.  Finally, Karen considers why understanding the cult of the Virgin is relevant today, citing both on-going veneration to political propaganda.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.The image of the Virgin for this podcast is from Manfred Koller, “Das Schatzkammerbild in Mariazell. Untersuchung und Konservierung,” in Ungarn in Mariazell, Mariazell in Ungarn: Geschichte und Erinnerung, ed. Péter Farbaky and Szabolcs Serfőző (Budapest: Historisches Museum der Stadt Budapest, 2004), 301. 

A "Média és valóság viszonya a 21. században" című kurzusunk utolsó alkalmának felvétele 2025 május 21-én.Kurzusvezető: Balázs Zsuzsanna - újságíróA kerekasztal résztvevői: Bánszegi Rebeka, a 24.hu közéleti-politikai újságírójaKálmán Attila, az Investigate Europe oknyomozó újságírójaTőke János, a Szabad Magyar Szó szerkesztőjeTeczár Szilárd, a Lakmusz főszerkesztőjeAz újságírói kerekasztal eredetileg a Média és valóság a 21. században kurzus záró, értékelő beszélgetése lett volna. Időközben azonban a magyarországi sajtóval nagyot fordult a világ, így az újságírók beszélgetését újraterveztük, és önálló eseményként is meghirdetjük. A közéleti átláthatóságról szóló törvénytervezet árnyékában a meghívott újságírókkal csak érintőlegesen fogunk beszélni a sajtó globális válságáról. Ehelyett tágabb perspektívában, a magyar határokon túl is kiterjedt tapasztalatokkal bíró újságírókkal fogjuk vizsgálni az aktuális magyar és régiós nyomást, ami az újságírásra nehezedik. Beszélünk arról, hogyan jutottunk el az elsősorban a 2010-es sajtótörvénnyel kezdődő, majd a gazdasági kivéreztetéssel folytatódó magyarországi sajtóviszonyoktól a május 14-én napvilágra került ügynöktörvényig. A Magyarországon és Romániában is dolgozó Parászka Boróka és a Vajdaságban a Szabad Szó című közéleti lapot szerkesztő Tőke János segítségével kitekintünk arra, hogy vannak-e a magyarországihoz hasonló törekvések a demokratikus viszonyok határait ugyancsak feszegető szomszédos országokban, Romániában és Szerbiában. Ennek különös jelentőséget adhat, hogy május 18-án lezajlik a romániai választások második fordulója. Határon túli magyar újságíró résztvevőink pedig segíthetnek megérteni, milyen közönsége van az anyaországi sajtónak a határon túli magyarság körében. A 24.hu közéleti-politikai újságírója, Bánszegi Rebeka első kézből tud majd beszélni arról, milyen tapasztalatokat gyűjtött magyarországi újságíróként a romániai választásokon. Egyúttal érzékeltetni tudja, milyen hatással van a kiszámíthatatlanság egy klasszikus „napilapos” működésű szerkesztőség életére. Kerekasztalunk másik két résztvevője, Kálmán Attila, az Investigate Europe uniós oknyomozó műhely újságírója, valamint az adatújságírás egyik hazai zászlóvivője, a Lakmusz főszerkesztője, Teczár Szilárd segítenek értékelni, hogy a Halász János egyéni indítványára benyújtott ügynöktörvény hogyan befolyásolhatja Magyarország uniós tagságát, és megvizsgáljuk azt is, teremthetnek-e az uniós szervek jogkört arra, hogy – amint azt Karácsony Gergely főpolgármester indítványozta – hatékonyan és gyorsan beavatkozzanak a magyarországi sajtószabadság védelmében. Megvizsgáljuk, hogyan erősödtek meg az újságírói együttműködések az Európai Unióban, miért támogatják az uniós hivatalok pályázatok kiírásával a tagállamokban működő szabad sajtót. Van-e ennek a finanszírozási formának hatása a tagországok médiájának működésére, és van-e – legalább részben – igazság a kormány azon vádjaiban, hogy ez beavatkozást jelent a sajtó és azon keresztül a közélet működésébe. Hogyan értelmezhető egyáltalán a globális gyakorlatban az a kitétel, hogy nem befolyásolhatja egy sajtótermék a közéleti diskurzust, amikor annak végső soron, akárcsak Orwell 1984, vagy Huxley Szép új világ című regényének, alapvető lényege, hogy azt befolyásolja?https://biboszabadegyetem.org/kurzus/media-es-valosag-viszonya-a-21-szazadban/

The Collaborative Seminar Cultures of Hate and Oppression was coordinated to address the complexities of these topics that are of urgent global importance in our era of continuing discrimination, forced migration, socially sanctioned violence, and war.

The Collaborative Seminar Cultures of Hate and Oppression was coordinated to address the complexities of these topics that are of urgent global importance in our era of continuing discrimination, forced migration, socially sanctioned violence, and war. This podcast gives insights into the work of the students.

In this interview, Jakob Zsambok of The Complexity Science Hub in Vienna, talks about the Seshat and Cliopatria databases, what they contain, their data sources and confirmation, and how they are accessed, used and enhanced by historical researchers.Seshat: Global History Databank, founded in 2011, aims to bring together the most current and comprehensive body of knowledge about human history in one place by systematically collecting what is known about the social and political organization of human societies and the evolution of civilizations over time.Cliopatria is a geospatial database of world-wide political entities from 3400BCE to 2024CE (then continuing with the existing description)  it builds on work originally done by Andrew Tollefson for a YouTube video. Seshat and Cliopatria are now linked, so that data related to a polity can be taken in relation to its physical location, its geo-spatial context, and over time. Jakob uses the Holy Roman Empire and Sigismund of Luxemburg as examples of the management of inter-locking relationshipsSeshat and Cliopatria both actively welcome enhancements, additional data and suggestions from their users.   The web addresses areSeshat: https://seshat-db.com/   and https://seshatdatabank.info/  (Note : in order to see all the data and suggest edits, an account is needed which has to be manually approved)And Seshat database on github: https://github.com/Seshat-Global-History-Databank  Cliopatria on github:  https://github.com/Seshat-Global-History-Databank/cliopatria  And on Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/13363121This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

What happens when universities shift from being spaces of critical thinking and public knowledge to institutions shaped by market logic? In this episode, we explore the transformation of higher education under neoliberalism—how academia has moved away from its traditional role and into a system driven by efficiency metrics, privatization, and corporate partnerships.Andrea Pető, Dina Gusejnova, Elena Trifan, and Tania Arcimovich discuss the tension between liberal, neoliberal, and illiberal universities, the precarious conditions of academic labor, and how these forces impact both students and faculty. They also examine the inequalities within academic mobility and the broader implications for knowledge production in a time of polycrisis.Join us as we critically assess the current state of academia and discuss alternatives for a more inclusive and egalitarian university system.

In this interview, Grzegorz Pac, Professor at the Faculty of History of the University of Warsaw, discusses his on-going research into the cult of saints and canonisation in Medieval Poland.  Through a case study of the canonisation of St Stanislaus of Krakow, Grzegorz focusses on how a saint, particularly a popular and highly venerated saint, could confer symbolic capital onto a specific church, diocese and individual bishops or archbishops.  And in turn, how this symbolic capital offers the beneficiaries greater status and power within the ecclesiastical hierarchy.  In addition, Grzegorz considers how the medieval process of canonisation, while becoming more formalised, was more difficult and less effective in the newly Christianised regions peripheral to the centre of Christianity in Rome.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

A mintegy 700 ezer Szovjetunióba vitt hadifogoly és civil internált sorsa abszolút tabu volt a szocializmus évtizedei alatt. A rendszerváltás után azonban berobbant a memoár irodalom, és megalakultak a fogságba esett magyarok és elhurcoltak emlékét őrző szervezetek is. A szovjet fogság története mára a második világháborúval kapcsolatos kutatások legdinamikusabban fejlődő ágazatává vált. Az előadás a fogolykérdés historiográfiáját mutatja be és rámutat arra is, hogy, hogyan használja fel, miként kezeli a témát az emlékezetpolitika.

In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked struggles of at-risk scholars, focusing on the absence of Belarus in discussions on academic freedom, the gendered dimensions of displacement, and the systemic exclusions within global academia. Tania Artemovich discusses how Belarusian scholars have been marginalized in protection programs, despite facing decades of repression, while also addressing the challenges female migrant scholars face in securing recognition and support. Dina Gusejnova, Andrea Pető, Bernard Kleeberg, and Elena Trifan further examine the structural barriers, knowledge production gaps, and the geopolitical hierarchies that shape academic mobility.This episode challenges us to rethink the narratives of academic displacement and calls for a more inclusive, equitable approach to knowledge production and integration.

In this episode of Protecting Academia at Risk, we explore the urgent challenges facing universities today, from the rise of right-wing movements in Europe to the ongoing struggles of displaced and at-risk scholars. Together with Andrea Pető, Dina Gusejnova, Bernhard Kleeberg, Tania Arcimovich, Nadiya Kiss, and Elena Trifan, we discuss how universities can reclaim their role as spaces of free thought and critical inquiry.We reflect on the structural barriers that prevent meaningful academic integration, the failures of transnational organizations in protecting scholars at risk, and the broader implications of the neoliberalization of higher education. From the crisis of academic mobility post-Brexit to the contradictions within the EU's approach to academic freedom, this conversation unpacks the layered complexities shaping the future of knowledge production.

A pesti gettót hozták létre utoljára a II. világháború alatt. Ebben az előadásban a gettó rövid történetéről, illetve a gettólakók által átélt érzelmekről van szó: milyen fontosabb eseményekhez, helyszínekhez kapcsolódóan számoltak be érzéseikről a túlélők? Hogyan írták le azokat? Milyen szerepük volt az érzelmeknek a gettólakók életében?

In this interview, Merike Kurisoo, Director, Niguliste Museum, Tallinn, discusses her work on the Rode Altarpiece and how it enables ‘time travel' to the 1480s.The Niguliste Museum (branch of the Art Museum of Estonia) is based in the medieval St Nicholas ( Niguliste ) Church in central Tallinn.  One of the most important items in it's collection is the massive and stunning beautiful altarpiece by Herman Rode of Lübeck.  Based on documents in the Tallinn City Archives, Merike describes how the unique altarpiece was commissioned for St Nicholas Church by the major guilds of the city; how funds for the work was collected from the wider congregation, and finally how the altarpiece was delivered in August 1481 and erected in place by workmen from Lübeck.  Merike extends the story of the Rode Altarpiece to the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, as the work and City Archives were evacuated and returned to Tallinn due to wars and peace. Today Tallinn clearly loves and is proud of its medieval history and art.Workshop of the Lübeck master Hermen Rode. Retable of the High Altar of St Nicholas' Church in Tallinn. 1478–1481https://nigulistemuuseum.ekm.ee/en/the-retable-of-the-high-altar-of-st-nicholas-church/Books:https://pood.ekm.ee/en/et/rode-altar-tallinn-niguliste-church-main-altar-retable/ https://pood.ekm.ee/en/et/rode-altar-side-view/This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies. 

In this episode of Protecting Academia at Risk, we explore the evolving landscape of risk in academia. Instead of framing risk only as a threat to individual academics facing persecution, this conversation expands the lens to examine systemic risks to academic institutions, knowledge production, and academic freedom. How do shifting political landscapes, neoliberal policies, and illiberal interventions shape the academic space? How can we rethink academic freedom beyond free speech debates? And what does it mean to foster a thriving academic community in these turbulent times?

In this episode, Elena Trifan, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Erfurt, delves into her research on at-risk academics within the Romanian higher education system. With a background in anthropology and sociology, Elena offers a unique lens shaped by her academic journey and personal connection as a first-generation scholar.Her research explores Romania's position as a peripheral EU country, traditionally known for exporting skilled labor, and examines its evolving higher education landscape. From navigating neoliberal reforms and addressing systemic inequalities to grappling with far-right nationalism and racism, Elena highlights the challenges and transformations shaping the experiences of displaced scholars in Romania.Focusing on Ukrainian academics and intersecting vulnerabilities faced by women and queer scholars, she investigates identity, professional success, and strategies for career resilience amidst a backdrop of systemic delays in academia's response to social and political shifts. With a gender-sensitive perspective and qualitative methodology, Elena sheds light on the complexities of forging a scholarly identity within a receiving academic environment unaccustomed to its new role.

In this interview, Jessica Knowles discusses her current research into the apocalyptic stained-glass window in St Martha's pilgrim hospice church in Nuremberg, comparing it to apocalyptic windows in All Saints, North Street in York, northern England.Jessica is considering St Martha's window in its fullest context of the late-fourteenth century.  Therefore, this includes not only the images and the surviving text surrounding the images, but also the story these images and texts told, and how this story fitted with the stories told by adjacent windows in St Martha's.  In addition, she considers the people who saw the window and the ways in which they would have seen and experienced it, also the people who paid for the window and how they benefited from this donation and memorial.  Jessica concludes that, although today we see the apocalyptic images and windows as perhaps negative as the physical world burns and is destroyed, late medieval people would probably have seen them as positive, hopeful and an image of the salvation of their souls.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this episode, we are joined by our colleague, Dr. Nadiya Kiss, a social linguist from Ukraine and co-founder of the Vision Ukraine – Education, Language, Migration research network. Drawing from her extensive work on language policy and activism, Nadiya explores the pivotal role of language in migration and identity formation, especially in the context of forced displacement.She discusses the linguistic behaviors of Ukrainian migrants in Germany, their rejection of Russian as a colonial language, and how these shifts symbolize resistance, identity transformation, and community building. Nadiya also reflects on how language influences narratives in research settings and its significance as a bridge for integration and resilience in times of social challenges.

 In this interview, Maria Theisen talks about her work on the Making of the Wenceslas Bible.  This great bible was written in German in the late fourteenth century, and although it was never completed, it still contains 2,000 folios and over 650 illuminations.  Maria sets the creation of the bible into the context of the times, particularly the reforms within the church and the power struggles between the Catholic church and King Wenceslas IV.  Maria also explains the complex  iconography of the period and the symbolism of the images in the great first letter of Genesis. As the bible was not finished, there remain notes in the margins for the illuminators which give clues to the process of making the bible and the lives of the scribes and illuminators.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this episode, we get to know our colleague Tania Arcimovich, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Erfurt and a key member of the Protecting Academia at Risk project. Originally from Minsk, Tania reflects on her journey to Germany, her evolving identity as a scholar, and the impact of displacement on academic life.Tania shares her unique perspective as a Belarusian researcher, focusing on the experiences of female migrant academics and the structural challenges they face. Her work explores how gender, risk, and forced migration influence both scholarly routines and the knowledge produced within academia.Tune in to learn how Tania's personal journey and academic expertise contribute to rethinking academic freedom and resilience in times of uncertainty.

In this interview, Olga Kalashnikova, recent PhD graduate and researcher at the CEU Democracy Institute ‘History of Democracy' section, discusses her research into Good Friday Sermons – the Mass Media of 14th Century Bohemia.Olga's research focussed on Milíč of Kroměříž, a popular and radical preacher in Bohemia who wrote many lengthy sermons which were widely copied and disbursed in central and northern Europe.  Using Milíč's sermons for Good Friday as a window into the preaching of the period, Olga explains why the Good Friday sermons were so important, how the sermons were used as a form of mass communication, and what the sermons were expected to achieve in connection to the church congregation.   Olga also shows why and how these sermons are still valuable and relevant for today's academics and wider population.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Department of Historical Studies.

In this episode, we hear from our colleague, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Kleeberg from the History of Science (Historical Department) at the University of Erfurt. Prof. Kleeberg discusses his work on political epistemologies and the cultures of knowledge, focusing on how scientific habits and political frameworks intertwine. As a historian of science, he shares insights into the Political Epistemologies of Central and Eastern Europe research network, which he co-founded in 2015, and explores themes like academic authority, dissidence, and gender epistemologies.Prof. Kleeberg delves into the micro-politics of scientific research, examining how political agendas and scholarly identities shape day-to-day academic practices. He also reflects on how systems of knowledge are disrupted by events such as the arrival of refugee scholars, prompting new questions and challenging established norms.Tune in to explore how the intersections of politics and science reshape academic spaces in Central and Eastern Europe.

The UrbanCommunity podcast elevates voices from community led initiaitves for sustainable and just cities.In this final episode (for now),  our community of practice expert and network weaver, Duncan, explains what these terms mean. He shows us how local initiatives, like our previous UrbanCommunity experiments, can be connected over great distances, leading to a more united effort to make this planet a better place. 

 This episode examines, through the lens of Aristotelian virtue ethics, how roguelike video games, such as Cogmind, can foster personal development and self-understanding through training our ethical and intellectual virtues. Roguelikes provide more than entertainment; they offer a space to practice virtue, teaching resilience, adaptability, and growth through the careful deployment and interaction of game mechanics. Drawing on Aristotle's teachings on virtue, this analysis suggests that engaging with roguelikes helps cultivate a virtuous character and imparts valuable life lessons, revealing how gaming can serve as a pathway to self-improvement and deeper self-awareness.Watch the video version on YouTube here.CreditsWritten and presented by James CartlidgeProduced by Greta RauleacOriginal music by James CartlidgeBreaking the Game is a YouTube channel and podcast series about philosophy and video game studies. It aims to facilitate discussions about games, the games industry and philosophy with wider audiences. It mainly (though not exclusively) focusses on the indie games sphere, and current and future philosophical topics include phenomenology, existentialism, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind/consciousness, cognitive science, psychoanalysis and psychology. It is based on the postdoctoral research of James Cartlidge.Check out and subscribe to Breaking the Game here.

This episode examines the classic psychological horror game Silent Hill 2 through the framework of psychoanalysis, investigating how the game represents the unconscious, dream symbolism, horror, and the processing of trauma. Silent Hill 2 is celebrated for its sophisticated portrayal of human psychology, particularly its engagement with a Freudian psychoanalytic theory. In this video, I argue that the game functions as a dramatization of Freud's theory of dreams as wish-fulfilment, and the notion of the "punishment dream" in particular. Through the game's intricate portrayal of the psychological torment of protagonist James Sunderland, it explores Freudian ideas about repressed memories. The symbolic environment of Silent Hill reflects deeper, unresolved conflicts in the form of dream images. This analysis reveals Silent Hill 2 as a profound exploration of psychological horror and the complexities of the human mind.Watch the video version on YouTube here.CreditsWritten and presented by James CartlidgeProduced by Greta RauleacOriginal music by James CartlidgeBreaking the Game is a YouTube channel and podcast series about philosophy and video game studies. It aims to facilitate discussions about games, the games industry and philosophy with wider audiences. It mainly (though not exclusively) focusses on the indie games sphere, and current and future philosophical topics include phenomenology, existentialism, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind/consciousness, cognitive science, psychoanalysis and psychology. It is based on the postdoctoral research of James Cartlidge.Check out and subscribe to Breaking the Game here.

This episode continues our exploration of Wittgenstein's philosophy, moving on to his famous remarks on games in his Philosophical Investigations, which have become one of the most famous pieces of philosophical writing in video game studies.  Watch the video version on YouTube here.CreditsWritten and presented by James CartlidgeProduced by Greta RauleacOriginal Music by James CartlidgeBreaking the Game is a YouTube channel and podcast series about philosophy and video game studies. It aims to facilitate discussions about games, the games industry and philosophy with wider audiences. It mainly (though not exclusively) focusses on the indie games sphere, and current and future philosophical topics include phenomenology, existentialism, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind/consciousness, cognitive science, psychoanalysis and psychology. It is based on the postdoctoral research of James Cartlidge.Check out and subscribe to Breaking the Game here.

Wittgenstein famously wrote about games in a book called Philosophical Investigations, one of the most important philosophical works of the 20th century. To contextualize his thoughts, Part 1 of this series provides an introduction to Wittgenstein's life and philosophy. Part two will discuss the most famous passages from the Philosophical Investigations where he discusses games. These passages form part of a much wider critique of the philosophy of language and meaning. A future third episode will examine subsequent philosophical criticism of Wittgenstein's remarks on games from the point of view of games and sport.Watch the video version on YouTube here.CreditsWritten and presented by James CartlidgeProduced by Greta RauleacOriginal Music by James CartlidgeBreaking the Game is a YouTube channel and podcast series about philosophy and video game studies. It aims to facilitate discussions about games, the games industry and philosophy with wider audiences. It mainly (though not exclusively) focusses on the indie games sphere, and current and future philosophical topics include phenomenology, existentialism, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind/consciousness, cognitive science, psychoanalysis and psychology. It is based on the postdoctoral research of James Cartlidge.Check out and subscribe to Breaking the Game here.

Named for their similarity to the 1980 video game Rogue, ‘roguelikes' have one of gaming's richest, most interesting histories, represent one of gaming's most enduringly popular genres, and one of its most enduringly influential in terms of game design. The roguelike's history stretches back to the earliest days of video gaming but also continues to affect a tangible influence on modern gaming in the form of ‘roguelite' games, which are directly inspired by roguelikes.This episode investigates the history of the roguelike genre and how this history is told, concentrating on three particularly illuminative aspects of the discourse surrounding it which I will discuss under the headings of complexity, controversy, and creativity. The history of the roguelike genre is the history of a type of game designed around a particular set of gaming preferences which favour high complexity, high difficulty, deep strategy, and a punishing learning curve, and prioritize gameplay at the expense of aesthetics. But so complicated are roguelikes that their history cannot be told without mentioning the markedly intense, detailed, fractious, 40-year long debate which has raged in the fan community over the meaning of its own genre label. Out of this debate, a set of design principles and game mechanics emerged as definitive of older, traditional roguelikes such that the history of roguelikes is one of a prolific, diverse hotbed of creativity deliberately constrained by a certain design philosophy.The most recent chapter in this history are ‘roguelites', which take direct inspiration from roguelikes but take a freer, less constrained and more modernized approach to their creativity with roguelike mechanics. Roguelites creatively remix the mechanics associated with traditional roguelikes, blending them with other genres, and implementing modernized graphics and design techniques.This episode is based on a talk presented at a game studies conference at the University of Innsbruck in 2024, presented with the same title.  KONF: Spielgeschichte(n) - Games und Game Studies in medienkulturgeschichtlicher Perspektive, Innsbruck (11.04.-13.04.2024)Watch the video version on YouTube here.CreditsWritten and presented by James CartlidgeProduced by Greta RauleacOriginal music by James CartlidgeBreaking the Game is a YouTube channel and podcast series about philosophy and video game studies. It aims to facilitate discussions about games, the games industry and philosophy with wider audiences. It mainly (though not exclusively) focusses on the indie games sphere, and current and future philosophical topics include phenomenology, existentialism, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind/consciousness, cognitive science, psychoanalysis and psychology. It is based on the postdoctoral research of James Cartlidge.Check out and subscribe to Breaking the Game here.

This episode explores the philosophical relevance of video games, examining why games matter and what they reveal about the human condition. At the core of this inquiry is the question of what it means to be human and how we cope with life's existential tensions. Playing games, engaging in sport, and immersing ourselves in stories are all ways in which we seek meaning and enjoyment in life. Video games, in particular, combine play and narrative, providing a uniquely engaging aesthetic space to explore identity, existence, and purpose.Watch the video version on YouTube here.CreditsWritten and presented by James CartlidgeProduced by Greta RauleacOriginal Music by James CartlidgeBreaking the Game is a YouTube channel and podcast series about philosophy and video game studies. It aims to facilitate discussions about games, the games industry and philosophy with wider audiences. It mainly (though not exclusively) focusses on the indie games sphere, and current and future philosophical topics include phenomenology, existentialism, political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of mind/consciousness, cognitive science, psychoanalysis and psychology. It is based on the postdoctoral research of James Cartlidge.Check out and subscribe to Breaking the Game here.

In this episode, Alina Dragolea, Associate Professor at the National University of Political Science and Public Administration in Bucharest, discusses the complex dynamics of "academia at risk" in both high- and low-ranked universities. She challenges Western-centric views on academic migration and explores how diverse institutional and national contexts shape the experiences and support strategies for at-risk scholars. Alina calls for a more nuanced approach that considers the unique challenges of European peripheries and moves beyond one-size-fits-all policies.

In this episode, Dina Gusejnova (PhD in History, University of Cambridge), Associate Professor in International History at LSE, shares her insights on the complexities of supporting scholars at risk in Europe. With research interests in modern European political, intellectual, and cultural history—particularly during transitional periods such as the revolutions of 1918-20 and the two World Wars—Dina is currently working on the cultural and intellectual history of forced displacement and internment during the Second World War. Drawing from her expertise and personal background as a descendant of academic migrants, she explores the challenges of integrating displaced academics, the unintended consequences of current mobility frameworks, and reflects on the research that led to the co-authored article Rewarding Mobility: Towards a Realistic European Policy Agenda for Academics at Risk, written with Andrea Pető, Alina Dragolea, Andrei-Vlăduț Terteleac, Artemis Photiadou & Rebeka Bakos, which inspired the current project. Tune in to learn more about the shifting dynamics of academic risk and how policy can better address the needs of scholars in vulnerable situations.

In this interview, Natalia (Talia) Zajac, an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Niagara University, New York State, discusses her on-going research into ‘Noble Ladies: Between East and West'.  This is the interesting phenomenon of noble ladies from Rus marrying into Central European noble families, and nobles ladies from Central Europe marrying into the Rus nobility, thus creating marriages of mixed Orthodox and Latin Christianity.  Natalia also offers explanations of why this religious openness and acceptance of difference gradually came to an end in the thirteenth century.In addition, Natalia talks about her research into one specific noble lady, the Duchess Gremislava (in Polish, Grzymisława), a Rus princess married into the Polish nobility.  Through the detailed examination of a seal of Duchess Gremislava, Natalia reviews the power struggles and internal family competition of the nobility, as well as how these travelling brides built wider support and friendship networks throughout their married lives.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this interview, Natalia (Talia) Zajac, an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Niagara University, New York State, discusses her on-going research into ‘Noble Ladies: Between East and West'.  This is the interesting phenomenon of noble ladies from Rus marrying into Central European noble families, and nobles ladies from Central Europe marrying into the Rus nobility, thus creating marriages of mixed Orthodox and Latin Christianity.  Natalia also offers explanations of why this religious openness and acceptance of difference gradually came to an end in the thirteenth century.In addition, Natalia talks about her research into one specific noble lady, the Duchess Gremislava (in Polish, Grzymisława), a Rus princess married into the Polish nobility.  Through the detailed examination of a seal of Duchess Gremislava, Natalia reviews the power struggles and internal family competition of the nobility, as well as how these travelling brides built wider support and friendship networks throughout their married lives.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In our first episode of the Protecting Academia at Risk podcast, we introduce the project's origins and the personal journeys that brought our interdisciplinary team together. Lead researcher Andrea Pető shares her story of growing up during the anti-communist resistance and her academic career at CEU, highlighting the attack on gender studies and the broader threats to academic freedom. We discuss the global phenomenon of illiberalism, the importance of organizing against these challenges, and how displaced scholars are transforming academic institutions. This episode sets the stage for our exploration of academic resilience and the fight for intellectual freedom in the face of adversity.

In this interview, Karel Pacovský discusses his on-going research into the daily lives of the Benedictine nuns of St George's Monastery in Prague Castle.  The monastery, founded around 970 exclusively for women, was the earliest monastic institution in Bohemia. It held an important position within the Bohemian state due to its physical location and the status and learning of its abbesses. Karel's research is based on a range of sources, including a book written for the nuns by their confessor, a monk from a near-by Benedictine Abbey of Ostrov, in the early 15th century. This book contains the rule of St Benedict, and the confessor's advice on various aspects of their life – how to manage their library, educate the young novice nuns, and how to conduct their daily life in accordance with their monastic vows. The book also contains reprimands which offer delightful insights into where and how the nuns were taking short-cuts in their religious life. This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this interview, Jack Wilson, historian of the Mongol Empire and PhD candidate at Central European University discusses his current research into the Mongol invasions of Hungary in the thirteenth century.Focussing on the lesser known Mongol invasion of Hungary in the 1280s, and viewing this from the perspective of the Mongols, Jack's research considers the likely reasons for the invasion.  His analysis shows that the Mongol motivations were closely linked to internal power struggles  and dynastic conflicts within the Golden Horde, and changing climatic conditions in their home steppe-land.  Jack's analysis also implies that the invasion was not for conquest, but for loot and slaves, and to enhance the reputation a leading contender within their internal power struggles.  Jack also demonstrates how the Mongolian elite viewed the world and the place of themselves and their vast empire within it.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this interview, Martin Bauch, the leader of a group researching medieval climate history and climate change at the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO) in Leipzig, discusses his research into the eruption of the Samalas volcano in 1257 in Indonesia.  Based on a wide range of information sources, including chronicles from Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, dendrochronology and ice-core dating, Martin explains how this massive eruption had an impact on world-wide climate patterns over several years.  Martin's focus is on central and southern Europe, and here he demonstrates how the shifting climate influenced economics, trading patterns, public health and potentially even the design of cultural artefacts. The effect of the Samalas eruption was noted throughout the world, often, but not always, with a negative impact. As many of the changes wrought by the eruption and subsequent change of weather patterns were long term or permanent, Martin describes this as a truly global moment in the Middles Ages.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

This podcast episode explores the role of art criticism, especially the question whether critics can establish a standard for determining what constitutes beauty in art. For this episode, I took inspiration from my thesis where I assessed three thinkers who offer contrasting perspectives on this matter: David Hume, Pierre Bourdieu, and Alexander Nehamas.Hume, in his work Of The Standard of Taste, suggests that although aesthetic judgments are subjective, they can be assessed by competent critics. This is not to say that there is an objective standard for beauty, but that judgements made by those possessing certain qualities that make for a good critic hold more weight. Pierre Bourdieu, in his work Distinction, contends that taste is shaped by social factors, such as cultural upbringing and class distinctions, thereby challenging the notion of such a standard and arguing instead that taste is a marker of social class that perpetuates already existing hierarchies. In order to show that elitism and social power is not all there is to art criticism, I introduced Alexander Nehamas' ideas from his book, Only a Promise of Happiness, presenting a view of critics who, instead of imposing a standard, are encouraging us to engage with artworks on a personal level, inducing a diversity of interpretations and evaluations.In this podcast episode, I will take these thinkers as my inspiration for interviewing Katrin Heinrich, an art historian and critic based in Vienna. She studied art history and comparative literature at the University of Vienna, and currently she works in research support at the University of Music and Performing Arts. Kathrin is also a doctoral candidate at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where she was on a scientific staff from 2020 to 2022, has taught courses and co-organized a research project called Addressing Amnesia, Performing Trauma. Her writing has been published in newspapers and magazines like Der Standard, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frieze, Texte zur Kunst, Springerin, Eikon and PW Magazine. In 2018, she was awarded the AICA Austria Prize for Young Art Criticism. (music for intro and outro is by Lili Kátai, playing an improvised version of Debussy's Arabesque L. 66 No. 1 in E Major on piano)Special thanks to Thomas Aichinger and Cathy Mason.

In this interview, Maria Vargha, Assistant Professor for Spatial Approaches to Medieval Studies at University of Vienna, discusses her recent and current research into early Christianisation on the edges of what came to be known as the Holy Roman Empire.Using a vast amount of archaeological and historical data, and spatial and network analysis, Maria shows how different regions of Central Europe were Christianised and the power dynamics that were involved.  Her innovative approach focusses on the lowest rungs of society, the rural peasants, and the networks of churches that served them. This research will result in an open-access data base of archaeological and historical data covering Central Europe in the 11th and 12th centuries.  The data base will include all known settlement and burial sites, and all known data of secular and sacred power of the period.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

The UrbanCommunity podcast elevates voices from community led initiaitves for sustainable and just cities.In this episode, originally recorded in 2023, Giulia from The Space_coolhaven in Rotterdam talks about why commons in cities are places of connection, creativity, and civic engagement. She shares her own experience creating them, the fun and unexpected things that arise, and how to help others create more urban commons spaces. Learn about The Space here: https://www.instagram.com/thespace_coolhaven/

The OSUN Network Collaborative Seminar Cultures of Hate and Oppression was coordinated address the complexities of these topics that are of urgent global importance in our era of continuing discrimination, forced migration, socially sanctioned violence – and war. This 3rd podcast gives insights into the work of the students. View Andrea Peto's talk about the importance of this course on YouTube:https://youtu.be/eQ0D07Eo0vY?si=4xl47a5yGLCufPPlPodcast with responses by students:About the academic year 2022-23:https://podcasts.ceu.edu/content/experiences-osun-collaborative-seminar-antisemitism-holocaust-colonialism-gender-connectingAbout the academic year 2023-24:https://podcasts.ceu.edu/content/experiences-osun-collaborative-seminar-cultures-hate-and-oppression-connecting-conversations

Pető Andrea a legtöbbet idézett és legtöbb nemzetközi díjjal kitüntetett magyar történész. Munkássága előtt tisztelgő kiadvány jelent meg Aki kimondja, amit ki kell mondani címmel, visszautalva egy korábbi kötetének címére (Elmondani az elmondhatatlant) a Balassi Kiadó gondozásában és Virányi Péter és Klacsmann Borbála szerkesztésében. Ezt a kötetet mutatja be a podcast.

Az energiatakarékos épületfelújítás a következő évek európai klímapolitikai törekvéseinek egyik legfontosabb eleme, ennek megfelelően központi szerepet tölt be az EU célkitűzésekben és finanszírozási konstrukcióiban is. Ugyanakkor Magyarországon a jelenlegi politika ezt a kihívást nem a valós problémáknak és az EU-s elvárásoknak megfelelően kezeli. A jelenlegi kormány nem is ebben látja elsősorban a megoldást, hanem az energiatermelés fokozásában, az energiahordozók behozatalának biztosításában.EU-s szinten ennek ellenére nagy elvárások fogalmazódnak meg az energiatakarékos épületfelújítással kapcsolatban: minden tagországnak kötelezően meg kell emelnie az épület-mélyfelújítások arányát, hogy a kívánt energiamegtakarítási és kibocsátás-csökkentési célokat el lehessen érni. A bevezetés módja ugyanakkor igencsak kényes, hiszen szociális és környezetvédelmi szempontok feszülnek egymásnak, melyek nem oldhatóak fel könnyen. Hogyan oldható fel az energiaszegénység? Mennyiben függ az információhiánytól az állampolgári vagy közösségi elköteleződés a korszerűsítéssel kapcsolatban? Mi a lakosság felelőssége az energiatakarékosságban? Milyen szerepet játszhatnak az okos technológiák a probléma feloldásában?

Adolf Hitler a Reichstagban 1939. január 30-n köntörfalazás nélkül kijelentette: „Ha a nemzetközi zsidó pénzembereknek még egyszer sikerül egy világháborúban belerángatni a népeket, akkor ez nem a zsidók győzelmét, hanem a zsidó faj megsemmisülését fogja eredményezni Európában.” 1941 szeptemberében az NSDAP propagandaosztálya plakátot készíttetett erről a szövegről és azt az egész Birodalomban terjesztették. Reinhard Heydrich, a Birodalmi Biztonsági Főhivatal vezetője november 29-én fogott a németek uralma/hegemóniája alá hajtott európai területeken élő mintegy nyolcmillió zsidó legyilkolását kidolgozó konferencia megszervezésébe. Némi halasztás után az összejövetelre 1942. január 20-án 14 fő részvételével került sor. Magától értetődik, hogy ezt az eszelős tervet minden részleteiben ilyen rövid idő alatt – ráadásul szivarfüstben, konyakozás közben – nem lehetett kidolgozni. Ám vitathatatlan szimbolikus jelentőségén túl a konferenciának megvolt a maga konkrét súlya is. 1942 végére az SS saját kimutatásai szerint már 4 millió zsidót pusztítottak el. (Jan Kershaw: Hitler. 1936-1945. Nemezis. Szukits, Szeged, 2004, 424.) Ebben a keretben helyezendő el a Kállay-kormány zsidópolitikája.

Az előadás az egyes plébániák fennmaradt Historia Domusai-ban rögzített leírások alapján tesz kísérletet a „kisemberek” frontátvonulással kapcsolatos tapasztalatának bemutatására és értelmezésére. A plébánosok korabeli feljegyzései a múltbéli közösségi tapasztalatok és a jövőre vonatkozó közös várakozások hálóján átszűrt személyes megfigyelések, egyúttal az esetek végtelen sokféleségéről tudósító korlenyomatok. Milyen helyzetértékelések, szerepfelfogások bontakoznak ki e krízishelyzet idején keletkezett írásokból? Milyen „kulcsok” szükségesek megértésükhöz? Végül mi az eseményeknek az a történelmi tapasztalata, melyet csak a történeti reflexió fedhet fel? 

Az előadás az egyes plébániák fennmaradt Historia Domusai-ban rögzített leírások alapján tesz kísérletet a „kisemberek” frontátvonulással kapcsolatos tapasztalatának bemutatására és értelmezésére. A plébánosok korabeli feljegyzései a múltbéli közösségi tapasztalatok és a jövőre vonatkozó közös várakozások hálóján átszűrt személyes megfigyelések, egyúttal az esetek végtelen sokféleségéről tudósító korlenyomatok. Milyen helyzetértékelések, szerepfelfogások bontakoznak ki e krízishelyzet idején keletkezett írásokból? Milyen „kulcsok” szükségesek megértésükhöz? Végül mi az eseményeknek az a történelmi tapasztalata, melyet csak a történeti reflexió fedhet fel? 

A bevezető a kulturális-intellektuális gyűlölködések  és az erőszakos politikai cselekvések kölcsönhatásait vizsgálja átalában a szociálpszichológia bűnbakfogalma segítségével. Ezt a fogalmi keretet használom azután a győztesek második világháború utáni, Németország és a németek felelősségével kapcsolatos politikai álláspontjait értelmezve. Az utolsó rész a második világháború politikai és nem politikai okainak néhány tudományos értelmezését tekinti át. Az előadás kulcskérdése: lehetnek-e a történésznek eszközei a katasztrófákhoz vezető tömeges lelkiállapotok gyökereinek feltárásához?

Ózd, magyarország egyik legfontosabb ipari településévé vált a 19. század végére, ahol az ipari munka társadalmának a kialakulásával párhuzamosan erősödött meg a modern polgári társadalom. Ennek a kialakulásában, kis-, közép-, és nagypolgárként egyaránt fontos szerepet játszott az Ózdon a 19. század elejétől megtelepülő zsidóság. A kezdetben kis létszámú zsidó közösség a 20. század elejére már a község egyik meghatározó csoportja volt, létrehozta a saját felekezeti, kulturális, oktatási intézményrendszerét is. A kisebbség-többség együttélése a második világháborúig, a zsidótörvények életbe léptetéséig gyakorlatilag mentes volt az érdemi konfliktusoktól. A lényegében kisvárosi helyi társadalomban az antiszemita hangulat, az országos mintázatot követve változott. A helyzet a gettósítással és a deportálással változott meg, amikor a többségi társadalom tagjainak jelentős része nemhogy nem volt szolidáris a törvényen kívülivé tett kisebbséggel szemben, hanem saját anyagi gyarapodásának a lehetőségét látta meg a helyzetben.Előadásomban röviden összefoglalom az ózdi zsidó társadalom 19-20. századi történetét, különös tekintettel arra, hogy ennek keretét egy ipari település társadalma adta. A második részben pedig az 1944-46-os évek történetét,annak fontosabb eseményeit mutatom be, kitérve a deportálás utáni mindennapi vagyonszerzésre, a koncentrációs táborokból visszatérő túlélők beilleszkedésének a problémáira, a közösség újjászerveződési törekvéseire, az 1946-os ózdi pogromra, ami hozzájárult a helyi zsidó közösség elfogyásához.

In this interview Grischa Vercamer, an interim professor for European regional history at Chemnitz University of Technology, discusses his on-going research into the representation of rulership in late medieval Central Europe.  The interview focuses on the chronicles of Eberhard Windeck, a merchant and close advisor to the Holy Roman Emperor, Sigismund of Luxemburg.  Grischa considers how Windeck presents Sigismund to his readers in terms of politics and piety, and compares this presentation with other sources, including other late medieval chronicles of rulers.  Based on this comparative research Grischa offers us a deep insight into the writing of Eberhard Windeck, the roles of medieval rulership and the public persona and private piety of Sigismund of Luxemburg.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this interview Leslie Carr-Riegel discusses her research into inter-state mercantile trade in the medieval period and the ways in which the Right of Reprisal influenced that trade.  Leslie explains that a reprisal was a legal instrument that compensated for losses due to theft and the non-payment of debts and doweries.  Her on-going, summative work compares reprisals, and the process of gaining reprisals throughout Europe during the whole medieval period.  Surprisingly, she shows that reprisals functioned in a very similar way at a time when most aspects of trade were variable and determined locally.  Leslie also explains how reprisals influenced state-building and the development of inter-state trade treaties.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this interview Agnes Flora, an archivist at the Romanian National Archives in Cluj, discusses her research into the city archives in Cluj in Transylvania, Romania.  She highlights the changes in urban demography that occurred due to inward migration, encouraged by the city council which needed both tax revenue and labour.  Agnes explains how Cluj promoted the inward movement of peasants from the city's hinterland, and welcomed longer distance skilled craftsmen as migrants, and how these two migration movements impacted the style and business of the city.  She also offers fascinating insights into the working and personal life of one Italian migrant as he becomes a citizen of Cluj and finally a Guild Master and leading political figure within the city.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.

In this interview, Paweł  Figurski, Assistant Professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences and a Humboldt Research Fellow at the University of Regensburg, talks with Karen Culver about his current research into medieval liturgy and the making of Polish political identity around the year 1000. In this newly Christianised region, Paweł  shows how the liturgy was used, not only to spread the Christian message, but also to build awareness of the emerging early medieval state through the repetition of rulers' names and propagation of the new name of a country (Polonia). This ritual was a key part in building a political identity not only among the literate clergy, but also with more straightforward means among the other members of the political elite.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering Central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.In the interview the following recordings have been utilized. We thank the authors for enabling us to share medieval music in the podcast:1) "Annua recolamus” from the album Sacer Nidus - Św. Wojciech, Bolesław I. Chrobry i Otton III. w muzyce średniowiecznej by Ensemble Peregrina, dir. Agnieszka Budzińska-Bennett, Raumklang 2011 2) Exultet chant based on the Gradual of Bolesław II of Mazovia, MNK Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Rr. 4922-4940 (olim: KrM MNK/XV/rys/2271-89), performed by Isabella Burns at the University of Notre Dame, 2015.

In this interview, Lucie Doležalová, professor of Medieval Latin at the Charles University in Prague, discusses her current research into the additions made by scribes at the end of their copied texts in late medieval Bohemia.  Lucie shows how these seemingly personal additions, sometimes humorous, sometimes requesting rewards, sometimes nonsensical, were often quite formulaic.  The research will map the scribal additions by time and place to identify the source of the more formulaic additions, and possibly the routes by which the ideas were transmitted. Scribal additions also offer a rare glimpse over the shoulder of the scribe and allows us to see the material and physical nature of the scribes' work of copying text, including his tiredness, hunger, and relief at finishing the task.This podcast is part of a series of interviews covering central Europe in the medieval period for MECERN and CEU Medieval Studies.