Smooth Brain Society

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Aaron Winter, senior lecturer in sociology at Lancaster University and Director of the Centre for Alternatives to Social and Economic Inequalities (CASEI), to unpack the complex rise and normalization of far-right ideologies. From his personal roots in anti-racist activism to his research on racism, terrorism, and structural inequality, Dr. Winter explores how mainstream institutions, media, and political parties have helped legitimize far-right narratives. We discuss the myth of the “white working class” grievance, how race and class are falsely divided, the political misuse of populism, and the dangers of platforming hate under the guise of public discourse. An essential listen for anyone concerned about democracy, justice, and the future of inclusive politics.Dr. Aaron Winter: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sociology/people/aaron-winter Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

What does it take to elevate women's sport? Sahir and Lily Joiner of Nuku Ora - an active Wellington dive into the unique landscape of women's sports in New Zealand with special guest Erin Roxburgh, Deputy Chair of Women in Sport NZ. Erin, is a current squad member of the New Zealand Women's Indoor and Beach Handball teams and is currently a lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington and future director at Sport NZ, shares her personal journey and expert insights into the funding and governance structures that shape the sporting world down under. We discover the surprising role of gaming funds and how it compares to more commercial models, using basketball and rugby as case studies. We also explore the relatively recent professionalization of sports in Aotearoa and what the future holds. Whether you're a sports enthusiast or simply curious about the forces behind the game, this episode offers a thought-provoking look at the challenges and opportunities in the future of women's sport.Erin Roxburgh Profile: https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/erin.r.roxburghLily Joiner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-joiner-341860194?trk=contact-infoSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

How much do we really talk about sex in our relationships — and when should we? In this episode, Sahir and Olivia sit down with relationships researcher Katie Knowles to unpack the psychology of sex disclosure, why most people in relationships hover around a "3.5 out of 5," and how attachment styles can shape what we share (and what we don't). We go on to discuss some surprisingly relatable results from Katie's current research and where the future of intimacy and relationships is headed.Katie Knowles recently published a research paper reviewing all the present literature around sexual self disclosures. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388959085_Meta-Analyzing_People's_Self-Disclosure_of_Sexual_Information_to_Romantic_PartnersSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Professor Tony Marson of the University of Liverpool talks to Beth and Sahir about Epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, which are sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain. We discuss the types of epilepsy, what are its causes and how it manifests across time, what the current treatments for epilepsy are and what the future of epilepsy research looks like. This episode is part of our ongoing collaboration with the British Neuroscience Association, Liverpool Neuroscience Group and The Brain Charity.https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/anthony-marsonPublic Events run by LNG: https://meetings.bna.org.uk/BYOBLiverpool/BNA Festival of Neuroscience: https://meetings.bna.org.uk/bna2025/ Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

In the build to the International Festival of Neuroscience being held in Liverpool from the 27th to 30th of April, 2025. We spoke to Dr. Dorothy Tse of Edge Hill University about her incredible research aimed at understanding memory, preventing dementia and promoting healthy ageing. We speak about the Tse Lab's work in understanding how prior knowledge can help in developing new memories and the importance of public input in all their research activities.Episode in collaboration with the British Neuroscience Association, Liverpool Neuroscience Group and The Brain Charity.Public Events run by LNG: https://meetings.bna.org.uk/BYOBLiverpool/BNA Festival of Neuroscience: https://meetings.bna.org.uk/bna2025/ Dr. Dorothy Tse: https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/person/dr-dorothy-tse/staff/Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Individuals' psychopathic personality traits can have negative effects on the people around them. Aaron Hissey of Victoria University of Wellington discusses his research on whether the negativity of someone's psychopathic personality crosses over to their partner and then spills over into their partner's workplace. We discuss some of the incredible associations he found including some potential benefits of dating a psychopath.Read the article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39928490/Anatomy of a Psychopath: https://smoothbrainsociety.com/2022/04/29/2-the-anatomy-of-a-psychopath-associate-prof-hedwig-eisenbarth/Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. Dr. Calum Hartley of Lancaster University talks us through ASD and come of the misconceptions people have about it. We cover Dr. Hartley's research on language development in children with autism and cover some other research with regards to the negative interactions people with autism often face in the criminal justice system.Dr. Calum Hartley: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/psychology/about-us/people/calum-hartleySupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Angela Kibia, Researcher at King's College London, talks about the work being carried out by the SAFE project aimed towards developing education and group support for Black families and carers supporting a relative with psychosis. Highlighting the importance of all those who care for someone with a mental health condition and what we can do to better support them.Experiences from participants from the SAFE project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4DcFShrLLEhttps://www.kcl.ac.uk/exploring-the-experiences-of-carers-from-black-communities-1Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Behrouz Boochani and Abdul Samad Haidari speak about their journeys as refugees, the systems which demonize asylum seekers as criminals, Manus Prison Theory and structural oppression, and the role of art, literature and storytelling in resistance an healing. Guest Profiles:Behrouz Boochani is a Kurdish-Iranian journalist, human rights defender, writer, film producer and research fellow at Canterbury University. He, along with Omid Tofighian, developed the Manus Prison Theory which is a framework to understand offshore detention facilities and how this system functions as a form of systemic violence and oppression against asylum seekers. Behrouz himself was detained at Manus Island for two years after its official closure in 2019 and his memoir, No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, won the Victorian Prize for Literature and the Victorian Premier's Prize for Nonfiction in January 2019.https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/31/writing-from-manus-prison-a-scathing-critique-of-domination-and-oppressionAbdul Samad Haidari is journalist, poet and refugee advocate. From the Hazara community in Afghanistan, he was forced to flee Afghanistan on multiple occasions having spent his childhood as a refugee in Pakistan and Iran before returning. His journalism had a particular focus on women and children's rights, terrorist group actions, transparency and accountability in government, and the systematic persecution of minority groups in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.  He spent 9 years in a refugee camp in Indonesia before making in to New Zealand. The podcast title "I am but more than a refugee" is an homage to one of the poems in his recent book. "The Unsent Condolences" https://abdulsamadhaidari.wixsite.com/site/booksSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

"You're a hero. It's in your DNA." The NHS and NIHR BioResource has started a nationwide movement for ages 0 - 15 to help health research.Dr. Anna Moore, University of Cambridge, and Elizabeth Mordey of the DNA, Children + Young People's Health Resource (D-CYPHR) talk about the project and how it has the potential to revolutionize healthcare in the UK and around the world.. By studying thousands of DNA samples together with health information, scientists can begin to see the big picture of how our genetics and our environment influence our health. All kids need to do is spit in a tube.Further details: https://bioresource.nihr.ac.uk/d-cyphr/Contact D-CYPHR: dcyphr@bioresource.nihr.ac.ukDr. Anna Moore: https://neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/member/am2708/Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Children and young people whose parents use substances often feel alone in their experiences, with very few people to trust or talk to.  Parents and caregivers mention uncertainty on how and when to have conversations with children in their family and answer their questions in the best way. Dr. Cassey Muir,  Dr Ruth McGovern and teams at Newcastle University brought together the messages from their studies which are told in this story about Arti, the wishing star. The story was written by Danielle Slade and illustrated by Josie Brookes. Dr. Cassey Muir and Josie Brookes Join us on this episode to discuss the journey of Arti and how it is helping children and families across the UK. https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Twinkle-Twinkle-Arti-by-Danielle-Slade-and-illustrated-by-Josie-Brookes.pdfThe project was funded by the  This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (SPHR). In collaboration with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI): Medical Research Council and Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.Dr Cassey Muir: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/casseymuir.htmlJosie Brookes: https://www.josiebrookes.com/Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a self-inflicted act that causes pain or superficial damage but is not intended to cause death. Dr. Kealagh Robinson, of Massey University, works in emotion and emotion regulation, with a specific emphasis on how these factors underpin self-injurious thoughts and behaviours. She discusses the role of emotion regulation in self-injury behaviours and some fascinating results from her latest study which demonstrate that the role of emotion in NSSI is more complex than prominent theories can account for. If needed, please contact:https://www.helpguide.org/find-helpDr. Robinson's latest study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016503272401187XSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

We Collaborated with Voice of Aroha on an exciting podcast featuring Lawyer and Host of the Podcast, Me, Racism and I, the incredible Thoraya Abdoul-Rassol. In the episode we delve into thought-provoking discussions on identity, culture, and personal experiences. Check it out!Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, better known as concussions, are poorly understood. This means diagnosis and proper management are difficult often leading to people living with the impacts of milder injuries for years. Asha Strom of the University of Birmingham talks about UoB's current project, Called mTBI predict, looking at multiple aspects of traumatic brain injury to identify biomarkers (biological identifiers) which will help better detect and manage concussions.Link to project: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/metabolism-systems/translational-brain-science/mtbi-predictSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Frankie Fong, of Victoria University of Wellington, discusses imitation behaviors and how they are key to child development. He also shares his research on how these behaviours differ between cultures and influence digital media effects on children's socio-cognitive development. Dr. Frankie Fong: https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/frankie.fongSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Nuzha Saleem is a Teaching Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington. She discusses her research working with youth from migrant and refugee backgrounds. She has particularly focused her work around understanding the role of friendships in educational performance, identity and feelings of belonging for people from refugee backgrounds. Fellow Youth wellbeing researcher Niusha Aryan joins as co-host as we learn about Dr. Saleem's transition from neuroscience into social research, her key take aways from working and advocating with people from refugee backgrounds and the development of a game which is designed to encourage friendship and relationship buildingDr. Nuzha Saleem: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/cacr/about/people/students-and-alumni/nuzha-saleemSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Jo-Anne Puddephatt of Edge Hill University is a mixed-methods researcher in the field of mental health, alcohol use, and co-occurring problems. She combines her experience of working in psychiatric intensive care units with her expertise using datasets to explore the patterns of drinking across individuals experiencing different mental health problems. Jo-Anne also conducts qualitative research and works with patient involvement groups to explore the mechanisms of co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems.Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Finally! after 47 episodes as host, Sahir takes his place in the wrinkly brained experts chair to talk about his research on how alcohol drinking by fathers can impact development of the future generations.Amer Hussain and Jeremy Hall co-host this special episode where we discuss the importance of animal research, find out why Dr. Hussain gets rats drunk and talk about the importance of science communication.Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Bayesian Statistics allows combining prior information of a population to the current sample of experimentation to create stronger inferences. Dr. Taylor Winter, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics at University of Canterbury, uses Bayesian methods to investigate a range of societal and group factors (Social Psychology).Dr. Winter takes us through some of the basic ideas around Bayesian statistics and how it differs from traditional methods of hypothesis testing in research. We discuss examples from his work on authoritarianism and social identity theory as well as learn the the differences between his time working in industry vs academia. Lastly, we discuss his culture focused projects including Dungeons and Dragons and how Māori culture can manifest behavioural change.Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Bethany Facer, PhD student at University of Liverpool and Science Communicator explains the intricacies of Parkinson's Disease. We discuss Beth's Neuroimaging research into the neurodegenerative condition as she goes over some of the key biological mechanisms, clinical manifestations and current treatments which together highlight the need to better understand this multifaceted disorder. Later, co-host Pollyanna Ward and Beth discuss the importance of science communication in current times and how researchers can improve our communication skills https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/systems-molecular-and-integrative-biology/research/groups/brain-imaging/Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

There is often a tendency to focus on physical rather than mental health during pregnancy. While rates can vary by country, research suggests that about 10 - 20% of pregnant women experience depression during pregnancy. This is higher than the average rate of 6% seen in the general population. The changes during pregnancy can also make it hard for mood disorders to be detected and treated. Dr. Stephanie D'Souza of University of Auckland joins to discuss her research as maternal depression and antidepressant use. Dr. D'Souza goes through her research as we talk about some key things to be aware of and why research in maternal health is hard to undertake.Important links:https://pada.nz/https://www.helpguide.org/find-helpDr. Stephanie D'Souza Bio: https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/s-dsouzaSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

At its core, Stoicism is a tool in the pursuit of self-mastery, perseverance, and wisdom: something one uses to live a virtuous life. However, the English language has dealt great injustice to the word “Stoic.” Dr. John Sellars, Reader in the History of Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, and Research Fellow at King's College London, joins along with Dr. Johannes Karl, Dublin City University, to give us an introduction to Stoicism and how these ideas born in Ancient Greece  have been instrumental in the modern day through understanding emotions, designing behavioral therapies and conceptualizing developmental psychology. Dr John Sellars : http://www.johnsellars.org.uk/Support the Show.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Chris Maymon, of Victoria University of Wellington, talks to us about his research on the experience of being Present. Him and his team use virtual reality to test the causal role of subjective and physiological components of fear in generating presence. Dr. Maymon goes through the background of understanding being present as a concept and how it is measured, the use of virtual reality in his experiments and some of the interesting findings including how your subjective fear and not your heart rate and other physiological measures impact our experience of presence.Read the paper here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379928195_The_presence_of_fear_How_subjective_fear_not_physiological_changes_shapes_the_experience_of_presenceSupport the Show.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Dilnavaz Bhiladvala is a neurosurgeon with over 30 years of experience working in various hospitals across India and the UAE. She is the Head of Department of Neurosurgery at Al Dhaid Hospital, Sharjah, UAE before which she was the Head of Department and Professor Neurosurgery at Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences, India. She takes us through how the field of neurosurgery has changed across her career. We discuss the steps involved in deciding whether surgery is required and when not to operate. Dr. Bhiladvala also shares information the public should know about neurosurgery and signs to look out for. We cover a few interesting cases across her career, her research and how technology has changed the field of neurosurgery for the better.Support the Show.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Finley Ngarangi Johnson and Colleagues introduce 'Ngaruroro' which is a new model for Māori wellbeing. Fin, who is a PhD student at Victoria University of Wellington and a Researcher at the Ministry of Social Development, talks about the effort put into designing the new measure. the themes it covers and some of the issues faced when designing a wellbeing measure for the complexities of different Māori identities.Their paper can be accessed here : https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/4/445The episode is co-hosted by Prateek Shankar, CEO, Jungle Publics. He was a guest on an earlier episode about his work on Planetary MelancholiaSee Prateek's episode here: https://smoothbrainsociety.com/2024/05/31/38-planetary-melancholia-prateek-shankar-and-valerie-navarrete/Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

World Refugee Day is on the 20th of June each year and is dedicated to refugees all around the world. We spoke to Kodrean Eashae and Luis Perez from Voice of Aroha. Voice of Aroha does incredible work highlighting the stories of refugees and minority communities in New Zealand with the aims of assisting in grassroots change. Host of Me, Racism and I, Thoraya Abdul-Rassol Kodrean, joins as co-host. Our guests share their stories and speak to issues migrants and refugees face in New Zealand, the problem with the ‘refugee' label and the growing fear of people being displaced due to climate change.Check out Voice of Aroha: https://voiceofaroha.org.nz/Listen to Me, Racism and I on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2YmqGwgoLYooHrgs7TFv0Y?si=190e868cf6cb42c1Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

The Catholic church is the only religious entity to hold a seat in the United Nations through the Vatican city's status as a state. Geo Robrigado, Law graduate and former President of the Victoria University of Wellington Student Union, speaks about his research in law, international relations and politics focusing on how the Catholic Church maintains its political relevance. We go through the influence of the church and how it has been evolving over time to cater to the new generations. Covering historical examples of how the church has embedded itself into global politics, how it influences other religions and how it adapts to individual locations in order to extend its reach.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Prateek Shankar and Valerie Navarrete are founders of the Jungle Publics, a group trying to foster interdisciplinary discussions and reimagine how we relate to our planet and each other. They come on to talk about their first major publication titled "Planetary Melancholia". The article is written with Center for Complexity and the Global Arts & Cultures department at the Rhode Island School of Design. It covers a wide range of discussion points around the current state of the planet looking at how planetary crises like climate change, war, social inequality and cultural erosion are all coming together to cause impacts larger than the sum of their parts and try to understand not just the impacts on those directly affected but also the emotional dysregulation people feel by seeing all these issues unfold in front of their own phone screens everyday. Making this a unique time for personhood as we see everything good, bad and ugly unfold before our eyes in real time.Jungle Publics : https://junglepublics.com/Instagram: @jungle.publicsPrateek Shankar Substack: https://substack.com/@prateekshankarInstagram: prateekshankar_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prateek-shankar/Valerie Navarrete: Substack: https://substack.com/profile/122074846-valerie-navarreteInstagram: valerie_navLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-navarrete-779071233/Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

The use of stats and throwing around numbers in conversation is incredibly common, yet statistics itself is poorly understood. Dr. Liza Bolton from  @universityofauckland discusses the dark art that is statistics. Using examples, she takes us through some misconceptions and dispels the notion that numbers don't lie. We cover how to identify the best ice cream store, how to not be fooled when stats are mischaracterized in media and politics, why we worship the nat 20 dice roll and is the 27 club for musicians a real thing?Dr. Bolton's website: https://www.lizabolton.com/Missing data in police warrant information: https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300938784/data-shows-ongoing-racial-bias-in-police-warrantless-searchesGang numbers: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/23-04-2024/have-gang-numbers-really-skyrocketed-in-recent-yearsSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Professor Tim Karl of Western Sydney University. He joined to give us a basic overview into the world of cannabinoids. He spoke about what happens in our brain when we use/abuse cannabis and all the different components the plant has. This podcast covers where research is in terms of the benefits of medical marijuana, some of the concerns which people need to be aware of and how the media often misrepresents findings in this space.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are common amongst those coming close to death and profoundly impact how they make sense of the world. Dr. Alex Fry of the University of Bournemouth draws on interviews with atheists who have had a NDE to explore whether death anxiety motivates attempts to make sense of the world and the extent to which the dominant belief systems in the UK shape their attempts to do so.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

As the term "international law" is brought up frequently in discourse these days we sat down with Professor Alberto Costi to get an introduction into international law and laws of armed conflict. We cover how international law works and how it is implemented? Who can be held accountable for breaches in international humanitarian law? Where do non-state actors fit in? The nuances within the Geneva Conventions and examples of past and present cases regarding genocide and why the current law is not always the best mechanism to prevent crimes against humanity. Prof. Costi specializes in the law of armed conflict, international criminal law, international human rights law, the law of international organizations and in comparative law and EU law. He is a member of the New Zealand International Humanitarian Law Committee, serves as the Secretary-General of the International Law Association New Zealand Branch and is the Vice-President of the New Zealand Association for Comparative Law. Prof Costi's Profile: https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/Alberto.CostiSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

On this episode, Dr. Christopher Maymon, Head of the Virtual Reality lab at Victoria University of Wellington delves into the captivating realm of VR and emotion research. Explore with us as we dissect groundbreaking studies and innovative experiments, uncovering the intricate interplay between VR experiences and human emotions. From  negative emotions like fear and disgust to the the more obscure positive emotions like awe. Dr. Maymon talks us through how VR is reshaping research and how it can be incorporated in treatments of phobiashttps://people.wgtn.ac.nz/christopher.maymonSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Associate Professor Gina Grimshaw leads the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab at Victoria University of Wellington. She joins to talk about emotions and her research on how emotional states affect cognitive processes like attention, language, and executive control. Gina also gives us an intro into multiple aspects of emotions such as the association of emotions with colors and why artificial intelligence is poor at detecting emotions. Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Mehmet Orhan, Associate Professor of Management and Organizational Behavior at EM Normandie Business School joined us to talk about authorship inequality, elite dominance, and the ethical and problematic issues of doing science and academic careers. It covers issues such as unequal opportunities and bias in journal publications and how this inequality of research output can influence societies. Dr. Orhan also talks about how the academic system is setup against young researchers through what he describes as "academic rackets."  Mehmet Orhan linkSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Hugh Turpin of Oxford University joins Feryl and Sahir on the podcast to share his work on  the decline of Catholicism in Ireland and the factors which have led to it. We also cover his current research with the Explaining Atheism project about understanding how Ireland, Northern Ireland and Poland, 3 regions with strong religious identities have seen steep declines in religious beliefs in recent years. We cover his book "Unholy Catholic Ireland: Religious Hypocrisy, Secular Morality, and Irish Irreligion" and discuss the history of religious identity in Ireland and what the future might hold.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

For the very first episode of our collaboration with Europe's Journal of Psychology, Rachael Loxton joins to discuss her research paper titled “Liberty Can Be for You One Thing, and for Me Something Different”: Muslim Women's Experiences of Identity and Belonging in Switzerland. This paper investigates how these concepts are experienced by Muslim women in Switzerland, a minority group targeted in the political campaign nicknamed the “burka ban.” We go through the key research questions, background and the main findings centered around: How do Muslim women construct their identity in Switzerland? How do Muslim women experience a sense of belonging in Switzerland?Link to the article: https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.10623Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Martin Lang is assistant professor at Masaryk University, Czech Republic. And is the Director of the Laboratory for the Experimental Research of Religion (LEVYNA). He joins us to talk us through how rituals form and the roles they have played in fostering cooperation. We discuss the benefits of rituals in reducing anxiety and his current work on why we are seeing a decline in certain rituals along with the rise of non-theism, particularly in nations with greater existential security.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Karaitiana Taiuru is a Māori technology ethicist specializing in Māori rights with Artificial intelligence, Māori Data Sovereignty and Governance with emerging digital technologies and biological sciences. He brings his extensive expertise in advocacy for digital Māori rights and data sovereignty and experience in roles including  Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor – Expert Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence. We discuss the issues facing indigenous communities with regards to current data systems, biases in artificial intelligence models, how to go about creating equitable systems of AI and what some of the future discussions policy makers need to be having.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Kate Witt, lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington, joins to discuss her research on Dopamine. Dopamine is an integral neurotransmitter, mainly associated with pleasure and motivation. Dr. Witt's work uses a genetically modified animal model to understand changes in behaviour focusing particularly on anhedonia (the inability to experience joy or pleasure), asociality (lack of social interactions) and avolition (lack of motivation).Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

For the first episode of our Explaining Atheism series, Dr. Sara Rahmani from the School of Social and Cultural Studies at Victoria University of Wellington joins us to talk about her project exploring Māori atheism. It explores the individual, sociocultural and historical processes contributing to Māori deconversion.https://www.explainingatheism.org/research-projects/explaining-mori-atheism-in-aotearoa-new-zealandSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Smooth Brain Society is collaborating with the Explaining  Atheism Project to bring you a brand new series focusing on non-religion.  Over the course of the series we will have multiple guests from across the world explaining the factors which lead to atheism or non-belief and how religion has changed over time. This introductory episode talks about the program, what its aims are and why such work is even needed? Feryl interviews the core team members Dr. Aiyana Willard and Dr. Connair Russell to take you through what the project is all about and what you can expect in the coming series. Youtube: @explainingatheism3541Instagram: @explainingatheismTwitter/X: @ExplainingAthe1Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Professor Kate Jeffery, Head of School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Glasgow. Discusses her work on our idea of place, space and navigation. We get an introduction to place cells which are the neurons in the brain which help us identify our location in space. We speak about how these were discovered how they work and where research on our understanding of place and direction is going.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Faye Skelton is the program lead for Applied Criminology and Forensic Psychology at the Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland. She joins us to talk about miscarriages of justice, factors involved in wrongful imprisonment, false confessions and memory issues which affect eye witness testimony. Lastly, Faye talks about how some of these can be fixed and tools which may help in future identification like police facial composites.Dr. Faye Skeltonhttps://www.napier.ac.uk/people/faye-skelton Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Some people are poorer at identifying faces. Dr. Tirta Susilo, Senior Lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington, talks about what prosopagnosia is, what research tells us about how we perceive faces and objects, and what about those who have super face recognition abilities?Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Andrew Lensen and Amer Hussain from the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Victoria University of Wellington come on the podcast to talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI). They cover how it works, the different types of AI, ethics around data protection and the shortfall in the current laws to protect people when it ultimately takes over. Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

It's election and rugby world cup time in Aotearoa New Zealand and Professor Marc Wilson and his team from Victoria University of Wellington are surveying the nation on aspects ranging from general well-being to politics in order to get a snapshot of the people of the country. Marc along with co-researcher Terise Broodryk join us to discuss the survey, some of the preliminary findings and how the nation has changed since Marc first started these surveys back in 2009. The original article advertising the survey is linked here.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Marina Wimmer, Associate Professor at Edinburgh Napier University calls in from Scotland to talk about the perception of ambiguous figures, "seeing" images without any stimulus and the development of false memories. She talks about her research with children on the development of cognitive processes underlying these phenomenaSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dan Zai Joseph, author of Backpack to Rucksack: Insight Into Leadership and Resilience From Military Experts, joins from the United States to speak about mental health among military personnel and veterans, the importance of understanding mental health as a leadership quality, steps to improve mental health, his research on jiujitsu as a mechanism for anxiety control and his upcoming books.  Dan's website: https://combatpsych.com/Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Multiple factors shape the complex relationships people have with their own culture and identity. This particularly affects indigenous communities the world over and has given rise to a wave of leaders working towards uplifting their communities into mainstream discourse. Rirwai Fox, Principal Kaupapa Māori Researcher, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and Ellie Rukuwai, PhD student focusing on the role of identity and culture in perfectionism and NSSI within rangatahi Māori (youth) join Sahir to talk about cultural embeddedness, the importance of community research and the unique challenges Māori and other indigenous people face in terms of identity, culture and navigating through the world. Māori Cultural Embeddedness has been defined as: The degree to which actions or behaviours of an individual are aligned with the core beliefs, practices and values of the Māori culture.Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Professor Paul Jose is a developmental, cross-cultural and political psychologist currently working at Victoria University of Wellington. He is the first psychologist to develop a thorough measurement of the concept of wokeness and joins us to define what wokeism is, where people in political discourse go wrong, why it is so polarizing and what are the results of his initial research on participants from USA and Aotearoa New Zealand.Apologies for the audio quality on this episode.  Our computer shut itself down so we had to use the back up file recorded on the voice recorder on Sahir's phone (blame him for not having a good phone). Incredible salvage job by our producer Alex. Support us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X: @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com