Podcasts about Leiden University

 Across Europe, far-right movements are gaining ground. By normalising nationalist rhetoric and challenging democratic institutions, these parties raise comparisons with former periods of fascism on the continent. Between 1943 and 1945, when Nazi forces occupied northern Italy, ordinary people in towns and villages across the country took up arms against fascism in one of Europe's largest resistance movements. Now, 80 years later, in many of these same towns, anti-fascist sentiment remains unusually strong. In this episode, we speak to political scientist Juan Masullo at Leiden University, who's been finding out about the enduring legacy of these partisan movements. This episode was hosted by Gemma Ware and written and produced by Mend Mariwany. Sound design and mixing by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the full credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.

1924年12月23日，一群商人在日内瓦碰头开会。这次会议改变了未来数十年内的电灯泡行业格局，因为他们组织起了历史上首个真正具有全球影响力的行业卡特尔，“太阳神垄断联盟”。关于这个联盟，如今被最广泛讨论的一点是：他们通过精心设计寿命相对较短的白炽灯泡，跑通了“计划性报废”的商业策略。这“启发”了很多后代企业，并逐渐演变成消费主义的一部分。相比之下，“太阳神垄断联盟”的其他工作、以及它所代表的卡特尔垄断模式，相关的讨论则太少。本期节目，我们希望从这个案例入手，正面地了解和辨析关于垄断体系运作中，常见的一些直觉性结论。| 主播 |肖文杰、约小亚| 时间轴 |02:50 电灯泡，一个充满卡特尔的市场09:28 超级卡特尔，Phoebus诞生12:01 Phoebus如何切分全球灯泡市场19:28 垄断一定会导致高价格吗？23:19 1000小时寿命目标，高难度倒车30:31 灯泡寿命是消费者最关注的指标吗？36:42 Phoebus的崩溃与遗产| 延伸资料 |Vol.102 欧佩克的成功，“锂佩克”很难复制Vol.204 小历史 | 1933，一家公司与纳粹签订契约BBC-Incandescent: The Phoebus CartelPlanet Money-Episode 902: The Phoebus Cartel《The Light Bulb Conspiracy》IEEE Spectrum-The Great Lightbulb ConspiracyPhoebus Cartel的组织架构图Stocking, George Ward, and Myron Webster Watkins. "Cartels in action: case studies in international business diplomacy." (1946).Reich, Leonard S., “General Electric and the World Cartelization of Electric Lamps,” in ed. Kudo, Akira and Hara, Terushi, International Cartels in Business History (Tokyo, 1993).Gaughen, P., "Structural Inefficiency in the Early Twentieth Century: Studies in the Aluminum and Incandescent Lamp Markets", Social Science 610 (1998): 36.Hidvegi, M. "The incandescent lamp cartel and economic nationalism." (2007).Schröter, Harm G. "Losers in power-plays? Small states and international cartelization (1919-1939)." The Journal of European Economic History 39.3 (2010): 527.Krajewski, Markus. "Fehler-Planungen: Zur Geschichte und Theorie der industriellen Obsoleszenz." TG Technikgeschichte 81.1 (2014): 91-114.Van Der Putten, Frans-Paul. "Corporate behaviour and political risk: Dutch companies in China, 1903-1941". Leiden University, 2001.Bouman, Pieter Jan. "Growth of an enterprise: the life of Anton Philips." (1970).《商业就是这样》鼓起勇气开设听友群啦。欢迎添加节目同名微信，加入听友群，一起讨论有意思的商业现象。微信号：thatisbiz为了营造更好的讨论环境，我们准备了两个小问题，请在添加微信后回答：1，你最喜欢《商业就是这样》的哪期节目？为什么？2，你希望听到《商业就是这样》聊哪个话题？期待与你交流！| 后期制作 |秋秋| 声音设计 |刘三菜| 收听方式 |你可以通过小宇宙、苹果播客、Spotify、喜马拉雅、网易云音乐、QQ 音乐、荔枝、豆瓣等平台收听节目。| 认识我们 |微信公众号：第一财经 YiMagazine联系我们：thatisbiz@yicai.com

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Ms. Meia Nouwens and Ms. Veerle Nouwens join us to discuss key takeaways from the recent 2025 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue. They start by discussing the significance of the dialogue as a high-level forum for discussion between governments on issues impacting Asian security and they highlight some of the major topics that countries repeatedly brought up throughout sessions, with cross-regional security, hybrid threats, and uncertainty in the international order as three of the most prominent. They unpack President Macron's speech, who, they note, is the first European leader who has ever been invited to provide keynote remarks at the dialogue, and describe the emphasis he laid on Europe becoming a more active player in the Indo-Pacific region. Meia and Veerle also discuss the attendance from China's side and point to the notable absence of Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun. They describe China's messaging this year as less focused on the United States and instead with a greater emphasis on China's relationships with regional partners. Similarly, they touch on the variety of current views of China they heard from regional countries during the dialogue, which ranged from viewing China as a cooperative partner, a challenger, and a competitor all to different extents. They describe U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth's remarks and note they believe he succeeded in providing some reassurance to allies and underscored his emphasis that the U.S. can work more with partners in the region through increased forward deployment of troops, cooperation on defense industrial capabilities, and greater interoperability. Finally, Meia and Veerle describe what they heard from countries as shared challenges in the region that transcend boundaries and emphasized the consensus among many for the US and China to find ways to cooperate with each other despite their disagreements.     Ms. Meia Nouwens is a Senior Fellow for Chinese Security and Defense Policy. Meia's expertise lies in Chinese cross-service defense analysis, China's defense industry and innovation, as well as China's regional strategic affairs and international relations. She leads IISS research on China's Digital Silk Road, and was a co-lead of the China Security Project with the Mercator Institute for China Studies. Prior to commencing at IISS, she worked for the European External Action Service as a policy officer in Taipei, and as a trade analyst in the EU's delegation to New Zealand. Meia holds a BA Hons in international relations and political science from Macquarie University, a master's in international relations and diplomacy from Leiden University in conjunction with the Clingendael Institute, and an MPhil in modern Chinese studies from the University of Oxford and Peking University.  Ms. Veerle Nouwens is the Executive Director for IISS–Asia. Veerle's expertise lies in Chinese foreign and defense policy, as well as the wider Indo-Pacific defense and security environment. She plays a key part in organizing the annual IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, provides intellectual direction for IISS research on the Asia-Pacific, and works to enhance the profile of IISS across the region and beyond. Prior to joining the IISS, Veerle worked as Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, where she established the Indo-Pacific Programme and focused on China and Indo-Pacific security, and as a policy officer in the political section of the European Union Delegation in Singapore. Veerle holds a BA Hons in international relations and political science from Macquarie University, a Master's in international relations and diplomacy from Leiden University in conjunction with the Clingendael Institute, an MPhil in modern Chinese studies from the University of Oxford and Peking University, and has attended a Mandarin semester programme at Tsinghua University. 

What can we tell about a society from the plates, bowls and cups it uses? In this programme Ruth Alexander learns about the history of pottery, from early earthenware to the porcelain discovered by ancient China, known as ‘white gold'. Professor of archaeology, Joanita Vroom from Leiden University in the Netherlands explains why every pot has a story to tell. Historian Professor Suzanne Marchand from Louisiana State University in the United States picks up the story of porcelain in the 18th century. Such was its value that it prompted numerous failed attempts, theft and even imprisonment of those who knew the secret recipe. Ruth visits the Wedgwood factory and museum collection in North Staffordshire in the English Midlands. V&A curator Kate Turner explains how the company's founder, Josiah Wedgwood, changed dinnerware tastes once again – catering to an emerging consumer class looking for affordable ways to decorate their home. Ruth tours the factory and meets Emma Glynn, Creative Director of Wedgwood to discuss the challenges in today's market. Produced by Beatrice Pickup (Image: a potter throwing a plate on a potter's wheel. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)

In the second episode of our two-parter on cyber threats we focus on cybercrime. David Backovsky talks to Rutger Leukfeldt, Professor of Governing Cybercrime at Leiden University and Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement. We discuss everything from hackers to criminal nexuses to hacktivists, ransomware and social engineering. How cyber criminals can differ wildly, ranging from organized groups with corporate structures who provide cybercrime as a service to opportunistic cyber “street gangs”. Tune in to find out more.

How half of the normal matter in the universe is finally confirmed to exist, not that most of us knew it wasn't. Also, why the next big collider should be muon-muon, and a spider that hangs out around underwater methane seeps.The universe is thought to consist of 70% Dark Energy, 25% Dark Matter, and just 5% Baryonic matter which is the atoms that make up you and me. At least, that's what the models suggest. But a well-kept secret between astronomers and cosmologists for all these years has been that they haven't actually ever seen almost half of that 5% normal matter because it is thinly dispersed as gas between the galaxies and galactic clusters. This week, two studies have been published putting that right.Satisfactory model-match #1: Liam Connor of Harvard University with colleagues from Caltech have been using a mysterious phenomenon called Fast Radio Bursts (FBRs) to infer what the intergalactic medium is in between, and how much of it there is. Satisfactory model-match #2: Konstanios Migkas of Leiden University and colleagues have been looking at the very faint x-ray signal from the intergalactic medium, removing the incidental x-ray sources such as black holes, and have managed to identify some structure - in this case a mind-bendingly huge filament of ionised gas stretching between two galactic superclusters - confirming the state of “Warm Hot Intergalactic Medium” (WHIM) as predicted for much of the universe.Of course, there is not just the cosmological standard model (lambdaCDM) that these satisfy in science today. There is also the remarkably resilient Standard Model of particle physics. A report this week from the US National Academies recommends the US begins building the world's next particle collider to follow the work of the LHC (and FCC) at Cern. It should, as University of Tennessee at Knoxville's Tova Holmes tells us, collide not ordinary, stable, easy to manipulate particles like protons and electrons, but muons. Finally, Shana Goffredi of Occidental College in California, has found a VERY odd spider. Diving to depths in the submersible Alvin, they have found that a species of small sea-spiders, Sericosura, actually farm bacteria on their exoskeleton. Why? Because they hang around methane seeps on the ocean floor, where a specialist bacteria can metabolize methane – something the spiders themselves can't do. Not only do the spiders then graze on the bacteria they carry around, they even pass samples of the bacteria onto their offspring by leaving bacterial lunch-boxes in their egg-sacs.Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield, with Sophie Ormiston Production Coordinator: Jasmine Cerys GeorgePhoto Credit: Jack Madden, IllustrisTNG, Ralf Konietzka, Liam Connor/CfA

We're joined by professor and author Sami Al Daghistani to explore the life and thought of Al-Ghazali, a prominent figure in Islamic intellectual history. We delve into Al-Ghazali's multifaceted contributions to Islamic law, philosophy, and theology, highlighting his major works, such as "The Revival of Religious Sciences" and "Deliverance from Error and the Beginning of Guidance." We examine his ethical system of economic thought, existential crises, and his impact on modern economic theory, ethics, and the philosophical landscape. The conversation also touches upon the relevance of Al-Ghazali's ideas in today's global economy and ethical contexts.01:00 Introduction01:28 Who Was Al-Ghazali?04:04 Al-Ghazali's Journey and Spiritual Crisis07:33 Al-Ghazali's Intellectual Contributions and Influence09:59 The Philosophical Environment of Al-Ghazali's Time15:12 Al-Ghazali's Ethical Economics and Pursuit of Happiness29:24 Al-Ghazali's Views on Wealth and Economic Engagement30:49 Active Engagement in Society and Wealth31:44 Critiques of Materialism and Balance32:56 Ethical Economics and Wealth Distribution35:04 Islamic Perspectives on Capitalism and Socialism39:02 Modern Islamic Economics and Finance43:24 Connections to Western Philosophers46:52 Historical Contributions and Misconceptions51:47 Relevance of Classical Thinkers Today01:00:09 Conclusion and Contact InformationSami Al Daghistani is Associate Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Islamic Studies at Lund University, Associate Faculty at the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, and Research Scholar at Columbia University's Middle East Institute. His research explores intersections of Islamic economics, ethics, law, and the environment through interdisciplinary and historical approaches. He is the author of The Making of Islamic Economic Thought (Cambridge, 2022) and Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī's Ethical Teachings (Anthem, 2021), among other works. Sami holds a PhD from Leiden University and previously held fellowships in Oslo and New York. Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna

Jess & Jamal discuss the recent developments of the Israeli attack on Iran. Professor William A. Schabas talks about the escalating pressure on the International Criminal Court to abandon its case against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity. President Trump recently issued an executive order sanctioning four of the judges presiding over the case. Schabas is a Professor of International Law at Middlesex University, London, as well as Professor Emeritus at Leiden University and the University of Galway.

Throughout the world, migration has become the issue on which elections are decided. Why? And what does that tell us about ourselves? With Hiroshi Motomura, Matthew Longo, Wafa Al Ali, Nanda Oudejans en Martijn Stronks.While the EU continually breaks human rights to stop migrants from reaching Europe, the US is plunging itself into a constitutional crisis over a wrongfully deported migrant that is now detained in a Salvadorian prison.Migration is such a loaded subject, that it is difficult to see what an ethical migration policy could and should actually look like. Tonight, we discuss migration and migration policy, national borders and nationalist politics, and the toxic stranglehold they have on each other.About the speakers:Hiroshi Motomura is world renowned migration scholar, working at the UCLA School of Law. In his new book Borders and belonging, he offers a nuanced take on the very complex issue of migration. Starting with the national border as a concept, Motomura asks fundamental questions about the root causes of migration and offers realistic proposals towards fair migration policy.Matthew Longo is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Leiden University, where he teaches political theory. His work focuses on problems of borders and migration, with a thematic interest in questions of sovereignty, authority and freedom. He wrote the award winning books The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain and The Politics of Borders: Sovereignty, Security, and the Citizen after 9/11.Nanda Oudejans is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Law and Director of the College of Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Amsterdam. Prior to joining the University of Amsterdam, she held academic positions at Utrecht University, VU Amsterdam, and Tilburg University. From 2012 to 2014, she served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Advisory Committee on Migration Affairs at the Ministry of Justice and Security in The Hague.Wafa Al Ali is a legal affairs journalist at the political desk of newspaper NRC, with a specific focus on asylum. For NRC, she also created the podcast series Generatie 9/11, about how Islamic and/or Arab youths experienced the aftermath of the attacks in the Netherlands. Al Ali chose journalism in 2020, after working in the NGO sector for several years.Martijn Stronks studied law and philosophy at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Cape Town University, South Africa. After his studies he became Editor-in-Chief of the migration law journal Migrantenrecht and its successor Asiel&Migrantenrecht. Between 1 september 2012 and 31 augustus 2016 he wrote a legal and philosophical dissertation on the role of time in European migration law. Since September 2016 he works at the Amsterdam Centre of Migration and Refugee Law (ACMRL) of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Since 2025 he is head of ACMRL.Programme editor and moderator: Veronica BaasIn collaboration with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam---Want to know more about Forum on European Culture? Here you can find more information.Zie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Few words carry such heavy connotations and are at the same time so prone to misunderstanding, as the word antisemitism. What do we talk about when we talk about antisemitism? British historian and author Mark Mazower discusses how the meaning of antisemitism has changed over time. In his latest book On Antisemitism: A Word in History, Mark Mazower traces the long history of antisemitism from its ancient origins to its many transformations in the modern world. The term was coined in the nineteenth century by Europeans who saw assimilating Jews as a threat to their ethnic-nationalist ideals. They combined age-old prejudices with racist pseudoscience, laying the groundwork for the horrors of Nazism and the Holocaust.Nowadays, the Israel-Palestine conflict has re-ignited debates in both Israel, European countries and the United States. The fight against extremists became intertwined with the question: when is criticism of Israel antisemitic? In De Balie, we dissect a loaded term.Mark Mazower (1958) is a professor of history at Columbia University in New York, specialised in modern Greece, 20th century Europe and international history. He is the author of award-winning best-sellers such as Dark Continent: Europe's 20th Century (1998), The Balkans (2000), and Hitler's Empire: Nazi Rule in Occupied Europe (2008). He also writes regularly for the Financial Times, The New York Times, and the New York Review of Books, among others.Nadia Bouras (1981) is associate professor and researcher at the Institute of History at Leiden University. She is also affiliated with the Netherlands Institute in Morocco (NIMAR), the center of expertise in Morocco studies at Leiden University. Bouras regularly appears as an expert in the media on current affairs in the field of integration and migration. Her latest publication, Een Klas Apart (2020), studied the history of the Arab School in Amsterdam-Zuid.Emile Schrijver (1962) is General Director of the Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam, which includes among others the Jewish Museum, the Portuguese Synagogue, the Holocaust memorial site Hollandsche Schouwburg and the National Holocaust Museum. Schrijver is also professor by special appointment of Jewish Book History at the University of Amsterdam's (UvA) Faculty of Humanities. In January 2025, he and Ruth Peeters published the book Ooggetuigen van het antisemitisme, a collection of eyewitness accounts of antisemitism, from the first centuries to the present.Programme editor: Larissa BiemondModerator: Yoeri Albrecht---Want to know more about Forum on European Culture? Here you can find more information.Zie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if your agentic AI could innovate autonomously—and still follow your business rules? Agility in the age of AI doesn't just mean speed. It means predictability, accountability, and the ability to innovate autonomously without businesses losing control of what is important, and what their customers value. Today we are here at PegaWorld 2025 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and we're going to talk about how enterprises are starting to move beyond prompt-based, freewheeling AI models and toward something more mature, governed, and scalable: Predictable AI Agents. And we'll explore what that means for the future of autonomous enterprise decisioning and innovation. To help me dig into this topic, I'd like to welcome Peter van der Putten, Director AI Lab and Lead Scientist at Pega. About Peter van der PuttenPeter van der Putten is assistant professor of AI, Leiden University and Director AI Lab at Pegasystems. Through his expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Peter helps leading brands to become more ‘human' by transforming into customer centric organizations. In addition to his role at Pegasystems, Peter is an assistant professor and creative researcher at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), Leiden University, The Netherlands.   Peter is particularly interested in how intelligence can evolve through learning, in man or machines. Peter has a MSc in Cognitive Artificial Intelligence from Utrecht University and a PhD in data mining from Leiden University, and combines academic research with applying these technologies in business. He teaches New Media New Technology and supervises MSc thesis projects.  RESOURCES Pega: https://www.pega.com https://www.pega.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Boston, August 11-14, 2025. Register now: https://bit.ly/etailboston and use code PARTNER20 for 20% off for retailers and brandsOnline Scrum Master Summit is happening June 17-19. This 3-day virtual event is open for registration. Visit www.osms25.com and get a 25% discount off Premium All-Access Passes with the code osms25agilebrandDon't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

What if your agentic AI could innovate autonomously—and still follow your business rules? Agility in the age of AI doesn't just mean speed. It means predictability, accountability, and the ability to innovate autonomously without businesses losing control of what is important, and what their customers value. Today we are here at PegaWorld 2025 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and we're going to talk about how enterprises are starting to move beyond prompt-based, freewheeling AI models and toward something more mature, governed, and scalable: Predictable AI Agents. And we'll explore what that means for the future of autonomous enterprise decisioning and innovation. To help me dig into this topic, I'd like to welcome Peter van der Putten, Director AI Lab and Lead Scientist at Pega. About Peter van der PuttenPeter van der Putten is assistant professor of AI, Leiden University and Director AI Lab at Pegasystems. Through his expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Peter helps leading brands to become more ‘human' by transforming into customer centric organizations. In addition to his role at Pegasystems, Peter is an assistant professor and creative researcher at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), Leiden University, The Netherlands.   Peter is particularly interested in how intelligence can evolve through learning, in man or machines. Peter has a MSc in Cognitive Artificial Intelligence from Utrecht University and a PhD in data mining from Leiden University, and combines academic research with applying these technologies in business. He teaches New Media New Technology and supervises MSc thesis projects.  RESOURCES Pega: https://www.pega.com https://www.pega.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Boston, August 11-14, 2025. Register now: https://bit.ly/etailboston and use code PARTNER20 for 20% off for retailers and brandsOnline Scrum Master Summit is happening June 17-19. This 3-day virtual event is open for registration. Visit www.osms25.com and get a 25% discount off Premium All-Access Passes with the code osms25agilebrandDon't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

ABOUT Pauline Kleingeld is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Groningen. Earlier she taught at Leiden University and at Washington University in St. Louis. She is the author of Kant and Cosmopolitanism (CUP 2012), Fortschritt und Vernunft: Zur Geschichtsphilosophie Kants (Königshausen und Neumann 1995) and numerous articles. Her academic interests are in ethics and political philosophy, with a special focus on Kant and Kantian theory. ABSTRACT In the first section of his Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (G1), Immanuel Kant claims to identify the supreme principle of morality. After famous discussions of the idea of a ‘good will', ‘acting from duty' and ‘respect', he concludes that the highest moral principle is the following: ‘I ought never to proceed except in such a way that I could also will that my maxim should become a universal law' (G 4:402). He claims that this principle implicitly governs ordinary moral practices and convictions. It is the ‘supreme' moral principle in that it is a meta-principle by means of which substantive Kantian moral principles — such as ‘help others in need' or ‘never lie' — can be derived. Because Kant's argument draws on moral convictions that are still widely shared, and because his conclusion articulates a paradigmatic position in moral theory, G1 has become one of the most renowned texts in the history of philosophy. The structure of Kant's argument towards the identification of the supreme principle, however, has long been the subject of debate. Three serious difficulties stand out in the literature, and they all concern the most important steps of his argument: (1) Kant presents his argument as consisting of three propositions and a conclusion, but he labels only the second and third propositions as such. He does not make explicit what he takes the first proposition to be. In recent decades at least a dozen candidates have been put forward in the literature (see Steigleder 2022). (2) Kant claims that the third proposition follows from the first and the second, but it is widely regarded unclear how it is supposed to follow. (3) Kant's final step to the formulation of the supreme principle is often said to be a jump over a gap, rather than a careful step that follows from the preceding argument. As a result, Kant's reasoning towards the supreme moral principle seems more like a series of assertions and fragmentary arguments rather than a single argumentative chain. In this paper, I argue that Kant's views on philosophical method shed new light on the structure and direction of his argument in G1. It has gone unnoticed that this argument consists of a chain of regressive inferences. I first explain the current positions in the literature regarding Kant's method in G1 (§2). I then turn to Kant's views on method (§3). Using his description of the so-called ‘analytic method', I reconstruct the argument of G1 as a regressive chain. I argue that this reconstruction suggests solutions to the three main difficulties diagnosed in the literature, although several unclarities remain (§4).

ABOUT Eric Schliesser is professor of Political Science, with a focus on Political Theory, at the University of Amsterdam. He was previously affiliated with Syracuse University, Leiden University, and Ghent University among others. Schliesser has published on early modern philosophy, philosophy of economics, the history of analytic philosophy, the history of feminism, and metaphilosophy. His publications include his monograph, Adam Smith: Systematic philosopher and Public Thinker (OUP, 2017). He has edited numerous volumes including (inter alia) Newton and empiricism. (OUP, with Zvi Biener, 2014); Sympathy, a History of a Concept (OUP, 2015); Ten Neglected Classics of philosophy (Oxford, 2017), Neglected Classics of Philosophy, Vol 2 (Oxford 2022), and a translation of Sophie de Grouchy's Letters on Sympathy (together with Sandrine Berges, Oxford 2019). He keeps a daily blog Digressionsnimpressions.

In a commencement speech in 2016, Atul Gawande told the crowd that science is a, "commitment to a systematic way of thinking, an allegiance to a way of building knowledge and explaining the universe through testing and factual observation." In the last ten years that understanding of science has become muddied for the public. Social media has helped fuel the rise of conspiracy theories built upon so-called alternative facts as people claiming to be experts spout anti-science ideas. Communicating scientific ideas was already difficult, but it's become even more difficult in this environment. Science communication is the focus of this episode of Stats and Stories, with guest Ionica Smeets. Ionica Smeets is, chair of the science communication and society research group at Leiden University. She's also chair of the board of The National Centre of Expertise on Science and Society of The Netherlands. Her research lies in the gap between experts and the public when it comes to science communication, with special interest in the problems that occur when those groups communicate and what scientists can do about those problems. Smeets is the author of a number of journal articles on this topic and engaged in science communication for the public when she worked on a Dutch TV show about math. She's also the co-creator of a children's book called Maths and Life.

Call it the real nuclear option for bringing Viktor Orbán's Hungary to heel — but also call it a risky thought experiment. Tom Theuns of Leiden University wants to empower the EU to sever ties with a rogue member state like Hungary, where Orbán has fashioned an autocracy and set about cultivating the EU's strategic rivals. Introducing an expulsion threat could push EU autocrats like Orbán to show more respect for rule of law and democracy, says Tom, while the current lack of any such mechanism has instead emboldened them. For now, Tom's ideas still are legally theoretical, not to mention politically delicate. In his new book, Protecting Democracy in Europe, Tom envisages democratic states each leaving the EU and then immediately re-founding the Union — an EU 2.0 — minus any autocratic states. More than two dozen countries would need to coordinate national consents in advance, using the same EU treaty article that Britain used in Brexit. But if all doesn't go to plan — think obdurate legislators, sudden calls for referendums, or a even French demand for more subsidies — the exercise could usher in the kind of political warfare that sinks the EU for good. Tom's goal is, above all, to end what he calls fatalistic and defeatist thinking — that the EU must remain stuck in perpetuity with Orbán's brand of kleptocratic illiberalism. "Supranational union with an autocratic state is a choice," insists Tom. "EU member states can also choose to disengage." In this episode Tom also reflects on what happened a quarter-century ago, when European authorities failed to block Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) from government, to elucidate a pattern of insufficient EU responses in the Hungarian context. Support the show

Trillions of icy bodies mark the edge of the solar system. They form a shell that extends one or two light-years from the Sun in every direction. A passing star may sometimes give some of them a nudge toward the Sun. When they get here, they become comets – visitors from the icy deep. That distant region is known as the Oort Cloud. It’s named for Dutch astronomer Jan Oort, who was born 125 years ago today. He proposed the existence of the cloud in 1950. And today, that’s his best-known accomplishment. Yet it’s far from his most important work. Early in his career, he confirmed that the Milky Way is a wide, flat, spinning disk. And he showed that, instead of inhabiting the center of the galaxy, the solar system is in the hinterlands – many thousands of light-years outside the heart. Oort spent most of his career at Leiden University in the Netherlands, including decades as director of Leiden Observatory. When Germany invaded the country, though, he left his post instead of working with the Nazis. When he returned, after World War II, he became a pioneer in the new field of radio astronomy. He mapped giant clouds of gas and dust throughout the galaxy. Their distribution provided even more proof of his picture of the Milky Way. Oort continued his research until shortly before his death, in 1992. Scientists have named quite a few things in his honor, including an asteroid – and the icy shell known as the Oort Cloud. Script by Damond Benningfield

What is BRICS, really — a loose coalition of emerging economies, or a growing challenge to Western-led global governance? In this episode, we take a deep dive into the origins, goals, and internal dynamics of BRICS, the group that brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa — and now a new wave of members. Why do such diverse countries come together under one banner? What does BRICS actually do, and how effective is it in turning ambition into action? We explore China's and Russia's strategic interests, the Global South's discontent with the current international system, and whether BRICS could offer a real alternative to institutions like the UN, G7, IMF, or World Bank. We also discuss recent developments — from the war in Ukraine to U.S. trade policy — and ask: Is BRICS moving toward a shared ideology? Can economic cooperation within the bloc grow? And how realistic is the idea of a BRICS currency — or the broader push toward de-dollarizing global trade? To unpack all this and more, we're joined by Ingrid D'Hooghe and Ksenia Radchenkova, offering insights on geopolitics, economics, and the shifting architecture of international power.Guests:Dr. Ingrid d'Hooghe is Senior Research Associate at the China Centre of the Clingendael Institute and Senior Research Fellow at the LeidenAsiaCentre, The Netherlands. Her areas of expertise include China's strategic thinking and policy making in areas such as international relations and diplomacy, global governance, and science and technology.D'Hooghe holds a Master's degree in Sinology from Leiden University, The Netherlands, and a PhD in political science from Antwerp University, Belgium. She started her career as a policy officer at the Dutch Embassy in Beijing in the period 1989 – 1991 and has since worked as a China researcher and lecturer at various universities and think tanks, and as an advisor to Dutch government organizations, the European Commission, and European research institutions. She also presents at top universities and think tanks around the globe, and at institutions such as the European External Action Service and NATO. She publishes in academic and popular journals and appears regularly in the media. Recent publications address European universities' S&T collaboration with China, and China's maritime activities in disputed areas in the South China Sea.Ksenia Radchenkova, BA. spec. M.Sc. Ph.D is a Post-Doctoral Researcher and Coordinator for Eastern European, Eurasian and Asian research and cooperation projects at the Section Global Governance at the Institute for the Foundations of Law of the University of Graz. She was awarded her Bachelor's and Specialist's degrees in Sinology and Chinese Economy from the Far Eastern State University in Vladivostok, Russia. She subsequently obtained her Master of Science degree in Technology Economy Management from Xiamen University, People's Republic of China. Following several years of professional experience in the field of international trade as an operations manager, Radchenkova returned to academic pursuits in Austria, where she successfully defended her PhD in Law and Politics, entitled "The Concept of Sovereignty in Political and Legal Discourse in Russia and China", at the University of Graz, Austria. Radchenkova's current position entails the integration of her business experience with her academic background, with the objective of enhancing the international connections of the University of Graz. She is also committed to the promotion of excellence in research within the domain of international relations and politics. Moderation:Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIP.The episode was recorded on 17 April 2025 with the support of The Austria Future Fund and the Conflict Peace Democracy Cluster of the Federal Ministry of the Republic of Austria - Education, Science and Research.

Could ketogenic therapy change the future of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) treatment?The CDC estimates that 1 in 36 children are affected by ASD but due to the wide variety of signs and symptoms associated, it's likely that this doesn't account for everyone impacted. And treatment options are scarce and vary in effectiveness.In this video, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with Dr. Eline Dekeyster, Assistant Professor at Leiden University and Head of the Lifestyle Brain Interaction research group, to explore how nutritional ketosis may support individuals with autism and other brain-based conditions.Dr. Dekeyster brings a rare blend of personal insight and scientific expertise. She opens up about her own experience with mood disorders and how ketosis helped shift her mental energy, leading her to dedicate her research to metabolic psychiatry.In this episode, you'll learn about:The early but promising evidence supporting ketogenic therapy in autism spectrum disorderThe metabolic and neurological mechanisms involvedA real-life case of a child with ASD whose symptoms improved on a ketogenic diet and the troubling response from the medical systemThe challenges and strategies around adherence to ketogenic interventions in neurodivergent populationsDr. Dekeyster's vision for a collaborative, individualized care model that includes dietary, medical, and emotional supportWhile more research is needed to fully understand the impact of nutritional therapies for autism spectrum disorder, ketogenic therapy may offer meaningful hope to individuals and families navigating the challenges of ASD today.Expert Featured:Dr. Eline Dekeysterhttps://www.instagram.com/lbi.research/CMEs Mentioned:Managing Major Mental Illness with Dietary Change: The New Science of Hopehttps://www.mycme.com/courses/managing-major-mental-illness-with-dietary-change-9616Brain Energy: The Metabolic Theory of Mental Illnesshttps://www.mycme.com/courses/brain-energy-the-metabolic-theory-of-mental-illness-9615Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/About us:Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Part two of the spring 2025 installment of Unearthed! features the potpourri category, plus drones/radar/lidar, books and letters, animals, edibles and potables, shipwrecks, swords (sort of) and cats. Research: Roque, Nika. “Maria Orosa, fellow World War II heroes laid to rest at San Agustin Church.” GMA Integrated News. 2/14/2025. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/936107/maria-orosa-fellow-world-war-ii-heroes-laid-to-rest-at-san-agustin-church/story/ Adam, David. “Does a new genetic analysis finally reveal the identity of Jack the Ripper?” Science. 3/15/2019. https://www.science.org/content/article/does-new-genetic-analysis-finally-reveal-identity-jack-ripper Jeffries, Ella. “These Everyday Artifacts Tell the Story of Harriet Tubman’s Father’s Home as Climate Change Threatens the Historic Site.” Smithsonian Magazine. 3/14/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-everyday-artifacts-tell-the-story-of-harriet-tubmans-fathers-home-as-climate-change-threatens-historic-site-as-climate-change-180986204/ The History Blog. “Lavish private baths found in Pompeii villa.” 1/18/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72199 Balmer, Crispian. “Rare frescoes unearthed in Pompeii shed light on ancient rituals.” Reuters. 2/26/2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rare-frescoes-unearthed-pompeii-shed-light-ancient-rituals-2025-02-26/ Lawler, Daniel. “How did this man's brain turn to glass? Scientists have a theory.” Phys.org. 2/27/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-brain-glass-scientists-theory.html The History Blog. “Footprints fleeing Bronze Age eruption of Vesuvius found.” 1/31/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72318 net. “Archaeologists Identify ‘Lost’ Anglo-Saxon Site Depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry.” 1/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/01/archaeologists-identify-lost-anglo-saxon-site-depicted-in-the-bayeux-tapestry/ Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Fragment of Epic Medieval Bayeux Tapestry Rediscovered in Germany.” Artnet. 3/5/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bayeux-tapestry-fragment-rediscovered-in-germany-2615620 Schrader, Adam. “Is There Graffiti of a Legendary Film Star Under the Lincoln Memorial?.” Artnet. 2/23/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/graffiti-of-a-legendary-film-star-under-the-lincoln-memorial-2611242 National Museums Northern Ireland. “Further research Suggests Remains Found in Bellaghy Likely to be Female.” https://www.nationalmuseumsni.org/news/ballymacombs-more-woman Boucher, Brian. “Who Owned This Fabulous Hoard of Viking Treasure? A New Translation Offers a Clue.” ArtNet. 2/21/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/galloway-hoard-communal-wealth-translated-inscription-2611850 Randall, Kayla. “Josephine Baker’s Memoir Is Now Being Published for the First Time in English.” Smithsonian. 3/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/josephine-baker-memoir-now-published-first-time-english-180985963/ Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Discover Intricately Decorated Tomb Belonging to a Doctor Who Treated Egyptian Pharaohs 4,100 Years Ago.” Smithsonian. 1/10/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-intricately-decorated-tomb-belonging-to-a-doctor-who-treated-egyptian-pharaohs-4100-years-ago-180985788/ University of Vienna. “Analysis of skull from Ephesos confirms it is not Cleopatra's sister.” 1/10/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-analysis-skull-ephesos-cleopatra-sister.html Weber, G.W., Šimková, P.G., Fernandes, D. et al. The cranium from the Octagon in Ephesos. Sci Rep 15, 943 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83870-x Ferguson, Donna. “Archaeologists discover 3,500 year-old tomb of ‘missing pharaoh’ in Egypt.” The Guardian. 1/19/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/19/first-new-pharaohs-tomb-to-be-found-in-over-a-century-discovered-in-egypt Ferguson, Donna. “‘You dream about such things’: Brit who discovered missing pharaoh’s tomb may have unearthed another.” The Guardian. 2/22/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/feb/22/you-dream-about-such-things-brit-who-discovered-missing-pharaohs-tomb-may-have-unearthed-another State Information Service. “New Discoveries illuminate the Legacy of Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple in Luxor.” 1/8/2025. https://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/204116/New-Discoveries-illuminate-the-Legacy-of-Queen-Hatshepsut%E2%80%99s-Temple-in-Luxor?lang=en-us Lynch, Cherise. “Penn Museum, Egyptian archaeologists discover tomb of unnamed pharaoh.” 3/27/2025. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/penn-museum-egypt-unnamed-pharaoh/4145053/ Melly, Brian. “The scent of the mummy. Research discovers ancient Egyptian remains smell nice.” Phys.org. 2/16/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-scent-mummy-ancient-egyptian-nice.html Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Suitcase Belonging to King Tut Tomb Explorer Sells for More Than 11 Times Its Estimate.” ArtNet. 2/28/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/howard-carter-suitcase-king-tut-2612417 Erb-Satullo, Nathaniel L. et al. “Mega-Fortresses in the South Caucasus: New Data from Southern Georgia.” Antiquity 99.403 (2025): 150–169. Web. Cranfield University. “Drone mapping unveils 3,000-year-old fortress, reshaping ancient history.” Phys.org. 1/8/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-drone-unveils-year-fortress-reshaping.html Randall, Ian. “Sprawling Lost City From 600 Years Ago Revealed.” 1/30/2025. https://www.newsweek.com/lost-city-mexico-guiengola-zapotec-forest-lidar-archaeology-2023494 Anderson, Sonja. “Researchers Have Found an Inca Tunnel Beneath the Peruvian City of Cusco.” Smithsonian. 1/21/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-found-an-inca-tunnel-beneath-the-Peruvian-city-of-cusco-180985872/ Politecnico di Milano. “Ground-penetrating radar reveals new secrets under Milan's Sforza Castle.” EurekAlert. 1/14/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1070514 Schrader, Adam. “Rare 19th-Century Painting by Beloved Black Artist Found in a Thrift Store.” Artnet. 1/6/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/william-henry-dorsey-thrift-store-painting-2595107 Kinsella, Eileen. “Unique 19th-Century Double-Sided Portrait by American Folk Art Icon Resurfaces.” Artnet. 1/6/2025. https://news.artnet.com/market/ammi-phillips-double-portrait-rediscovered-christies-2595027 Whiddington, Richard. “A Famed Painting of Venice’s Grand Canal Is Reattributed to a Precocious 16-Year-Old.” ArtNet. 3/11/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-grand-canal-painting-bellotto-wallace-collection-2618974 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Lavinia Fontana’s Lost Miniature Resurfaces at Texas Auction.” 1/20/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/miniature-portrait-lavinia-fontana-2599828 Wizevich, Eli. “Expert Rediscovers Painting by Renaissance Master Lavinia Fontana, One of the First Professional Female Artists.” Smithsonian. 3/26/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-rediscover-painting-by-renaissance-master-lavinia-fontana-one-of-the-first-professional-female-artists-180986307/ The Collector. “Digitization Reveals Cathedral’s Hidden Medieval Wall Paintings.” https://www.thecollector.com/digitization-reveals-hidden-medieval-wall-paintings/ The History Blog. “Hidden 13th c. murals of Angers Cathedral documented for the 1st time.” 1/14/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72156 Almeroth-Williams, Tom. “Islamic ‘altar tent’ discovery.” University of Cambridge. https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/islamic-altar-tent Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Van Gogh Museum Rules $50 Garage Sale Painting Is Not a $15 Million Masterpiece.” Artnet. 1/29/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/van-gogh-lmi-group-2602847 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “$50 Van Gogh? Experts Say No, Offering Alternative Attribution in Dramatic Art Dispute.” ArtNet. 2/3/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/van-gogh-lmi-henning-elimar-attribution-2604921 The History Blog. “Hellenistic era statue found in garbage bag.” 2/5/2025. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72363 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “18th-Century Drawing Rescued From a Dumpster Shatters Estimates at Auction.” Artnet. 3/14/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/how-did-this-18th-century-english-drawing-end-up-in-a-new-york-dumpster-2611654 “Police, art sleuth crack case of Brueghel stolen in Poland in 1974. 3/3/2025. https://www.rfi.fr/en/international-news/20250303-police-art-sleuth-crack-case-of-brueghel-stolen-in-poland-in-1974 Jeffries, Ella. “Eagle-Eyed Experts Say They’ve Solved the Mystery of a Missing Masterpiece—Half a Century After It Was Stolen.” Smithsonian. 3/5/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/eagle-eyed-experts-say-theyve-solved-the-mystery-of-a-missing-masterpiece-half-a-century-after-it-was-stolen-180986157/ Heritage UK. “Could This Mysterious Portrait Be Lady Jane Grey?” 3/7/2025. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/search-news/could-this-mysterious-portrait-be-lady-jane-grey/ Archaeology Magazine. “Ancient Greek Statues Smelled of Perfume.” https://archaeology.org/news/2025/03/17/ancient-greek-statues-smelled-of-perfume/ Kuta, Sarah. “Man Finds Rare Trove of Winnie-the-Pooh Drawings and Manuscripts in His Father’s Attic.” Smithsonian. 1/28/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/man-finds-rare-trove-of-winnie-the-pooh-drawings-and-manuscripts-in-his-fathers-attic-180985907/ Leiden University. “Keyhole surgery on old books leads to discovery of medieval fragments.” Phys.org. 1/13/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-keyhole-surgery-discovery-medieval-fragments.html Killgrove, Kristina. “Curse tablet found in Roman-era grave in France targets enemies by invoking Mars, the god of war.” 1/15/2025. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/curse-tablet-found-in-roman-era-grave-in-france-targets-enemies-by-invoking-mars-the-god-of-war Wells, Robert. “Ancient artifacts unearthed in Iraq shed light on hidden history of Mesopotamia.” EurekAlert. 1/14/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1070460 net. “Earliest Known Rune-Stone Discovered in Norway.” https://www.medievalists.net/2025/02/earliest-known-rune-stone-discovered-in-norway/ Archaeology Magazine. “Oldest Example of Writing in Northern Iberia.” 1/25/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/02/25/oldest-example-of-writing-in-northern-iberia/ Whiddington, Richard. “Century-Old Bottle Turns Up Behind a Historic Theater Stage—With a Sealed Note.” Artnet. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/century-old-bottle-discovered-in-kings-theatre-2615505 University of Oxford. “Researcher uncovers hidden copy of Shakespeare sonnet.” Phys.org. 3/3/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-uncovers-hidden-shakespeare-sonnet.html net. “Over 110,000 Medieval Manuscripts May Have Been Copied by Women.” https://www.medievalists.net/2025/03/110000-medieval-manuscripts-women/ Ommundsen, Å., Conti, A.K., Haaland, Ø.A. et al. How many medieval and early modern manuscripts were copied by female scribes? A bibliometric analysis based on colophons. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 346 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04666-6 Pacillo, Lara. “Paleolithic ingenuity: 13,000-year-old 3D map discovered in France.” Phys.org. 1/14/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-paleolithic-ingenuity-year-3d-france.html Oster, Sandee. “Archaeologists reveal 8,000-year-old bone powder cooking practice in ancient China.” Phys.org. 1/15/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-archaeologists-reveal-year-bone-powder.html “Dried plants 19th-century Australian colonial institution indicate secret, illicit snacking among residents.” Phys.org. 1/21/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-dried-19th-century-australian-colonial.html Connor, Kimberley. “History under the floorboards: Decoding the diets of institutionalized women in 19th century Sydney.” Phys.org. 1/22/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-history-floorboards-decoding-diets-institutionalized.html#google_vignette The History Blog. “Earliest distilled liquor in China found in owl vessel.” 1/22/2025. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72239 Naiden, Alena. “An ancient Dene cache discovered at JBER highlights Anchorage’s Indigenous history.” Alaska Public Radio. 1/22/2025. https://alaskapublic.org/news/alaska-desk/2025-01-22/an-ancient-dene-cache-discovered-at-jber-highlights-anchorages-indigenous-history Kuta, Sarah. “This 1,600-Year-Old Filter Helped Ancient Drinkers Sip Beverages Through a Straw.” Smithsonian. 1/20/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-1600-year-old-filter-helped-ancient-drinkers-sip-beverages-through-a-straw-180986073/ Archaeology Magazine. “Study Finds Evidence of Early Alcoholic Drinks in Brazil.” 2/18/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/02/18/study-finds-evidence-of-early-alcoholic-drinks-in-brazil/ University of York. “The early roots of Carnival? Research reveals evidence of seasonal celebrations in pre-colonial Brazil.” 5/2/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-early-roots-carnival-reveals-evidence.html net. “Medieval Birds of Prey Feasted on Human Waste, Study Finds.” https://www.medievalists.net/2025/01/medieval-birds-of-prey-feasted-on-human-waste-study-finds/ Autonomous University of Barcelona. “Iberian Neolithic herders were already strategically managing cattle herds 6,000 years ago.” 2/3/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-iberian-neolithic-herders-strategically-cattle.html Kuta, Sarah. “Mammoth Bones Used to Build Mysterious 25,000-Year-Old Site in Russia Came From Different Herds.” 2/3/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mammoth-bones-used-to-build-mysterious-25000-year-old-site-in-russia-came-from-different-herds-180985977/ Vrak Museum of Wrecks. “Oldest Carvel-built Ship from the Nordic Countries Discovered.” 2/21/2025. https://www.vrak.se/en/news/oldest-carvel-built-ship-in-nordics-found/ Archaeology Magazine. “Brazilian Ship Struck by WWII U-Boat Located.” 2/19/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/02/19/brazilian-ship-sunk-by-wwii-u-boat-located/ Kuta, Sarah. “Warship Sunk by the Nazis During World War II Located Off the Coast of Brazil.” Smithsonian. 2/5/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/warship-sunk-by-the-nazis-during-world-war-ii-located-off-the-coast-of-brazil-180985996/ Richmond, Todd. “Explorers discover wreckage of cargo ship that sank in Lake Superior storm more than 130 years ago.” Phys.org. 3/11/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-explorers-wreckage-cargo-ship-sank.html Wizevich, Eli. “Metal Detectorists Stumble Upon a Rare 2,000-Year-Old Roman Sword in Poland.” Smithsonian. 2/25/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/metal-detectorists-stumble-upon-a-rare-2000-year-old-roman-sword-in-poland-180986101/ Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Unearth Early Medieval Sword Engraved With Mysterious Runes in a Cemetery in England.” Smithsonian. 1/6/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-early-medieval-sword-engraved-with-mysterious-runes-in-a-cemetery-in-england-180985768/ The History Blog. “Rare two-handed medieval sword, axes found in Poland.” 2/21/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72486 The History Blog. “1,000-year-old scabbard fitting found in Poland.” 3/26/2025. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72759 Pare, Sascha. “Pet cats arrived in China via the Silk Road 1,400 years ago, ancient DNA study finds.” LiveScience. 3/9/2025. https://www.livescience.com/animals/domestic-cats/pet-cats-arrived-in-china-via-the-silk-road-1-400-years-ago-ancient-dna-study-finds Kuta, Sarah. “Staffers Find a Japanese Hand Grenade From World War II at a Museum in Kentucky.” Smithsonian. 1/27/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/staffers-find-a-japanese-hand-grenade-from-world-war-ii-at-a-museum-in-kentucky-180985885/ Dimacali, Timothy James. “Ancient seafarers in Southeast Asia may have built advanced boats 40,000 years ago.” Phys.org. 2/21/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-ancient-seafarers-southeast-asia-built.htm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first part of our springtime edition of Unearthed! for 2025 features so many updates! There are also finds related to Egypt and artwork. Research: Roque, Nika. “Maria Orosa, fellow World War II heroes laid to rest at San Agustin Church.” GMA Integrated News. 2/14/2025. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/936107/maria-orosa-fellow-world-war-ii-heroes-laid-to-rest-at-san-agustin-church/story/ Adam, David. “Does a new genetic analysis finally reveal the identity of Jack the Ripper?” Science. 3/15/2019. https://www.science.org/content/article/does-new-genetic-analysis-finally-reveal-identity-jack-ripper Jeffries, Ella. “These Everyday Artifacts Tell the Story of Harriet Tubman’s Father’s Home as Climate Change Threatens the Historic Site.” Smithsonian Magazine. 3/14/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-everyday-artifacts-tell-the-story-of-harriet-tubmans-fathers-home-as-climate-change-threatens-historic-site-as-climate-change-180986204/ The History Blog. “Lavish private baths found in Pompeii villa.” 1/18/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72199 Balmer, Crispian. “Rare frescoes unearthed in Pompeii shed light on ancient rituals.” Reuters. 2/26/2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rare-frescoes-unearthed-pompeii-shed-light-ancient-rituals-2025-02-26/ Lawler, Daniel. “How did this man's brain turn to glass? Scientists have a theory.” Phys.org. 2/27/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-brain-glass-scientists-theory.html The History Blog. “Footprints fleeing Bronze Age eruption of Vesuvius found.” 1/31/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72318 net. “Archaeologists Identify ‘Lost’ Anglo-Saxon Site Depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry.” 1/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/01/archaeologists-identify-lost-anglo-saxon-site-depicted-in-the-bayeux-tapestry/ Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Fragment of Epic Medieval Bayeux Tapestry Rediscovered in Germany.” Artnet. 3/5/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bayeux-tapestry-fragment-rediscovered-in-germany-2615620 Schrader, Adam. “Is There Graffiti of a Legendary Film Star Under the Lincoln Memorial?.” Artnet. 2/23/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/graffiti-of-a-legendary-film-star-under-the-lincoln-memorial-2611242 National Museums Northern Ireland. “Further research Suggests Remains Found in Bellaghy Likely to be Female.” https://www.nationalmuseumsni.org/news/ballymacombs-more-woman Boucher, Brian. “Who Owned This Fabulous Hoard of Viking Treasure? A New Translation Offers a Clue.” ArtNet. 2/21/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/galloway-hoard-communal-wealth-translated-inscription-2611850 Randall, Kayla. “Josephine Baker’s Memoir Is Now Being Published for the First Time in English.” Smithsonian. 3/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/josephine-baker-memoir-now-published-first-time-english-180985963/ Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Discover Intricately Decorated Tomb Belonging to a Doctor Who Treated Egyptian Pharaohs 4,100 Years Ago.” Smithsonian. 1/10/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-intricately-decorated-tomb-belonging-to-a-doctor-who-treated-egyptian-pharaohs-4100-years-ago-180985788/ University of Vienna. “Analysis of skull from Ephesos confirms it is not Cleopatra's sister.” 1/10/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-analysis-skull-ephesos-cleopatra-sister.html Weber, G.W., Šimková, P.G., Fernandes, D. et al. The cranium from the Octagon in Ephesos. Sci Rep 15, 943 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83870-x Ferguson, Donna. “Archaeologists discover 3,500 year-old tomb of ‘missing pharaoh’ in Egypt.” The Guardian. 1/19/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/19/first-new-pharaohs-tomb-to-be-found-in-over-a-century-discovered-in-egypt Ferguson, Donna. “‘You dream about such things’: Brit who discovered missing pharaoh’s tomb may have unearthed another.” The Guardian. 2/22/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/feb/22/you-dream-about-such-things-brit-who-discovered-missing-pharaohs-tomb-may-have-unearthed-another State Information Service. “New Discoveries illuminate the Legacy of Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple in Luxor.” 1/8/2025. https://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/204116/New-Discoveries-illuminate-the-Legacy-of-Queen-Hatshepsut%E2%80%99s-Temple-in-Luxor?lang=en-us Lynch, Cherise. “Penn Museum, Egyptian archaeologists discover tomb of unnamed pharaoh.” 3/27/2025. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/penn-museum-egypt-unnamed-pharaoh/4145053/ Melly, Brian. “The scent of the mummy. Research discovers ancient Egyptian remains smell nice.” Phys.org. 2/16/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-scent-mummy-ancient-egyptian-nice.html Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Suitcase Belonging to King Tut Tomb Explorer Sells for More Than 11 Times Its Estimate.” ArtNet. 2/28/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/howard-carter-suitcase-king-tut-2612417 Erb-Satullo, Nathaniel L. et al. “Mega-Fortresses in the South Caucasus: New Data from Southern Georgia.” Antiquity 99.403 (2025): 150–169. Web. Cranfield University. “Drone mapping unveils 3,000-year-old fortress, reshaping ancient history.” Phys.org. 1/8/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-drone-unveils-year-fortress-reshaping.html Randall, Ian. “Sprawling Lost City From 600 Years Ago Revealed.” 1/30/2025. https://www.newsweek.com/lost-city-mexico-guiengola-zapotec-forest-lidar-archaeology-2023494 Anderson, Sonja. “Researchers Have Found an Inca Tunnel Beneath the Peruvian City of Cusco.” Smithsonian. 1/21/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-found-an-inca-tunnel-beneath-the-Peruvian-city-of-cusco-180985872/ Politecnico di Milano. “Ground-penetrating radar reveals new secrets under Milan's Sforza Castle.” EurekAlert. 1/14/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1070514 Schrader, Adam. “Rare 19th-Century Painting by Beloved Black Artist Found in a Thrift Store.” Artnet. 1/6/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/william-henry-dorsey-thrift-store-painting-2595107 Kinsella, Eileen. “Unique 19th-Century Double-Sided Portrait by American Folk Art Icon Resurfaces.” Artnet. 1/6/2025. https://news.artnet.com/market/ammi-phillips-double-portrait-rediscovered-christies-2595027 Whiddington, Richard. “A Famed Painting of Venice’s Grand Canal Is Reattributed to a Precocious 16-Year-Old.” ArtNet. 3/11/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-grand-canal-painting-bellotto-wallace-collection-2618974 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Lavinia Fontana’s Lost Miniature Resurfaces at Texas Auction.” 1/20/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/miniature-portrait-lavinia-fontana-2599828 Wizevich, Eli. “Expert Rediscovers Painting by Renaissance Master Lavinia Fontana, One of the First Professional Female Artists.” Smithsonian. 3/26/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-rediscover-painting-by-renaissance-master-lavinia-fontana-one-of-the-first-professional-female-artists-180986307/ The Collector. “Digitization Reveals Cathedral’s Hidden Medieval Wall Paintings.” https://www.thecollector.com/digitization-reveals-hidden-medieval-wall-paintings/ The History Blog. “Hidden 13th c. murals of Angers Cathedral documented for the 1st time.” 1/14/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72156 Almeroth-Williams, Tom. “Islamic ‘altar tent’ discovery.” University of Cambridge. https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/islamic-altar-tent Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Van Gogh Museum Rules $50 Garage Sale Painting Is Not a $15 Million Masterpiece.” Artnet. 1/29/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/van-gogh-lmi-group-2602847 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “$50 Van Gogh? Experts Say No, Offering Alternative Attribution in Dramatic Art Dispute.” ArtNet. 2/3/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/van-gogh-lmi-henning-elimar-attribution-2604921 The History Blog. “Hellenistic era statue found in garbage bag.” 2/5/2025. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72363 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “18th-Century Drawing Rescued From a Dumpster Shatters Estimates at Auction.” Artnet. 3/14/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/how-did-this-18th-century-english-drawing-end-up-in-a-new-york-dumpster-2611654 “Police, art sleuth crack case of Brueghel stolen in Poland in 1974. 3/3/2025. https://www.rfi.fr/en/international-news/20250303-police-art-sleuth-crack-case-of-brueghel-stolen-in-poland-in-1974 Jeffries, Ella. “Eagle-Eyed Experts Say They’ve Solved the Mystery of a Missing Masterpiece—Half a Century After It Was Stolen.” Smithsonian. 3/5/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/eagle-eyed-experts-say-theyve-solved-the-mystery-of-a-missing-masterpiece-half-a-century-after-it-was-stolen-180986157/ Heritage UK. “Could This Mysterious Portrait Be Lady Jane Grey?” 3/7/2025. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/search-news/could-this-mysterious-portrait-be-lady-jane-grey/ Archaeology Magazine. “Ancient Greek Statues Smelled of Perfume.” https://archaeology.org/news/2025/03/17/ancient-greek-statues-smelled-of-perfume/ Kuta, Sarah. “Man Finds Rare Trove of Winnie-the-Pooh Drawings and Manuscripts in His Father’s Attic.” Smithsonian. 1/28/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/man-finds-rare-trove-of-winnie-the-pooh-drawings-and-manuscripts-in-his-fathers-attic-180985907/ Leiden University. “Keyhole surgery on old books leads to discovery of medieval fragments.” Phys.org. 1/13/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-keyhole-surgery-discovery-medieval-fragments.html Killgrove, Kristina. “Curse tablet found in Roman-era grave in France targets enemies by invoking Mars, the god of war.” 1/15/2025. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/curse-tablet-found-in-roman-era-grave-in-france-targets-enemies-by-invoking-mars-the-god-of-war Wells, Robert. “Ancient artifacts unearthed in Iraq shed light on hidden history of Mesopotamia.” EurekAlert. 1/14/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1070460 net. “Earliest Known Rune-Stone Discovered in Norway.” https://www.medievalists.net/2025/02/earliest-known-rune-stone-discovered-in-norway/ Archaeology Magazine. “Oldest Example of Writing in Northern Iberia.” 1/25/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/02/25/oldest-example-of-writing-in-northern-iberia/ Whiddington, Richard. “Century-Old Bottle Turns Up Behind a Historic Theater Stage—With a Sealed Note.” Artnet. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/century-old-bottle-discovered-in-kings-theatre-2615505 University of Oxford. “Researcher uncovers hidden copy of Shakespeare sonnet.” Phys.org. 3/3/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-uncovers-hidden-shakespeare-sonnet.html net. “Over 110,000 Medieval Manuscripts May Have Been Copied by Women.” https://www.medievalists.net/2025/03/110000-medieval-manuscripts-women/ Ommundsen, Å., Conti, A.K., Haaland, Ø.A. et al. How many medieval and early modern manuscripts were copied by female scribes? A bibliometric analysis based on colophons. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 346 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04666-6 Pacillo, Lara. “Paleolithic ingenuity: 13,000-year-old 3D map discovered in France.” Phys.org. 1/14/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-paleolithic-ingenuity-year-3d-france.html Oster, Sandee. “Archaeologists reveal 8,000-year-old bone powder cooking practice in ancient China.” Phys.org. 1/15/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-archaeologists-reveal-year-bone-powder.html “Dried plants 19th-century Australian colonial institution indicate secret, illicit snacking among residents.” Phys.org. 1/21/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-dried-19th-century-australian-colonial.html Connor, Kimberley. “History under the floorboards: Decoding the diets of institutionalized women in 19th century Sydney.” Phys.org. 1/22/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-history-floorboards-decoding-diets-institutionalized.html#google_vignette The History Blog. “Earliest distilled liquor in China found in owl vessel.” 1/22/2025. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72239 Naiden, Alena. “An ancient Dene cache discovered at JBER highlights Anchorage’s Indigenous history.” Alaska Public Radio. 1/22/2025. https://alaskapublic.org/news/alaska-desk/2025-01-22/an-ancient-dene-cache-discovered-at-jber-highlights-anchorages-indigenous-history Kuta, Sarah. “This 1,600-Year-Old Filter Helped Ancient Drinkers Sip Beverages Through a Straw.” Smithsonian. 1/20/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-1600-year-old-filter-helped-ancient-drinkers-sip-beverages-through-a-straw-180986073/ Archaeology Magazine. “Study Finds Evidence of Early Alcoholic Drinks in Brazil.” 2/18/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/02/18/study-finds-evidence-of-early-alcoholic-drinks-in-brazil/ University of York. “The early roots of Carnival? Research reveals evidence of seasonal celebrations in pre-colonial Brazil.” 5/2/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-early-roots-carnival-reveals-evidence.html net. “Medieval Birds of Prey Feasted on Human Waste, Study Finds.” https://www.medievalists.net/2025/01/medieval-birds-of-prey-feasted-on-human-waste-study-finds/ Autonomous University of Barcelona. “Iberian Neolithic herders were already strategically managing cattle herds 6,000 years ago.” 2/3/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-iberian-neolithic-herders-strategically-cattle.html Kuta, Sarah. “Mammoth Bones Used to Build Mysterious 25,000-Year-Old Site in Russia Came From Different Herds.” 2/3/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mammoth-bones-used-to-build-mysterious-25000-year-old-site-in-russia-came-from-different-herds-180985977/ Vrak Museum of Wrecks. “Oldest Carvel-built Ship from the Nordic Countries Discovered.” 2/21/2025. https://www.vrak.se/en/news/oldest-carvel-built-ship-in-nordics-found/ Archaeology Magazine. “Brazilian Ship Struck by WWII U-Boat Located.” 2/19/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/02/19/brazilian-ship-sunk-by-wwii-u-boat-located/ Kuta, Sarah. “Warship Sunk by the Nazis During World War II Located Off the Coast of Brazil.” Smithsonian. 2/5/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/warship-sunk-by-the-nazis-during-world-war-ii-located-off-the-coast-of-brazil-180985996/ Richmond, Todd. “Explorers discover wreckage of cargo ship that sank in Lake Superior storm more than 130 years ago.” Phys.org. 3/11/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-explorers-wreckage-cargo-ship-sank.html Wizevich, Eli. “Metal Detectorists Stumble Upon a Rare 2,000-Year-Old Roman Sword in Poland.” Smithsonian. 2/25/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/metal-detectorists-stumble-upon-a-rare-2000-year-old-roman-sword-in-poland-180986101/ Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Unearth Early Medieval Sword Engraved With Mysterious Runes in a Cemetery in England.” Smithsonian. 1/6/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-early-medieval-sword-engraved-with-mysterious-runes-in-a-cemetery-in-england-180985768/ The History Blog. “Rare two-handed medieval sword, axes found in Poland.” 2/21/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72486 The History Blog. “1,000-year-old scabbard fitting found in Poland.” 3/26/2025. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72759 Pare, Sascha. “Pet cats arrived in China via the Silk Road 1,400 years ago, ancient DNA study finds.” LiveScience. 3/9/2025. https://www.livescience.com/animals/domestic-cats/pet-cats-arrived-in-china-via-the-silk-road-1-400-years-ago-ancient-dna-study-finds Kuta, Sarah. “Staffers Find a Japanese Hand Grenade From World War II at a Museum in Kentucky.” Smithsonian. 1/27/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/staffers-find-a-japanese-hand-grenade-from-world-war-ii-at-a-museum-in-kentucky-180985885/ Dimacali, Timothy James. “Ancient seafarers in Southeast Asia may have built advanced boats 40,000 years ago.” Phys.org. 2/21/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-ancient-seafarers-southeast-asia-built.htm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to the Unlearn podcast! Today, we're exploring neuroscience with Dr. Marcia Goddard, a top neuroscientist and high-performance expert. As the founder of Brain Matters, a LinkedIn Top Voice, TEDx speaker, and a Neuroscientist. She's known for making science practical for business success. Her work with Formula 1, where she studied behavior and culture within teams to develop comprehensive strategies that enhance performance, along with her contributions to Leiden University, and The Contentment Foundation has helped leaders and teams boost performance and teamwork. She is also the Board Advisory Member of Equalture. Tune in for an insightful talk on unlocking human abilities and building creative workplace cultures!She is a respected neuroscientist who is dedicated to guiding young professionals and bringing fresh ideas into different industries. Dr. Marcia's work is a valuable resource for anyone aiming to make a big impact in technology and business.Dr. Marcia Goddard, a neuroscience expert with over 10+ years of experience, applies brain science to boost workplace performance and culture. She has consulted with high-performance teams, including Formula 1 and Fortune 500 companies, optimizing team dynamics. Her thought leadership focuses on psychological safety and inclusion, guiding organizations toward innovation and growth.Key Takeaways:Expanding Globally: Dr. Marcia Goddard's strategies for international growth. Overcoming Challenges: Solutions for fast-changing industries. Adapting to Change: Stay flexible, ditch outdated methods. Personal Experience: Dr. Goddard's lessons in action.Additional Insights:Effective Strategies: Dr. Marcia Goddard on reshaping industries. Thriving in Growth: Tips for fast-expanding businesses. Experience to Innovation: Dr. Goddard's journey to better solutions.Get ready for an enlightening conversation with Dr. Marcia Goddard on infusing new ideas into business strategies and fostering a culture of innovation and growth.Episode Highlights: [00:36] - Episode Precap"Welcome back to the Unlearn podcast, where we challenge conventional thinking to unlock high performance and breakthrough innovation."[01:17] - Guest Introduction: Dr. Marcia Goddard“I'm joined by Dr. Marcia Goddard, a neuroscientist, author, and keynote speaker specializing in applying brain science to workplace performance and culture.”[02:30] - Navigating Introversion, Networking Opportunities, and Career Growth"My career was once a series of what I called coincidences, but I no longer believe they were."[06:46] - Unlearning Misconceptions in Neuroscience"There are two answers to that. My favorite quote is, 'If the brain were simple enough for us to understand, we would be too simple to understand it.”[10:26] - Practical Tips for High-Performance"It's a good question, especially in individual coaching. I think that's what it's related to."[12:40] - The...

We often do not realize that deep down economics is a battleground of competing anthropologies: implicit or explicit theories of human nature, selfhood and subjectivity, quiet beliefs about how we understand ourselves and our place in the world. In this podcast we bring together researchers from different disciplines that study economic phenomena, systems, agency and behavior, ranging from historians and political philosophers to economic anthropologists and development economists, to scrutinize the protagonist of their discipline: who is the Real Homo Economicus? What kinds of creature are they? What drives their choices and behavior? Are we still talking about the same creature? To get the conversation started we use an experimental method: the Mythlab method. We use stories as a probe into economic thinking and quiet beliefs about the underlying anthropologies. In each episode we give our guest a story and see how they respond to it, and explore assumptions and associations in a playful way. In this third episode we interpret a story about a mythical king who cuts a sacred tree and gets punished with insatiable hunger. The more he eats, the hungrier the king gets. The king turns to devouring his cattle, his estate, everything dear to him—until he ends up eating himself. What does this story mean? What does this story tell us about human nature? I try to make sense of the story with Erik Bähre. Dr. Erik Bähre is an economic anthropologist. He is associate professor at Leiden University with fieldwork experience in South Africa and Brazil. He works among others on money, finance, violence, solidarity, and personhood (https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/erik-bahre#tab-1). Hosted by Dr. Tazuko van Berkel [https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/tazuko-van-berkel#tab-1] and Connor McMullen. Edited and mixed by Connor McMullen. Mythlab team: Dr. Erik Bähre, Dr. Aiste Celkyte, Prof. dr. Lisa Herzog, Connor McMullen, Dr. Sara Polak The Mythlab-project is funded by the Dutch Young Academy. The Dutch Young Academy (https://www.dejongeakademie.nl/en/default.aspx) is a platform of fifty inspired academics who conduct research, advise, share knowledge and bring people together, and who do all this while taking a special interest in young scientists and scholars. .player5167 .plyr__controls, .player5167 .StampAudioPlayerSkin{ border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; } .player5167{ margin: 0 auto; } .player5167 .plyr__controls .plyr__controls { border-radius: none; overflow: visible; } .skin_default .player5167 .plyr__controls { overflow: visible; } Your browser does not support the audio element.   References: The Myth of Erysichthon has come down to us via Callimachus' Hymn to Demeter (3rd century BCE) and Ovid's Metamorphoses (8 AD) (https://www.theoi.com/Heros/Erysikhthon.html).  

On this episode, rural sociologist Dr. Irna Hofman explores how Tajikistan's cotton fields illuminate shifting power dynamics in Central Asia, historically and in the present. She discusses how the Soviet Union once showcased cotton production to visiting delegations—particularly from Muslim-majority countries—as evidence of its development model. Now, as global powers, including Russia, China, and the EU, vie for influence in the region, cotton has again become a strategic commodity—used to forge political ties, secure resources, and drive infrastructure projects. Hofman highlights local communities' active role in shaping these developments, emphasizing that rural landscapes are not simply backdrops for a “New Great Game,” but sites where broader geopolitical forces and grassroots agency intersect. Through her long-term fieldwork, she illustrates how Tajik farmers navigate and negotiate these overlapping external interests, and in doing so, reframe Central Asia's future amidst geopolitical tensions. Dr. Hofman specializes in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2012. She completed post-doctoral research at Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies as part of an ERC-funded project "China, law and development." In 2019, she obtained her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands with a dissertation focused on the political economy of agrarian transformation in Tajikistan: "Cotton, control, and continuity in disguise: The political economy of agrarian transformation in lowland Tajikistan." Her research interests span political economy, political ecology, and political sociology. In recent years, she has focused on rural labour, gender, and commodity politics. Dr. Hofman is completing a monograph based on her dissertation and post-doctoral research projects. Her research agenda for the coming years centers on the rural everyday of geopolitics, focusing on China's growing assertiveness in the global agrifood regime, shifting geographies of production, and rural labour. Dr Irna Hofman | School of Geography and the Environment | University of Oxford @irnahofman Resources: Hofman, I. (2024) Seeds of empire or seeds of friendship? The politics of the diffusion of Chinese crop seeds in Tajikistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 24(2): e12581. Hofman, I. (2022) Tajikistan. The people's map of global China Hofman, I. (2021) Migration, crop diversification, and adverse incorporation: Understanding the repertoire of contention in rural Tajikistan. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 42(4): 499-518. Hofman, I. (2021). Chinese cotton diplomacy in Tajikistan: greasing the ties by reviving the cotton economy. Research Brief. Hofman, I. (2018). Politics or profits along the “Silk Road”: What drives Chinese farms in Tajikistan and helps them thrive? In The Geoeconomics and Geopolitics of Chinese Development and Investment in Asia, pp. 183-208. Routledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

On this episode, rural sociologist Dr. Irna Hofman explores how Tajikistan's cotton fields illuminate shifting power dynamics in Central Asia, historically and in the present. She discusses how the Soviet Union once showcased cotton production to visiting delegations—particularly from Muslim-majority countries—as evidence of its development model. Now, as global powers, including Russia, China, and the EU, vie for influence in the region, cotton has again become a strategic commodity—used to forge political ties, secure resources, and drive infrastructure projects. Hofman highlights local communities' active role in shaping these developments, emphasizing that rural landscapes are not simply backdrops for a “New Great Game,” but sites where broader geopolitical forces and grassroots agency intersect. Through her long-term fieldwork, she illustrates how Tajik farmers navigate and negotiate these overlapping external interests, and in doing so, reframe Central Asia's future amidst geopolitical tensions. Dr. Hofman specializes in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2012. She completed post-doctoral research at Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies as part of an ERC-funded project "China, law and development." In 2019, she obtained her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands with a dissertation focused on the political economy of agrarian transformation in Tajikistan: "Cotton, control, and continuity in disguise: The political economy of agrarian transformation in lowland Tajikistan." Her research interests span political economy, political ecology, and political sociology. In recent years, she has focused on rural labour, gender, and commodity politics. Dr. Hofman is completing a monograph based on her dissertation and post-doctoral research projects. Her research agenda for the coming years centers on the rural everyday of geopolitics, focusing on China's growing assertiveness in the global agrifood regime, shifting geographies of production, and rural labour. Dr Irna Hofman | School of Geography and the Environment | University of Oxford @irnahofman Resources: Hofman, I. (2024) Seeds of empire or seeds of friendship? The politics of the diffusion of Chinese crop seeds in Tajikistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 24(2): e12581. Hofman, I. (2022) Tajikistan. The people's map of global China Hofman, I. (2021) Migration, crop diversification, and adverse incorporation: Understanding the repertoire of contention in rural Tajikistan. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 42(4): 499-518. Hofman, I. (2021). Chinese cotton diplomacy in Tajikistan: greasing the ties by reviving the cotton economy. Research Brief. Hofman, I. (2018). Politics or profits along the “Silk Road”: What drives Chinese farms in Tajikistan and helps them thrive? In The Geoeconomics and Geopolitics of Chinese Development and Investment in Asia, pp. 183-208. Routledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

On this episode, rural sociologist Dr. Irna Hofman explores how Tajikistan's cotton fields illuminate shifting power dynamics in Central Asia, historically and in the present. She discusses how the Soviet Union once showcased cotton production to visiting delegations—particularly from Muslim-majority countries—as evidence of its development model. Now, as global powers, including Russia, China, and the EU, vie for influence in the region, cotton has again become a strategic commodity—used to forge political ties, secure resources, and drive infrastructure projects. Hofman highlights local communities' active role in shaping these developments, emphasizing that rural landscapes are not simply backdrops for a “New Great Game,” but sites where broader geopolitical forces and grassroots agency intersect. Through her long-term fieldwork, she illustrates how Tajik farmers navigate and negotiate these overlapping external interests, and in doing so, reframe Central Asia's future amidst geopolitical tensions. Dr. Hofman specializes in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2012. She completed post-doctoral research at Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies as part of an ERC-funded project "China, law and development." In 2019, she obtained her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands with a dissertation focused on the political economy of agrarian transformation in Tajikistan: "Cotton, control, and continuity in disguise: The political economy of agrarian transformation in lowland Tajikistan." Her research interests span political economy, political ecology, and political sociology. In recent years, she has focused on rural labour, gender, and commodity politics. Dr. Hofman is completing a monograph based on her dissertation and post-doctoral research projects. Her research agenda for the coming years centers on the rural everyday of geopolitics, focusing on China's growing assertiveness in the global agrifood regime, shifting geographies of production, and rural labour. Dr Irna Hofman | School of Geography and the Environment | University of Oxford @irnahofman Resources: Hofman, I. (2024) Seeds of empire or seeds of friendship? The politics of the diffusion of Chinese crop seeds in Tajikistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 24(2): e12581. Hofman, I. (2022) Tajikistan. The people's map of global China Hofman, I. (2021) Migration, crop diversification, and adverse incorporation: Understanding the repertoire of contention in rural Tajikistan. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 42(4): 499-518. Hofman, I. (2021). Chinese cotton diplomacy in Tajikistan: greasing the ties by reviving the cotton economy. Research Brief. Hofman, I. (2018). Politics or profits along the “Silk Road”: What drives Chinese farms in Tajikistan and helps them thrive? In The Geoeconomics and Geopolitics of Chinese Development and Investment in Asia, pp. 183-208. Routledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/central-asian-studies

On this episode, rural sociologist Dr. Irna Hofman explores how Tajikistan's cotton fields illuminate shifting power dynamics in Central Asia, historically and in the present. She discusses how the Soviet Union once showcased cotton production to visiting delegations—particularly from Muslim-majority countries—as evidence of its development model. Now, as global powers, including Russia, China, and the EU, vie for influence in the region, cotton has again become a strategic commodity—used to forge political ties, secure resources, and drive infrastructure projects. Hofman highlights local communities' active role in shaping these developments, emphasizing that rural landscapes are not simply backdrops for a “New Great Game,” but sites where broader geopolitical forces and grassroots agency intersect. Through her long-term fieldwork, she illustrates how Tajik farmers navigate and negotiate these overlapping external interests, and in doing so, reframe Central Asia's future amidst geopolitical tensions. Dr. Hofman specializes in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2012. She completed post-doctoral research at Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies as part of an ERC-funded project "China, law and development." In 2019, she obtained her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands with a dissertation focused on the political economy of agrarian transformation in Tajikistan: "Cotton, control, and continuity in disguise: The political economy of agrarian transformation in lowland Tajikistan." Her research interests span political economy, political ecology, and political sociology. In recent years, she has focused on rural labour, gender, and commodity politics. Dr. Hofman is completing a monograph based on her dissertation and post-doctoral research projects. Her research agenda for the coming years centers on the rural everyday of geopolitics, focusing on China's growing assertiveness in the global agrifood regime, shifting geographies of production, and rural labour. Dr Irna Hofman | School of Geography and the Environment | University of Oxford @irnahofman Resources: Hofman, I. (2024) Seeds of empire or seeds of friendship? The politics of the diffusion of Chinese crop seeds in Tajikistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 24(2): e12581. Hofman, I. (2022) Tajikistan. The people's map of global China Hofman, I. (2021) Migration, crop diversification, and adverse incorporation: Understanding the repertoire of contention in rural Tajikistan. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 42(4): 499-518. Hofman, I. (2021). Chinese cotton diplomacy in Tajikistan: greasing the ties by reviving the cotton economy. Research Brief. Hofman, I. (2018). Politics or profits along the “Silk Road”: What drives Chinese farms in Tajikistan and helps them thrive? In The Geoeconomics and Geopolitics of Chinese Development and Investment in Asia, pp. 183-208. Routledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

On this episode, rural sociologist Dr. Irna Hofman explores how Tajikistan's cotton fields illuminate shifting power dynamics in Central Asia, historically and in the present. She discusses how the Soviet Union once showcased cotton production to visiting delegations—particularly from Muslim-majority countries—as evidence of its development model. Now, as global powers, including Russia, China, and the EU, vie for influence in the region, cotton has again become a strategic commodity—used to forge political ties, secure resources, and drive infrastructure projects. Hofman highlights local communities' active role in shaping these developments, emphasizing that rural landscapes are not simply backdrops for a “New Great Game,” but sites where broader geopolitical forces and grassroots agency intersect. Through her long-term fieldwork, she illustrates how Tajik farmers navigate and negotiate these overlapping external interests, and in doing so, reframe Central Asia's future amidst geopolitical tensions. Dr. Hofman specializes in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2012. She completed post-doctoral research at Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies as part of an ERC-funded project "China, law and development." In 2019, she obtained her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands with a dissertation focused on the political economy of agrarian transformation in Tajikistan: "Cotton, control, and continuity in disguise: The political economy of agrarian transformation in lowland Tajikistan." Her research interests span political economy, political ecology, and political sociology. In recent years, she has focused on rural labour, gender, and commodity politics. Dr. Hofman is completing a monograph based on her dissertation and post-doctoral research projects. Her research agenda for the coming years centers on the rural everyday of geopolitics, focusing on China's growing assertiveness in the global agrifood regime, shifting geographies of production, and rural labour. Dr Irna Hofman | School of Geography and the Environment | University of Oxford @irnahofman Resources: Hofman, I. (2024) Seeds of empire or seeds of friendship? The politics of the diffusion of Chinese crop seeds in Tajikistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 24(2): e12581. Hofman, I. (2022) Tajikistan. The people's map of global China Hofman, I. (2021) Migration, crop diversification, and adverse incorporation: Understanding the repertoire of contention in rural Tajikistan. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 42(4): 499-518. Hofman, I. (2021). Chinese cotton diplomacy in Tajikistan: greasing the ties by reviving the cotton economy. Research Brief. Hofman, I. (2018). Politics or profits along the “Silk Road”: What drives Chinese farms in Tajikistan and helps them thrive? In The Geoeconomics and Geopolitics of Chinese Development and Investment in Asia, pp. 183-208. Routledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

On this episode, rural sociologist Dr. Irna Hofman explores how Tajikistan's cotton fields illuminate shifting power dynamics in Central Asia, historically and in the present. She discusses how the Soviet Union once showcased cotton production to visiting delegations—particularly from Muslim-majority countries—as evidence of its development model. Now, as global powers, including Russia, China, and the EU, vie for influence in the region, cotton has again become a strategic commodity—used to forge political ties, secure resources, and drive infrastructure projects. Hofman highlights local communities' active role in shaping these developments, emphasizing that rural landscapes are not simply backdrops for a “New Great Game,” but sites where broader geopolitical forces and grassroots agency intersect. Through her long-term fieldwork, she illustrates how Tajik farmers navigate and negotiate these overlapping external interests, and in doing so, reframe Central Asia's future amidst geopolitical tensions. Dr. Hofman specializes in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2012. She completed post-doctoral research at Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies as part of an ERC-funded project "China, law and development." In 2019, she obtained her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands with a dissertation focused on the political economy of agrarian transformation in Tajikistan: "Cotton, control, and continuity in disguise: The political economy of agrarian transformation in lowland Tajikistan." Her research interests span political economy, political ecology, and political sociology. In recent years, she has focused on rural labour, gender, and commodity politics. Dr. Hofman is completing a monograph based on her dissertation and post-doctoral research projects. Her research agenda for the coming years centers on the rural everyday of geopolitics, focusing on China's growing assertiveness in the global agrifood regime, shifting geographies of production, and rural labour. Dr Irna Hofman | School of Geography and the Environment | University of Oxford @irnahofman Resources: Hofman, I. (2024) Seeds of empire or seeds of friendship? The politics of the diffusion of Chinese crop seeds in Tajikistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 24(2): e12581. Hofman, I. (2022) Tajikistan. The people's map of global China Hofman, I. (2021) Migration, crop diversification, and adverse incorporation: Understanding the repertoire of contention in rural Tajikistan. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 42(4): 499-518. Hofman, I. (2021). Chinese cotton diplomacy in Tajikistan: greasing the ties by reviving the cotton economy. Research Brief. Hofman, I. (2018). Politics or profits along the “Silk Road”: What drives Chinese farms in Tajikistan and helps them thrive? In The Geoeconomics and Geopolitics of Chinese Development and Investment in Asia, pp. 183-208. Routledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, rural sociologist Dr. Irna Hofman explores how Tajikistan's cotton fields illuminate shifting power dynamics in Central Asia, historically and in the present. She discusses how the Soviet Union once showcased cotton production to visiting delegations—particularly from Muslim-majority countries—as evidence of its development model. Now, as global powers, including Russia, China, and the EU, vie for influence in the region, cotton has again become a strategic commodity—used to forge political ties, secure resources, and drive infrastructure projects. Hofman highlights local communities' active role in shaping these developments, emphasizing that rural landscapes are not simply backdrops for a “New Great Game,” but sites where broader geopolitical forces and grassroots agency intersect. Through her long-term fieldwork, she illustrates how Tajik farmers navigate and negotiate these overlapping external interests, and in doing so, reframe Central Asia's future amidst geopolitical tensions. Dr. Hofman specializes in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, where she has worked since 2012. She completed post-doctoral research at Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies as part of an ERC-funded project "China, law and development." In 2019, she obtained her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands with a dissertation focused on the political economy of agrarian transformation in Tajikistan: "Cotton, control, and continuity in disguise: The political economy of agrarian transformation in lowland Tajikistan." Her research interests span political economy, political ecology, and political sociology. In recent years, she has focused on rural labour, gender, and commodity politics. Dr. Hofman is completing a monograph based on her dissertation and post-doctoral research projects. Her research agenda for the coming years centers on the rural everyday of geopolitics, focusing on China's growing assertiveness in the global agrifood regime, shifting geographies of production, and rural labour. Dr Irna Hofman | School of Geography and the Environment | University of Oxford @irnahofman Resources: Hofman, I. (2024) Seeds of empire or seeds of friendship? The politics of the diffusion of Chinese crop seeds in Tajikistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 24(2): e12581. Hofman, I. (2022) Tajikistan. The people's map of global China Hofman, I. (2021) Migration, crop diversification, and adverse incorporation: Understanding the repertoire of contention in rural Tajikistan. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 42(4): 499-518. Hofman, I. (2021). Chinese cotton diplomacy in Tajikistan: greasing the ties by reviving the cotton economy. Research Brief. Hofman, I. (2018). Politics or profits along the “Silk Road”: What drives Chinese farms in Tajikistan and helps them thrive? In The Geoeconomics and Geopolitics of Chinese Development and Investment in Asia, pp. 183-208. Routledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of Unlocking Academia, Raja Aderdor, the host, delves deeper into this fascinating work with Jeremy Farrell, a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Leiden University, who co-authored a translation of this novella. Jeremy shares his insights into the satire, the medical practices described, and how Ibn Buṭlān's critique resonates with today's debates on medicine and misinformation. The Doctors' Dinner Party: A Satirical Novella by Ibn Buṭlān (NYU Press, 2023) is an eleventh-century work that presents a sharp critique of the medical profession. Set in a medical milieu, the story follows a young doctor invited to dinner with a group of older, supposedly more experienced physicians. As the conversation unfolds, their incompetence becomes obvious, and Ibn Buṭlān uses humor to expose the hypocrisy and pretensions of these quack doctors. Written by the accomplished physician Ibn Buṭlān, the novella not only satirizes the medical profession but also showcases the author's deep technical knowledge of medicine, including practices like surgery, bloodletting, and medicines. He weaves in references to the great thinkers and physicians of the ancient world, such as Hippocrates, Galen, and Socrates, adding layers of depth to the text. The novella is structured with a question-and-answer format associated with technical literature, while also incorporating verse and subtexts that hint at the older physicians' infatuation with their young guest. This balance of literary parody and social critique makes The Doctors' Dinner Party a rich and entertaining read. A bilingual Arabic-English edition, The Doctors' Dinner Party remains a significant work that continues to offer both humor and sharp critique, making it relevant to modern readers in discussions around medicine, ethics, and social norms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In the latest episode of Unlocking Academia, Raja Aderdor, the host, delves deeper into this fascinating work with Jeremy Farrell, a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Leiden University, who co-authored a translation of this novella. Jeremy shares his insights into the satire, the medical practices described, and how Ibn Buṭlān's critique resonates with today's debates on medicine and misinformation. The Doctors' Dinner Party: A Satirical Novella by Ibn Buṭlān (NYU Press, 2023) is an eleventh-century work that presents a sharp critique of the medical profession. Set in a medical milieu, the story follows a young doctor invited to dinner with a group of older, supposedly more experienced physicians. As the conversation unfolds, their incompetence becomes obvious, and Ibn Buṭlān uses humor to expose the hypocrisy and pretensions of these quack doctors. Written by the accomplished physician Ibn Buṭlān, the novella not only satirizes the medical profession but also showcases the author's deep technical knowledge of medicine, including practices like surgery, bloodletting, and medicines. He weaves in references to the great thinkers and physicians of the ancient world, such as Hippocrates, Galen, and Socrates, adding layers of depth to the text. The novella is structured with a question-and-answer format associated with technical literature, while also incorporating verse and subtexts that hint at the older physicians' infatuation with their young guest. This balance of literary parody and social critique makes The Doctors' Dinner Party a rich and entertaining read. A bilingual Arabic-English edition, The Doctors' Dinner Party remains a significant work that continues to offer both humor and sharp critique, making it relevant to modern readers in discussions around medicine, ethics, and social norms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

In the latest episode of Unlocking Academia, Raja Aderdor, the host, delves deeper into this fascinating work with Jeremy Farrell, a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Leiden University, who co-authored a translation of this novella. Jeremy shares his insights into the satire, the medical practices described, and how Ibn Buṭlān's critique resonates with today's debates on medicine and misinformation. The Doctors' Dinner Party: A Satirical Novella by Ibn Buṭlān (NYU Press, 2023) is an eleventh-century work that presents a sharp critique of the medical profession. Set in a medical milieu, the story follows a young doctor invited to dinner with a group of older, supposedly more experienced physicians. As the conversation unfolds, their incompetence becomes obvious, and Ibn Buṭlān uses humor to expose the hypocrisy and pretensions of these quack doctors. Written by the accomplished physician Ibn Buṭlān, the novella not only satirizes the medical profession but also showcases the author's deep technical knowledge of medicine, including practices like surgery, bloodletting, and medicines. He weaves in references to the great thinkers and physicians of the ancient world, such as Hippocrates, Galen, and Socrates, adding layers of depth to the text. The novella is structured with a question-and-answer format associated with technical literature, while also incorporating verse and subtexts that hint at the older physicians' infatuation with their young guest. This balance of literary parody and social critique makes The Doctors' Dinner Party a rich and entertaining read. A bilingual Arabic-English edition, The Doctors' Dinner Party remains a significant work that continues to offer both humor and sharp critique, making it relevant to modern readers in discussions around medicine, ethics, and social norms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

In the latest episode of Unlocking Academia, Raja Aderdor, the host, delves deeper into this fascinating work with Jeremy Farrell, a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Leiden University, who co-authored a translation of this novella. Jeremy shares his insights into the satire, the medical practices described, and how Ibn Buṭlān's critique resonates with today's debates on medicine and misinformation. The Doctors' Dinner Party: A Satirical Novella by Ibn Buṭlān (NYU Press, 2023) is an eleventh-century work that presents a sharp critique of the medical profession. Set in a medical milieu, the story follows a young doctor invited to dinner with a group of older, supposedly more experienced physicians. As the conversation unfolds, their incompetence becomes obvious, and Ibn Buṭlān uses humor to expose the hypocrisy and pretensions of these quack doctors. Written by the accomplished physician Ibn Buṭlān, the novella not only satirizes the medical profession but also showcases the author's deep technical knowledge of medicine, including practices like surgery, bloodletting, and medicines. He weaves in references to the great thinkers and physicians of the ancient world, such as Hippocrates, Galen, and Socrates, adding layers of depth to the text. The novella is structured with a question-and-answer format associated with technical literature, while also incorporating verse and subtexts that hint at the older physicians' infatuation with their young guest. This balance of literary parody and social critique makes The Doctors' Dinner Party a rich and entertaining read. A bilingual Arabic-English edition, The Doctors' Dinner Party remains a significant work that continues to offer both humor and sharp critique, making it relevant to modern readers in discussions around medicine, ethics, and social norms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

In the latest episode of Unlocking Academia, Raja Aderdor, the host, delves deeper into this fascinating work with Jeremy Farrell, a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Leiden University, who co-authored a translation of this novella. Jeremy shares his insights into the satire, the medical practices described, and how Ibn Buṭlān's critique resonates with today's debates on medicine and misinformation. The Doctors' Dinner Party: A Satirical Novella by Ibn Buṭlān (NYU Press, 2023) is an eleventh-century work that presents a sharp critique of the medical profession. Set in a medical milieu, the story follows a young doctor invited to dinner with a group of older, supposedly more experienced physicians. As the conversation unfolds, their incompetence becomes obvious, and Ibn Buṭlān uses humor to expose the hypocrisy and pretensions of these quack doctors. Written by the accomplished physician Ibn Buṭlān, the novella not only satirizes the medical profession but also showcases the author's deep technical knowledge of medicine, including practices like surgery, bloodletting, and medicines. He weaves in references to the great thinkers and physicians of the ancient world, such as Hippocrates, Galen, and Socrates, adding layers of depth to the text. The novella is structured with a question-and-answer format associated with technical literature, while also incorporating verse and subtexts that hint at the older physicians' infatuation with their young guest. This balance of literary parody and social critique makes The Doctors' Dinner Party a rich and entertaining read. A bilingual Arabic-English edition, The Doctors' Dinner Party remains a significant work that continues to offer both humor and sharp critique, making it relevant to modern readers in discussions around medicine, ethics, and social norms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode featuring Eva Vlaardingerbroek, we discuss the following topics: European free speech faces serious new threats Expressing dissenting opinions can lead to arrests and legal problems Collectivism can trample individual freedoms for the ‘greater good' Bitcoin challenges government attempts to censor and control Bitcoin helps counter corruption and systemic inflation Government-driven inflation reduces purchasing power significantly Financial struggles hinder women's choices; economic empowerment helps families Feminism can respect traditional family roles' importance ---- Guest Bio: Eva Vlaardingerbroek is a Dutch political and cultural commentator and legal philosopher. After receiving her master's with honors from Leiden University in 2019, she became known for her outspoken views in Dutch politics, earning the nickname “shield maiden of the far right.” Her stance on the Dutch farmers' protests and her remarks on the “great replacement” during a speech at CPAC Hungary drew significant attention. Recently, she surpassed one million followers on X: https://x.com/EvaVlaar  ---- Coin Stories is powered by Genius Group (NYSE American $GNS). Genius is a Bitcoin-first business delivering AI-powered education and acceleration solutions for the future of work. Learn more and enter for a chance to win a whale pass to Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas: https://www.geniusgroup.ai/coinstories ---- Natalie's Promotional Links:  Secure your Bitcoin with collaborative custody and set up your inheritance plan with Casa: https://www.casa.io/natalie  For easy, low-cost, instant Bitcoin payments, I use Speed Lightning Wallet. Get 5000 sats when you download using this link and promo code COINSTORIES10: https://www.speed.app/sweepstakes-promocode/ River is where I DCA weekly and buy Bitcoin with the lowest fees in the industry: https://partner.river.com/natalie  Safely self-custody your Bitcoin with Coinkite and the ColdCard Wallet. Get 5% off: https://store.coinkite.com/promo/COINSTORIES Master your Bitcoin self-custody with 1-on-1 help and gain peace of mind with the help of The Bitcoin Way: https://www.thebitcoinway.com/natalie Bitcoin 2025 is heading to Las Vegas May 27-29th! Join me for my 4th Annual Women of Bitcoin Brunch! Get 10% off Early Bird passes using the code HODL: https://tickets.b.tc/affiliate/hodl/event/bitcoin-2025   Protect yourself from SIM Swaps that can hack your accounts and steal your Bitcoin. Join America's most secure mobile service, trusted by CEOs, VIPs and top corporations: https://www.efani.com/natalie  Connect with Bitcoiners and Bitcoin merchants wherever you live and travel on the Orange Pill App: https://signup.theorangepillapp.com/opa/natbrunell ---- This podcast is for educational purposes and should not be construed as official investment advice. ---- VALUE FOR VALUE — SUPPORT NATALIE'S SHOWS Strike ID https://strike.me/coinstoriesnat/ Cash App $CoinStories   #money #Bitcoin #investing

In this episode of The Next Page, we uncover overlooked narratives of the United Nations' history, guided by Dr. Alanna O'Malley, associate professor at Leiden University. Recorded in Geneva during the recent META-UN academic conference on ideas relevant to multilateralism, Dr. O'Malley discusses her extensive research into the unseen contributions of Global South actors to the UN, challenging the traditionally Western-focused historical narratives. She shares insights from her project funded by the European Research Council, highlighting how these actors have dynamically engaged with and transformed the UN system over decades. Tune in to uncover how these invisible histories shape the current and future landscape of global governance. And stay tuned for more on this topic following the publication of Dr. O'Malley's new book on this topic. Resources: Ask a Librarian! https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/research/research-projects/humanities/the-invisible-history-of-the-united-nations-and-the-global-south-invisihist#tab-1 Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/ndZE5Bn92Hw Content    Guest: Alanna O'Malley, Associate professor, Leiden University Institute for History Host: Francesco Pisano, Director, UN Library & Archives Geneva Production and editing: Amy Smith Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-american-studies

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/caribbean-studies

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Between Elon Musk's meddling and Romania's election rollercoaster, the state of Europe's democracies feels a little scary at the start of 2025. This week we talk to Tom Theuns, author of a new book about Europe's failure to stop the slow slide towards autocracy so far and what we can do to fix it.    Tom is a senior assistant professor of political theory and European politics at Leiden University. You can find out all about his book, 'Protecting Democracy in Europe', here, and follow him on Bluesky here.    This week's Inspiration Station recommendations: 'My Favourite Cake' and 'La Chimera'.    Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcasts, we'd love it if you'd consider supporting our work in 2025. You can chip in to help us cover the weekly research and production of The Europeans at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/europeanspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (many currencies are available), or gift a donation to a super fan here.    We're also crowdfunding our new series, 'Who Does It Best?', which will delve into the most imaginative policies around Europe. We're 96% of the way there! You can find out all about our plans for the series, and help us start making it, at https://4fund.com/z/europeanspodcast.    Other resources for this episode:    Double Dutch on Instagram and TikTok  Ada Colau's amazing Instagram post   Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak  Mixing and mastering: Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina   00:23 The headwinds of 2025 02:48 Bad Week: Fireworks 11:50 Good Week: Greenland's pro-independence movement 22:31 Interview: Tom Theuns on protecting Europe's democracies 38:01 The Inspiration Station: 'My Favourite Cake' and 'La Chimera' 43:13 Happy Ending: Ada Colau's amazing Instagram post   Bluesky | Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | hello@europeanspodcast.com

On this day of many holidays, enjoy some of our favorite recent conversations:As part of our centennial series Michael Kazin, professor of history at Georgetown University, editor emeritus of Dissent and the author of several books, including What It Took to Win: A History of the Democratic Party (FSG, 2022) and American Dreamers: How the Left Changed a Nation (Knopf, 2011), traces the history of socialism in America.As our centennial series continues, Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel laureate in economics, university professor at Columbia University, chief economist at the Roosevelt Institute, and author of The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society (W.W.Norton, 2024), reviews the history of American capitalism and the ebb and flow of regulation.John Marks, social entrepreneur, founder of Search for Common Ground and Common Ground Productions, founder and managing director of Confluence International, visiting scholar at Leiden University and the author of From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship (Columbia University Press, 2024), talks about his work in conflict resolution and finding common ground.Jim O'Grady, freelance podcast reporter, producer, and editor, talks about how he looks to a Catholic saint for spiritual guidance, and listeners call in to share their favorite saint or other spiritual guide. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:100 Years of Things: American Socialism (October 28, 2024)100 Years of 100 Things: American Capitalism (November 1, 2024)The Business of Peace-Building (October 1, 2024)How Saints Can Help Us Sinners (September 16, 2024)

2024 marks 100 years since the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child. In the aftermath of World War I, this declaration called for universal attention to the needs of children, including their health. A century later, we've made progress, but children still face vast challenges here in the United States and around the world. How can we advance the global cause of children's health? In this episode we talk to one of the world's foremost ambassadors for this work about the struggles and opportunities facing children's healthcare. Professor Ann Skelton is a renowned children's rights expert and Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. She is a professor of law at the University of Pretoria and Leiden University, as well as a visiting professor at the University of Oxford and the University of Strathclyde. Some highlights from this episode include: A look into Ann Skelton's work  The current state of children's rights in the U.S. and around the world  The challenges facing children's healthcare and how health advocacy can help change that  Tangible opportunities to engage in to ensure all children have access to the healthcare they need For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org. 

Today we have Dr. Hans Van Dongen, director of the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University in Spokane. Dr. Kevin Gluck, a senior research scientist at IHMC, joins Dr. Ken Ford to interview Hans about his studies on inter-individual differences in vulnerability to fatigue as well as the cumulative cognitive deficits that follow chronic sleep restriction. Hans is known for his mathematical modeling of fatigue's effects on performance. At the Sleep and Performance Research Center, Hans and his colleagues investigate how sleep loss and circadian misalignment impact brain function, cognition and behavior. Show notes: [00:02:50] Kevin opens the interview by asking Hans about his childhood growing up in The Netherlands. [00:03:23] Ken asks Hans what he was like as a kid. [00:03:50] Kevin mentions Hans's father was a math and science teacher and wonders if that influenced Hans' interest in science. [00:04:48] Hans talks about attending Leiden University and explains why he majored in astrophysics. [00:06:09] Hans shares how working in a psychophysiology lab put him on a path to specialize in sleep research. [00:08:00] Hans talks about how he was part of a study that proved the morning-evening chronotype was a biological trait, rather than a psychological one. [00:09:55] Ken asks Hans what led him to take a post-doc position at the University of Pennsylvania. [00:11:22] Hans explains what led him to move from the University of Pennsylvania to Washington State University. [00:13:36] Ken mentions that The Sleep and Performance Research Center, where Hans serves as the director, is a coalition of basic and applied research laboratories that aim to understand the neurobiology of sleep and sleep loss. Ken goes on to mention that Hans and his colleagues investigate sleep and biological rhythms, and their impact on health and performance. Kevin asks Hans to give an overview of what sleep loss is and the effect it has on our metabolism, immune system, and cognitive performance. [00:15:57] Kevin mentions Hans' recent paper which investigated how circadian misalignment due to night shift work has been associated with an elevated risk of chronic disease. The paper demonstrated that just a few days of being on a night shift schedule throws off protein rhythms related to blood glucose regulation, energy metabolism, and inflammation. Kevin asks Hans to talk more about the findings. [00:21:18] Ken asks how long it takes for a person's circadian rhythm to normalize after ceasing to work night shifts. [00:22:13] Kevin brings up Hans' paper on the continually operating neurobiological mechanisms of homeostatic and circadian processes and their effects on neurobehavioral performance. Before asking about the paper itself, Kevin asks Hans to give an overview of the homeostatic process and its relationship to the circadian process. [00:24:14] Ken notes that the bio-behavioral function and evolutionary advantage of the circadian process is widely recognized, but that the neurobiology of the homeostatic process and its effects on performance are still poorly understood. In a 2011 paper, Hans attempted to shed light on the underlying mechanisms of the homeostatic process to provide an explanation for why the buildup of homeostatic pressure resulting from sleep loss leads to instability in vigilant attention. To explore this, Hans first explored the time-on-task effect. Ken asks Hans to explain the time-on-task effect and its role in cognitive performance. [00:27:06] Kevin brings up the “local sleep hypothesis,” which attempts to explain the time-on-task effect. According to the local sleep hypothesis, groups of neurons involved in performing a task will “fall asleep” as a homeostatic consequence of sustained use, which leads to an interruption in information processing, leading to impaired performance. Kevin asks Hans what empirical and scientific evidence exists for the hypothesis...

Danny and Derek chat with Simon Willmetts, associate professor of intelligence studies at Leiden University, about his recent piece for Diplomatic History, "The CIA and Time Magazine: Journalistic Ethics and Newsroom Dissent". The group discusses the subfield of intelligence history, public awareness of intelligence organizations, why the scope Time and Life magazines in the mid-20th century and why the CIA would want to collude with such publications, the development of journalistic ethics in light of journalistic connections with the national security state, and more. Further reading: George Herkin, The Georgetown Set: Friends and Rivals in Cold War Washington Kathryn McGarr, City of Newsmen: Public Lies and Professional Secrets in Cold War Washington Hugh Wilford, The CIA: An Imperial History Subscribe now for the full episode!