The Conversation Weekly

The Conversation

A show for curious minds, from The Conversation. Each week, host Gemma Ware speaks to an academic expert about a topic in the news to understand how we got here.

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288 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes288

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Jan 5, 2022 · 46 min
2022 science preview: mRNA vaccines, asteroid missions and collaborative robots
From new mRNA vaccines, to space mission and developments in robotic automation, in this episode we talk to three experts about some of the scientific advances they’re watching out for in 2022. Featuring Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology at the School of Medicine at University of Washington in the US and an expert on mRNA and DNA vaccines; Monica Grady, professor of planetary and space sciences at The Open University in the UK; Teresa Vidal-Calleja, associate professor at the Robotics Institute at University of Technology Sydney. We also speak about what 2022 holds in store for global inequality with economist Carlos Gradín, research fellow at United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research in Helsinki in Finland. And Naomi Schalit, senior politics and society editor at The Conversation in Boston in the US, recommends some reading to mark the one year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol in Washington D.C. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: Material from asteroid Ryugu starts to give up secrets of early Solar System, by Monica Grady, The Open University Global inequality may be falling, but the gap between haves and have-nots is growing, by Carlos Gradín, United Nations University & colleagues The ‘sore loser effect’: Rejecting election results can destabilize democracy and drive terrorism, by James Piazza, Penn State American support for conspiracy theories and armed rebellion isn’t new – we just didn’t believe it before the Capitol insurrection, by Amanda J. Crawford, University of Connecticut
Dec 16, 2021 · 52 min
How the arts can help us come back together again
In this episode we bring you three stories from Australia and the UK exploring the role of art in helping people deal with the challenges life throws at them. We talk to Cherine Fahd, associate professor at the School of Design at the University of Technology Sydney about Being Together: Parramatta Yearbook, a photography project in a suburb of Sydney bringing people back together again as COVID-19 restrictions lift. Angelina Hurley, PhD candidate at Griffith University in Brisbane tell us how art is used to process the trauma of colonisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia, and about the work of her father, the late artist Ron Hurley. And Kirsty Sedgman, a lecturer in theatre at the University of Bristol in England, explains why the second world war led to the birth of public funding for arts buildings in Britain – and how the Bristol Old Vic theatre became the first recipient. And Gregory Rayko, international editor for The Conversation in Paris, France give us his recommended reading. This episode of the The Conversation Weekly is supported by the UK/Australia Season Patrons Board, the British Council and the Australian Government as part of the UK/Australia Season, which centres on the theme Who Are We Now? The season's programme reflects on the two countries’ shared history, explores their current relationship, and imagines their future together. This episode was produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with reporting by Rhianna Patrick and Olivia Rosenman and sound design by Eloise Stevens. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading ‘Art is our voice’: why the government needs to support Indigenous arts, not just sport, in the pandemic, by Angelina Hurley, Griffith University Yearning for touch — a photo essay, by Cherine Fahd, University of Technology Sydney Arts rescue package: by all means protect Britain’s ‘jewels’ – but don’t forget the rest of the crown, by Kirsty Sedgman, University of Bristol Should we be alarmed by the sound of boots on the Russia-Ukraine border?, by Christine Dugoin-Clément, IAE Paris – Sorbonne Business School (in French) France-Algeria: the diplomatic impasse, by Luis Martinez, Sciences Po (in French)
Dec 9, 2021 · 45 min
Peering into the history of the universe: astronomers explain why the James Webb Space Telescope is such a big deal
With a mirror six and half metres in diameter, a sun shield the size of a tennis court and an instrument compartment bigger than a phone booth, the James Webb Space Telescope is enormous. After years of delays, it's now set for launch on December 22. We speak to two astronomers about the telescope and the questions they hope it will answer about the beginning of the universe and the conditions on exoplanets orbiting far-away stars. Featuring Martin Barstow, professor of astrophysics and space science at the University of Leicester in the UK and chair of the Space Telescope Science Institute Council; and Marcia Rieke, Regents professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona in the US and principal investigator on the near-infrared camera onboard the James Webb Space Telescope. In our second story, Edwin Kwong, a research fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia, explains his recent research into the tactics used by the food industry to boost sales of ultra-processed foods in middle-income countries. And Luthfi Dzulfikar, an editor for The Conversation in Jakarta, Indonesia recommends some analysis on the recent volcanic eruption on the island of Java. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: James Webb Space Telescope: An astronomer on the team explains how to send a giant telescope to space – and why James Webb Space Telescope: what will happen after its launch? (in French) How big companies are targeting middle income countries to boost ultra-processed food sales Mount Semeru erupts: the history of its eruption (in Bahasa Indonesia) How religion influences Indonesian workers to seek work-life balance
Dec 2, 2021 · 41 min
Planet pharma: what the industry got out of COVID
After nearly two years of COVID, how is the pharmaceutical industry faring? In this episode, we explore where drug companies were before the arrival of COVID and how they performed financially during the pandemic. And we hear about the ongoing tensions between profits and equitable access to vaccines. Featuring, Ray Moynihan, assistant professor at the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare at Bond University in Australia; Jérôme Caby, professor of corporate finance at Sorbonne Business School in Paris, France; Ana Santos Rutschman, assistant professor of law at Saint Louis University in the US; and Nicole Hassoun, professor of philosophy at Binghamton University, State University of New York in the US. And Ozayr Patel, digital editor at The Conversation in Johannesburg, South Africa, recommends some reading on the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: COVID vaccines offer the pharma industry a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset its reputation. But it’s after decades of big profits and scandals, by Ray Moynihan, Bond University Why Moderna won’t share rights to the COVID-19 vaccine with the government that paid for its development, by Ana Santos Rutschman, Saint Louis University The US drug industry used to oppose patents – what changed? by Joseph M. Gabriel, Florida State University The hunt for coronavirus variants: how the new one was found and what we know so far, by a panel of experts in South Africa Omicron is the new COVID kid on the block: five steps to avoid, ten to take immediately, by Shabir A. Madhi, University of the Witwatersrand
Nov 25, 2021 · 43 min
How abortion access is changing around the world
Justices on the US Supreme Court are considering two challenges to abortion restrictions that could have wide-reaching implications for access to abortion across the country. In this episode, we look at what's at stake, and how else abortion laws are changing around the world. Featuring Amanda Jean Stevenson, assistant professor of sociology, University of Colorado Boulder; Sydney Calkin, lecturer in political geography, Queen Mary University of London and Jane Marcus Delgado, professor of political science, College of Staten Island, CUNY. We talk to a forensic scientist, Patrick Randolph-Quinney, Associate Professor of Forensic Science, Northumbria University, Newcastle in England. He explains how he studied bones to help solve the mystery of how to tell if a person was killed by a lightning strike. And Wale Fatade, commissioning editor at The Conversation in Lagos, gives us some recommended reading. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading The erosion of Roe v. Wade and abortion access didn’t begin in Texas or Mississippi – it started in Pennsylvania in 1992, by Alison Gash, University of Oregon Poland’s abortion ruling amounts to a ban – but it will not end access, by Sydney Calkin, Queen Mary University of London Study shows an abortion ban may lead to a 21% increase in pregnancy-related deaths, by Amanda Jean Stevenson, University of Colorado Boulder Forensic science is unlocking the mysteries of fatal lightning strikes, by Patrick Randolph-Quinney, Northumbria University, Newcastle; Nicholas Bacci and Tanya Nadine Augustine, University of the Witwatersrand African marine rules favour big industry, leaving small-scale fishers in the lurch by Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood, University of St Andrews; Edward H. Allison, CGIAR System Organisation My formula for a tasty and nutritious Nigerian soup - with termites by Adedayo Adeboye, Osun State University
Nov 18, 2021 · 50 min
Glasgow Climate Pact: what happened at COP26 and what it means for the world
What did the Glasgow COP26 climate change summit actually achieve? In this episode, we're joined by Jack Marley, energy and environment editor for The Conversation in the UK, as we speak to researchers from around the world to get their views on the negotiations and what needs to happen now. Featuring Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate and Development at the Independent University Bangladesh; Richard Beardsworth, professor of international relations at the University of Leeds in England; Rachel Kyte, dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University in the US; Anna Malos, country lead for Australia at ClimateWorks, part of Monash University in Australia; and Intan Suchi Nurhati, a senior scientist at the National Research and Innovation Agency in Indonesia. And Stephen Khan, global executive editor for The Conversation, based in London, gives us some recommended reading. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: COP26: experts react to the UN climate summit and Glasgow Pact, various authors After COP26, the hard work begins on making climate promises real: 5 things to watch in 2022, by Rachel Kyte, Tufts University Glasgow Climate Pact: where do all the words and numbers we heard at COP26 leave us?, by Mary Gagen, Swansea University Here’s how some of Cape Town’s gangsters got out – and stayed out, by Dariusz Dziewanski, University of Cape Town How to function in an increasingly polarized society, by Fiona MacDonald, University of Northern British Columbia
Nov 11, 2021 · 39 min
Ten years to 1.5°C: how climate anxiety is affecting young people around the world
We speak to a climate scientist who just updated a clock he created that counts down the seconds until the world reaches 1.5°C of global warming. And we hear from experts about the latest research evidence on climate anxiety – what it is, how common it is around the world and what to do about it. Featuring Damon Matthews, professor and Concordia University research chair in climate science and sustainability at Concordia University in Canada, Caroline Hickman, lecturer in the department of social and policy sciences at the University of Bath in England, Charles Ogunbode, assistant professor in applied psychology at the University of Nottingham in England and Teaghan Hogg, PhD candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Canberra in Australia. And Fabrice Rousselot, editor at The Conversation in Paris, gives us some recommended reading from the team in France. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading Climate clock reset shows the world is one year closer to 1.5 C warming threshold, by H. Damon Matthews, Concordia University and Glen Peters, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Feel alone in your eco-anxiety? Don’t – it’s remarkably common to feel dread about environmental decline, by Teaghan Hogg and Léan O'Brien, University of Canberra and Samantha Stanley, Australian National University ‘The notion of death is very present’: what we can learn about eco-anxiety from memes, by Leila Elgaaied-Gambier, TBS Business School and Timo Mandler, TBS Business School Why does Eric Zemmour embarrass the right so much? by Emilien Houard-Vial, PhD candidate in political science, Center for European Studies, Sciences Po (in French) Vaccination of children against Covid-19: the unprecedented ethical issues, by Emmanuel Hirsch, Professor of medical ethics, Paris-Saclay University (in French)
Nov 4, 2021 · 46 min
Tigray: the devastating toll of Ethiopia's vicious year of war
A year since war broke out in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, conflict in the country is intensifying. In this episode, we talk to two experts about the worsening humanitarian situation in Tigray and the international community’s response to the conflict. Featuring Emnet Negash, a PhD candidate at Ghent University in Belgium who is tracking the food situation in Tigray, and Mukesh Kapila, professor emeritus of global health and humanitarian affairs at the University of Manchester in England and a former UN official. In our second story, we hear from Alejandro Gallego Schmid, senior lecturer in circular economy and life cycle sustainability assessment at the University of Manchester, about his findings that reusable food containers aren’t always better for the environment than disposable ones. (Listen at 32m25) And Nicole Hasham, environment and energy editor at The Conversation in Australia, recommends some analysis tied to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. (Listen at 43m30) The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading Decades of progress gone in one year: Tigray’s healthcare system has been destroyed, by Berhe W Sahle, Deakin University and Mulu A Woldegiorgis, Swinburne University of Technology Following the Tigray conflict, the rocky road to peace in Ethiopia, by Mukesh Kapila, University of Manchester Reusable containers aren’t always better for the environment than disposable ones - new research, by Alejandro Gallego Schmid and Adisa Azapagic, University of Manchester and Joan Manuel F. Mendoza, Ikerbasque Foundatio Scott Morrison attends pivotal global climate talks today, bringing a weak plan that leaves Australia exposed, by Frank Jotzo, Australian National University Global emissions almost back to pre-pandemic levels after unprecedented drop in 2020, new analysis shows, by Pep Canadell, CSIRO and colleagues
Oct 28, 2021 · 36 min
Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet
Some economists have long argued that to really save the planet – and ourselves – from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. In this episode, we explore the ideas of the degrowth movement and their calls for a contraction in the world’s consumption of energy and resources. We also compare degrowth to other post-growth proposals for governments to reduce their fixation on economic growth. Featuring Samuel Alexander, research fellow at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne in Australia, Lorenzo Fioramonti, full professor of political economy at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and also a serving Italian MP, and Beth Stratford PhD candidate at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds in the UK. And Veronika Meduna, science, health and environment editor at The Conversation in Wellington, gives us some recommended reading about the coronavirus situation in New Zealand. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading Beyond GDP: here’s a better way to measure people’s prosperity, by Henrietta Moore,UCL Time for degrowth: to save the planet, we must shrink the economy, by Jason Hickel, London School of Economics and Political Science Rediscover the ideas of Jacques Ellul, pioneer of décroissance, by Patrick Chastenet, Université de Bordeaux (in French) ‘If you want summer, get vaccinated’ – Jacinda Ardern sets the target for re-opening New Zealand, by Michael Plank, University of Canterbury and Shaun Hendy, University of Auckland New Zealand cannot abandon its COVID elimination strategy while Māori and Pasifika vaccination rates are too low, by Collin Tukuitonga, University of Auckland
Oct 21, 2021 · 46 min
Taiwan: what is China's long-term strategy?
As military tensions run high once again across the Taiwan Strait, we talk to two experts about China’s longer-term reunification strategy – and what that means for Taiwan. Featuring Wen-Ti Sung, sessional lecturer in Taiwan Studies at the Australian National University and Olivia Cheung, research fellow at the SOAS China Institute at SOAS University of London. Plus, we’re joined by Vinita Srivastava, host of the Don’t Call Me Resilient podcast from The Conversation in Canada. We feature part of their recent episode on the phenomenon of white – or mostly white people – in North America who pretend to be Indigenous. The conversation features two Indigenous scholars: Veldon Coburn, assistant professor in the Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies at the University of Ottawa and Celeste Pedri-Spade an associate professor in Indigenous Studies at Queen’s University. Listen to the full episode here. And Luthfi Dzulfikar, education and young people’s editor at The Conversation in Jakarta, gives us some recommended reads from Indonesia. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl and music in the Don't Call Me Resilient section is by Jahmal Padmore. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading Why Taiwan remains calm in the face of unprecedented military pressure from China, by Wen-Ti Sung, Australian National University Taiwan: how the ‘porcupine doctrine’ might help deter armed conflict with China, by Zeno Leoni, King's College London Stolen identities: What does it mean to be Indigenous? Don’t Call Me Resilient Podcast EP 8 Fostering girls’ education will be challenging under a Taliban regime, but Afghanistan can learn a lot from Indonesia, by M Niaz Asadullah, University of Malaya Indonesia’s shrimp paste reigns supreme among others used in Asian cuisine, has potential, but needs a solid export strategy by Widya Agustinah, Universitas Katolik Atma Jaya (In Bahasa Indonesia)
Oct 14, 2021 · 44 min
Explaining the 2021 Nobel Prizes: how touch works, a better way to make medicine and the fiction of Abdulrazak Gurnah
Six prize announcements later, 12 men and one woman from 11 countries are now settling down to their new lives as Nobel laureates. In this episode, we delve into the scientific discoveries around touch and organic catalysts awarded the 2021 prizes in medicine and chemistry. And we talk to a friend and collaborator of Abdulrazak Gurnah, the Tanzanian writer awarded the Nobel prize for literature. Featuring Kate Poole, associate professor in physiology, at the University of New South Wales in Australia, David Nagib, associate professor of chemistry at the Ohio State University and Susheila Nasta, emeritus professor of modern and contemporary literatures at Queen Mary University of London. Plus, Ina Skosana, health editor at The Conversation in Johannesburg, recommends some recent analysis on a huge breakthrough for the African continent: the approval of a malaria vaccine. (At 41m30) The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading My PhD supervisor just won the Nobel prize in physics – here’s how his research on complex systems changed science, by Paolo Barucca, UCL Nobel Peace Prize for journalists serves as reminder that freedom of the press is under threat from strongmen and social media, by Kathy Kiely, University of Missouri-Columbia Nobel winner David Card proves immigrants don’t reduce the wages of native-born workers, by Arvind Magesan, University of Calgary Breakthrough malaria vaccine offers to reinvigorate the fight against the disease, by Eunice Anyango Owino, University of Nairobi Malaria vaccine is a major leap forward: but innovation mustn’t stop here, by Jaishree Raman and Shüné Oliver, National Institute for Communicable Diseases
Oct 7, 2021 · 47 min
New clues to consciousness + AI helps finish Beethoven's 10th symphony
What’s happening in our brains to create consciousness? In this episode we hear from two scientists uncovering clues to where dopamine fits into this mystery. It could help the recovery of people with severe brain injuries. Featuring Emmanual Stamatakis, who leads the cognition and consciousness imaging group at the Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge in the UK and Leandro Sanz, a medical doctor and PhD candidate in medical sciences at the Coma Science Group at the University of Liège in Belgium. Plus, the story of how artificial intelligence – and its human helpers – completed Beethoven’s unfinished 10th symphony. Ahmed Elgammal, a professor of computer science and director of the Art and AI lab at Rutgers University in New Jersey, who led the artificial intelligence side of the project, tells us how they did it. And Holly Squire, arts and culture editor at The Conversation in Brighton gives us some of her recommended reading from this week. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading Consciousness: how the brain chemical ‘dopamine’ plays a key role – new research, by Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, Christelle Langley, Emmanuel A Stamatakis and Lennart Spindler, at the University of Cambridge Science as we know it can’t explain consciousness – but a revolution is coming, by Philip Goff, Durham University How a team of musicologists and computer scientists completed Beethoven’s unfinished 10th Symphony, by Ahmed Elgammal, Rutgers University Remembering the Black abolitionists of slavery in Yorkshire, by Emily Zobel Marshall, Leeds Beckett University How Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors became an LGBTQ+ anthem, by James Barker, Newcastle University
Sep 30, 2021 · 39 min
Germany election winners, losers, and how the Greens emerged as kingmakers + the benefits of saunas
After Germany’s recent election, coalition talks are now underway to determine the composition of the next government and who will succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. We speak to three experts about what the results tell us about German voters’ priorities – and dig into the history of the Greens, now one of the kingmakers in coalition negotiations. Featuring Jasmin Riedl, professor of political science at Bundeswehr University Munich in Germany, Niko Switek, visiting professor for German studies at University of Washington in the US and Chantal Sullivan-Thomsett, PhD candidate in German and politics at the University of Leeds in the UK. In our second story, we talk to Charles James Steward, PhD candidate at the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences at Coventry University in the UK, on his research looking at the health benefits of saunas and hot baths, particularly after exercise. Plus, Lucía Caballero, environment and energy editor at The Conversation in Madrid gives us some of her recommended reading. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading German election explained: why is it always so hard to form a government?, by Alim Baluch, University of Bath Germany election: Olaf Scholz’s social democrats come out on top but smaller parties hold the key to government, by Ed Turner, Aston University German election sees centre-left eke out a slim victory over Angela Merkel’s party, by James M. Skidmore, University of Waterloo Can’t face running? Have a hot bath or a sauna – research shows they offer some similar benefits, by Charles James Steward, Coventry University Why we continue to live near volcanoes despite the risk, by María Belén Benito Oterino , Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) (in Spanish) Can cities continue to grow in an unlimited way?, by Juan Manuel Ros García , CEU San Pablo University (in Spanish)
Sep 23, 2021 · 46 min
Have climate change predictions matched reality?
For decades, scientists have warned that unchecked global warming could bring climate extremes such as severe droughts, flash floods and rising sea levels. We talk to three climate change experts on how predictions of a changing world are holding up against the reality we’re living through. Featuring Christopher White, head of the Centre for Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health at the University of Strathclyde in the UK, Victor Ongoma Assistant Professor, at Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique in Morocco, and Kewei Lyu a postdoctoral researcher in ocean and climate at CSIRO in Australia. And Justin Bergman, deputy politics editor at The Conversation in Melbourne, Australia, recommends some recent analysis of the fallout from the recent AUKUS defence pact. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading How summer 2021 has changed our understanding of extreme weather, by Christopher J White, University of Strathclyde Insights for African countries from the latest climate change projections, by Victor Ongoma, Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique Pinpointing the role of climate change in every storm is impossible – and a luxury most countries can’t afford, by Friederike Otto, University of Oxford and Luke Harrington, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington IPCC says Earth will reach temperature rise of about 1.5℃ in around a decade. But limiting any global warming is what matters most, by Michael Grose and Pep Canadell at CSIRO; and Malte Meinshausen and Zebedee Nicholls, The University of Melbourne C'est fini: can the Australia-France relationship be salvaged after scrapping the sub deal?, by Romain Fathi, Flinders University and Claire Rioult, Monash University After AUKUS, Russia sees a potential threat — and an opportunity to market its own submarines, by Alexey D Muraviev, Curtin University
Sep 16, 2021 · 41 min
Why is Justin Trudeau more popular abroad than in Canada? + Clues on why mosquitoes bite some of us more than others
Ahead of Canadian elections on September 20, two experts in Canadian politics profile the current prime minister, Justin Trudeau. They explore why he's so much more popular abroad than at home and assess what his real foreign policy record has been beyond being a celebrity. Featuring Alex Marland, professor of political science at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Jeremy Wildeman, Research Fellow at the Human Rights Research and Education Centre, University of Ottawa and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Queen's University, Ontario. In our second story (at 28m55), we hear about research providing new clues on why mosquitoes bite some people more than others. Madelien Wooding, a researcher at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pretoria, explains how her team pinpointed some of the chemical compounds that make our skin more attractive to mosquitoes. We also hear (25m50) from Clea Chakraverty, politics editor at The Conversation in France about their new podcast series on what it takes to be president of France, Moi président·e, and Moina Spooner, assistant editor at The Conversation in Nairobi, recommends some reading on two concerning recent events in Guinea (39m38). The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading From sunny ways to pelted with stones: Why do some Canadians hate Justin Trudeau?, by Fenwick McKelvey, Concordia University and Scott DeJong, Concordia University Rhetoric Check: Historically, how important is the 2021 Canadian election?, by Alex Marland, Memorial University of Newfoundland Canada’s non-diplomacy puts Canadians at risk in an unstable Middle East, by Jeremy Wildeman, University of Bath We’re a step closer to figuring out why mosquitoes bite some people and not others, by Madelien Wooding, University of Pretoria and Yvette Naudé, University of Pretoria Pasha 121: Why we need mosquitoes, featuring Jeremy Herren, Scientist, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Guinea coup highlights the weaknesses of West Africa’s regional body, by Benjamin Maiangwa, Lakehead University Marburg in Guinea: the value of lessons from managing other haemorrhagic outbreaks, by Michelle J. Groome, National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Janusz Paweska, National Institute for Communicable Diseases
Sep 9, 2021 · 44 min
Haiti's history of cascading crises and political fragility
From earthquakes, to hurricanes, disease and drug violence, the Caribbean island of Haiti has faced a decade of cascading crises. In this week’s episode of The Conversation Weekly we talk to experts about what Haiti’s history tells us about its political fragility, and what that means for the country’s ability to recover from disasters. Featuring disaster management expert Louise Comfort, professor of public and international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh and Haitian American historian Jean Eddy Saint Paul, professor of sociology at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. In our second story (at 27m40s), we talk to historian Susan Kamei, lecturer in history at the University of Southern California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences about her new research chronicling the experiences of Japanese Americans interned by the US government during the second world war. And Kalpana Jain, senior religion and ethics editor at The Conversation in the US, recommends some reading from our coverage marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks (at 41m). The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: Assassinations and invasions – how the US and France shaped Haiti’s long history of political turmoil, by Jean Eddy Saint Paul, Brooklyn College Will recent political instability affect Haiti’s earthquake response? We ask an expert, by Louise K. Comfort, University of Pittsburgh Earthquake expert who advised the Haiti government in 2010: ‘Why were clear early warning signs missed?’, by Luigi Di Sarno, University of Liverpool Haiti: what aid workers can learn from the previous earthquake as they struggle to rebuild the country, by David Alexander, UCL The crisis in Haiti reflects the failure of the international community to stabilize the country, by Chalmers Larose, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) How memories of Japanese American imprisonment during WWII guided the US response to 9/11, by Susan H. Kamei, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Why some Muslim women feel empowered wearing hijab, a headscarf, by Kalpana Jain, The Conversation At the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, ancient Greece and Rome can tell us a lot about the links between collective trauma and going to war, by Joel Christensen, Brandeis University
Sep 2, 2021 · 43 min
Back to school with COVID: how to keep children safe
As many children head back to school, in this episode we look at what really works to help stop COVID-19 transmission in the classroom. And for those countries where masks remain mandatory in schools, we hear some tips for teachers and students on how to communicate. Featuring, Brandon Guthrie, an associate professor of global health an epidemiology at the University of Washington in the US and Laura Abou Haidar, a professor of linguistics at the Université Grenoble Alpes in France. In our second story, we dig into the science behind daydreaming. Thomas Andrillon, research fellow at the Paris Brain Institute in France and an adjunct research fellow at Monash University in Australia, explains his new research on what's happening in our brains when our mind wanders. And Heather Kroeker, a health editor at The Conversation in London, recommends some recent health stories. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: Schools can reopen safely – an epidemiologist describes what works and what’s not worth the effort, by Brandon Guthrie, University of Washington COVID-19 back to school Q&A: Is it safe for unvaccinated children to go to school in person? Is the harm of school closures greater than the risk of the virus? by Joanna-Trees Merckx and Jay Kaufman, McGill University; Catherine Haeck, Université du Québec à Montréal; Dimitri Van der Linden, Université Catholique de Louvain Teaching with a masked face: a challenge? by Laura Abou Haidar, Université Grenoble Alpes (in French) What is daydreaming? Parts of the brain show sleep-like activity when your mind wanders, by Thomas Andrillon, Inserm; Jennifer Windt, Monash University, and Naotsugu Tsuchiya, Monash University Feeling tired? Here’s how the brain’s ‘hourglass’ controls your need for sleep – new research , by Lukas B. Krone, Vladyslav Vyazovskiy and Zoltán Molnár, University of Oxford Sugar: why some people experience side-effects when they quit, by James Brown, Aston University
Aug 26, 2021 · 41 min
The origins of the Taliban
Twenty years after they were ousted from Kabul, the Taliban are now back in control of most of Afghanistan. In this episode, two Afghan experts trace the origins of the Taliban back to the late 1970s, and explain what's happened to the group over the past two decades. Featuring Ali A Olomi, assistant professor of history at Penn State Abington in the US and Niamatullah Ibrahimi, lecturer in international relations at La Trobe University in Australia. And Lee-Anne Goodman, politics editor at The Conversation in Toronto, commends some further reading on what the Taliban takeover means for Afghans. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading The Taliban wants the world’s trust. To achieve this, it will need to make some difficult choices, by Niamatullah Ibrahimi, La Trobe University and Safiullah Taye, Deakin University The world must not look away as the Taliban sexually enslaves women and girls, by Vrinda Narain, McGill University Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley: the last stronghold of resistance to Taliban rule, by Kaweh Kerami, SOAS, University of London The Taliban may have access to the biometric data of civilians who helped the U.S. military, by Lucia Nalbandian, Ryerson University Taliban’s religious ideology – Deobandi Islam – has roots in colonial India, by Sohel Rana, Indiana University and Sumit Ganguly, Indiana University
Aug 19, 2021 · 15 min
The biological switch that could turn neuroplasticity on and off in the brain
The Conversation Weekly podcast is taking a short break in August. In the meantime, we're bringing you extended versions of some of our favourite interviews from the past few months. This week, how researchers discovered a biological switch that could turn on and off neuroplasticity in the brain – the ability of neurons to change their structure. We speak to Sarah Ackerman, a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Oregon, about what she and her team have found and why it matters. This episode of The Conversation Weekly features an extended version of an interview first published on April 29. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: Astrocyte cells in the fruit fly brain are an on-off switch that controls when neurons can change and grow, by Sarah DeGenova Ackerman, University of Oregon Swimming gives your brain a boost – but scientists don’t know yet why it’s better than other aerobic activities, by Seena Mathew, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor What is brain plasticity and why is it so important?, by Duncan Banks, The Open University
Aug 12, 2021 · 13 min
Al-Shabaab: why women join the Islamist militant group
The Conversation Weekly podcast is taking a short break in August. For the next few weeks we'll be bringing you extended versions of a few of our favourite interviews from the past few months. This week, we speak to Fathima Azmiya Badurdeen, lecturer in the department of social sciences at the Technical University of Mombasa, who interviewed Kenyan women about why they joined the militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab. She explains how she gained the trust of these women and their families, and what her findings mean for their rehabilitation. This episode of The Conversation Weekly features an extended version of an interview first published on April 22. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. Further reading: Why we did it: the Kenyan women and girls who joined Al-Shabaab, by Fathima Azmiya Badurdeen, Technical University of Mombasa Why Somali clan elders could hold the key to opening dialogue with Al-Shabaab, by Mohammed Ibrahim Shire, University of Portsmouth Somalia’s toxic political and security order: the death knell of democracy, by Abdi Ismail Samatar, University of Pretoria