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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Oct 14, 2024 · 32 min
Know Your Place: when did class stop predicting the way British people vote?
In an extra episode this week, we're running the first part of Know Your Place: what happened to class in British politics, a new series from The Conversation Documentaries. Host Laura Hood, senior politics editor at The Conversation in London, explores when the relationship between class and voting in the UK broke down and why. Featuring John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and senior research fellow at the National Centre for Social Research, Paula Surridge, professor of political sociology at the University of Bristol, Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London and Geoffrey Evans, professor in the sociology of politics at the University of Oxford. Subscribe to The Conversation Documentaries to listen to the full series. Know your place is a series supported by the National Centre for Social Research. It's produced and mixed by Anouk Millet for The Conversation. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was mixed by Michelle Macklem. Full credits available here. The Conversation Documentaries, formerly The Anthill podcast, is home to in-depth audio series from The Conversation UK, a not-for-profit independent news organisation. Find out more and donate here. And consider signing up for our free daily newsletter. Further reading Age, not class, is now the biggest divide in British politics, new research confirms Brexit identities: how Leave versus Remain replaced Conservative versus Labour affiliations of British voters UK election: Reform and Green members campaigned more online – but pounded the pavements less
Oct 10, 2024 · 36 min
What Israel and its neighbours want now
The Middle East is perilously close to all-out war. In the year since the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, millions of people have been displaced from their homes in Gaza, Israel, the West Bank and now Lebanon, and tens of thousands killed. In this episode, we speak to two experts from the Middle East, Mireille Rebeiz and Amnon Aran, to get a sense of the strategic calculations being made by both Israel and its neighbours at this frightening moment for the region. Rebeiz is chair of Middle East Studies at Dickinson College in the US and Aran is professor of International Relations, City St George's, University of London in the UK. This episode was produced by Mend Mariwany and mixed by Michelle Macklem. Full credits for this episode are available. If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, which is an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. And please do rate and review the show wherever you listen. Further reading and listening: Does Hezbollah represent Lebanon? And what impact will the death of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah have? October 7 marks 12 months of escalation into the ‘forever war’ now engulfing the Middle East A year of escalating conflict in the Middle East has ushered in a new era of regional displacement Inside the Oslo accords: a new podcast series marks 30 years since Israel-Palestine secret peace negotiations
Oct 3, 2024 · 27 min
HIV breakthrough in preventing infection via injection
A new drug to prevent HIV infection is showing hugely promising results in clinical trials when injected every six months. In this episode, we speak to South African HIV doctor and scientist Linda-Gail Bekker at the University of Cape Town about her involvement in one of the trials for lenacapavir and why she thinks it could be so ground-breaking. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and sound design was by Michelle Macklem. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, which is an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. And please do rate and review the show wherever you listen. Further reading: HIV breakthrough: drug trial shows injection twice a year is 100% effective against infection The HIV epidemic 40 years on: 5 essential reads on breakthroughs, blind spots and new challenges HIV prevention: new injection could boost the fight, but some hurdles remain
Sep 26, 2024 · 23 min
Himpathy: the psychology of why some people side with perpetrators of sexual misconduct
What makes some people more likely to feel disproportionate sympathy to people facing accusations of sexual misconduct – a concept known as himpathy? In this episode, we speak to a human behaviour expert whose research seeks to understand the psychological factors behind it. Featuring Samantha Dodson, assistant professor of organizational behaviour and human resources at the University of Calgary in Canada, and an introduction form Eleni Vlahiotis, business and economy editor at The Conversation in Canada. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany and sound design by Michelle Macklem. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, which is an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. And please do rate and review the show wherever you listen. Further reading: How ‘himpathy’ helps shield perpetrators of sexual misconduct from repercussions Trump found liable for assaulting, defaming E. Jean Carroll – after a trial where he relied on a discredited myth about how women should react to rape Kavanaugh is a reminder: Accused sexual harassers get promoted anyway
Sep 19, 2024 · 20 min
A lonely ancient plant needs a female partner – researchers are using drones and AI to find it
A rare and ancient plant has been waiting for its long-lost mate. The only known specimens of Encephalartos woodii, a rare and ancient species of cycad, are male, all clones of the same plant found over 100 years ago deep in a South African forest. Now a team of researchers is on a mission to find an elusive female version of the plant with the help of drones and artificial intelligence. In this episode we speak to Laura Cinti, a research fellow at the University of Southampton in the UK, about her determined quest to save the species – called the world's "loneliest" plant. The story in this episode came out of our series Plant Curious, exploring scientific studies that challenge the way you view plantlife. The episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with assistance from Katie Flood and sound design by Michelle Macklem. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. A transcript is also available. If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, which is an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. And please do rate and review the show wherever you listen. Further reading: Searching for a female partner for the world’s ‘loneliest’ plant The silent conversations of plants Climate mapping can point to danger spots where new pest threatens Africa’s cycads Thirsty tomatoes emit ultrasonic sounds – and other plants may be listening
Sep 12, 2024 · 30 min
Why mpox in Africa was ignored for too long and children are dying as a result
An epidemic of mpox in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is spreading quickly, particularly among young children. Mpox is a serious, at times fatal, virus – and the world knows how to prevent it. There are effective vaccines stockpiled in many western countries. Yet, after an earlier global epidemic in 2022 was largely brought under control in Europe and North America, the ongoing battle to protect people in Africa from mpox was ignored. In this episode we ask a virologist and a paediatrician why Africa's mpox crisis was so neglected and what needs to happen now to save lives, particularly children's. Featuring Nadia Adjoa Sam-Agudu, professor of paediatric infectious diseases at the University of Minnesota in the US and Wolfgang Preiser, head of the division of medical virology at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, with an introduction from Nadine Dreyer, health and medicine editor at The Conversation Africa. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with assistance from Katie Flood and sound design by Michelle Macklem. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, which is an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. And please do rate and review the show wherever you listen. Further reading: Mpox in the DRC: children are at high risk – health expert explains why Mpox outbreak in Africa was neglected – it could now turn into the next global pandemic Mpox cases are soaring in Africa – what must be done to prevent a global pandemic Africa desperately needs mpox vaccines. But donations from rich countries won’t fix this or the next health emergency
Sep 5, 2024 · 29 min
The emotional toll of dating apps and why they're no longer about finding love
Dating apps are having a rocky moment, with some of the biggest struggling to attract paying users. In this episode, we hear from researchers exploring how dating apps have changed modern dating and the expectations around it. And we find out why some dating app users aren’t actually there looking for love, but keep on swiping anyway. Featuring Treena Orchard, associate professor at the School of Health Studies at Western University in Canada, and Carolina Bandinelli associate professor in media and creative industries at the University of Warwick in the UK. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany, with assistance from Katie Flood and sound design by Michelle Macklem. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, which is an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. And please do rate and review the show wherever you listen. If you listen on PocketCasts, they've just launched the ability to rate shows here. Further reading: Swipe right or left? How dating apps are impacting modern masculinity Dating apps are accused of being ‘addictive’. What makes us keep swiping? The problems with dating apps and how they could be fixed – two relationship experts discuss Dating apps: Lack of regulation, oversight and competition affects quality, and millions stand to lose
Aug 30, 2024 · 31 min
Geoengineering part 2: the case against reflecting sunlight to cool the Earth
In the second of two episodes on geoengineering, we hear the case against trying to reflect sunlight to cool the Earth. Solar radiation modification has attracted attention and investment in recent years as a way to potential reverse the effects of climate change, but it remains a controversial idea. We hear from researchers pushing a non-use agreement for solar geoengineering who explain why they believe these types of technologies are a dangerous distraction from what needs to be done to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Featuring Chukwumerije Okereke, professor in global governance and public policy at the University of Bristol, and Co-Director at the Center for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Nigeria and Aarti Gupta, professor of global environmental governance at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. And responses from Shaun Fitzgerald at the Centre for Climate Change at the University of Cambridge in the UK Listen to the first episode to hear scientists who argue modifying the climate can help buy the world time. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with assistance from Katie Flood and sound design by Michelle Macklem. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: Not such a bright idea: cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight back to space is a dangerous distraction Solar geoengineering might work, but local temperatures could keep rising for years Blocking out the sun won’t fix climate change – but it could buy us time The overshoot myth: you can’t keep burning fossil fuels and expect scientists of the future to get us back to 1.5°C Africa has vast gas reserves – here’s how to stop them adding to climate change
Aug 29, 2024 · 28 min
Geoengineering part 1: the case to try modifying the climate
Geoengineering, the modification of the climate using technological interventions to reverse climate change, is a hugely divisive issue and we’ve decided to explore it in two episodes. In this first episode, we talk to scientists working on potential geoengineering technologies who argue the case for conducting research into these interventions. We speak to Shaun Fitzgerald, director of the Centre for Climate Repair at the University of Cambridge in the UK and Hugh Hunt, deputy director at the Centre, as well as Ben Kravitz, assistant professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Indiana University in the US. We're also joined by Stacy Morford, environment and climate editor at The Conversation in the US. Part two, out tomorrow, will focus on the case against a particular type of solar geoengineering called solar radiation management. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood, Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Michelle Macklem. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: What could we do to cool the Arctic, specifically? Climate engineering carries serious national security risks − countries facing extreme heat may try it anyway, and the world needs to be prepared Blocking out the sun won’t fix climate change – but it could buy us time The overshoot myth: you can’t keep burning fossil fuels and expect scientists of the future to get us back to 1.5°C
Aug 22, 2024 · 27 min
A tooth that rewrites history? The discovery challenging what we knew about Neanderthals
As we take a short production break in August, we're re-running an episode from 2023 about Neanderthals, and what new discoveries about their research could tell us about Homo Sapiens. For generations, Neanderthals have been a source of fascination for scientists. This species of ancient hominim inhabited the world for around 500,000 years until they suddenly disappeared 42,000 years ago. Today, the cause of their extinction remains a mystery. Archaeologist Ludovic Slimak at the University of Toulouse III, Paul Sabatier in France and his team have spent three decades excavating caves, studying ancient artefacts and delving into the world of Neanderthals and they've recently published provocative new findings. He tells us more about how Neanderthals lived, what happened to them and why their extinction might hold profound insights into the story of own species, Homo Sapiens. This episode was produced and written by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is now available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: Q&A with Ludovic Slimak, the archeologist who wants to rewrite the history of early humans in Europe Modern human DNA contains bits from all over the Neanderthal genome – except the Y chromosome. What happened? How Neanderthal language differed from modern human – they probably didn’t use metaphors The reconstruction of a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman’s face makes her look quite friendly – there’s a problem with that Why did modern humans replace the Neanderthals? The key might lie in our social structures
Aug 15, 2024 · 40 min
Borders and Belonging: is Japan turning into a migration state?
As The Conversation Weekly takes a short production break in August, we're bringing you a recent episode from our partners at the Borders and Belonging podcast about Japan’s evolving stance on immigration. With a rapidly ageing population and a shrinking workforce, Japan is facing an unprecedented crisis: by 2030, it's projected to have a shortfall of nearly 6.4 million workers. But despite Japan’s reputation for being closed off to migrants, there are signs that the country’s national immigration policy is starting to shift. Each episode of Borders and Belonging takes an in-depth look at a different regional migration issue and puts it into a global context. They do this through interviewing people with deep knowledge and experience of the region, including a couple of academic experts. The show is hosted by Maggie Perzyna, a researcher with the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and integration programme at Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. This episode features Nicholas A. R. Fraser, a senior research associate at Toronto Metropolitan University, Ito Peng, professor of sociology and public policy at the University of Toronto and Nana Oishi, associate professor in Japanese Studies at the University of Melbourne. Borders and Belonging is produced by CERC Migration in collaboration with Lead Podcasting. Sound design for this episode of The Conversation Weekly was by Michelle Macklem, with production by Mend Mariwany. Sign up for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation and to support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation.
Aug 8, 2024 · 20 min
Curious Kids: Why is my dog so cute?
A chance to hear an episode from the first season of The Conversation's Curious Kids, a new podcast where kids from around the world get to ask their questions direct to experts. In this episode: do you think your dog is the cutest thing you've ever seen? Ten-year-old Grace does! But why? She joins our host Eloise and psychologist Deborah Wells from Queen's University Belfast to find out! You can read an article of this episode here or explore more articles from our Curious Kids series on The Conversation. The Conversation's Curious Kids podcast is published in partnership with FunKids, the UK's children's radio station. It's hosted and produced by Eloise. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation.
Aug 1, 2024 · 28 min
Fightback mounts against trade deals fossil fuel investors can use to sue countries over climate action
Momentum is growing against clauses in investment treaties that permit companies to sue a state if it decides to keep fossil fuels in the ground. In this episode, we revisit the secretive world of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), which some experts are worried could jeopardise global efforts to save the climate and cost countries billions of dollars in the process. Kyla Tienhaara, Canada research chair in economy and environment at Queen's University, Ontario in Canada, comes back on The Conversation Weekly to update us on the latest resistance to these clauses. Part of this episode was first aired in October 2022. You can listen to the original episode here. It was produced by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading: How treaties protecting fossil fuel investors could jeopardize global efforts to save the climate – and cost countries billions Energy charter treaty makes climate action nearly illegal in 52 countries – so how can we leave it? How Clive Palmer is suing Australia for $300 billion with the help of an obscure legal clause (and Christian Porter) The Energy Charter Treaty lets fossil fuel firms sue governments – but its future is now in question
Jul 25, 2024 · 24 min
New options for managing chronic pain after the opioid crisis
Chronic pain affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. But the opioid crisis in North America led many health care providers to realize they relied too heavily on drugs to help patients manage their pain. In this episode, a pain management specialist discusses new developments in pain treatment and why there’s hope for patients with chronic pain. Rachael Rzasa Lynn Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus speaks to Amanda Mascarelli Senior Health and Medicine Editor at The Conversation in the US about emerging chronic pain treatments. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation. Further reading: New treatments offer much-needed hope for patients suffering from chronic pain Chronic pain can be objectively measured using brain signals – new research Understanding that chronic back pain originates from within the brain could lead to quicker recovery, a new study finds How cannabis and psilocybin might help some of the 50 million Americans who are experiencing chronic pain
Jul 18, 2024 · 25 min
Can shared experiences bring people closer together?
Across the world, fans will soon be tuning in at all hours of the day and night to watch the Paris Olympics. In a world where on-demand media streaming is now increasingly the norm, sport is something of a rarity. It’s watched live, often with other people. Can something as simple as watching a sporting competition at the same time bring people closer together? In this episode, we explore this question with a Garriy Shteynberg an associate professor of psychology at the University of Tennessee in the US who studies the impact of shared experiences. We're running a listener survey to hear what you think about the podcast. It should take just a few minutes of your time and we’d really appreciate your thoughts. You can fill it in here. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation. Further reading and listening: ‘Collective mind’ bridges societal divides − psychology research explores how watching the same thing can bring people together How to depolarise deeply divided societies – podcast More coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics across The Conversation
Jul 11, 2024 · 40 min
What next for the French and British right?
A few days after Labour leader Keir Starmer was elected British prime minister on July 4 with a landslide victory, ending 14 years of Conservative-led rule, a coalition of left-wing parties came out on top in the French legislative elections. It was a good week for the left in this corner of Europe. In this episode, we’ve brought together an expert from each country to help analyse the results and what they tell us about the right in French and British politics. Featuring Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London and Safia Dahani, post-doctoral researcher in sociology at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. We're running a listener survey to hear what you think about the podcast. It should take just a few minutes of your time and we’d really appreciate your thoughts. You can fill it in here. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation. Further reading: French elections: ‘Power will shift from the presidential palace to the National Assembly and the Senate’ « La légitimation de l’extrême droite est autant le fait d’autres partis que de l’espace médiatique » Starmer must seize the chance to rethink the UK-Europe relationship – here’s how he can do it Tory wipeout delivers landslide Labour victory: what the experts say
Jul 4, 2024 · 17 min
Underwater soundscapes of seagrass meadows revealed in new recordings
Seagrass, a marine plant that flowers underwater, has lots of environmental benefits – from storing carbon to preventing coastal erosion. In this episode, we speak to Isabel Key, a marine ecologist at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, about her work recording the soundscape of Scottish seagrass meadows to uncover more about the creatures living within them. She also explains how this is the first step in the development of a seagrass sound library and potentially even artificial intelligence tools that could help us better understand the sounds of the sea. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. To support what we do, please consider donating to The Conversation. Further reading: Seagrass meadows are rapidly expanding near inhabited islands in Maldives – here’s why Meet the world’s largest plant: a single seagrass clone stretching 180 km in Western Australia’s Shark Bay Seagrass is a marine powerhouse, so why isn’t it on the world’s conservation agenda?
Jul 1, 2024 · 39 min
Don't Call Me Resilient: as war rages in Sudan, a new type of community resistance takes hold
We’re bringing you an extra episode this week from Don’t Call Me Resilient, another podcast from The Conversation. Hosted by Vinita Srivastava at The Conversation in Canada, Don’t Call Me Resilient is your weekly dose of news and current events through a sharply-focused anti-racist lens. In this episode Vinita talks to Nisrin Elamin about the ongoing war in Sudan, which has displaced more than 10m people. Elamin, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Toronto in Canada, says that in the absence of a properly functioning government and looming famine, grassroots groups are stepping in to help people survive. This episode originally aired on May 30, 2024. You can listen to or follow Don’t Call Me Resilient on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Further reading and listening: Iran’s intervention in Sudan’s civil war advances its geopolitical goals − but not without risks Sudan’s descent into chaos sets stage for al-Qaida to make a return to historic stronghold Sudan’s civil war is rooted in its historical favouritism of Arab and Islamic identity
Jun 27, 2024 · 26 min
3D printed guns: unmasking the designer of the FGC-9
3D-printed guns are now appearing the world over, including in the hands of organised criminals in Europe and anti-junta rebels in Myanmar. Made using a 3D printer and a few metal parts that can be easily sourced online, these shadow guns are untraceable, and becoming a popular choice for extremists too. In this episode, we talk to researcher Rajan Basra at King's College London about this clandestine world, and about his hunt to uncover the real identity of the man who designed the world's most popular 3D-printed gun, the FGC-9. Read an article by Basra from our Insights series about his research too. This episode was written and produced by Gemma Ware with assistance from Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading What are ‘ghost guns,’ a target of Biden’s anti-crime effort? American gun culture is based on frontier mythology – but ignores how common gun restrictions were in the Old West
Jun 20, 2024 · 31 min
The Brexit roots of the UK's Rwanda asylum plan – and why other EU leaders might want to copy it
A controversial British government plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has been central to the UK’s response to a recent sharp increase in the number of people making the dangerous journey across the English Channel in small boats. But if the Conservative party lose the general election in early July, the Rwanda plan is likely to be abandoned. In this episode, two experts in UK immigration policy explain how the Rwanda plan became such a crucial part of the immigration debate in the UK. And how, whatever happens in the election, it’s already shifting the wider conversation in Europe about how to deal with migrants and asylum seekers. Featuring Nando Sigona, professor of international migration and forced displacement and director of the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham and Michaela Benson, professor in public sociology at Lancaster University. They're both co-hosts of the Who do we think we are? podcast. This episode also includes an introduction from Avery Anapol, one of the politics team at The Conversation in the UK. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive editor. Full credits available here. Subscribe to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. Further reading and listening: Is the Rwanda plan acting as a deterrent? Here’s what the evidence says about this approach Rwanda asylum deportation plan faces more delays – how did we get here? Bespoke humanitarian visa schemes like those for Ukraine and Hong Kong can’t replace the asylum system I’ve spent time with refugees in French coastal camps and they told me the government’s Rwanda plan is not putting them off coming to the UK More coverage of the UK general election