In the last episode of Season 7, Liba Taub introduces the science of ancient Greece and Rome and details the link between poetry, philosophy, and science. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/VSI-Ep-79-Ancient-Greek-and-Roman-Science-transcript.pdf Learn more about Ancient Greek and Roman Science: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/ancient-greek-and-roman-science-a-very-short-introd...
Dec 14, 2023•11 min•Ep 79•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, David A. Bell introduces Napoleon Bonaparte and his revolutionary life and career. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VSI-Ep-78-Napoleon-transcript.pdf Learn more about “Napoleon: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/napoleon-a-very-short-introduction-9780199321667 David A. Bell is the Sidney and Ruth Lapidus Professor in the Department of History at Princeton. He ...
Dec 07, 2023•15 min•Ep 78•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ross H. McKenzie introduces condensed matter physics, the field which aims to explain how states of matter and their distinct physical properties emerge. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VSI-Ep-77-Condensed-Matter-Physics-transcript.pdf Learn more about “Condensed Matter Physics: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/condensed-matter-physics-a-very-short-introduct...
Nov 30, 2023•15 min•Ep 77•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Naomi Zack introduces democracy and the challenges posed against such a foundational part of our lives in the 21st century. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/VSI-Ep-76-Democracy-transcript.pdf Learn more about “Democracy: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/democracy-a-very-short-introduction-9780192845061 Naomi Zack is Professor of Philosophy at Lehman College, ...
Nov 16, 2023•15 min•Ep 76•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lyman Tower Sargent introduces utopianism, an idea that is commonplace in our society and has shaped our politics, literature, and religion. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/VSI-Ep-75-Utopianism-transcript.pdf Learn more about “Utopianism: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/utopianism-a-very-short-introduction-9780199573400 Lyman Tower Sargent is Professor Emer...
Nov 09, 2023•14 min•Ep 75•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Elleke Boehmer introduces the world-renowned figure of Nelson Mandela and looks critically at his legacy. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/VSI-Ep-74-Nelson-Mandela-transcript.pdf Learn more about Nelson Mandela: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/nelson-mandela-a-very-short-introduction-9780192803016 Elleke Boehmer is Professor of World English at the University...
Nov 02, 2023•11 min•Ep 74•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, David Sterritt introduces the Beats, the generation of writers in the 1950s and 1960s who broke taboos and countered conservative culture to change American literature. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/VSI-Ep-73-The-Beats-transcript.pdf Learn more about The Beats: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-beats-a-very-short-introduction-9780199796779 David Sterritt...
Oct 26, 2023•16 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jolyon Mitchell introduces martyrdom and explores why we view historical martyrdom differently than acts of martyrdom in today’s world. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/VSI-Ep-72-Martyrdom-transcript.pdf Learn more about Martyrdom: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/martyrdom-a-very-short-introduction-9780199585236 Jolyon Mitchell is Principal of St John’s Colle...
Oct 19, 2023•19 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast In the first episode of Season 7, David Weir introduces what we mean when we refer to the “bohemian” lifestyle and culture, and the way it has influenced spheres such as literature and cinema. A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/VSI-Ep-71-Bohemians-transcript.pdf Learn more about Bohemians: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/bohemians-a-very-short-introduction-9780197538296 … Conti...
Oct 12, 2023•12 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast In the last episode of Season 6, Alan Tansman introduces Japanese literature, a canon that stretches back 1500 years, and includes writers such as Murasaki Shikibu and Haruki Murakami. Learn more about Japanese Literature: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/japanese-literature-a-very-short-introduction-9780199765256 Alan Tansman is Professor and Louis B. Agassiz Chair in Japanese at the University of California, … Continue reading Japanese Literature – The Ve...
Jun 08, 2023•10 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast In the episode, Thomas Dixon introduces the history of emotions, showing the complex nature of our emotions and how they have developed culturally. Learn more about The History of Emotions: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-history-of-emotions-a-very-short-introduction-9780198818298 Thomas Dixon is Professor of History and Director of the Centre for the History of the Emotions at Queen … Continue reading The History of Emotions – The Very Short Introduct...
Jun 01, 2023•14 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, David Bender introduces nutrition, a topic of interest to us all as we try to live healthier lives but one which can prove confusing due to the wealth of information and misinformation available to us. Learn more about Nutrition: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/nutrition-a-very-short-introduction-9780199681921 David Bender is Emeritus Professor of Nutritional … Continue reading Nutrition – The Very Short Introductions Podcast – Episode 68 ...
May 25, 2023•15 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Karen Radner introduces Ancient Assyria, a kingdom which grew to be geographically vast, socially diverse, and multicultural. Learn more about Ancient Assyria: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/ancient-assyria-a-very-short-introduction-9780198715900 Karen Radner holds the Alexander von Humboldt Chair of the Ancient History of the Near and Middle East at LMU Munich. Her research focuses on … Continue reading Ancient Assyria – The Very Short I...
May 18, 2023•13 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jonathan Slack introduces stem cells and how they can be used in the treatment of a range of diseases. Learn more about Stem Cells: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/stem-cells-a-very-short-introduction-9780198869290 Jonathan Slack is Emeritus Professor at the University of Bath and the University of Minnesota. His work specialises in embryonic development and … Continue reading Stem Cells – The Very Short Introductions Podcast – Episode 66 ...
May 11, 2023•14 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ian Stewart introduces the concept of infinity and discusses its application to mathematics, science, and everyday life. Learn more about Infinity: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/infinity-a-very-short-introduction-9780198755234 Ian Stewart is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Warwick University. He is a well-known and highly successful writer on mathematics and its applications and has authored … Continue reading Infinity – The Very Sh...
May 04, 2023•17 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Philip Mladenov introduces marine biology, a field whose importance is ever growing as our oceans undergo rapid and profound changes due to human influence. Learn more about Marine Biology: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/marine-biology-a-very-short-introduction-9780198841715 Philip Mladenov has 40 years of professional experience in marine and environmental research, teaching and exploration and … Continue reading Marine Biology – The Ver...
Apr 27, 2023•17 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast In the first episode of Season 6, Ian Goldin introduces development, the process by which nations escape poverty and achieve economic and social progress. This crucial process has been the subject of extensive examination for hundreds of years. Learn more about Development: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/development-a-very-short-introduction-9780198736257 Ian Goldin is Director of the Oxford … Continue reading Development – The Very Short Introductions Po...
Apr 20, 2023•17 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast In the final episode of Season 5, Daniel Haybron introduces the emotion most of us aspire to have—happiness—and how our pursuit of it impacts our well-being. Learn more about “Happiness: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/happiness-a-very-short-introduction-9780199590605 Daniel Haybron is is the Theodore R. Vitali C.P. Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University. His research focuses … Continue reading Happiness – The Very Short Introductions Podcast –...
Dec 15, 2022•11 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Charles Barr introduces British cinema, the home of Ealing Studios and Alfred Hitchcock, and delves into its global significance. Learn more about “British Cinema: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/british-cinema-a-very-short-introduction-9780199688333 Charles Barr worked for many years at the University of East Anglia, helping to develop one of the first UK programmes in … Continue reading British Cinema – The Very Short Introductions Podc...
Dec 08, 2022•11 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Michelle Baddeley explores behavioural economics, a field that allows us to understand our own decision-making processes and how this can impact our financial behaviour. Learn more about “Behavioural Economics: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/behavioural-economics-a-very-short-introduction-9780198754992 Michelle Baddeley is an expert in behavioural economics and behavioural finance. She is currently a Professor in … Continue reading Behav...
Dec 01, 2022•19 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Véronique Mottier introduces and explores what shapes our sexuality. Learn more about “Sexuality: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/sexuality-a-very-short-introduction-9780199298020 Veronique Mottier is a Fellow of Jesus College at Cambridge University and also Professor in Sociology at the University of Lausanne. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the next episode of The Very Short … Continue reading Sexuality – The Very Short Introductions ...
Nov 17, 2022•11 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, David Cottington introduce the Avant-Garde, perhaps the most important and influential concept in the history of modern culture. Learn more about “The Avant-Garde: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-avant-garde-a-very-short-introduction-9780199582730 David Cottington is Emeritus Professor of Art History at Kingston University London, he has published widely on the Cubist movement and the artistic … Continue reading The Avant-Garde – The ...
Nov 10, 2022•15 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, John Stackhouse introduces Evangelicalism, an umbrella term that encompasses many Protestant denominations and has become one of the most significant religious movements in the modern world. Learn more about “Evangelicalism: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/evangelicalism-a-very-short-introduction-9780190079680 John G. Stackhouse Jr. is Mikolaski Professor of Religious Studies at Crandall University. An award-winning scholar, teacher, … Co...
Nov 03, 2022•15 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Alex Prichard introduces anarchism, an ideology often misunderstood and thought to be based on chaos, disorder, and violence. Learn more about “Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/anarchism-a-very-short-introduction-9780198815617 Alex Prichard is Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Exeter. His research on anarchism has shed new light on old problems … Continue reading Anarchism – The Very Short Intro...
Oct 27, 2022•11 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Madeline Y. Hsu introduces Asian American history and details how this community has contributed significantly to the massive transformation of the United States into one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world. Learn more about “Asian American History: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/asian-american-history-a-very-short-introduction-9780190219765 Madeline Y. Hsu has served … Continue reading Asian American History – The V...
Oct 20, 2022•11 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Samir Okasha introduces the philosophy of science, a field that looks to address key questions such as the issue of scientific change and ethics in science. Learn more about “Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/philosophy-of-science-very-short-introduction-9780198745587 Samir Okasha is Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Bristol, where … Continue reading Philosophy of Science – The Very Short Introdu...
Oct 13, 2022•13 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to The Very Short Introductions Podcast, now in its fifth season. In this episode, Carrie Menkel-Meadow introduces negotiation, a tool essential for international relations, trade, business, and for problem-solving skills in everyday life. Learn more about “Negotiation: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/negotiation-a-very-short-introduction-9780198851400 Carrie Menkel-Meadow is Distinguished Professor of Law and Political Science … Continue rea...
Oct 06, 2022•13 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Richard Newman introduces abolitionism, a global human rights movement during the 18th and 19th centuries aimed at ending slavery in the Atlantic world. Learn more about “Abolitionism: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/abolitionism-a-very-short-introduction-9780190213220 Richard S. Newman is Professor of History at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is the author of The Transformation … Continue reading Abolitionism – The Very Short ...
Jun 09, 2022•16 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Jack A. Goldstone introduces revolutions, which, from 1789 in France to 2011 in Cairo, have shaken the world and dominate the popular imagination. Learn more about “Revolutions: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/revolutions-a-very-short-introduction-9780199858507 Jack A. Goldstone is Virginia E. and John T. Hazel, Jr. Professor of Public Policy and Eminent Scholar, School … Continue reading Revolutions – The Very Short Introductions Podcast...
Jun 02, 2022•7 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Hugh Bowden introduces Alexander the Great, a legendary figure whose legacy permeates modern culture but about whom we still have much to discover. Learn more about “Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/alexander-the-great-a-very-short-introduction-9780198706151 Hugh Bowden is is Professor of Ancient History at King’s College London. He is an internationally recognised … Continue reading Alexander the Great – The Very Shor...
May 26, 2022•12 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast 
