Shows
OxPodsSufi Islam and Western FollowersWhat is Sufism? How do we investigate its global history? And through what processes did it come to influence those in the West? I’m Robert Taylor, a History DPhil student at New College, researching the post-1945 British counterculture’s interest in India. Today I’m joined by Nile Green, a Professor at UCLA. Nile is a historian of South Asia with a diverse range of publications spanning global, social, religious, cultural, and literary history. He studied in Britain and taught at Oxford, before moving to the United States.
2025-12-1644 min
OxPodsHinduism and Comparative ReligionWhat is Hinduism? Where does it come from? How do we look at it comparatively? And which ideas have made it so influential outside of South Asia? I’m Robert Taylor, a History DPhil student at New College, researching the post-1945 British counterculture’s interest in India. Today I’m joined by Professor Gavin Flood at Campion Hall. Gavin is Professor Emeritus of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion at Oxford.
2025-11-1734 min
OxPodsSoviet HippiedomHow did hippiedom manifest in the Soviet Union? What were the differences between Western and Russian hippies? What are the problems and possibilities of using oral history to tell these sometimes-controversial stories? And how did the political views of some hippies change after the 60s and 70s? I’m Robert Taylor, a History DPhil student at New College, researching the post-1945 British counterculture’s interest in India. Today I’m joined by Professor Juliane Fuerst to discuss her 2021 book, Flowers through Concrete: Explorations in Soviet Hippieland.
2025-11-0648 min
OxPodsGulag Fiction: Narratives of Soviet ImprisonmentFormally emerging in 1929, the Gulag was a vast system of incarceration that came to reach every corner of the USSR. At its peak, in the early 1950s, 2.5 million citizens were interned in its camps and settlements; over its lifetime, an estimated 20 million people were forcibly imprisoned. In this episode, Professor Polly Jones discusses her new book, Gulag Fiction, which considers the literary output of this expansive carceral archipelago. How did writers seek to relate the trauma they experienced while imprisoned in the Gulag? And how is that trauma fictionalised today?
2025-10-2438 min
OxPodsThe Evolution of Autosexual BehaviourAcross the animal kingdom sexual behaviours have evolved which increase the chances of individuals finding a mate and successfully reproducing. However, some are more of a challenge to explain than others. Masturbation has historically been considered a behaviour which hasn’t evolved to directly improve reproductive success, but recent research has shown that its important in optimising sperm quality, and even allowing females to choose which males fertilise them.
2025-10-2022 min
OxPodsThe History of YogaWhat is the history of Yoga? And how can something apparently Indian have become such an everyday activity for people across the world? I’m Robert Taylor, a History DPhil student at New College, researching the post-1945 British counterculture’s interest in India. Today I’m joined by Dr Suzanne Newcombe, who was an undergraduate at Amherst College, before completing her MSc at the London School of Economics and PhD in History at Cambridge. Suzanne is now a Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at The Open University. We will be discussing Suzanne’s research, particularly focusing on her book ‘Yoga in Br...
2025-08-2337 min
OxPodsWitchcraft in the English ImaginationThe witch craze that gripped early modern Europe has been the subject of many studies. What can we learn about English society in this period through the lens of belief in and persecution of witches? To begin to answer these questions, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Dr George Southcombe, Fellow by Special Election in History at Wadham College and author of a forthcoming book-length study of witchcraft in early modern England.Host: Charlie BowdenEditor: Charlie BowdenLooking to make the most of...
2025-08-1625 min
OxPodsBritish 'Hippiedom' and the Idea of IndiaThe British hippie movement of the 1960s left an indelible mark on popular culture and woven into this counterculture was a fascination with Indian spiritual practices. When the Beatles went to India, for instance, what did they hope to find and to what extent were their hopes wrapped up in colonial thinking about Britain's former imperial territory? To explore this understudied element of the movement, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Robert James Taylor, a DPhil candidate at New College, about his doctoral research on cultural Indophilia and its relation to hippiedom.
2025-08-0247 min
OxPodsA History of Western Fascination with the EastThe ‘East’ has held a special place in the British cultural imagination. But how can we chart this historically? And how useful are frameworks of ‘East’ and ‘West’ within a modern world connected by technology?
I’m Robert Taylor, a first-year History DPhil student at New College, researching the post-1945 British counterculture’s interest in India. Today I’m joined by Dr Christopher Harding, who completed his BA, MSt and DPhil at Oxford, and is now a Senior Lecturer in Asian History at the University of Edinburgh. We will be discussing Chris’ excellent recent book The Light of Asia: A History of Western F...
2025-06-2257 min
OxPodsGiant OttersTo most, otters are those small fluffy creatures that lie back, hold hands and drift off into the sunset. In this episode, PhD student Claire Marr shakes up that expectation in conversation with 4th-year Biology student, Emily Jones, and introduces us to the giant otter: the 2-metre-long Amazonian relative of the otters we already know and love. How different are these giant otters to their smaller relatives and what is so special about their social behaviour? Host: Emily JonesEditor: Emily JonesLooking to make the most of Oxford’s wo...
2025-06-1521 min
OxPodsThe Five Senses in Medieval ThoughtUnderstanding the five senses is a foundational element of modern education, but how long has this been the case throughout history? Where did the idea originate and how did it survive when so many other conceptions of human biology from the past have been disproven? To find out more about this topic, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Dr John Merrington, Examination Fellow in History at All Souls College.Host: Charlie BowdenProducer: Florence AllenLooking to make the most...
2025-06-0738 min
OxPodsDecolonisation in Lusophone AfricaThis episode explores the diplomatic strategies of Lusophone African liberation movements at the United Nations. We speak with Maria de Costa to discuss how movements in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau built international alliances and shaped their political identities to push for independence.Host: Kwame AppaframProducer: Florence AllenLooking to make the most of Oxford’s world-leading professors, we decided to set up a platform to interview these academics on the niche, weird and wonderful from their subjects. We aim to create thought-provoking and ea...
2025-06-0629 min
OxPodsWriting Queer HistoryQueer history is a relatively new addition to the lexicon of historical analysis, and questions remain about how best to approach the study of queerness in the past. To what extent can we 'find' queer identity in the past? In this episode, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Professor Matt Cook, the Jonathan Cooper Professor of the History of Sexuality at Mansfield College, about his forthcoming book Writing Queer History and what it says about developments in this popular field.Host: Charlie BowdenEditor: Charlie Bowden...
2025-05-1027 min
OxPodsThe First Thousand Years of ChristianityThe development of Christianity in the centuries following the death of Jesus was far from plain sailing. Which ideas and authors played the most significant roles in the shape of the religion as it entered the second millennium? To query this, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Dr Conrad Leyser, Associate Professor of Medieval History at Worcester College about the first thousand years of Christian history.Host: Charlie BowdenEditor: Charlie BowdenLooking to make the most of Oxford’s world-leading professors, we de...
2025-02-1929 min
OxPodsDecoding Climate Misinformation: Strategies for Navigating the Climate ConversationClimate change is understandably a current hot topic (no pun intended) that many of us care a lot about. But how good is our climate literacy, really? Three panellists from Oxford take on this topic, bringing in their expertise - from law to sustainable development. This is the perfect episode for listeners wanting to bolster their knowledge of climate change, especially in the face of seemingly rising climate change scepticism. This recording was taken in November 2024.Hosts: Charlie Soanes, Emily JonesEditor: Charlie SoanesInterviewees: Charlotte Wargniez, Maisy Bentley, Ushika...
2025-02-0453 min
OxPodsWhat is History Now?Host: Charlie Bowden
Editor: Charlie Bowden
In celebration of the 300th anniversary of the establishment of the Regius Professorship of History at Oxford, the History Faculty organised a research event entitled ‘What is History now?’ at Trinity College. Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to a variety of attendees, from visiting professors to PhD students to employees in the heritage sector, to find out about where the discipline finds itself at present and where it should go in the future.
About OxPods:
Looking to make the...
2024-11-1710 min
OxPodsCreolization in Medieval Latin EuropeDescription: The process of creolization, in which various languages and cultures mix into diverse new forms, has been an underutilised tool in historical analysis for some time. In the context of medieval Latin Europe and the development of myriad successor states after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, creolization can demonstrate some significant cultural shifts that warrant academic attention. To learn more about this topic and its potential uses, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, interviews Dr Bernard Gowers, Deputy Director of the Conference of Colleges Secretariat and Research Associate in History at Keble College.
2024-11-0330 min
OxPodsThe Normalization of the Radical RightOur final episode of the academic year! An interview with Nuffield College postdoctoral prize research fellow Vicente Valentim on the theory put forward in his upcoming book “The Normalization of the Radical Right: A Norms Theory of Political Supply and Demand.” Dr Valentim discusses how far right ideologies grow and parties with these views gain power, often at shocking speed. Valentim pushes back against the overfocus on intrinsic motivation in previous literature. He instead attributes the growth of the radical right to changes in social norms- with those who have previously hidden their far right beliefs realising there is spac...
2024-06-1230 min
OxPodsPost-War Education and Youth PoliticsBritish society was fundamentally shifted by the Second World War, and among the many transformations that took place in the post-war years, those experienced by young people in respect to their education and political engagement were among the most significant. To explore this topic further, in this episode Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Dr Helen Sunderland, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow and Junior Research Fellow in History at Jesus College, about the paradigms of change that affected the everyday lives of British youth after 1945.
Host: Charlie Bowden
Looking to...
2024-05-2942 min
OxPodsOxSci x OxPods: Post-COVID-19 EraPandemics of the past highlight the persistent threat of disease throughout human history. It might seem that our repeated encounters with infectious diseases should have better prepared us for such cases. Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic was not without its own challenges.
In this episode of Oxpods, Rithika Ravishankar, a third-year Biology undergraduate at Hertford College speaks with Dr. Sunetra Gupta, Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology at Oxford University to discuss pandemic preparedness in the aftermath of COVID-19, specifically what we learnt and how we can better tackle the ever-present challenge of infectious diseases in the future.
2024-05-2329 min
OxPodsWeek 5 Blues? Depression, Depressive Symtoms, and Resiliance.Depression has developed from a taboo topic to one that is widely spoken about and investigated in recent years. There are several debates surrounding its heritability, symptoms whether diagnosis can have a positive or negative impact on an individual. In this episode, Aylin Gurleyen, a 2nd-year Psychologist at Brasenose, speaks to Prof. Lucy Bowes, professor of developmental psychopathology at Magdalen College to discuss depression, depressive symptoms, and resilience.
Host: Aylin Gurleyen
Editor: Taylor Bi
Looking to make the most of Oxford’s world-leading professors, we decided to set up a platform to interview th...
2024-05-2222 min
OxPodsOxSci x OxPods: Re-imagining Justice for Humans and More-than-humansWhen we read anthropological accounts, it is easy to overlook the extensive fieldwork and lived experiences that inform them. How can anthropologists interrogate the ethics of their discipline, and fundamentally, what does anthropology offer?
In this episode of Oxpods, Ushika Kidd, a second-year Human Sciences student at Keble, speaks with Dr. Sophie Chao, anthropologist and academic at the University of Sydney, to discuss the ethics and practical aspects of multispecies research and research with Indigenous communities, and how we can approach the challenge of decolonising climate change knowledge.
Host: Ushika Ki...
2024-05-1629 min
OxPodsFrom Hercules to the Hulk: Examining the SuperheroStarting in comic books and more recently appearing in movies and television shows, characters like Captain America and Superman have become household names. But where did these superheroes come from? And what do they reveal about our modern era? Examining the evolution of the superhero from its roots in ancient societies to today, join us as we explore this mythic figure throughout Western culture. In this episode, Jillian Proshan interviews Professor Diane Purkiss, as they uncover the true meaning behind the superhero.
Host: Jillian Proshan
Looking to make the m...
2024-05-1536 min
OxPodsPot-Banging and Protest in Twentieth-Century SpainTraditions of political protest in Spain, particularly the practices of caceroladas and cencerradas, have frequently been conflated by modern scholars as they are both actions rooted in the production of sound. In this episode Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Dr Matthew Kerry, Associate Professor of the History of Europe since 1870 and Zeitlyn Fellow and Tutor in History at Jesus College, about what a new approach to understanding these separate practices can tell us about the history of protest in a global context.
Looking to make the most of Oxford’s world-leading professors, we...
2024-05-0822 min
OxPodsShark on the Menu: Balancing Consumption and Conservation in Fisheries ManagementOver 3.3 billion people get almost 20% of their protein from seafood. The consumption of species from wild populations is pivotal in preventing malnutrition and improving food security, especially in developing nations. But this can leave marine populations vulnerable. One group of marine taxa which is facing continued threats due to exploitation is sharks!
In this episode, 4th-year master’s student Shathuki Perera, researching the consumption of sharks and rays in Sri Lanka, meets with Trisha Gupta, a DPhil student at the Department of Biology, conducting similar research on shark and ray fisheries in India. Through her research, she ha...
2024-05-0132 min
OxPodsThe Sound Worlds of GrimeFor such a popular genre of music, Grime is too often ignored in academic musicology. When it is studied, it is often the words rather than the music itself that receives the most attention, ignoring the wealth of sound worlds and production styles that have a crucial role in defining the world's perception of both the genre and the community of artists and fans.
In this episode, Florence Allen, 3rd Year Music undergraduate at Univ, speaks to DPhil John O'Reilly about his thesis examining how the sound of Grime has developed, and its effect on th...
2024-03-0734 min
OxPodsEcho Chambers: Dissecting Media's Role in Cultivating ExtremismMedia and extremism have a complex relationship, from the
evolution of fringe beliefs into mainstream discourse to the strategies extremists employ to influence public opinion. In the modern context, these issues have manifested themselves throughout the globe and across the political spectrum. Sophia Herbert, PPE finalist at New College, speaks to Dr. Julia Ebner, postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Calleva Centre of Evolution and
Human Sciences at Magdalen College, and Research Affiliate at the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion. Dr. Ebner sheds light on the mechanisms extremist groups use to exploit media narratives and the challenges in...
2024-03-0524 min
OxPodsConservation Optimism: Shifting Perspectives in Action for NatureDire effects of climate change and biodiversity loss seem to encompass almost everything, from the news stories, documentaries, and many forms of literature. Climate pessimism highlights the narrative of planet ‘collapse’ with its natural processes and species. Even with such unprecedented environmental change, optimism can help unite people to act and drive positive change.
In this episode of OxPods, 4th Year Biology undergraduate Shathuki Perera meets with Associate Professor EJ Milner Gulland, a pioneer in the field of conservation for over 30 years, to talk about the ‘Conservation Optimism’, an initiative which she founded in 2016. Since then, the network...
2024-03-0430 min
OxPods‘Discomfortable Bodies’ in Renaissance Literature.The literature of the Renaissance is full of fascinating undercurrents, and using different approaches to these works opens conversations around some difficult themes, indeed certain works of literature from the 16th and 17th centuries create feelings of ‘discomfort’. This term can be used to discuss themes of transformation, translation, creation and generation, summarised in the concept of ‘discomfortable bodies’. In this episode, Amelia Glover-Jewesbury interviews Lynn Robson, considering the remarkable life and work of poet Hester Pulter, and the idea of ‘discomfortable bodies’ linking her work to other works such as the ‘Masque of Blackness’ by Ben Jonson, and the work of Marl...
2024-02-2350 min
OxPodsLate Medieval NostalgiaNostalgia is often framed as a uniquely modern phenomenon, but scholars have increasingly noticed that a longing for ‘the good old days’ stretches much farther back in history than you might think. Some time periods are perceived as hotbeds of nostalgia due to fast-paced social change, and the late medieval period is one such era. In this episode, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Dr Hannah Skoda, Associate Professor of Medieval History and Fellow and Tutor in History at St John’s College, about the sweeping changes that caused the people of the late medieval period...
2024-02-2223 min
OxPodsThe Depression QuestionDepression has developed from a taboo topic to one that is highly spoken about and investigated. There are a number of debates surrounding the theme: its heritability, its symptoms, and whether diagnoses can have a positive or negative impact. Aylin Gurleyen, a second-year psychologist at Brasenose College, discusses these questions with professor of developmental psychopathology, Dr Lucy Bowes.
Host: Aylin Gurleyen
Editor: Taylor Bi
Looking to make the most of Oxford’s world-leading professors, we decided to set up a platform to interview these academics on the ni...
2024-02-2122 min
OxPodsSuperconductorsSuperconductors are fascinating. When sufficiently cooled, they lose all their electrical resistance, becoming an effective perfect conductor of electricity. This intriguing property already sees use in MRI machines and particle colliders (like CERN’s particle collider). However, currently known superconductors are either too brittle to be stretched into wires, or they require significant cooling, down to around -270oC. Hence, for many decades, the search has been on to try and find a hypothetical room temperature superconductor.
In this episode of OxPods, 4th Year chemistry undergraduate
Padraig Meehan interviews Prof. Susie Speller, a Professor of Material Science at...
2024-02-1944 min
OxPodsThe Afterlife of Classical LiteratureThe Literature of the Classical world can seem distant to us, separated by 2000 years and all the changes that came during those years. But throughout that time, Classics has been understood and used in ways which enrich our understanding of these original texts as well as our understanding of the time at the point of reception. Reception studies attempt to work with this idea and think about the interesting and important afterlife of these classical cultural models. In this episode of OxPods, Classics and English undergraduate Amelia Glover-Jewesbury interviews Professor Fiona Macintosh and Professor Constanze Güthenke who teach o...
2024-02-0953 min
OxPodsPostmodern HistoriographyPostmodernism - the idea that human language can never fully capture reality - has been a buzzword since the second half of the 20th century. But how have postmodern ideas influenced historiography - the writing of history? In this episode, Minh Nguyen, a 2nd-year history undergraduate at New College, talks to Prof. John Marriott, Visiting Fellow at Kellogg College to explore how postmodernism has changed (or perhaps not changed?) the way historians approach the past.
Looking to make the most of Oxford’s world-leading professors, we decided to set up a platform to interview the...
2024-02-0854 min
OxPodsWhen We Weren't Human: Discussing the Last Common Ancestor of the Pan and Homo GeneraWithin evolutionary anthropology, a persistent yet pervasive question is that of the traits of the LCA. The LCA is the last common ancestor shared by the humans, or the Homo genus, and chimpanzees and bonobos, otherwise known as the Pan genus. Learning about the LCA can inform us of what it really means to be human. What traits are unique to the hominin lineage? And how did these traits contribute to the success of our species?
Izzy Rycroft, a third year Human Scientist at St Hugh’s College, discusses these questions and more with Thomas Püschel, a P...
2024-02-0726 min
OxPodsMaking International Institutions WorkIn a time of great global challenges and injustices, international institutions are vital in tackling these shared problems. Yet, while positive in intention, many international institutions have been worryingly ineffective in practice. So why is this the case? Why do some international institutions fail in their stated aims, while others succeed?
In this episode, Jack Morrin, PPE 2nd year at New College, speaks to Ranjit Lall, Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford, to discuss his book 'Making International Institutions Work', which presents an explanation for this variation in i...
2024-02-0634 min
OxPodsThe Island SyndromeThe trajectory of evolving species is strongly affected by the environment in which they exist, and one particularly interesting example of this is when organisms evolving on islands differ predictably from their continental counterparts through a suite of morphological and behavioural traits, known as ‘The Island Syndrome’. But what is it that’s so special about islands that leads to this process, and what can biologists learn from the species that exhibit the syndrome?
In this episode of OxPods, biology PhD student Joe Woodman will be interviewing Prof Sonya Clegg, an associate professor of evolutionary ecology at the Un...
2024-02-0531 min
OxPodsShakespeare TodayThe works of William Shakespeare are synonymous with English identity, but why is this? Why is a 16th-century playwright still considered relevant today? And why are some of our favourite rom-coms based on his plays?
In this episode of OxPods, English Language and Literature undergraduate Freya Radford interviews Dr Carla Suthren, a Lecturer in English at St Catherine’s College Oxford, whose research focuses on Renaissance literature and the interchange of different literature between eras, in particular the classical influence. They discuss how Shakespeare still influences English study and modern culture today, considering just why we are sti...
2024-01-2624 min
OxPodsThe Evolution of Intelligent Life on EarthIntelligent life on our planet arrived relatively late on a geological timescale, but why did life take so long to evolve and how have major catastrophic events, such as meteorite impacts, shaped the evolution of complex life?
In this episode, Elyse Airey, a biology undergraduate at Queen's College, speaks to Mike Bonsall, Professor of Mathematical Biology and Fellow at St. Peter's College, to learn more about the emergence of complex life on Earth and why life appears to be so rare in the observable universe.
To learn more about OxPods, visit our website www.oxpods.co...
2024-01-2522 min
OxPodsThe Church in Tudor EnglandEngland was mired in the political and theological pressures of the Reformation under the Tudor dynasty, but popular perception of its monarchy and people have often obscured the true nature of religious change in the sixteenth century. In this episode, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, speaks to Dr Lucy Wooding, Langford Fellow and Tutor in History at Lincoln College, about the twists and turns of the direction of the Tudor church.
To learn more about OxPods, visit our website www.oxpods.co.uk, or follow us on socials @ox.pods.
OxPods is...
2024-01-2439 min
OxPodsThe Power and Pitfalls of Expertise in PoliticsThroughout the Covid-19 pandemic, medical experts ranging from statisticians and demographers to virologists and consultants were depended upon by politicians. Their advice had serious implications for the country: but what is and ought to be the role of experts in governance, national and international?
Sophia Herbert, a Third-Year PPE student at New College interviews Dr Jan Eijking to uncover what exactly we mean by expertise, and how the way politicians translate and communicate expert advice can have huge implications for policymaking and day-to-day life. Dr Eijking is the William Golding Junior Research Fellow at Brasenose College, as w...
2024-01-2320 min
OxPodsThe Enigma of SexSex is so widespread that you could assume it’s essential for life as we know it, playing a central role in the evolution and development of animal and human societies. However, it’s not the only way of producing offspring, and compared to asexual reproduction, sex actually entails a number of costs. Because of this, ‘Why sex?’ is one of the most fundamental questions in biology that has puzzled scientists for many years.
In this episode of OxPods, biology PhD student Joe Woodman will be interviewing Dr Chris Wilson, an evolutionary biologist whose research aims to uncover w...
2024-01-2331 minOxPodsA Barbie Girl in a Barbie Sound WorldThe 2023 Barbie movie was a massive box office hit, with an incredible construction of 'Barbie World'. The soundtrack played a huge role in this world-building, with its heavy use of synthesised instruments and hyperpop creating what can only be described as a sense of 'plasticity'.
In this episode, undergraduate Music student Florence Allen is joined by Dr. Adam Harper, a music critic and lecturer whose specialisms include electronic and pop music, to discuss how the soundtrack of the Barbie movie is a key element in the film's storytelling, whilst tapping into the latest trends in internet and...
2023-11-2430 min
OxPodsMachiavelli's Political Legacy
Niccolò Machiavelli was one of the foremost political theorists of the Renaissance. His treatise ‘The Prince’ has enjoyed immense notoriety as an instruction manual for good leadership of a state, even being required reading for civil servants when Alastair Campbell oversaw Downing Street communications. But when we speak of Machiavellian politicians in the modern day, are we actually discussing the concepts Machiavelli wrote and thought about 500 years ago?
In this episode, Charlie Bowden, a second-year History student at Jesus College, interviews Dr Alexandra Gajda, John Walsh Fellow in History at Jesus College, about the political legacy...
2023-11-1015 min
OxPodsAnimals in LiteratureLiterature is full of talking animals, from modern works like Paddington to Middle English works like The Owl and The Nightingale. But why do writers create non-speaking animals that speak? And why employ animals in literature at all?
In this episode of OxPods, English Language and Literature undergraduate Chloe Smith interviews Dr Eleanor Parker, a Lecturer in Medieval English Literature at Brasenose College, Oxford, whose research focuses on literature in England in the centuries before and after the Norman Conquest. They discuss how Mediaeval poets wrote about animals and how understanding human-animal dynamics can influence how we...
2023-11-0923 min
OxPodsPopular Politics in Early Modern England
The common people have had representation in English political life since the establishment of Parliament, but it wasn’t until the sixteenth century that a ‘public sphere’ truly emerged outside of the halls of Westminster. The rise of the mercantile classes, particularly in London, gave the people a voice that governmental elites could no longer ignore. How did this system of accountability come into existence, though?
In this week’s episode, Charlie Bowden, a second-year History student at Jesus College, interviews Dr Ellen Paterson, formerly Stipendiary Lecturer in History at Mansfield and Oriel Colleges and currentl...
2023-11-0817 min
OxPodsForensic Anthropology NowIn life and in death, our bodies have stories to tell. Isabelle Rycroft, third-year Human Scientist at St Hugh's College, is joined by Professor Sue Black to discuss the ever-advancing field of Forensic Anthropology.
Sue Black is one of the world-leading forensic anthropologists and anatomists. Professor Black is the 65th President of the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Life-Time Professor of Anatomy for the Royal Scottish Academy.
2023-11-0729 min
OxPodsTurning Back the Tide of Butterfly ExtinctionForty years ago, the large blue butterfly was extinct in Britain. The intensification of farming has pushed half of the butterfly species in the UK to the brink of extinction. However, at Daneway Banks Nature Reserve in Gloucestershire, the large blue butterfly has made a comeback.
In this episode, Biology masters student Tosca Hulett discusses the extinction an re-establishment of the large blue butterfly with Professor Jeremy Thomas, one of Europe's most accomplished butterfly experts.
2023-11-0617 min
OxPodsHalloween Special: Witchcraft and Witch-HuntingWhile now a favourite Halloween costume, being a witch in the early modern period was a serious matter. Between the years 1400 and 1782, around 40,000-60,000 people, primarily women, were executed in Europe for being "witches." Who were these witches and why were they so feared?In this episode, Minh Nguyen, a 2nd-year history undergraduate at New College, speaks to Dr. Leif Dixon, lecturer in early modern history at Regent’s Park College to explore the social, religious, and political context behind witch-hunting, and discover what ‘witchcraft’ really was.
2023-10-311h 04
OxPodsThe Non-Identity ProblemWhat is it that makes you the same person that you were ten minutes ago, ten hours ago, ten years ago? Derek Parfit, in his seminal work ‘Reasons and Persons’ (1984) recognises the interplay between personal identity and ethics, something which produces a puzzling paradox of existence. If a person's existence is inevitably flawed, is it morally wrong to bring such a person into existence or, is bringing a different, better-off, but non identical person in their place is a more ethical decision? The non-identity problem asks whether we have really made anyone better off.
In this episode, Todd...
2023-10-2735 min
OxPodsNavigating Student Mental Health: Psychotherapy, Spirituality & ReligionReligion, spirituality, and psychotherapy - How do these concepts interrelate within the context of student mental health? Professor Alistair Ross, associated with the Department of Continuing Education in Oxford, talks to Arun Joseph, Clinical Neurosciences graduate student at Jesus College, to discuss his work on the relationships between sacred, spirituality, religion, and psychotherapy and what they mean for optimising student mental health.
2023-10-2647 min
OxPodsLiterature and Green SpacesProfessor Fiona Stafford is a member of the English Language and Literature Faculty here at Oxford and a Fellow of Somerville College. Her research areas include not only Romantic literature, focussing on such writers as Austen, Keats and Wordsworth, but also ideas of place and nature in literature, and the cultural history of flowers and trees. A recent event organised by Professor Stafford aimed to bring these two areas of interest together and investigate the way in which the natural worlds impacts our reception of stories and literature. Flora Symington, 3rd year English undergraduate at Somerville, talks to her a...
2023-10-2530 min
OxPodsUnderstanding the Roman EmperorYou may have heard a lot of discussion about the Roman Empire lately, but how much do we really know about the men at the heart of it all - the Roman Emperors? In this episode Alice Hazell, a classical archaeology and ancient history student at Lady Margaret Hall, speaks to Dr Panayiotis Christoforou, departmental lecturer in Roman History, and author of his recently published book ‘Imagining the Roman Emperor’ to find out who the Emperors really were and how they were perceived by those they ruled.
2023-10-2425 min
OxPodsAggression in the Animal Kingdom and BeyondThe natural world around us is so incredibly diverse. However, one factor that all creatures share, it appears, is the need for aggression. Whether it be contesting territory, finding a mate, or stealing food supplies, most organisms will at one point need to exhibit aggressive behaviour to benefit their own survival.
In this episode of OxPods, biology PhD student Hannah Ogden talking to OxPod’s senior member Prof Jonathon Green, an animal diversity lecturer, and researcher at the University of Oxford who studies evolution and the diversity of social behaviours across the animal kingdom.
2023-10-2344 min
OxPodsLife Uncertainty in MexicoLife uncertainty measures reveal the ‘ultimate inequality’. In Mexico, new demographic research is showing the effect of violence on life uncertainty and mortality, highlighting it as an unrecognised public health problem.
Demographer José Manuel Arbuto, associated with Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science in Oxford, talks to Miya McFarlane, Human Sciences Undergraduate at Regents Park College, to discuss his work on violence, life uncertainty, and mortality in Mexico.
2023-06-1118 min
OxPodsLanguage Policy and the Nation in East AfricaMost can agree that building a postcolonial country involves complex interactions between cultural, religious, ethnic, gender, and class based cleavages. But how can the language or languages used in building nations affect a country’s development?
In this episode, Sophia Herbert, PPE student at New College, speaks to Andrew Marshall, Junior Research Fellow in politics at New College to discuss and compare the implications of national language status on government policy and conceptions of the nation in the ethnolinguistically diverse societies of Tanzania and Kenya.
2023-06-0826 min
OxPodsThe Future of AntibioticsAntibiotics have made a huge contribution to human health by successfully tackling infectious diseases worldwide. But what happens when these drugs are no longer effective? How much do we know about the resistance that bacteria develop, and what new approaches are scientists looking at to tackle this problem?
In this episode, Ruby Ellis, an undergraduate biochemistry student at Magdalen college, speaks to Professor Craig Maclean at the department of Biology, whose research looks at the evolution of antibiotic resistance.
2023-06-0524 min
OxPodsGreek Warfare and the Persian WarsThe battles of Ancient Greece are immortalised in popular culture, from films like Troy and the 300, to literature, art, and music. But what were these battles really like, who fought in them, and why did they break out?
In this episode, Alice Hazell, a classical archaeology and ancient history student at Lady Margaret Hall, and speaks to Dr Roel Konijnendijk, Darby Fellow in Ancient History at Lincoln College, to discuss how Greek warfare functioned and in particular, to take a look at one of the most famous conflicts in history: the Persian Wars.
2023-05-3035 min
OxPodsParental CareThe survival of offspring is essential for the continuation of species, and yet we see a huge diversity in how much parental care is provided to offspring across the tree of life. So how necessary is it to provide care to your young, and what determines the different strategies employed by differing species?
In this episode of OxPods, biology PhD student Joe Woodman will be interviewing Professor Ashleigh Griffin, who studies why selection favours social behaviour in the context of reproduction.
2023-05-1227 min
OxPodsMedieval WorshipHave you ever wondered about early Christianity, or how women were able to express themselves through their devotion to Christ?
Ursula White is in Conversation with Professor Annie Sutherland of Somerville college Oxford, to explore the fascinating world of early English Devotional Literature.
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2023-05-1013 min
OxPodsThe Twelfth Century RenaissanceThe Renaissance of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries is one of the most celebrated and recognisable periods of cultural history, but it is far from the only time of significant societal transformation across the globe. In the twentieth century medieval historians began to put forth a compelling argument that the twelfth century was one such time.
In this episode, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, interviews Dr Philippa Byrne, Departmental Lecturer in Medieval History at Somerville College, about the phenomenon known as the twelfth century renaissance.
2023-05-0719 min
OxPodsProtecting the Archaeology of the Middle East and North AfricaThe Middle East and North Africa are two of the most archaeologically rich regions on earth. But as a result of military conflict, urban expansion, and climate change, these archaeological sites are increasingly under threat.
In this episode, Alice Hazell, Classical Archaeology and Ancient History student at Lady Margaret Hall, speaks to Dr. Bill Finlayson, a professor of pre-historic environment and society and the director of the EAMENA project, to discuss the current threats to archaeological sites, what can be done to protect them, and why we should care about archaeology.
2023-05-0419 min
OxPodsTheory of Mind in Non-Human AnimalsTheory of mind, the ability to understand others by ascribing mental states to them, has historically been considered a uniquely human characteristic. But are we really the only animals to possess this level of social intelligence?
In this episode of OxPods, Alex Rodway, a biology master’s student at Jesus College, interviews Dr Natasha Gillies, a Stipendiary Lecturer at Merton College, who has studied animal behaviour and population ecology throughout her academic career, about the existence of ‘theory of mind’ in non-human animals.
2023-05-0116 min
OxPodsFriendshipFor the good times and the bad, we turn to the closest around us: our friends. But what is the science behind friendship? Why is it important to have friends? Professor Robin Dunbar is a Professor of Evolutionary Psychology whose research focuses on the evolution of sociality. Robin is best known for formulating Dunbar’s number – the limit on the number of manageable relationships one can have.
Join Human Sciences undergraduate Miya McFarlane as she interviews this world-famous professor to explore the science behind why friends are so important.
2023-04-1754 min
OxPodsSocial Networks and The Spread of BehaviourDarwin’s theory of evolution and selection states that characteristics which aid survival and reproduction will be favoured, however, this doesn’t only refer to physical attributes, but also behavioural ones. But how do behaviours arise, how do they spread through populations, and what role do they play in developing animal cultures?
In this episode of OxPods, biology PhD student Joe Woodman will be interviewing Dr Josh Firth, a research fellow at the University of Oxford whose research aims to understand how behaviour and ecology shapes social structure in societies.
2023-03-1824 min
OxPodsMemory in 18th Century LiteratureIn eighteenth-century England, while famous writers such as Alexander Pope and Jonathon Swift were making a living through their published works, a small but growing number of women also started to live by their pens. However, because of the way women were perceived in the public sphere, they were not able to write about themselves in the way men did. In 2017, Professor Christine Gerrard gave the keynote address at the BAKEA conference in Turkey entitled ‘Memory and the Eighteenth-century Female Poet’. In this talk she discussed the difference between memory as expressed by male and female poets of this peri...
2023-03-1729 min
OxPodsThe History of Poor Relief in BritainThe modern British welfare state can trace its roots back to the reign of Elizabeth I. But how did the state assist the poor in the Tudor period compared to now? Was the Victorian workhouse all that Dickens cracked it up to be? Where did our NHS come from?
In this episode, Charlie Bowden, a History student at Jesus College, interviews Dr Gillian Lamb, Stipendiary Lecturer in History at Somerville College, about the history of poor relief in Britain from the sixteenth century to today.
2023-03-1414 min
OxPodsThe Origins of AgricultureAt some point in human evolutionary history, our ancestors made a switch from a predominantly hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural one. When did this transition happen? Did farming start in one place and spread across the globe or, instead, have multiple independent origins? Why were certain plants and animals cultivated while others weren’t?
To find out, Alex Rodway, a biology master’s student at Jesus College, will be discussing the origins of agriculture with Dr Timothy Walker, a lecturer in plant sciences at Somerville College and former director of the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum.
2023-03-0926 min
OxPodsStreet Art: a Parasite?Street art strays far away from traditional art in a number of ways. However, its recent recognition as an art form leaves us wondering what is it that makes art art? What are the roles of art? And how does the valuation of art function? What, exactly differentiates vandalism from street art?
In this episode of OxPods, Philosophy and French student Ines Ghalia interviews Dr Macs Smith, Fellow in French at The Queen’s College and author of Paris and the Parasite to learn about the transgressive and complex nature of Street Art.
2023-03-0726 min
OxPodsModelling EpidemicsWhen infectious diseases sweep through human populations, they can often bring detrimental effects to the health and functioning of society. But why do the pathogens that underpin these diseases require human hosts? Why do they cause illness? And importantly, can we predict how they will spread through populations?
In this episode of OxPods, biology PhD student Joe Woodman will be interviewing Professor Sunetra Gupta, a theoretical epidemiologist who uses mathematical models to determine the evolution, diversity and spread of pathogens.
2023-02-2421 min
OxPodsMedieval Romance, King Arthur and BeyondHave you ever wondered about the origin of Romance? Maybe your mind turns to Austen and Bronte? Really it's lineage is far longer, spreading back to the High Middle Ages and stories of King Arthur and Sir Gawain.
In this episode, Ursula White, a second year English Student at Somerville College, discusses the varied and fascinating world of Medieval Romance with Professor Laura Ashe, a renowned scholar of Medieval literature, history and culture, and frequent guest on the BBC Podcast in Our Time.
2023-02-2315 min
OxPodsThe Invention of CoinageIn the 6th century BCE, coins were first minted in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Despite over 2500 years of human history, coins have continued to be a part of everyday life. Why were they invented? Why were they so successful? And what role has coinage played in the development of human history?
In this episode, Alice Hazell, a Classical Archaeology and Ancient History student at Lady Margaret Hall speaks to Dr. Volker Heuchert, research lecturer in Greek coinage and the curator of Greek and Roman provincial coins at the Ashmolean Museum, to learn about the invention of coins a...
2023-02-2218 min
OxPodsObesity: Social and Cultural DimensionsObesity and increasing rates of overweight pose a growing issue in global health today. Why are more people gaining more weight, when its health burden seems so clear?
Miya McFarlane, a Human Sciences undergraduate at Regent’s Park College, discusses the social and cultural roots of obesity with Professor Stanley Ulijasek, a professor of human ecology whose two strands of research are Nutritional anthropology and Obesity. He is also currently the Director for the Unit of Biocultural Variation and Obesity. (edited)
2023-02-2134 min
OxPodsThe Philosophy of MarriageMarriage is an evolving concept: legislation to allow same-sex marriage in England and Wales was only passed in the United Kingdom 2013 and took effect in 2014. It’s evolving nature prompts some important questions: what is the point of marriage? Is marriage as an economic contract compatible with the instability of a romantic relationship? How long will marriage as an institution survive?
In answering these questions, this episode of OxPods will look into the role of marriage in society, the nature of love and commitment, and the ethical and political implications of marriage as one of the most fu...
2023-02-2027 min
OxPodsMicrobiomes and Host Niche ColonisationThe microbiome refers to the community of microorganisms living inside a host. But why are they there? What benefits can these microbes provide to their hosts? And could they enable their hosts to colonise new niches?
Alex Rodway, biology master’s student at Jesus College, will be discussing these questions with Dr Sarah Knowles, Associate Professor of Ecosystem Biology and Tutorial Fellow of Keble College, whose research focusses on the mammalian microbiome.
2023-02-1018 min
OxPodsWomen’s Writing’ in Early Modern EnglandHave you ever heard the term ‘women’s writing’ and wondered what it actually means - writing by women, writing for women, writing about women? While this term is increasingly prevalent in both popular culture and literary studies, it is difficult to define and has sparked much critical debate in recent years.
Flora Symington, English student at Somerville College, discusses this with Lorna Hutson, Professor of English Literature at Merton College and an expert on Early Modern literature, who’s recent lecture series here at Oxford asked this very question.
2023-02-0921 min
OxPodsColours of Paradise: Paul Gauguin in MartiniqueIndustrialisation in the 19th century prompted a ‘chromo revolution’, as the development of new artificially-produced paints provided new ways to experience and depict colour. Paul Gauguin used this colour development in new ways to visualise (and stereotype) the French colonial landscape. Born in 1848, Gauguin has been the subject of public interest and controversy since the late 20th century, as the focus of several blockbuster exhibitions. Gauguin’s time in Tahiti is notorious, but less well known is the period he spent in Martinique, then a French colony, which he visited in 1887.
Mia Thwaites, a history finalist at St Joh...
2023-02-0823 min
OxPodsPottery in the PandemicAs result of global Covid lockdowns and satisfying videos on TikTok, pottery has experienced a new revival. With thousands of years of history behind the practice, what benefits might it have in store? And why might it just be the hobby of the future?
In this episode, Alice Hazell, Classical Archaeology and Ancient History (CAAH) student at Lady Margaret Hall, will be interviewing Cathy O'Brien, an archaeology DPhil candidate at Keble college, who has used theories of cognitive archaeology and anthropology to research how people have been potting during the pandemic and its effect on our wellbeing.
2023-02-0717 min
OxPodsAbrahamic Religions, Free Will and DeterminismCommon to Christianity, Judaism and Islam is the concept of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and benevolent God. Surely, then, this God knows everything you have done and everything you will do in your life. This raises a profound philosophical problem: is there free will within an Abrahamic context if God knows our future? Why doesn’t God intervene if He knows one will never find religion?
Join Katie Peachey, a second year Philosophy and Theology student from St Peter’s College, and Dr Tim Mawson, Edgar Jones Fellow and tutor in Philosophy at St Peter’s, as they discus...
2023-02-0624 min
OxPodsLong-Term Population StudiesAcross the globe, biologists have set up a series of long-term study populations, where all individuals within an animal population are monitored both across their own lifespan and also over many generations. But what's the point of this, and what questions can be answered using long-term studies that can’t be addressed through alternative experiments?
In this episode of OxPods, biology PhD student Joe Woodman will be interviewing Prof Ben Sheldon FRS, whose research into ecology, evolution and animal behaviour exploits insights from the longest running ecological study of marked wild individual animals in the world, that of...
2023-01-2722 min
OxPodsShakespeare's Underappreciated ComediesAccording to recent polls, the most well-known Shakespeare plays are Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth, all of which are tragedies. Although Shakespeare wrote just as many comedies as he did tragedies, they simply are not as popular or widely read, and this trend applies to other playwrights of Shakespeare’s time as well.
Flora Symington, English Literature student, asks world-renown drama expert and Professor of Shakespeare, Emma Smith, why this is the case, and why she thinks we could all do with spending a bit more time with comedies.
2023-01-2620 min
OxPodsPolitical Polarisation: The State of American Democracy TodayOver the past few decades, US politics has become increasingly polarised, resulting in the emergence of a highly fractured political landscape, exemplified by the storming of the Capitol in January 2021. How did American politics become so polarised? What are the origins of these divisions? And how do we define what it means to be an American today?
To find out, in this episode of OxPods, Katerina Zagurova, history student at The Queen´s College, will be interviewing Dr Bruce Shulman, the Harmsworth Visiting Professor of American history, whose research on 20th century US history focuses on the re...
2023-01-2536 min
OxPodsOxford and The Covid-19 VaccineWhen the world was brought to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals all over the world stepped up to the job of saving lives and ‘bringing normal back again’. In Oxford, Dr Adam Ritchie was one of them.
In this episode of OxPods, Miya McFarlane, Human Sciences undergraduate at Regents Park College, interviews Dr Ritchie, a senior programme manager of the Oxford-AstraZeneca mass vaccine program, on how he helped vaccinate people all over world.
2023-01-2445 min
OxPodsThe Moral Value of a FoetusLast summer, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, reigniting a fifty-year abortion debate once thought settled in the Western world. Though disguised by coverage of judges and commentators alike, the crux of the debate remains deeply philosophical: what is the moral value of a foetus? Is it a human being? Is it a person?
To answer these questions, Todd Horton, law graduate from Trinity College, will be interviewing Professor Jonathan Herring, a pre-eminent exponent of the ‘relational’ conception of personhood, and author of the leading textbook on Medical Law.
2023-01-2327 min
OxPodsDealing with Disease in Animal CollectivesMany social animals live in groups that appear to be relatively unaffected by disease. But just how is this possible? And what could we, humans, learn from the way that animals deal with disease? To find out, in this episode of OxPods, Alex Rodway, biology master’s student at Jesus College, will be interviewing Dr Chris Pull, whose research looks at the ways in which animal collectives have evolved avoidance, resistance and tolerance strategies to mitigate the damaging effects of disease.
2023-01-0926 min