The Very Short Introductions Podcast
A concise and original introduction to a wide range of subjects—from Public Health to Buddhist Ethics, Soft Matter to Classics, and Art History to Globalization—by the expert authors of the Very Short Introductions series. For wherever your curiosity may take you.
Episodes
June 8, 2023 • 9 mins
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 Universi...
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June 1, 2023 • 13 mins
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 …
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May 25, 2023 • 14 mins
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 … Read more
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May 18, 2023 • 13 mins
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...
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May 11, 2023 • 14 mins
In this episode, Jonathan Stack 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 … Read more
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May 4, 2023 • 17 mins
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 applic...
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April 27, 2023 • 17 mins
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, teachin...
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April 20, 2023 • 17 mins
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...
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December 15, 2022 • 11 mins
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 …
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December 8, 2022 • 10 mins
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 …
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December 1, 2022 • 18 mins
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 ...
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November 17, 2022 • 10 mins
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 S...
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November 10, 2022 • 15 mins
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 mo...
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November 3, 2022 • 15 mins
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 Studie...
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October 27, 2022 • 10 mins
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...
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October 20, 2022 • 10 mins
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....
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October 13, 2022 • 12 mins
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 ...
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October 6, 2022 • 13 mins
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 Di...
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June 9, 2022 • 15 mins
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...
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June 2, 2022 • 7 mins
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 …
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