Future in the Humanities
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Launched during Wits University's centenary anniversary the series tackles critical questions on the role and future of the Humanities. Scholars in Africa and South America are displaying unprecedented confidence in challenging frameworks that used to be uncritically adopted from centers of knowledge in Europe or North America. Reflections on race, power, or how we interface with our..
Future in the Humanities
9M ago
Conspiracy theories have been widely debated throughout history. But the rise of social media, the global conversation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and enhanced technical capabilities to study them in near real-time have made them increasingly present in public debates.
This episode, featuring Samuel Olaniran and Iginio Gagliardone, offers an original take on conspiracy theories. It does not presume them to be the societal plague they are often framed as being. Without supporting or leaning into conspiratorial claims, we discuss how conspiracy theories might be a way to speak back to pow ..read more
Future in the Humanities
9M ago
Is touch perceived differently across societies? How has COVID-19 changed the perception of proximity in different parts of the world?
The opening episode of the series, featuring Sahba Besharati and Victoria Williams, connects the humanities and the neurosciences to show how a greater understanding of localized experiences can strengthen, rather than challenge, universal principles. Most of the world is not 'WEIRD' (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic), but most research in fields like psychology and neuroscience is conducted in WEIRD contexts. Until recently, this research ..read more