Women and terrorism
Mike and Josh are joined by Rosie Mutton to discuss the role of women in terrorist organisations, and the many ‘invisible’ roles they perform that maintain and sustain the continued existence of the group.
Super-soldiers in sci-fi
In this episode, Mike and Josh discuss some of the early depictions of super-soldiers in science fiction, from Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers (1959) to Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War (1974).
Academic social media
Is Twitter really the best place to share your research? Mike and Josh discuss the murky world of academic social media, where those who shout the loudest get the most attention…
Bad Science and the anti-vax movement
Why do people believe in homeopathy, and who’s to blame for the controversial anti-vax movement? Mike and Josh discuss Bad Science by Ben Goldacre, and the dangerous implications of the ‘bad science’ used to justify irrational and unethical beliefs.
Gym culture
Mike and Josh are joined by Kurtis Cusimano to talk about strength sports and the culture around weightlifting, powerlifting and the World’s Strongest Man.
Academic job hunting
Mike and Josh share their thoughts on the academic jobs market, and the many barriers stopping early career researchers making it in academia.
Digital archiving revisited
Mike and Josh are joined by Claire McGann to talk about the digitisation of historic archives, and the various pros and cons of the digitisation process.
Football and identity
What makes a ‘football person’? Is there such a thing as a ‘proper fan’? Mike and Josh are joined by Luke Graham to discuss issues of identity and gatekeeping in football.
Neuroplasticity and the addictions of the brain
How and why do we form addictions? How do we resolve them? Mike and Josh are joined by Kurtis Cusimano to talk about neuroplasticity and the way addictions are formed.
Writing desks and the way we write
Is our writing space important? What do our writing desks say about us? Mike and Josh are joined by Claire McGann to discuss all things writing-related, with a chat about writing desks and the way we write.
Destitution and human rights
What is destitution, and how can we define destitution in law? Mike and Josh are joined by Luke Graham (Law) to discuss this fascinating new area of research.
The chaos of war
How do armed forces seek to rationalise the chaos of war? Is it even possible? Mike and Josh discuss the use of technology during the Vietnam War and the infamous Operation Igloo White. They go on explore the implications of technology-led warfare, and ask whether there can ever be such a thing as too much information for commanders to digest.