Curated Video
The International Criminal Court
Legal scholar Emilie Hafner-Burton (UC San Diego) assesses the International Criminal Court and points to ways it could be improved.
Curated Video
The Importance of Dialogue
Political scientist Mark Bevir (UC Berkeley) describes the importance of regular dialogue between policymakers and the populace.
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Spatial Impairments
Linguist Carol Padden (UC San Diego), discusses how studying a particular sign-language impairment may lead to a deeper understanding of of how the brain processes both space and language.
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Lessons from the Past
Author and independent scholar Pankaj Mishra describes his motivations to inform people of past societies and individuals who have already addressed many of the issues we are grappling with.
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The Structure of Sign Languages
Linguist Carol Padden (UC San Diego), describes Bill Stokoe’s early work on analyzing sign languages and searching for the relevant parameters to characterize meaning.
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The Sociology of Philosophy
Philosopher Scott Soames (USC) relates aspects of the spectrum of professional views on what philosophy should and should not be.
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The Real World
Marine biologist Edie Widder at the Ocean Research & Conservation Association laments how we’re woefully underusing one of our most valuable resources: the passion and energy of today’s youth.
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The Pain Paradox
Poet and independent scholar Jennifer Michael Hecht questions whether eliminating pain would be in our collective long-term interest.
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The Message and the Messenger
University of Michigan business professor Andrew Hoffman describes how his research investigates the cultural aspects of climate change, focusing on the question, What comes to people’s minds when they hear the words “climate change”?
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The Flexibility of Language
David Bellos, Director of the Program in Translation and Intercultural Communication at Princeton University, describes the extraordinary flexibility that language possesses to convey different shades of meaning.
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The Cocktail Circuit
Legal scholar Emilie Hafner-Burton (UCSD) talks about her experience working at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
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The Benefits of Hardship
Historian Michael Berry (UCLA) discusses how he experienced more culture shock on returning to the USA from China than in going to China.
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Syntactical Examinations
Neuroscientist Martin Monti (UCLA) discusses what one can learn about the brain by explicitly comparing basic algebra and language.
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Speaking with Space
Linguist Carol Padden (UC San Diego) discusses the growing research overlap of sign language linguistics with modern neuroscience.
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Speaking Gendered Languages
David Bellos, Director of the Program in Translation and Intercultural Communication at Princeton University, muses on the differences between native speakers of non-gendered and gendered languages.
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Self-Identification Through Language
David Bellos, Director of the Program in Translation and Intercultural Communication at Princeton University, argues that speech serves a strong sociological function as a form of self-indentification.
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Scientific Credibility
Business school professor Andrew Hoffman, University of Michigan, describes how most Americans do trust science and that, eventually, if scientists remain diligent about communicating their findings about climate change, most people will...
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Science vs. Politics
Historian Martin Jay (UC Berkeley) discusses some of the differences between science and politics.
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Rhetorical Dangers
University of Cambridge historian and English professor Stefan Collini relates his core argument for the societal benefit of universities and describes how using various rhetorical devices to make his point can often backfire in today’s...
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Rediscovering Buddhism
Award-winning author Pankaj Mishra describes how many people educated in the Western tradition, himself included, have only recently come to appreciate the intellectual significance of many aspects of Buddhist thought.
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Recovering Intentionality
Political scientist Mark Bevir (UC Berkeley) highlights the core difference between the social sciences and natural sciences, involving intentionality.
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Reconciliation All Around
Primatologist Frans de Waal (Emory) describes how chimpanzees, along with many other species, reconcile after fights.
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Rabbinic Scepticism
Rabbi Emeritus David J. Goldberg candidly relates his personal, unorthodox views on the nature of God and the Jews, and describes the reactions he received to his public avowals of his beliefs.
Curated Video
Public Intellectuals and Universities
Classicist and political theorist Josiah Ober (Stanford) reflects on the societal role of universities and the importance of academics engaging with the outside world.