Humanities (Audio)

The initial popularity, enduring legacy, and creative fan cultures surrounding The Sound of Music all arise in this discussion between Carsey-Wolf Center director Patrice Petro and Film and Media Studies professor Caryl Flinn (University of Michigan). Describing the film as about the joy of singing, Prof. Flinn positions The Sound of Music and its songs within the twilight of a golden era of film musicals. When discussing the legacy of the film, Prof. Flinn details the growth of sing-a-long The Sound of Music screening events and reveals her favorite fan revival, a Jewish communitys The Sound of Purim. Also covered in this talk are Christopher Plummers notorious distaste for the film and attacks on the film by cultural elites like Pauline Kael.

Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 34287]

Race, gender, and union-busting violence all arise in this discussion of Debra Kopple’s iconic Harlan County, USA. Documentarian Betsy Taylor and historian Alice O’Connor (UC Santa Barbara) offer expert perspectives into connections between events and figures in Kopple’s film and broader environmental justice and labor struggles unfolding across the US in the early 1970s. In addition, Taylor’s intimate knowledge of this mining area enables her to offer rich detail about the local landscape, corporate land ownership, and crooked politics that form the foundation of this classic documentary. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 34290]

A gene drive is a targeted contagion intended to spread within species, forever altering the offspring. Gene drive enthusiasts say they could wipe out malaria, saving more than half a million lives each year. As yet, no CRISPR gene drive has been released in the wild — few have even been built. Laurie Zoloth of the University of Chicago explores the ethical questions about genes designed to spread through populations and alter ecosystems, and their unforeseen consequences. Series: "Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 34183]

The consumer neuroscience industry is entering its second decade and continuing to grow thanks to increased acceptance by advertisers looking to better understand consumers' preferences and decision making. However, more questions and concerns are being raised as advertising techniques challenge social and ethical boundaries. Dr. Carl Marci, Chief Neuroscientist at Nielsen, will address the ethical concerns related to consumer neuroscience including issues around privacy, informed consent, and consumer autonomy in decision making. Series: "Exploring Ethics" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 33711]

Should your art send you to prison? Rap lyrics are increasingly turning up as evidence in courtrooms across the country. The fictional characters portrayed in violent gansta rap songs are often a far cry from the true personalities of the artists behind them, yet uninitiated audiences easily conflate artist with character and fiction with fact. On a broader scale, using rap lyrics as evidence in criminal cases also raises questions about artistic freedom, freedom of speech and the rights of all citizens to receive a fair trial. UC Irvines Charis E. Kubrin, Ph.D and Adam Dunbar explore these issues. Series: "Zot Talks" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 31368]

Ron Goode, Tribal Chairman of the North Fork Mono Tribe, led UC Davis professor, Beth Rose Middleton Manning's, students through a cultural burn. Students participated in preparing the land and igniting the fire, and contributed to a historic indigenous tradition. Cultural burning practices empower Native American communities, and could possibly be used as a tool to help alleviate devastating wildfires. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Humanities] [Agriculture] [Show ID: 34098]

Over 40 scientists came together to tackle issues working mothers face. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 34108]

Since stem cells were first cultured from human embryos in 1998, the ethical considerations surrounding this technology have been widely debated, leading to establishment of limits on how this research is conducted and funded. Learn more about these scientific advances, the implications of these discoveries for human health, and consider how ethical norms can best be integrated into research and practice. Series: "Exploring Ethics" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33712]

What does it means to be literate in the age of Google?  At a time when you can search billions of texts in milliseconds, scan over trillions of online images, and look deeply into planet-wide maps, we need to rethink what it means to be literate, and to be a learner. Dan Russell, the Űber Tech Lead for Search Quality and User Happiness at Google, reviews what literacy means today and shows how some very surprising and unexpected skills will turn out to be critical in the years ahead. Series: "Library Channel" [Humanities] [Education] [Show ID: 34063]

Most people are part-Neanderthal, the closest extinct human relative. Svante Pääbo explores human genetic evolution by analyzing preserved genetic material from the remains of ancient organisms, including Neanderthals. What can we learn from the genomes of our closest evolutionary relatives? Pääbo is an evolutionary anthropologist and pioneer of paleogenetics and the director of the Max Plank Institute of Evolutionary Genetics. He was awarded the 2018 Nierenberg Award for Science in the Public Interest. Series: "Frontiers of Knowledge" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 34037]