Humanities (Video)

Human rights violations and social injustice continues at an alarming rate. Conscientious citizens are looking for answers. The pathway to moral empowerment is not easy but Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization continues to shine - guiding us in the right direction. Hear from Naila Chowdhury, director of Social Impact & Innovation, UC San Diego, Morgan Appel Assistant Dean, Education & Community Outreach, UC San Diego Extension, Adnan Karim, Managing Director of Human Rights Education, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Karen Robinson, Program Director, Speak Truth to Power, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights as they discuss their work to prioritize human rights education. Series: "Time to Rise" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 36234]

Dr. Darlene Mininni shares how two words in particular can negatively affect mental health. This lecture is part of the Frank B. Roehr Memorial Lecture Series, which was established by Mr. Roehr's daughter, Suzanne Angelucci, to inform the public on topics associated with the power of humor and positive thinking. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Humanities] [Show ID: 36386]

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” As look at the history of American democracy, we begin with the nation’s founding contradiction: the dispossession of Natives, the enslavement of Africans and the exclusion of women in a new nation dedicated to the radical concept of universal human equality. Through a reading of the founding documents of the United States, ranging from the Declaration of Independence to the speeches of Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Barack Obama, we consider how race, colonialism and slavery shaped the nation's founding, and how this legacy, this “original sin” of the American founding, continues to shape and distort our democracy. Series: "UC Public Policy Channel" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 36276]

The promise of science is great, but the application of new technologies often raises profound ethical questions. Answering those questions depends on both critical philosophical inquiry and good data. Unfortunately, the reliability of the science is in question. Theoretical and empirical investigations have caused many to believe that science now faces a reproducibility crisis: Much that is published by one team of scientists cannot be reproduced by another. Research ethicist Mike Kalichman, addresses the magnitude of this crisis, factors contributing to research findings that are not reproducible, and identifying strategies that will promote the rigor and reproducibility of science. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 35795]

Director Darya Zhuk discusses making Crystal Swan, which is a vitriolic comedy set in Belarus circa 1996. The film follows a young female DJ who befriends a rural family in a scheme to obtain her U.S. visa so she can move to Chicago and pursue her house-music career. In her debut tragic comedy, director Darya Zhuk reveals a multilayered vision of time and place and paints a bright, kitschy, vibrant backdrop of familial dynamics and cultural traditions. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36302]

Barry Scott Wimpfheimer specializes in the Talmud and other Rabbinic Literature. His work focuses on the Babylonian Talmud as a work of law and literature. Part scripture and part commentary, it is written in a hybrid of Hebrew and Aramaic and is an unlikely bestseller. The Talmud has remained in print for centuries and is more popular today than ever. Barry Scott Wimpfheimer discusses his book, The Talmud, A Biography, which tells the remarkable story of this ancient book and explains why it has endured for almost two millennia. Series: "Taubman Symposia in Jewish Studies" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35805]

The two-part documentary series "And She Could Be Next" (2020) tells the story of a defiant movement of women of color who are transforming politics from the ground up. The series was filmed during 2018 and 2019. It centers on those at the heart of the movement behind the New American Majority. "And She Could Be Next" features an entirely women of color creative team. Director/producers Grace Lee and Marjan Safinia joined moderator Wendy Eley Jackson (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) for a Zoom discussion. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36237]

Screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick discuss the challenges of writing genre bending screenplay of Zombieland. In this video, Reese and Wernick talk with UCSB Pollock Theater Director Matt Ryan about how they approached balancing the comedy and horror. The screenwriters recounted stories of working with actors Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and Bill Murray. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36203]

"Nothing makes you happier than the act of giving," says HRH Princess Dina Mired of Jordan. In a wide ranging interview, she shares how she maintains hope during the pandemic, how we can harness technology to create meaningful social connections, and the impact and importance of healthcare activism. Series: "Compassion Beyond Borders" [Health and Medicine] [Humanities] [Show ID: 36133]

Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber discuss the challenges of telling the true-life story of the making of one of the worst films ever made, The Room written and directed by the eccentric Tommy Wiseau. In this video, Neustadter and Weber talk with UCSB Pollock Theater Director, Matt Ryan, how they approached balancing the comedic elements of the chaotic production of the movie The Room with telling an emotionally compelling story.

Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 36063]