Humanities (Video)

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Professor Arlie Hochschild for a discussion of her book "Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right." Hochschild discusses formative influences shaping her intellectual journey, describes her pioneering work on the sociology of emotions, and traces the evolution of her methodology. She then explains the decision to pursue her study of the American right in Louisiana beginning in 2011; how she undertook an empathetic engagement with citizens devastated by pollution but committed to the oil and gas industry; and how she developed a deep story to explain the emotions motivating her subjects to support right wing perspectives despite the devastation of the environment which they appreciated and loved. She also discusses their attraction to the Trump phenomena. She concludes with the lessons learned and their implications for mending the divide that is tearing the country apart. Series: "Conversations with History" [Show ID: 32994]

John Lithgow performs a cleverly updated version of Gilbert & Sullivan's classic "The Major General's Song" from "The Pirates of Penzance," during a conversation with UC San Diego's Peter Gourevitch. Series: "Helen Edison Lecture Series" [Show ID: 33033]

Celebrated author, literature champion, and bookstore owner Ann Patchett electrifies the audience as she describes her evolving relationships with various books, ranging from classics by Leo Tolstoy and John Updike to more contemporary works by Min Jin Lee (“Pachinko”), Matthew Desmond (“Evicted”) and Ta-Nehisi Coates (”Between the World and Me”), among others. Patchett reads both for pleasure and for business, as the co-owner and buyer for Parnassus Books in Nashville. Why would a best-selling author bother with opening a book store in 2011, when all of the others in her hometown had closed? Because, she says, she couldn’t bear to live in a city without one so she and a partner opened their own! And, as she tells here, Parnassus Books has been a huge success. Patchett is the featured speaker of the 2017 Dinner in the Library event at UC San Diego.  

Series: "Writers" [Show ID: 32700]

Why just read about ancient Rome when you can walk the cobbled streets as if you were really there? That's the promise of virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality in today's classrooms. While the idea of strapping on goggles to virtually visit the Colosseum or go inside a molecule sounds like the stuff of science fiction, the technology to do just that is becoming more popular and available every day. Yes, there are plenty of obstacles — from cost to teacher training — but using virtual reality as an educational tool offers considerable benefits. Not only can it boost visual and technology literacy, but it also improves students' attention and engagement. Learn how this technology has the possibility to transform K-12 education from educators and engineers gathered by UC San Diego. Series: "The STEAM Channel" [Show ID: 32158]

Humans have multiple learning systems that for the most part are functionally and anatomically distinct, evolved at different times for different purposes, and that learn in qualitatively different ways. Greg Ashby studies how people learn new categories of objects. This research has allowed the mapping the neural networks and has identified many important and surprising differences in how we learn. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Show ID: 32755]

Mary Karr, one of the most celebrated memoirists, poets and essayists of her generation, talks about her process of writing a memoir. Karr is a best-selling memoirist, poet, and essayist. Her most recent publication, The Art of Memoir, features excerpts from her favorite memoirs and anecdotes from fellow writers' experiences. She is the recipient of prizes from PEN and Best American Poetry, and she has won Pushcart Prizes both for poetry and essays. Series: "Voices" [Show ID: 32832]

Robert Bjork, Distinguished Research Professor in the UCLA Department of Psychology, shares insights from his work as a renowned expert on human learning. Bjork has been studying learning and memory for more than four decades. Series: "UCLA Faculty Research Lectures" [Show ID: 32833]

Lynne Kirby, Executive Producer of the National Geographic documentary "Water & Power: A California Heist," discusses the film and the state of water in California with Constance Penley, UCSB Professor of Film & Media Studies. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Show ID: 32822]

UCSB Script to Screen, hosted by Matt Ryan, visited the 2017 Comic Con Convention to interview some of today's top talent. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Show ID: 32823]

Mary Karr, one of the most celebrated memoirists, poets and essayists of her generation, talks about her craft and the revelations found along the way. Her most recent publication, The Art of Memoir, features excerpts from her favorite memoirs and anecdotes from fellow writers' experiences. She is the recipient of prizes from PEN and Best American Poetry, and she has won Pushcart Prizes both for poetry and essays. Series: "Voices" [Show ID: 32831]