Classical philology is not usually considered a font of social change, with its very detailed and rigorous look at the language and literature of ancient Greece and Rome. But our guest for this episode sees tremendous potential precisely in the careful work of philology to give us new avenues of civic engagement and social change both in Africa and in the United States. David van Schoor, a classicist from South Africa now teaching at Emory University, draws upon his wide and varied experiences both inside and outside academia to discuss what he calls Liberation Philology, the process of rediscovering the great works of classical antiquity, including the Bible, through deep engagement in the language of these works. This type of engagement can help us to free our minds to see our divided political and social with new lenses that have the potential to break us free from our stalemates and renew civic and social relations.

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