How can writers use fairy tales to reflect on modernity? 

In the final episode of Lockdown Lectures, I chat to University of Cambridge grad - Andrew Jameson - about his dissertation on Naomi Mitchison's 'The Fourth Pig'. We discuss how she adapts and employs traditional tales like 'Hansel and Gretel' and 'The Three Little Pigs' to explore issues of Nazism, Scottish nationalism, and feminism. 

Why was the symbol of the mother and child so common in North Vietnamese propaganda posters?

I speak to University of Cambridge grad, Daisy Everingham, about her research into this imagery and its contradictions with contemporary policy.

Ever wondered why there are so many locks and keys in gothic literature? 

In this week's episode, I chat to English Literature and History graduate from the University of Edinburgh - Alice Wright - about this under-researched trope. We discuss how keys and locks symoblise sexual transgression and repression, and their links to Freud. 

How did satirists use zoomorphism to understand and critique Yugoslav socialism? 

University of Edinburgh Politics grad, Jelena Sofronijevic, tells me about her research into the academically marginalised topic of political satire in mid-century Yugoslavia. We explore what this art can tell us about politics and resistance, and how it compares to the (perhaps) more familiar work of George Orwell. 

How can we understand the mechanical and chemical signals which affect neurons in the developing brain? 

This week, I chat to University of Cambridge Natural Sciences student - Rachel Mckeown - about her experimental research into axon guidance and the trials and tribulations of scienctific experimentation. 

When we say "tigers have stripes", do we mean all tigers? 

I speak to University of Cambridge Linguistics graduate, Anki Deo, about her research into children's understanding of generic and quantified statements. We discuss how these linguistic structures are used and understood, and their potential harmful social effects. 

Do states have equal power to influence the making of international law? 

I speak to University of Cambridge law graduate, Lena Riecke, about her research on economic power, lethal autonomous weapons systems, and inequality in customary international law. 

What is it like to direct a short film...in the middle of a pandemic? 

This week, I chat to George Carmichael - a film and production graduate from Arts University Bournemouth - about his final year project. We talk about the male gaze in cinema, directorial methods, and the surprisingly positive effect of covid-19 on the process. 

How can we use machine learning to predict when a volcano will erupt? 

I speak to University of Cambridge materials scientist, Norbert Toth, about his current research using machine learning algorithms to improve the analysis of volcanic rocks.

Louisiana is the world's prison capital. How did the state's system of mass incarceration develop, and why is this history important for current debates in the US? 

In this special episode of Lockdown Lectures, the tables are turned on our usual host, Ellie House. Guest host Grace Shattock speaks to Ellie about her research on mass incarceration in Louisiana and its relevance to the modern Black Lives Matter movement.