The Backstage Academic

Coming (virtually) from the states Alaina (a cognitive scientist in decision making by trade) drops in to talk to us about her new book 'What I Wish I knew: A field Guide For Thriving in Graduate Studies'. In this episode we discuss the trials and tribulations of academic life, how to succeed, how to explain what you do to non-academics, how to apply your skills outside of the academic world if you ever want to leave it (God forbid!). Not only do we cover some of the more pragmatic aspects to the researcher life, but we also cover lessons usually ignored in university guides; How do you balance a PhD while having child? How do find out what kind of educator you want to be? How do you hide the fact you don't know anything (that's a joke, you are there for a reason)? How do you stay sane, well-adjusted and connected to others when your life becomes a solitary expedition into frozen tundra of your subject area? This book is filled to the brim with useful advice for new researchers of any subject, please enjoy.  

A copy of her book can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TTXWG3M/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_GRZESBTQF4C3QB255E82

You can find Alaina here:

Twitter - @statistress

Does our society discriminate against those who are single? Are spaces, ideals and social norms only catered towards the monogamous couple? We talk about the difficulties of online dating, the unintended consequences of making the private sphere, public, and the problems men and women face when trying to find intimacy and connection in this new technological frontier. We even deconstruct Love Island and discuss the potential harm of some of the gender stereotypes that exist there.

With us today is Alicia Denby a PhD Researcher in Sociology at the Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research interests include gender and sexualities, modern dating practices, and singlehood. Her PhD, is titled "Singlehood and the City: An Investigation into the position of the Single in Urban Space", focuses on the spatial naturalisation of heteronormativity in an urban landscape.

The link to her Love Island article 'Toxicity and Femininity in Love Island: How Reality Dating Shows Perpetuate Sexist Attitudes Towards Women' is here:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.641216/full

Have you ever wondered the historical roots of masculinity, and what impact warfare has had on our human identity and development? Well look no further! Join myself and Jonathan Harper (a fellow PhD researcher specialising in WW2) as we review Leo Braudy's book, as he takes us through an epic historical, sociological and literary journey. A full review would of have been impossible but we covered some fascinating ground from; barbarians, Romans, ancient Greeks, modern warfare, drone strikes, the war in Afghanistan, strong men, knights, masculinity in relation to uniforms and social and political policy, masculinities connection with femininity and the fear of the other, and even the influence of technology on our concepts of honour...honesty we cover a lot, bring a snack.

Reviewing the literary god that is Stephen Fry, I am assisted once again by my fellow bookworm Andrea Nicklin as we deconstruct this new telling of the Greek classic - from Fry's writing style, portrayal of the Gods, to the role of women in this traditional epic, prepare for a crash course in all things ancient. 

Welcome listeners, have you ever wondered what an advocate is? What is their role is and why they are so important to some of our most vulnerable? I'm joined today by Rob Alcock, who is a second-year PhD student in the Department of Social Care and Social Work at Manchester Metropolitan University. His doctoral project is currently titled: ‘To have their voices heard’? A realist study of independent advocacy under the Care Act 2014. Rob is a registered social worker and practised in local authority adult services before starting his PhD. He can be contacted at [email protected]'.

Dr Szifris is a criminologist/sociologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, who before coming to MMU studied for four years at the University of Sheffield, to gain her Master's Degree in Mathematics before going on to complete her PhD. Her doctoral research was entitled 'Philosophy in Prison: An Exploration of Personal Development' and takes an exploratory approach to data collection. Kirstine's interests lie in the prison system with a particular interest in how education works in that setting, thinking about questions such as; How does trust develop in incarcerated settings? What can education do for desistance? What does this do for prisoners well-being? 

In this episode, we explore Kirstine's exciting new book, 'Philosophy Behind Bars' which contains illuminating insights from an innovative programme that took place in two prisons in the UK. Learn about the role of philosophy in this most extreme of environments. Kirstine explains the difficulties of working in such repressive environments, the challenges in working with this complex population, the insights gained from it, the surprises, what philosophy has to say for human identity and growth when you find yourself inside carceral spaces, and why exploration through philosophical dialogue can be a powerful tool for self-reflection and personal change. We also hear from the prisoners own reflections on the programme, through fascinating exerts and the researcher's candid field notes. 

For anyone interested in ordering a copy you can get your copy here:

https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/philosophy-behind-bars

More information about Kirstine and her interesting work can be found here:

https://www.mmu.ac.uk/sociology/staff/profile/index.php?id=2584

This time we are joined by the esteemed Dr Albert Yates, a recent PhD graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University. We talk about his tremendous career (formally head of CID in Manchester) prior to his journey into academia, before delving into his fascinating research. Dr Yates works in the area of addiction, but he isn’t your typical scholar. What makes this area so unique is that he draws on the insights of ancient Greek philosophers, in order to propose a whole new theory of addiction. We cover some pretty controversial areas; what does the ‘soul’ have to do with addiction? What’s wrong with the current medical model of addiction and why it can be harmful? Where does responsibility lie? How do we combat desire? Why the word ‘addiction’ itself is wrong and should be replaced with what the Greeks called appetite. We also learn about the 'power of appearance' and the 'tripartite soul', which despite being a few thousand years old feels tremendously relevant to us today. For those interested, you can find out more below this blurb.

https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/hole-in-the-soul-can-philosophers-teach-us-about-addiction/

Albert’s thesis is titled: A theory of addiction founded on classical Greek philosophy