Memes: Folklore of the Digital World
In this episode, we look at memes as a cultural phenomenon. We look at their origins, what makes them so special, and chat with Gabriele de Seta about the different meanings memes take on as they move...
19 Aug 202025min
Curry: The Social History of a Globalized Dish
In this episode, we talk about the global story of South Asian food. Its ingredients and recipes traveled far and wide to make the cuisine what it is today -- join us as we discuss the origins of vari...
12 Aug 202047min
Punk: The Global Voice of Resistance
In our first-ever triple-bill episode, we chat with Kevin Dunn, Raymond Patton, and Theresa Steward and take a deep dive into the punk movement, investigating the impact it had on world culture. First...
29 Jul 20201h 6min
Bollywood and the Diaspora: Portrayals and Receptions of the Homeland
In this episode, we sit down with Rini Bhattacharya Mehta and look at how Bollywood, and Indian Cinema as a whole, has shaped and been shaped by the Indian identities portrayed in film. The cultural o...
22 Jul 202033min
National Heroes: Teaching Symbols of Identity, Legitimacy and Oppression Through School Curriculums
In this episode, we explore the ways in which national heroes have been used in school history curriculums to create a sense of nationhood, to confer legitimacy to the state, and to contribute towards...
15 Jul 202037min
Telenovelas: The Cultural Power of Melodrama
In this episode, we explore the origins and impact of the telenovela. We first look at how these shows were inspired by workers in Cuban cigar factories reading stories out loud to one another, before...
8 Jul 202029min
Elvis Presley: The Complex Origins of Stardom
In this episode, we follow the trajectory of Elvis’s life, untangling the complex factors that contributed to his success and the impact he had on American culture. First, we look at how Elvis redefin...
17 Jun 202041min
Chocolate: A Complex Story of Status, Empire and Big Business
We’re looking at the global story of chocolate. First, we discuss how the idea of chocolate changed through the centuries — what it meant for Aztecs, how the Europeans intentionally moved away from th...
10 Jun 202042min
