Culture isn't a fossil, it's a fist-fight!

Culture isn't a fossil, it's a fist-fight!

Author: Dr Alice Evans July 22, 2024 Duration: 33:29
Culture is not a static inheritance, but a dynamic arena of ongoing struggle. From the mosques of Jakarta to the classrooms of Louisiana, from TikTok feeds to university lecture halls, ideological warfare rages. This podcast explores the complex interplay of several crucial factors shaping our cultural landscape: Contestation: Culture is a battlefield where competing ideologies clash, merge, and evolve. Prestigious actors and institutions are especially influential, as others look to them as successful. No norm is set in stone; instead, we see a perpetual push and pull between progressive and conservative forces, each vying to define societal values. Economic growth, technological advances and political freedoms do not entail cultural liberalisation. These are merely vehicles - to be used by progressives and conservatives alike. Religious and cultural traditions: Deep-seated beliefs shape the receptiveness to change, and the scope of public debate. Drawing on my qualitative research across nine world regions and evidence from multiple disciplines, this podcast examines ideological battles in diverse settings, from the United States to the Middle East, Southeast Asia to Latin America.

Conversations on ROCKING OUR PRIORS begin with a simple, powerful idea: that our deepest assumptions about how societies progress deserve a second look. Host Dr Alice Evans, drawing from her roles at King’s College London and the Harvard Kennedy School, doesn’t just interview leading experts-she engages them in a genuine dialogue. Each episode digs into the interconnected engines of change: economic growth, the nuances of governance, and the persistent structures of gender inequality. You’ll hear discussions that are both academic and accessible, where complex theories are tested against real-world evidence and historical patterns. The aim is to unsettle comfortable narratives and examine how transformation actually happens across different cultures. This isn't a lecture series; it's an ongoing exploration designed to challenge and refine your perspective. Tune into the podcast for thoughtful, evidence-based conversations that might just change how you see the world's most pressing social and economic questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

ROCKING OUR PRIORS
Podcast Episodes
What prevents Hindu-Muslim conflict? Saumitra Jha [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:28
Saumitra Jha (Associate Professor of Political Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business) joins me to discuss what prevents Hindu-Muslim conflict. We discuss his paper on "Trade, Institutions, and Ethnic Tolera…
Is Pakistan becoming more Patriarchal? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:35
Over the 20th century, the entire world became more gender equal. Or so I thought. But Pakistan has rocked my priors. Female employment has slightly risen. Meanwhile, young Pakistani women are more sexist than their gran…
Does Egalitarianism enable more Gender Equality? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:52
If everyone is equal, it’s much more acceptable for women to get to the top. In societies where no one is special, men seem much more accepting of female leadership. Whereas in hierarchical cultures, where subordinates m…
Romantic Love is an Under-Rated Driver of Gender Equality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:51
Patriarchy is reinforced by fraternal solidarity. The Athenian demos, German guilds, Tswana kgotla, Chinese imperial dynasties, Muslim Brotherhood and Indian caste panchayats all reinforced male dominance. As long as men…