New Books in Science, Technology, and Society
New Books Network
This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field.
Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: newbooksnetwork.com
Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to get informative, engaging content straight to your inbox: https://newbooksnetwork.substack.com/
Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to learn about more our latest interviews: @newbooksnetworkSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society
Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: newbooksnetwork.com
Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to get informative, engaging content straight to your inbox: https://newbooksnetwork.substack.com/
Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to learn about more our latest interviews: @newbooksnetworkSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 1, 2026 • 53min
Andreas Killen, "Nervous Systems: Brain Science in the Early Cold War" (Harper, 2023)
Andreas Killen, historian and professor at City College, CUNY, and author of Nervous Systems, explores 1950s brain science and its cultural fallout. He traces breakthroughs like EEGs and awake surgery. He links Cold War paranoia, brainwashing claims, MKUltra, and pop culture portrayals. He follows threads from clinical cases to later continuities in interrogation and the War on Terror.
Jan 31, 2026 • 37min
John L. Rudolph, "Why We Teach Science (and Why We Should)" (Oxford UP, 2023)
John L. Rudolph, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and former high-school science teacher, explores why we teach science. He traces historical purposes like economic growth and national security. He questions content-heavy instruction and urges teaching how science produces knowledge. He discusses civic uses of science, trust in scientific practices, and rethinking scientific literacy.
Jan 28, 2026 • 1h 12min
LiLi Johnson, "Technologies of Kinship: Asian American Racialization and the Making of Family" (NYU Press, 2025)
LiLi Johnson, Assistant Professor of English and Gender and Women’s Studies at Dalhousie University, studies how technologies shape Asian American kinship. She explains 'technologies of kinship' from bureaucracy and immigration papers to photos, online profiles, and ancestry tests. Conversations cover paper families, transnational adoption, digital matchmaking and how tech reshapes racial categories and family formation.
Jan 26, 2026 • 1h 2min
Gershom Gorenberg, "War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East" (Public Affairs, 2021)
Gershom Gorenberg, journalist and author specializing in Middle East history, discusses his book about WWII espionage in North Africa. He traces Enigma and Bletchley Park breakthroughs. He recounts stolen codebooks, Axis plans for the region, Jewish intelligence contributions, and how chance, human error, and politics shaped wartime outcomes.
Jan 22, 2026 • 57min
Michelle Henning, "A Dirty History of Photography: Chemistry, Fog, and Empire" (U Chicago Press, 2026)
In this engaging discussion, Michelle Henning, a Professor of Photography and Media at the University of Liverpool, delves into her book, exploring the intertwined histories of photography, chemistry, and empire. She reveals how coal and toxicities shaped photographic practices and cultural perceptions, particularly in foggy London. Henning examines how colonial photographers linked climate to race, while also connecting photography to military technologies and chemical warfare. Looking ahead, she shares her upcoming research on the environmental impacts of smartphone photography.
Jan 21, 2026 • 1h 4min
Alex Wellerstein, "The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for Control of the Atomic Age" (Harper, 2025)
Alex Wellerstein, a historian of science and the creator of the NukeMap simulator, dives into the complexities of Truman's decision regarding the atomic bomb. He reveals that Truman didn't participate in the initial decision-making and believed he was preventing massive civilian casualties. Wellerstein uncovers the limitations of Truman's briefings and civilian-military tensions that influenced targeting decisions. Through this lens, he discusses Truman's moral revulsion after Hiroshima and his legacy of nuclear restraint.
6 snips
Jan 21, 2026 • 1h 14min
Giuseppe Longo and Adam Nocek, "The Organism Is a Theory: Giuseppe Longo on Biology, Mathematics, and AI" (U Minnesota Press, 2026)
Giuseppe Longo, a mathematician and theoretical biologist, shares insights from his interdisciplinary critique of computational biology, stressing the complexities of life. Adam Nocek, a philosophy of technology expert, highlights the timely relevance of Longo's work. They argue against viewing organisms merely as computable entities, emphasizing the significance of randomness in biological development. The conversation dives into topics like the limits of mathematical computation and the philosophical implications of reconceptualizing biology beyond algorithms.
Jan 20, 2026 • 41min
Robert Dorschel, "The Social Codes of Tech Workers: Class Identity in Digital Capitalism" (MIT Press, 2025)
Robert Dorschel, an Assistant Professor in Digital Sociology at the University of Cambridge, dives into the lives of tech workers and their class identities. He defines who qualifies as a tech worker, contrasting them with entrepreneurs. Dorschel highlights their reflexivity regarding industry issues and critiques the notion of techno-solutionism. He also discusses their ordinary lifestyles and mindfulness practices. Lastly, he emphasizes the importance of studying tech workers' rising influence and prepares for future research on Gen AI's impact on various classes.
Jan 20, 2026 • 1h 8min
The Friends of Attention, "Attensity! A Manifesto of the Attention Liberation Movement" (Crown, 2026)
D. Graham Burnett, a historian at Princeton, Alyssa Loh, a filmmaker and attention activist, and Peter Schmidt, director of the Strother School, dive into the urgent concept of 'human fracking,' where attention is commodified like a resource. They discuss how the Friends of Attention collective arose to reclaim our humanity from corporate exploitation. The trio explores redefining attention as a caring practice and emphasizes the need for sanctuaries and collective action to protect our focus from being mined by tech platforms.
Jan 19, 2026 • 51min
Steve Ramirez, "How to Change a Memory: One Neuroscientist’s Quest to Alter the Past" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Steve Ramirez, an Associate Professor at Boston University, dives deep into the intriguing science of memory manipulation. He shares his groundbreaking work on creating false memories, revealing how memory is fluid and can be reshaped over time. Ramirez explores the ethical implications of editing memories for healing, discussing its potential to alleviate trauma and mental health issues. He also reflects on memory's role in shaping identity and forecasts exciting developments in brain science and the future of memory research.
