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The Essay

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Sep 17, 2020 • 14min

Susanna White-Winslow

Five essays reflect on the impact of the Puritan Pilgrims setting sail on the ship the Mayflower 400 years ago, from Plymouth in England heading west to “the New World”. Writers look at what the anniversary means to Americans in 2020, and create portraits of some of the key players: two of the passengers, and two of the Native Americans who met them.The tale of the 'Pilgrim Fathers' became part of the foundation myth of the United States. On the 400th anniversary of their setting sail, Nick Bryant (BBC New York correspondent) gives an overview of what the anniversary means in America this year, at a time when that myth is under scrutiny more than ever, and Margaret Verble (Cherokee writer, her book ‘Maud’s Line’ a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer) explores the motivations of Tisquantum, Native American ally and translator to the Pilgrims. Michael Goldfarb (American author, journalist and broadcaster) writes a portrait of John Alden, the crew member turned colonist, Rebecca Fraser (Historian and author of ‘The Mayflower: the Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America’) uncovers the story of Susanna White-Winslow, Mayflower passenger, and David Silverman (American historian and author) looks at the decisions facing Metacom: a child when the Mayflower landed, he would become a resistance leader.Rebecca Fraser, author of ‘The Mayflower: The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America’, imagines the little recorded life of Susanna Winslow, a woman who gave birth on board the Mayflower and founded a new generation.
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Sep 17, 2020 • 14min

John Alden

Five essays reflect on the impact of the Puritan Pilgrims setting sail on the ship the Mayflower 400 years ago, from Plymouth in England heading west to “the New World”. Writers look at what the anniversary means to Americans in 2020, and create portraits of some of the key players: two of the passengers, and two of the Native Americans who met them.The tale of the 'Pilgrim Fathers' became part of the foundation myth of the United States. On the 400th anniversary of their setting sail, Nick Bryant (BBC New York correspondent) gives an overview of what the anniversary means in America this year, at a time when that myth is under scrutiny more than ever, and Margaret Verble (Cherokee writer, her book ‘Maud’s Line’ a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer) explores the motivations of Tisquantum, Native American ally and translator to the Pilgrims. Michael Goldfarb (American author, journalist and broadcaster) writes a portrait of John Alden, the crew member turned colonist, Rebecca Fraser (Historian and author of ‘The Mayflower: the Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America’) uncovers the story of Susanna White-Winslow, Mayflower passenger, and David Silverman (American historian and author) looks at the decisions facing Metacom: a child when the Mayflower landed, he would become a resistance leader.Michael Goldfarb, American journalist, broadcaster and author of 'Emancipation: How Liberating Europe's Jews from the Ghetto Led to Revolution and Renaissance', considers the life and legacy of John Alden, the Mayflower ship's cooper who became a settler.
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Sep 15, 2020 • 14min

Squanto

Five essays reflect on the impact of the Puritan Pilgrims setting sail on the ship the Mayflower 400 years ago, from Plymouth in England heading west to “the New World”. Writers look at what the anniversary means to Americans in 2020, and create portraits of some of the key players: two of the passengers, and two of the Native Americans who met them.The tale of the 'Pilgrim Fathers' became part of the foundation myth of the United States. On the 400th anniversary of their setting sail, Nick Bryant (BBC New York correspondent) gives an overview of what the anniversary means in America this year, at a time when that myth is under scrutiny more than ever, and Margaret Verble (Cherokee writer, her book ‘Maud’s Line’ a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer) explores the motivations of Tisquantum, Native American ally and translator to the Pilgrims. Michael Goldfarb (American author, journalist and broadcaster) writes a portrait of John Alden, the crew member turned colonist, Rebecca Fraser (Historian and author of ‘The Mayflower: the Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America’) uncovers the story of Susanna White-Winslow, Mayflower passenger, and David Silverman (American historian and author) looks at the decisions facing Metacom: a child when the Mayflower landed, he would become a resistance leader.Margaret Verble, author of the Pulitzer finalist novel ‘Maud’s Line’ and ‘Cherokee America’, considers the life and legacy of Squanto, a Native American man who acted as an interpreter and guide to the Pilgrim settlers, whose motives have been blurred by history.
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Sep 14, 2020 • 14min

400 years on

Five essays reflect on the impact of the Puritan Pilgrims setting sail on the ship the Mayflower 400 years ago, from Plymouth in England heading west to “the New World”. Writers look at what the anniversary means to Americans in 2020, and create portraits of some of the key players: two of the passengers, and two of the Native Americans who met them.The tale of the 'Pilgrim Fathers' became part of the foundation myth of the United States. On the 400th anniversary of their setting sail, Nick Bryant (BBC New York correspondent) gives an overview of what the anniversary means in America this year, at a time when that myth is under scrutiny more than ever. Among the other essays this week, Margaret Verble (Cherokee writer, her book ‘Maud’s Line’ a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer) explores the motivations of Tisquantum, Native American ally and translator to the Pilgrims, Michael Goldfarb (American author, journalist and broadcaster) writes a portrait of John Alden, the crew member turned colonist, Rebecca Fraser (Historian and author of ‘The Mayflower: the Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America’) uncovers the story of Susanna White-Winslow, Mayflower passenger, and David Silverman (American historian and author) looks at the decisions facing Metacom: a child when the Mayflower landed, he would become a resistance leader.In the first essay this week Nick Bryant gives his personal reflections on what the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower means to Americans – from Trump supporters to Native American activists - creating a picture of the USA in 2020 and the anniversary's place in it.
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Jul 9, 2020 • 12min

Egyptian Satire

Dina Rezk from the University of Reading looks at politics and the role of humour as she profiles Bassem Youssef, “the Jon Stewart of Egyptian satire”. As protests reverberate around the world, she looks back at the Arab Spring and asks what we can learn from the popular culture that took off during that uprising and asks whether those freedoms remain. You can hear her in a Free Thinking discussion about filming the Arab Spring https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005sjw and in a discussion about Mocking Power past and present https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000dzww You can find of Dina's research https://egyptrevolution2011.ac.uk/ New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to select ten academics to turn their research into radio. Producer: Robyn Read
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Jul 9, 2020 • 13min

Pogroms and Prejudice

New Generation Thinker Brendan McGeever traces the links between anti-Semitism now and pogroms in the former Soviet Union and the language used to describe this form of racism. Brendan McGeever lectures at the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism at Birkbeck University of London. You can hear him discussing an exhibition at the Jewish Museum exploring racial stereotypes in a Free Thinking episode called Sebald, anti-semitism, Carolyn Forché https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00050d2 New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to select ten early career academics each year to turn their research into radio. Producer: Robyn Read
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Jul 1, 2020 • 14min

Prison Break

Prison breaks loom large in both literature and pop culture. But how should we evaluate them ethically? New Generation Thinker Jeffrey Howard asks what a world without prison would look like. His essay explores whether those unjustly incarcerated have the moral right to break out, whether the rest of us have an obligation to help - and what the answers teach us about the ethics of punishment today. Jeffrey Howard is an Associate Professor in the Political Science Dept at University College, London, whose work on dangerous speech has been funded by the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust. You can find him discussing hate speech in a Free Thinking Episode https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006tnf New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to select ten academics who can turn their research into radio. Producer: Luke Mulhall
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Jun 28, 2020 • 12min

Facing Facts

Earlier periods of history have seen more people with scarring to their faces from duelling injuries and infectious diseases but what stopped this leading to a greater tolerance of facial difference ? Historian Emily Cock considers the case of the Puritan William Prynne and looks at a range of strategies people used to improve their looks from eye patches to buying replacement teeth from the mouths of the poor, whose low-sugar diets kept their dentures better preserved than their aristocratic neighbours. In portraits and medical histories she finds examples of the elision between beauty and morality. With techniques such as ‘Metoposcopy’, which focused on interpreting the wrinkles on your forehead and the fact that enacting the law led to deliberate cut marks being made - this Essay reflects on the difficult terrain of judging by appearance.Emily Cock is a Leverhulm Early Career Fellow at the University of Cardiff working on a project looking at Disfigurement in Britain and its Colonies 1600 – 1850.You can hear her discussing her research with Fay Alberti, who works on facial transplants, in a New Thinking podcast episode of the Arts & Ideas podcast called About Face https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p080p2bcNew Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to select ten academics each year to turn their research into radio.Producer: Alex Mansfield
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Jun 28, 2020 • 14min

Facing Facts

Earlier periods of history have seen more people with scarring to their faces from duelling injuries and infectious diseases but what stopped this leading to a greater tolerance of facial difference? Historian Emily Cock considers the case of the Puritan William Prynne and looks at a range of strategies people used to improve their looks from eye patches to buying replacement teeth from the mouths of the poor, whose low-sugar diets kept their dentures better preserved than their aristocratic neighbours. In portraits and medical histories she finds examples of the elision between beauty and morality. With techniques such as ‘Metoposcopy’, which focused on interpreting the wrinkles on your forehead and the fact that enacting the law led to deliberate cut marks being made - this Essay reflects on the difficult terrain of judging by appearance.Emily Cock is a Leverhulm Early Career Fellow at the University of Cardiff working on a project looking at Disfigurement in Britain and its Colonies 1600 – 1850. You can hear her discussing her research with Fay Alberti, who works on facial transplants, in a New Thinking podcast episode of the Arts & Ideas podcast called About Face https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p080p2bcNew Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to select ten academics each year to turn their research into radio.Producer: Alex Mansfield
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Jun 26, 2020 • 13min

Not Quite Jean Muir

Jade Halbert lectures in fashion, but has never done any sewing. She swaps pen and paper for needle and thread to create a dress from a Jean Muir pattern. In a diary charting her progress, she reflects on the skills of textile workers she has interviewed as part of a project charting the fashion trade in Glasgow and upon the banning of pins on a factory floor, the experiences of specialist sleeve setters and cutters, and whether it is ok to lick your chalk. Jade Halbert is a Lecturer, Fashion Business and Cultural Studies at the University of Huddersfield. You can find her investigation into fashion and the high street as a Radio 3 Sunday Feature https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000gvpn and taking part in a Free Thinking discussion called The Joy of Sewing https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002mk2 New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by the BBC and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to select ten early career academics to turn their research into radio. Producer: Torquil MacLeod

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