The Science & Belief in Society Podcast

Dr Alexander Hall, an Assistant Professor at McMaster University in Canada who  studies the history ofbiology and environmental science in popular media, and Dr Sarah Qidwai at the University of York in the UK who researches science and Islam in the 19th century, discuss the importance of widening the scope of the history of science and religion.

In this episode, Dr Carissa Sharp, a social psychologist at the University of Birmingham, Dr Renny Thomas, a sociologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Bhopal, and Dr Arturo Fitz Herbert, from the Communications Department of the Universidad Austral in Buenos Aires in Argentina join Deborah Cohen to discuss what scientists really believe in, and crucially what the public thinks they 'should' or 'do' believe in!

In this episode, Peter Harrison, Professor Emeritus of History and Philosophy at the University of Queensland, talks about his latest book, Some New World: myths of supernatural belief in a secular age, which explores the relationship between the natural and the supernatural across time, from Aristotle to the end of the 20th century.

Rachael Shillitoe is a sociologist and a senior social scientist in the British civil service. She was previously a Leverhulme Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham where she studied what primary school age children think about religion. Dr Elizabeth Barnes is an Assistant Professor of Biology Education at Middle Tennessee State University, who explores how to teach culturally controversial topics.

Join Anna Halafoff, an Associate Professor specializing in sociology and spirituality at Deakin University, and Tom Aechtner, an Associate Professor focused on vaccine hesitancy and religious beliefs at the University of Queensland. They dive deep into how spiritual attitudes shape perspectives on modern medicine and vaccine acceptance in Australia. The conversation highlights the evolution of vaccine hesitancy, examines how various religious beliefs influence science trust, and discusses the need for tailored communication strategies to effectively address concerns.

Dr Amy Adamczyk, Professor of Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of City University of New York, and Dr Reynaldo Rivera and Dr Maria Sol Barbera, from the School of Communications at the Universidad Australin Buenos Aries in Argentina, discuss their research on how different contexts and personal religious beliefs shape people’s health-related attitudes and behaviors, in particular medical interventions such as abortion and assisted conception, at the beginning of life. Amy Adamczyk’s book Fetal Positions, is published by OxfordUniversity Press.

In the third episode of our new series, Dr Rebecca Catto, Associate Professor of Sociology at Kent State University (USA) who was for a decade a Principal Investigator on the Science and Religion, Exploring the Spectrum projects, talks about her research into science and non-religion.

In this insightful conversation, John H. Evans, a leading sociologist at UC San Diego, delves into the moral conflicts that shape the debate between religion and science. He argues that understanding these conflicts is more crucial than simply focusing on facts. Their discussion highlights how ethical dilemmas sway public perception in bioethics and the contrasting views between bioethicists and the general public on emerging technologies. Evans also emphasizes the need for a pluralistic approach to integrate religious perspectives into scientific discourse.

Fern Elsdon-Baker, Professor of Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society at the University of Birmingham, looks back at the successes of the network she founded in bringing together researchers from all over the world and from awide variety of disciplines, from psychology to politics and theology to sociology, to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between science and belief in peoples’ lives.

Dr. Adam Shapiro, a historian of science, shares intriguing insights into the evolution of public understandings of science and religion. He discusses the controversies surrounding the James Webb Space Telescope and the 30 Metre Telescope, emphasizing Indigenous perspectives. Delving into Natural Theology's role in the American Declaration of Independence, he highlights the historical shifts in the science-religion debate. Furthermore, he explores how religious communities adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing innovation and resilience.