The Conversation Weekly

Discover how North Korean women are driving grassroots capitalism and changing societal norms through their fashion choices and entrepreneurial spirit. Explore the evolution of gender roles, household dynamics, and dating culture in a country gradually transforming into a matriarchy.

Exploring intellectual humility and its impact on society, the podcast delves into the value of being open-minded and willing to change one's mind. It highlights the importance of acknowledging what we don't know and the joy of being wrong. The discussion covers navigating grief, questioning beliefs, and embracing curiosity, emphasizing personal growth and societal advancement. Cultivating intellectual humility is essential for relationships and balancing confidence with openness to new evidence. The journey to intellectual humility involves embracing diverse viewpoints, questioning biases, and expanding understanding through varied experiences.

The podcast discusses using peace polling from Northern Ireland in Israel-Gaza conflict negotiations. It explores consensus decision-making and peacebuilding efforts in Nunavut and Palestine, highlighting the importance of inclusive negotiations for lasting peace agreements.

Humans spend about one third of our lives asleep and while most of us dream regularly, some people remember their dreams more than others. But scientists still know surprisingly little about why or how we experience dreams. In this episode we find out about new research from a sleep lab in France that has unlocked a way to find out more by communicating with people as they dream. Featuring Başak Türker, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute du Cerveau in Paris, and Lionel Cavicchioli, health and medicine editor at The Conversation in France. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:The study of dreams: Scientists uncover new communication channels with dreamersI’m a lucid dream researcher – here’s how to train your brain to do itDreaming may have evolved as a strategy for co-operative survival 

Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy, goes to the polls on February 14 to elect a new president. It’s one of the largest elections to take place since an explosion of generative AI tools became available that can manipulate video and audio – and a number of deepfake videos have gone viral during the campaign.In this episode, we look at what Indonesia’s experience is revealing about the disinformation battleground ahead in 2024, when an estimated four billion voters will be eligible to vote in an election. Featuring F.X. Lilik Dwi Mardjianto, a journalism researcher at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara in Inodnesia and Nuurrianti Jalli, assistant professor of Professional Practice, School of Media and Strategic Communications, Oklahoma State University in the US. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:Indonesia’s presidential election may go to run-off, despite what the polls sayFake Biden robocall to New Hampshire voters highlights how easy it is to make deepfakes − and how hard it is to defend against AI-generated disinformationDisinformation is often blamed for swaying elections – the research says something else

Researcher Michael Varnum discusses how ecological factors shape cultural norms and behavior. Topics include frugality vs. generosity, planning vs. spontaneity in different cultures, impact of climate on societal norms, and the evolution of cultural differences based on environmental challenges.

In our chaotic, rapidly changing modern world, many of us have come to rely on science for objectivity and to provide sense of order. So it may be disconcerting to learn that there is no single, definitive list of all life on Earth. And there never has been.In this episode, we take you inside the world of taxonomy, where competing lists, rogue taxonomists and recent accusations of anarchy have revealed the messy struggle to classify the world around us.Featuring Stephen Garnett, professor of conservation and sustainable livelihoods at Charles Darwin University in Australia, and Signe Dean, science and technology editor for The Conversation in Australia.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation and to The Conversation's Science Wrap newsletter.Further reading:We need a single list of all life on Earth – and most taxonomists now agree on how to startHow a scientific spat over how to name species turned into a big plus for natureWhat makes a good bird name?Thousands of undiscovered mammal species may be hidden in plain sight, new research finds

Nearly eight decades on from the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27 1945, the number of concentration camp prisoners forcibly tattooed, remains, for many, the symbol of the Holocaust. The Nazis murdered six million Jews, one million of whom died at Auschwitz. Today, there are ever fewer survivors still alive to bear witness to this genocide.In this episode, brought to us by Dale Berning Sawa, we find out what motivates some descendants of Holocaust survivors to replicate the Auschwitz tattoo of their parent or grandparent on their own bodies, and hear about the reactions they’ve had. Featuring Alice Bloch, professor of sociology at the University of Manchester, Orly Weintraub Gilad and David Rubin.This episode was written by Dale Berning Sawa and produced by Mend Mariwany, with assistance from Gemma Ware and Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:Descendants of Holocaust survivors explain why they are replicating Auschwitz tattoos on their own bodiesHolocaust Memorial Day shouldn’t be about ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ – unsung, ordinary people made the biggest differenceAuschwitz: Women used different survival and sabotage strategies than men at Nazi death camp

When you think about the far right, you probably picture groups of young, white men carrying images of swastikas or torches. But the face of the far right is changing, at least on social media. In this episode, we hear about new research into a cohort of women influencers pushing far right ideology on mainstream platforms like Instagram and YouTube. The Conversation's Avery Anapol speak to Eviane Leidig, a postdoctoral research fellow at Tilburg University in the Netherlands who focuses on far right ideology, gender and the internet.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with production assistance from Katie Flood. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript is also available. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:Far-right ‘tradwives’ see feminism as evil. Their lifestyles push back against ‘the lie of equality’Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement − a media and disinformation expert explains the danger of political violence orchestrated over social media

At every moment, your body’s internal organs are sending signals to your brain. You’ll be mostly unaware of them, but sometimes they cut through: for example when you’re hungry, or when you need to go to the bathroom. Our ability to tap into these hidden signals is called interoception – sometimes known as a sixth sense. In this episode, we speak to a cognitive neuroscientist and expert on interoception about how new research on this connection between our minds and bodies could lead to breakthroughs in mental and physical healthcare. Featuring Sarah Garfinkel, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London in the UK, and Vivian Lam, associate health and biomedicine editor at The Conversation in the US.This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with production assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript is now available. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading and listening:Do you eat with your eyes, your gut or your brain? A neuroscientist explains how to listen to your hunger during the holidaysHow signals from your body could be making you anxiousMonkeys can sense their own heartbeats, an ability tied to mental health, consciousness and memory in humans