Research in Reach Culture Calling!

For the final episode of Research in Reach’s first season, Marco and Erik road-tripped all the way to Leuven, to talk with Liesbeth De Strooper. Liesbeth is an art historian and cultural economist. She likes her research topic so much that she is certain it’ll never tire. Despite this passion, it was not what enticed her to start a PhD—the teaching at university lured her into a career in academia and she feels her classes come closest to acting in front of an audience, without actually being an actor. She likes to make people laugh and make students enthusiastic about art history. We can attest to this, Liesbeth’s classes were a sunny break on tedious-classes days.

After a thorough recap on Impressionism, the three end up in a deep conversation about the essence of academia. Liesbeth admits to the slight ivory-tower-ness of her research, but the humanist side of her does not necessarily deem this to be a problem. Should universities prepare students for the job market, or should academia produce knowledge for knowledge’s sake? Listen to the final episode and shape your own opinion.

In the third episode of Research in Reach, PhD-student Aria Daga takes us along on a journey to the slums of Mumbai. Ever since she made the move to Rotterdam she has started to look at her home-country India through different eyes. Her discovery of hip-hop music straight out of one of the biggest slums of the country induced her to write a PhD about the thriving ecosystem of the informal economy. What makes hip-hop from the slums of Mumbai so special? What is it like to study this phenomenon from such a distance?

The discussion offers a personal account of Aria’s rediscovery of Indian culture, her surprise in encountering experiences she never knew existed, and her personal journey of exploring the academic field. We will stumble upon Aria’s family, culture, her interests, and we will — of course — listen to some of her hip-hop favourites. Listen along and discover an unexpected place for a thriving economy and an unexpected journey to starting a PhD.

In the second episode of Research in Reach, hosts Marco and Erik converse with PhD-student Shirley Nieuwland about sustainable tourism. How has doing research changed her personal approach to travelling? Where should cities put their focus when it comes to tourism? How do you ensure that your research leads to a practical outcome and is discussed beyond the academic environment?

The three of them discuss the balance between tourists and locals, sharing insights with a larger public on Shirley’s blog, and the struggles of travelling sustainably with others. Whether you are travelling close to home or around the world, Shirley’s insight might just enhance your next tourist adventure.

In the first episode of Research in Reach, hosts Marco Aperti and Erik Vermunt interview PhD-student Valeria Morea on the role and uses of public space. What is important in and about a public space? Are we using or creating a space? While enjoying an aperitivo on the sunny terrace of Valeria’s apartment, they touch upon the theory of the Commons, Valeria’s role in academia, sharing insights with her family, and the practical outcome of her research. Get to know Valeria and find some common ground and common sense about public space.