J P LINSTROTH EPOCHAL RECKONINGS PODCAST

J P Linstroth
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These AI Podcasts are a survey of the scholar and poet, J. P. Linstroth's academic and creative works published since 2002 but still relevant today with his most recent non-fiction book, Politics and Racism Beyond Nations: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Crises, published in 2022 (Palgrave Macmillan) and current publications of poetry in various online sources. His last book, mixed-genre, short stories and poetry, was a volume titled: Swimming in Blue Shadows: A Collection of Short Stories and Poems (2022, Winner of Supplementary Book Publication Prize, Proverse Hong Kong). He is also, author of the Award-Winning, poetry book, Epochal Reckonings (2019 International Proverse Prize, 2020 Proverse HK. His first non-fiction book is: Marching Against Gender Practive: Political Imaginings in the Basqueland (2015, Bloomsbury Books). The podcasts are based upon his Award-Winning poetry book, Epochal Reckonings, because the themes within it touch upon multiple subjects relevant to the 21st Century and also link to the themes relevant throughout Linstroth's published work. The poetry book, Epochal Reckonings, describes and responds to some of the crises of the first years of the 21st century. Linstroth aims as he puts it, to cause concern, discussion, and surprise as well as to evoke the emotions of anger, empathy, and sadness. The events covered in Epochal Reckonings include the huge migrations of people seeking to cross borders, whether in the Americas, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, or Europe, hoping for safety and a better life. Linstroth also comments on human and natural acts of astonishing violence: the 9/11 destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York; the Hurricane named Katrina of 2005; the Haitian earthquake of 2010. Linstroth often portrays man's inhumanity to man, whether callous, careless, mistaken, or deliberate the police-killings of African-American youths; the genocide of Brazilian indigenous peoples; the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison; mass school-shootings in the USA; and the Yemeni civil war. Linstroth describes his poetry as emergent and inchoate, outlining the struggles and sufferings of various groups during major crises in the 21st century, embodied by racism, extremism, violence, and tragedies too many to be told. Thus, the poems in the Award-Winning, Epochal Reckonings book capture various calamities of our times, defining their symbolic significance for many of those who have experienced these disasters of the present across the globe. Moreover, this podcast series will go beyond this one particular book and cover the wide range of Dr. Linstroth's work throughout his academic career and his creative works. ***BIOGRAPHY***: J. P. Linstroth has a PhD (D.Phil.) in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oxford, UK with several awards for his research concentrating on the Spanish-Basques, Brazilian urban Amerindians, and Cuban, Haitian, and Guatemalan-Mayan immigrants in South Florida. He is an Adjunct Professor at Palm Beach State College (PBSC) and the author of several books: Marching Against Gender Practice: Political Imaginings in the Basqueland (2015, Bloomsbury Books); The Forgotten Shore (Poetic Matrix Press, 2017); Epochal Reckonings (Proverse Publishers HK, 2020, Winner of Proverse Prize 2019); Politics and Racism Beyond Nations: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Crises (2022, Palgrave Macmillan); and Swimming in Blue Shadows: A Collection of Short Stories and Poems (2022, Proverse HK, Proverse Supplementary Prize). He was awarded a J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholar Grant (2008-2009) to study urban Amerindians in Manaus,

  1. WHY INDIGENOUS LIVES SHOULD MATTER

    Apr 24

    WHY INDIGENOUS LIVES SHOULD MATTER

    In this week’s Podcast #28, the topic is “Why Indigenous Lives Should Matter”, and really the topic is not just a subject but addresses real human lives we are losing every day and diminishing our diversity as humanity year to year. In the United States, we live in a “post-genocide” society, whether or not we are cognizant of this fact or not. What do I mean by that? In order for the United States to have fulfilled its so-called “Manifest Destiny”—the divine right to conquer the lands west of the Mississippi River—we needed to wipe out the remaining Native Americans living on western lands. Today, unfortunately, many indigenous peoples are still broken because of this past genocidal history. Native Americans were put on reservations, their lands were stolen, and their cultural heritage was dismissed and eradicated through the boarding school system. Yet, the United States has not been alone in its maltreatment of its indigenous populations. For example, Australia, Brazil, and Canada, have similar histories of genocide against their aboriginal peoples. In the cases of Australia and Canada, like the United States, are only recently coming to terms with their genocidal histories. While Brazil is still massacring its indigenous peoples in favor of agro-businesses, cattle ranching, hydro-electric dam construction, timber extraction, mining and oil operations, and other development schemes in Amazonia. There is a psychological pattern among Native peoples which follows on from massacres of indigenes, which is suffering from alcoholism, child neglect, domestic violence, and sexual abuse. Moreover, there is increasing evidence demonstrating an epigenetic association of transgenerational trauma, that is traumatized parents genetically passing on trauma effects to their children. The trauma of the external is internalized, scarring populations for years. First, we must recognize how indigenous peoples have been dehumanized and how such dehumanization has led to genocide. Moreover, we must recognize many indigenous peoples live in areas of the world needing protection for the sake of our environment and our planet. The Brazilian Amazon is just one good example. Second, we need to recognize the needs for a healing process to begin for past atrocities against Native peoples. While indigenous peoples themselves must be recognized as having the right to decide for themselves appropriate ways to remember genocides against them. So, truth and reconciliation commissions should be established to be able to heal and listen to truth telling. Likewise, apologies should be official and made by governments and reparations should be established for survivor-descendant victims.

    21 min
  2. HISTORY & SCIENCE AS CANDLES IN THE DARK

    Apr 17

    HISTORY & SCIENCE AS CANDLES IN THE DARK

    In this weeks’ podcast title, J. P. Linstroth Epochal Reckonings Podcast (27), “History & Science as Candles in the Dark”, is an intellectual nod to Carl Sagan and his perspicacious book, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (1997) because I believe we must not only look to our history for answers but to science as well. So, when we see political triggers, say, “Trump” flags, or MAGA hats, or to others, as Biden/Harris signs—our brains react to these signals because of our social predispositions and because symbols mean things to human primate-brains. What part of the brain is tied to “fear and anxiety”, the amygdala, and what part of the brain is tied to “aggression”, again the amygdala. Is it any wonder when politicians promote fear mongering among the population, in turn, for some, fear turns toward aggression? What about the insular cortex activating when we are confronted with something we find morally disgusting, the same region of the brain responsible for processing gustatory disgust such as aversion to rotten meat. In Robert Sapolsky’s book, Behave: the Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst (2017), he explains how cerebral regions and neural chemistry help to manipulate human behavior. Now examine the hormone “oxytocin”, which enhances human social behavior. On the one hand, oxytocin may heighten feelings of compatibility, positivity, and trust, on the other hand, it may increase feelings of belligerence, hostility, and exaggerate unconscious biases. Some researchers, Merolla et. al. (2013) in their article, “Oxytocin and the Biological Basis for Interpersonal and Political Trust”, in fact proved that subjects intranasally stimulated with the peptide oxytocin were generally more trusting of the government. So, not only must we consider how media influences how we think but we also need to consider what effects it has on our brains. Thus, being cognizant of such effects may help us, if we are able, to limit how we are being controlled, directed, and swayed. As Carl Sagan asserted in his book, The Demon-Haunted World: “But if the citizens are educated and form their own opinions, then those in power work for us. In every country, we should be teaching our children the scientific method and the reasons for a Bill of Rights. With it comes a certain decency, humility and community spirit. In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness.” (p. 408).

    22 min
  3. ON LOVE & GENIUS

    Apr 10

    ON LOVE & GENIUS

    Part of this discussion in today’s podcast, J P Linstroth Epochal Reckonings, will analyze “higher love”, or the love of the muse, and its significance for understanding “our creative output”, some of our best human qualities. This is known to artists, sculptors, musicians, theoretical physicists, mathematicians, philosophers, and everyone following a higher calling who also contribute something marvelous for humanity. While many theorists have discussed cognitive functionality associated with artistic processes as Bayesian, or computational, or situated, or structural, and so on, it has also been well-established how many neural-chemicals are utilized for creation, many of which are shared by “being in love”. Thus, whether we think of love as expressing our muse, or being in love with others, or the greater love of God, we are describing or narrating our emotions as humans. Such emotional states, and their origins, may have biological and neurological underpinnings, and may have evolved with us as mammals, helping us care for one another. We as humans, the most intelligent species on this planet, must continue to strive to care for one another better, to love each other more, to empathize with those who suffer, to love ourselves, to love our planet, to love others in healthy ways.

    24 min
  4. IN THE NAME OF LOVE

    Apr 3

    IN THE NAME OF LOVE

    The title of this week’s J. P. Linstroth Epochal Reckonings Podcast borrows from the rock band, U2’s song, “Pride (In the Name of Love)”, commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the resounding lyrics: “One man come in the name of love…what more in the name of love? In the name of love…” Indeed, these words resonate with me in more than one way and echo in my mind. So too, I hear King himself stating the prophetic words: “…Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” Perhaps we need some Promethean light for an expansive examination of these very human thoughts on “LOVE”. As such, there are two primary directions for this essay. In one direction, I wish to emphasize the necessity for politicians and others to be “love” directed in their thinking in order to adopt policies of “empathy” and “empathic politics” which in turn inform how to overcome some of our worst social problems. Secondly, I wish to explore ideas of “love” from Buddhist and Christian points of view, thereby allowing us to contemplate where we go from here.

    18 min
  5. WHY RACE IS EVERYTHING IN AMERICA

    Mar 27

    WHY RACE IS EVERYTHING IN AMERICA

    The J. P. Linstroth Epochal Reckonings Podcast reviews the controversial issues surrounding the history of racism in the United States. The issues of ‘race’ and ‘racism’ have been with us since the founding of our august republic. Unfortunately, they are perniciously still with us today. They were the reason we fought the Civil War (1861-1865) and have mired our history throughout. There is no period in our history, the history of the United States, when ‘race’ has not been significant in some profound way. For many reasons too, the American Civil War is still with us today. It is still with us in every racial conflict we have had since. It is still being fought, perhaps unknowingly by many African-Americans, who have experienced ‘structural violence’ in some way, whether in terms of wanting better education, better housing, or a better job, or even rights for a normal life. Racism is an American story, even though it is everywhere in the world. American racism has its own malignant history. But we have to rid ourselves of this sickness called “racism” once and for all in America. We need a sea change, the type of civil rights legislation we saw in the 1960s under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Maybe like the President LBJ Administration not only do we need a new “War on Poverty”, but we need a “War on Racism as well?” Coming to terms with our social divisions, especially over racism, means understanding our long history of racial discrimination and our long history of racial violence.

    19 min
  6. THE BANALITY OF OUR EVIL

    Mar 20

    THE BANALITY OF OUR EVIL

    In a recent Op-Ed article, J. P. Linstroth, discusses how late philosopher, Hannah Arendt's concept of the "banality of evil" may be applied to society today. He argues the banality of evil is not inevitable. In fact, group conforming violence may be avoided. We do not have to succumb to the mob but we know group violence exists on many levels and for many reasons. The My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, was halted for example by an American helicopter pilot, Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson, Jr. and his two-crewmen, Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn. “Hugh Thompson landed his helicopter between the villagers and the soldiers, and with his machine guns oriented toward his fellow Americans, ordered his crew to mow them down if they attempted to further harm the villagers” (from Robert Sapolsky, 2017 book, Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worse, p. 658). Many Vietnamese villagers at My Lai were subsequently airlifted to American field hospitals and further search and destroy missions by the U.S. military were halted as a result. So, in sum, we need to understand for example how someone like Tyre Nichols may be beaten to death by some policemen in Memphis, or how someone like George Floyd may have their life taken away by some policemen in Minneapolis. As I have tried to do here, by asking what questions may we raise from these murders beyond the norm—in other words, what does science say? How may violence become banal? So too, we need to understand how “social conformity” allows for such violence. After all, some social conformity may lead to genocide. Some social conformity may lead to a Reign of Terror (La Terreur, 1793-1794) as happened during the French Revolution. Some social conformity allowed for the Nazis to rise to power and the Holocaust. If we understand the institutionalization of violence or how it is brought about, perhaps we may overcome the banality of our evil.

    20 min
  7. TRAILER: INTRODUCIING THIS PODCAST & J P LINSTROTH'S BIOGRAPHY

    Mar 19

    TRAILER: INTRODUCIING THIS PODCAST & J P LINSTROTH'S BIOGRAPHY

    J P LINSTROTH EPOCHAL RECKONINGS PODCAST Dr. J. P. Linstroth’s trailer introduces his weekly podcast, J P LINSTROTH EPOCHAL RECKONINGS PODCAST, the title based upon his award-winning book by the same name, which serves as a platform for exploring deep intellectual inquiries “every Friday”. The series draw from Linstroth’s extensive background in history and anthropology, weaving together diverse threads such as social justice, indigenous rights, and political violence. By covering topics ranging from immigrant identities to the complexities of global conflict and peace, the program aims to translate academic research into engaging public discourse. Ultimately, Linstroth is grateful to his audience for listening about his research and the topics covered by this Podcast program. J. P. Linstroth is an accomplished academic whose career bridges the gap between rigorous social anthropology and creative social activism. This overview details his professional journey from studying at the University of Oxford, UK, to conducting extensive fieldwork among marginalized and indigenous populations in Brazil, Spain, and immigrant groups in South Florida. By blending scholarly monographs on political identity and racism and award-winning poetry and fiction, Linstroth seeks to humanize complex data and give a personal voice to those suffering from historical trauma and social exclusion. Ultimately, his work serves as a multi-disciplinary testimony to human resilience, using diverse writing genres to advocate for social justice and conflict resolution.

    18 min
  8. GARAI HARTAKO KONTUAK, EPOCHAL RECKONINGS, AWARD WINNING BOOK, EUSKERA BERTSIOA

    Mar 16 ·  Bonus

    GARAI HARTAKO KONTUAK, EPOCHAL RECKONINGS, AWARD WINNING BOOK, EUSKERA BERTSIOA

    Epochal Reckonings liburuan, poeta, irakasle atxiki eta editorial idazle J.P. Linstrothek XXI. mendeko lehen urteetako krisi batzuk deskribatzen eta erantzuten ditu. Bere helburua, berak dioen bezala, kezka, eztabaida eta harridura eragitea da, baita haserrea, enpatia eta tristura emozioak piztea ere. Jorratutako gertaeren artean, mugak zeharkatu nahi dituzten pertsonen migrazio handiak daude, Amerikan, Asian, Afrikan, Ekialde Hurbilean edo Europan, segurtasuna eta bizitza hobea lortzeko itxaropenarekin. Linstrothek indarkeria harrigarriko giza eta naturako ekintzak ere erakusten eta komentatzen ditu: New Yorkeko World Trade Center-eko biki dorreen 11-S-ko suntsipena; 2005eko Katrina izeneko urakanak;2010eko Haitiko lurrikara. Linstrothek gizakiaren gizagabekeria irudikatzen du gizakiarekiko, gogorkeria, arduragabekeria, okerra edo nahita egindakoa izan: afroamerikar gazteen polizia hilketak; Brasilgo indigenen genozidioa; Abu Ghraib espetxean preso irakiarren tortura; AEBko eskola-tiroketa masiboak; eta Yemengo gerra zibila. Linstrothek bere poesia sortu eta hasiberritzat jotzen du, XXI. mendeko krisi handietan hainbat talderen borrokak eta sufrimenduak azalduz, arrazakeriak, muturrekotasunak, indarkeriak eta kontatzeko gehiegi diren tragediek gorpuztuta. Poema hauek hondamendi horiek jasotzen dituzte, mundu osoan gure garaiko hondamendi hauek bizi izan dituzten askorentzat duten esanahi sinbolikoa definituz.

    20 min
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About

These AI Podcasts are a survey of the scholar and poet, J. P. Linstroth's academic and creative works published since 2002 but still relevant today with his most recent non-fiction book, Politics and Racism Beyond Nations: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Crises, published in 2022 (Palgrave Macmillan) and current publications of poetry in various online sources. His last book, mixed-genre, short stories and poetry, was a volume titled: Swimming in Blue Shadows: A Collection of Short Stories and Poems (2022, Winner of Supplementary Book Publication Prize, Proverse Hong Kong). He is also, author of the Award-Winning, poetry book, Epochal Reckonings (2019 International Proverse Prize, 2020 Proverse HK. His first non-fiction book is: Marching Against Gender Practive: Political Imaginings in the Basqueland (2015, Bloomsbury Books). The podcasts are based upon his Award-Winning poetry book, Epochal Reckonings, because the themes within it touch upon multiple subjects relevant to the 21st Century and also link to the themes relevant throughout Linstroth's published work. The poetry book, Epochal Reckonings, describes and responds to some of the crises of the first years of the 21st century. Linstroth aims as he puts it, to cause concern, discussion, and surprise as well as to evoke the emotions of anger, empathy, and sadness. The events covered in Epochal Reckonings include the huge migrations of people seeking to cross borders, whether in the Americas, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, or Europe, hoping for safety and a better life. Linstroth also comments on human and natural acts of astonishing violence: the 9/11 destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York; the Hurricane named Katrina of 2005; the Haitian earthquake of 2010. Linstroth often portrays man's inhumanity to man, whether callous, careless, mistaken, or deliberate the police-killings of African-American youths; the genocide of Brazilian indigenous peoples; the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison; mass school-shootings in the USA; and the Yemeni civil war. Linstroth describes his poetry as emergent and inchoate, outlining the struggles and sufferings of various groups during major crises in the 21st century, embodied by racism, extremism, violence, and tragedies too many to be told. Thus, the poems in the Award-Winning, Epochal Reckonings book capture various calamities of our times, defining their symbolic significance for many of those who have experienced these disasters of the present across the globe. Moreover, this podcast series will go beyond this one particular book and cover the wide range of Dr. Linstroth's work throughout his academic career and his creative works. ***BIOGRAPHY***: J. P. Linstroth has a PhD (D.Phil.) in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oxford, UK with several awards for his research concentrating on the Spanish-Basques, Brazilian urban Amerindians, and Cuban, Haitian, and Guatemalan-Mayan immigrants in South Florida. He is an Adjunct Professor at Palm Beach State College (PBSC) and the author of several books: Marching Against Gender Practice: Political Imaginings in the Basqueland (2015, Bloomsbury Books); The Forgotten Shore (Poetic Matrix Press, 2017); Epochal Reckonings (Proverse Publishers HK, 2020, Winner of Proverse Prize 2019); Politics and Racism Beyond Nations: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Crises (2022, Palgrave Macmillan); and Swimming in Blue Shadows: A Collection of Short Stories and Poems (2022, Proverse HK, Proverse Supplementary Prize). He was awarded a J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholar Grant (2008-2009) to study urban Amerindians in Manaus,

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