The Conversation

BBC World Service
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The Conversation Podcast

Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    The changing world of women's magazines

    Women’s magazines collectively reach millions of readers each month. Beyond their influence in fashion, these publications are pivotal in addressing critical women's issues and advocating for empowerment. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two magazine editors to explore their approaches to staying relevant in an ever-evolving media landscape. Grace O'Neill began her career at ELLE Australia as an intern and is now the Editor of the magazine. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Guardian, The New York Times' T Magazine and British Vogue. Iveta Dzērve is the Editor-in-Chief at SANTA, Latvia's leading lifestyle magazine. She has two decades of experience in medical, healthcare and lifestyle journalism. Produced by Emily Naylor and Elena Angelides for the BBC World Service. (Image: (L) Iveta Dzērve, credit Karlina Vitolina. (R) Grace O'Neill, credit Gabby Laurent.)

    26 min

  2. 9 SEPT

    Women changing the shape of bra design

    The bra industry is worth billions of dollars a year, yet designs haven't changed a lot since the modern bra came into common use in the early 20th century. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to a sports bra designer from Wales and a breast cancer survivor in the US about their innovative new designs. After a diagnosis of breast cancer in her late 20’s, Dana Donofree took her own experience of struggling to find a bra that was comfortable and pretty to found her own company, AnaOno. With a background in fashion design and talking to many women in the breast cancer community she's (re)designing intimates for those that have undergone surgery. Mari Thomas-Welland used to work as a sports bra performance tester, testing the performance of sports bras for some of the biggest brands under laboratory conditions. After realising that, despite her job, she still couldn't find her perfect sports bra she decided to design her own and founded her company, Maaree. They're now the official bra supplier to the Welsh rugby team. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Dana Donofree credit AnaOno LCC. (R) Mari Thomas-Welland credit Mari Thomas-Welland.)

    26 min

  3. 2 SEPT

    Children's TV presenters: magic, mayhem and mishaps

    Children's TV presenters from Ireland and South Africa tell Datshiane Navanayagam about working in television and their love for inspiring young minds. Niamh Ní Chróinín from Ireland is a children's TV presenter for Cúla4, an Irish-language channel that broadcasts exclusively in Gaelic. She is keen to foster a love for Irish culture and language among children. Shudufhadzo Mathagwa is a South African children's TV presenter, model and actor who is passionate about youth empowerment. She currently presents on Play Room, the 24-hour children’s television channel that combines education and entertainment with both a local and international focus. Produced by Emily Naylor for the BBC World Service. (Image: (L) Niamh Ní Chróinín courtesy of Niamh Ní Chróinín. (R) Shudufhadzo Mathagwa courtesy of Shudufhadzo Mathagwa.)

    26 min

  4. 26 AUG

    Underwater mechanics

    Commercial divers from Canada and Australia share their experiences of working in a dangerous, male-dominated field with Datshiane Navanayagam. Sarah Anvari from Canada is a Dive Supervisor and Welder-Diver at Subsea Global Solutions in Vancouver. She specializes in ship husbandry commercial diving, providing services for commercial shipping, cruise lines, offshore projects, and marine construction. Tiff Allen from Australia is a highly skilled saturation diver. She has extensive experience in deep-sea commercial diving, performing complex underwater tasks and ensuring safety on offshore projects. Produced by Emily Naylor for the BBC World Service. (Image: (L) Tiff Allen courtesy of Tiff Allen. (R) Sarah Anvari courtesy of Sarah Anvari.)

    26 min

  5. 19 AUG

    Modern-day matriarchs

    Traditionally women often take on much of the responsibility for practical and emotional support for a family as well as passing on family knowledge and traditions. But is the role still relevant? Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from Canada and the UK about being a modern matriarch. All her life, Helen Knott has looked to the strong women in her indigenous community for guidance, absorbed their stories and admired their independence. When her mother and grandmother died she tried to step into the roles they'd held in community. Her book Becoming a Matriarch is a love letter to the eldest daughters of families who often carry invisible responsibilities. Tanika Gupta is an award-winning playwright British playwright whose work celebrates her Bengali culture and often challenges gender and race stereotypes. She has worked across theatre, television, radio and film. Her latest play A Tupperware Of Ashes is about a restaurateur with dementia and the impact on her three children of looking after her. Tanika wrote the play after her own mother died from cancer. It will be screened internationally by the National Theatre later this year. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Tanika Gupta credit Oscar May. (R) Helen Knott courtesy Duckworth Books.)

    26 min

  6. 12 AUG

    Women hitting the note on ancient instruments

    Musicians from China and Syria tell Datshiane Navanayagam about taking up traditional instruments and introducing them to western audiences. Wu Man is one of the world's foremost players of the pipa: a four-stringed Chinese lute which dates back 2000 years. She's also a composer and passionate advocate for Chinese traditional music. Maya Youssef from Syria is hailed as ‘queen of the qanun,’ the 78-stringed Middle Eastern plucked zither. Her award-winning intense and thoughtful music performances are rooted in the Arabic classical tradition but forge pathways into jazz, Western classical and Latin styles. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Maya Youssef credit Igor Studio. (R) Wu Man credit Call the Shots Photography.)

    26 min

  7. 5 AUG

    Women, bats and meerkats

    Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women from Costa Rica and Switzerland about how animal behaviour is studied and what it reveals about life on our planet. Marta Manser from Switzerland is a Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Zurich. She is the project director of the Kalahari Meerkat Project and has studied the species for nearly thirty years. Marta’s work has significantly improved our understanding of meerkat social structures, vocal communication, and group coordination. Dr Gloriana Chaverri is an Associate Professor at the University of Costa Rica and a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. She began her work with bats by investigating their mating systems and social organization. Recently she has been focusing on bat vocal communication. Produced by Emily Naylor (Image: (L) Marta Manser courtesy of Marta Manser. (R) Gloriana Chaverri courtesy of Gloriana Chaverri.)

    26 min

  8. 29 JUL

    The magic of music in dementia care

    Music therapists from Spain and the UK tell Datshiane Navanayagam about the role music can have reducing isolation and easing some symptoms of dementia. Professor Melissa Mercadal-Brotons teaches music therapy at Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya. She was president of the World Federation of Music Therapy and her clinical and research work focuses on the impact of music on people with dementia. Amina Hussain is Manchester Camerata’s principal flute and resident music therapist. She runs sessions with groups of people with dementia that revolve around improvisation where everyone has an instrument that’s easy to play. She says the alleviation of symptoms like anxiety, isolation and confidence are wonderful to see. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Amina Hussain. Credit: Amina Hussain. (R) Melissa Mercadal-Brotons. Credit: Melissa Mercadal-Brotons.)

    26 min
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About

Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC World Service
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2024
  • Episodes
    494
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2024
  • Show Website
    The Conversation

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