Humanities (Audio)

UCTV

Find an eclectic collection of authors, philosophers, filmmakers and thinkers who explore essential aspects of what makes us human. Visit uctv.tv/humanities

  1. JAN 28

    Indigenous Religious Traditions and Law in the Current Political Moment

    How are Indigenous communities in the U.S. facing challenges to their ways of life in the current political moment? Focusing on questions concerning repatriation, land access, education, and diverse forms of sovereignty, our panelists explore the intersection of Indigenous religious traditions and law. The discussion begins at the regional level, with specific reference to Chumash contexts, and then expands outward to borderland settings, Oklahoma, the Great Lakes, and the Pacific. The panelists are Greg Johnson, Director, Walter H. Capps Center, Cristina Gonzales, Registrar, Santa Rosa Rancheria, Amrah Salomón, Assistant Professor of English, UCSB, Walter Echo-Hawk, Former President of Pawnee Nation, and Vicente Diaz, Professor of American Indian & Indigenous Studies, UCLA. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 41294]

    1h 8m

  2. JAN 7

    Paola Capó-García: Poet Laureate on Humor Intimacy and Voice in Poetry

    Poetry becomes more approachable when it reflects everyday language, humor, and lived experience. San Diego Poet Laureate Paola Capó-García explores how graduate study, mentorship, and workshops shape her writing and sense of voice. Capó-García describes building poems through experimentation, including physically cutting and rearranging pages, and links her work to family stories and identity. As poet laureate, she focuses on widening access through public readings, workshops, and multidisciplinary projects that mix poetry with visual art, zines, music, and experimental short films. She also advocates teaching beyond a narrow canon so more students can hear themselves in poems and view arts and humanities training as a foundation for communication skills. Series: "Education Channel" [Humanities] [Education] [Show ID: 41024]

    25 min

  3. 12/27/2025

    Incivility: Stress and Consequences

    Rudeness is not just annoying. John O’Brien, psychologist and author of "Rudeness Rehab," links everyday rudeness to stress and even broader health outcomes, including differences in life expectancy. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Health and Medicine] [Humanities] [Show ID: 41296]

    10 min

  4. 12/20/2025

    The Soul – Spirit is My Altar with Marta Moreno Vega

    Espiritismo traces its roots to the sacred knowledge of West and Central African peoples carried into the Americas by enslaved ancestors between the 15th and 19th centuries. Marta Moreno Vega, Ph.D., scholar and co-founder of Corredor Afro, explores how these traditions—sustained in Cuba, Haiti, Brazil, Puerto Rico, other Caribbean islands, and U.S. urban centers—function as systems of memory, survival, and continuity. Drawing on personal and family experiences, Moreno Vega reflects on the challenges of centering African Diaspora spiritual practices in academia, which often privileges “objective” distance over embodied knowledge. She emphasizes the resilience of these ancestral practices and the ways they continue to manifest in contemporary life through remembrance, ritual, and cultural expression. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 40425]

    56 min

  5. 12/06/2025

    Evolution and Animal Minds with Peter Godfrey-Smith

    Peter Godfrey-Smith, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney, explores the evolutionary roots of consciousness by surveying animal evolution and the emergence of felt experience in several lineages. He examines two central philosophical questions: how such experience might arise gradually, existing in partial forms, and whether it represents a single unified feature with variations or instead a cluster of distinct traits. Author of "Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection," and "Living on Earth: Forests, Corals, Consciousness and the Making of the World," Godfrey-Smith brings his expertise in philosophy of biology and mind to illuminate how consciousness may have emerged and why its origins remain a profound puzzle. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 41065]

    1h 2m

  6. 11/15/2025

    Dealing with Difficult People

    If you feel like there's more rudeness in the world, you're not alone. According to John O'Brien, psychologist and author of "Rudeness Rehab," there's a pandemic of incivility. O'Brien says we're seeing bad behavior everywhere, from the streets to the workplace to even the operating room. As part of our Osher Author Talk series, host Henry DeVries talks with O'Brien about the physical and mental toll of experiencing rudeness. O'Brien says we have the power to be our own superhero when dealing rude and difficult people. He calls his approach BAM, which stands for breathing, active listening and mindfulness. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Health and Medicine] [Humanities] [Show ID: 40599]

    39 min

  7. 11/08/2025

    A Conversation with R.F. Kuang - Writer's Symposium by the Sea 2025

    Writer R.F. Kuang has quickly become one of today’s most daring and original voices in fiction, blending sharp social critique with rich storytelling. Her most recent novel, Katabasis, takes readers on a darkly witty descent into the underworld, where academia, ambition, and myth collide. Known for tackling power, politics, and the human cost of ambition, Kuang first captivated audiences with The Poppy War and later with the wildly successful Babel, both of which showcased her ability to fuse historical depth with page-turning drama. As part of the 30th anniversary of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, Kuang joins host Dean Nelson for a delightful conversation at Point Loma Nazarene University. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Humanities] [Show ID: 40781]

    46 min

  8. 10/25/2025

    The Great Philosophers: Augustine

    Peter Bolland, professor of philosophy and humanities at Southwestern College, explores the lasting influence of Augustine of Hippo. Born in North Africa in 354, Augustine—now known as Saint Augustine—is remembered as one of Christianity’s most important thinkers. He shaped core beliefs like the doctrine of original sin and wrote The City of God, a work meant to comfort Christians after Rome fell to the Visigoths in 410. His words offered guidance in a moment of chaos and uncertainty. Closer to home, Augustine dedicated his life to persuading the people of Hippo to embrace Christianity, tirelessly working to share his vision of faith, community, and resilience. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Humanities] [Show ID: 41056]

    1h 3m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.1
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Find an eclectic collection of authors, philosophers, filmmakers and thinkers who explore essential aspects of what makes us human. Visit uctv.tv/humanities

Information

  • Creator
    UCTV
  • Years Active
    2011 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 Regents of the University of California
  • Show Website
    Humanities (Audio)

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