Language and Culture with Dr. J

Language and Culture with Dr. J

This podcast focuses on interviews with performing and visual artists, as well as on thought-provoking and engaging discussions about the cultural habits, practices, and values that shape who we are. The older episodes center more around the connections between language and culture, and examine the cultural aspects of mono- and multiculturalism, third-culture kid identity, and the challenges of living and working across different parts of the world. Most of the episodes are in English, but I bring you occasional interviews in German, French, Spanish, and Hungarian.

  1. 12/04/2025

    John Neumeier’s National Youth Ballet: the Dance, the Humanity, and the Power of Connection (Interviews with Kevin Haigen, Raymond Hilbert, and the dancers of the Bundesjugendballett)

    In this special, uncensored episode, we step inside the world of the German National Youth Ballet, the BJB, an extraordinary ensemble comprised of nine professional dancers between the ages of 18 and 23, trained in both classical ballet and modern techniques. One of the very special features of the BJB is that they perform not only on professional stages, but everywhere dance can forge a connection - in schools, museums, nursing homes, swimming pools, and even prisons. Their work demonstrates that dance speaks across generations, backgrounds, and life experiences, creating unity through shared artistic encounter. This episode, made possible by the generous support of the Charlotte Uhse Stiftung, offers a candid look into the power of communication and collaboration at the heart of the BJB. It begins with a spirited conversation with Artistic and Pedagogical Director Kevin Haigen, one that starts with a small disagreement and unfolds into a passionate, thought-provoking exchange. It includes  contributions from all nine dancers of the BJB, who answer questions from young amateur dancers from Kansas City. And it concludes with Ballet Master Raymond Hilbert’s reflections on connecting with audiences, the question of how a dance style is understood, and some of the most sensitive issues faced by the dance world. This episode promises to give you intimate insight into the philosophy, purpose, and daily reality of this remarkable ensemble. Thank you Kevin Haigen, Raymond Hilbert, Bronte Barnett, Eleftherios Sarafis, Hannah McCloughan, Miguel Alves Oliveira, Oskar Weissel-Hetzel, Taissa Pache Pimentel, Kohanna Williams, Javier Martinez, and Zofia Jabłońska for the interviews. bundesjugendballett.de cultureum.com

    1h 7m

  2. 09/09/2024

    Ruth Van Reken – About Third Culture Kids and Growing Up Among Worlds

    An intimate chat with the woman who has paved the road for Third Culture Kid research and has influenced our views about multiculturalism and global mobility over the past 4 decades. It is with immense pleasure that I bring you this very personal interview that allows you to get to know the person behind the admired researcher and writer. cultureum.com      cultureumdrj Just a quick note – this is the last episode I am bringing out this year. I am taking a brief hiatus to gather creative energy and to rethink and restructure the podcast a bit. But, I will be back with new episodes sometime in the fall or winter of 2025. Thank you for listening, Dr. J

    42 min

  3. 09/05/2024

    Zwischen Sprache und Musik

    Die Geigerin, Orchesterleiterin, Autorin und Pädagogin Gesine Mielitz spricht mit mir über die Zusammenhänge zwischen Sprache und Musik, über das Spektrum, in dem sich Musik und Sprache bewegen, über die interessante Übersetzung, die beim Wechsel zwischen verschiedenen Kunstformen stattfindet, über die Auswirkung der Nationalkultur auf den Stil von Autoren und Musikern, sowie über die Doppelrolle des kreativen Schöpfers und Pädagogen aller, die als Künstler sowohl in der Musik als auch in der Literatur tätig sind. Ein sehr interessantes Interview, das es wagt, schwierige Fragen zu stellen, dessen Antworten jedoch für die zukünftige Entwicklung von Sprache und Musik sehr wichtig sind. cultureum.com       @cultureumdrj

    43 min

  4. 09/03/2024

    From Shakespeare to Fernando Arrabal – an Interview with Felicia Londré

    This is an interview with one of the leading experts on Shakespeare, Felicia Londré, who also happens to be a personal friend of Fernando Arrabal. In the interview, we tackle questions such as: Why do Shakespeare's plays still appeal to audiences today? Who actually wrote the plays? How has theater developed since Shakespeare? What are some of the problems with contemporary productions? What is the future of theater? At the end of the interview, Felicia tells us the story of how she met and got to know Fernando Arrabal, and how an initial regard for each other’s work developed into a life-long friendship. cultureum.com @cultureumdrj To the listeners, a quick reminder, this is one of the last episodes that I will bring out before my break. After this episode, I will bring you one more episode in German, with a brilliant musician and teacher, and then one more in English with an expert on Third Culture Kids. Afterwards, I will take a brief hiatus to concentrate on a few other projects, but I will be back with new episodes sometime in the fall or winter of 2025. As always, if you’d like to keep up with my activities, please visit my website: culturem.com or my instagram page @cultureumdrj.

    1h 11m

  5. 08/29/2024

    Study Tips and Language Advice from Dr. J

    In this episode, I let you in on some of my favorite language learning exercises and talk to you about the most important considerations you should make in your effort to learn or maintain a language. The advice I provide in this episode can also be applied to improving speaking skills in your mother tongue and to public speaking in general. cultureum.com       @cultureumdrj Just a quick note: In the weeks to come, I will bring you 4 more episodes and will then take a little break from podcasting, but I will be back with more episodes in the fall or at the latest in winter 2025.

    32 min

  6. 08/20/2024

    Belonging Beyond Borders with Megan Norton

    Do you know what the difference is between Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and Cross Cultural Kids (CCKs)? How about the difference between flux culture and core culture, or ethnocentric and ethno-relevant views? Do you know where to draw the line between acting as a cultural ambassador and being guilty of cultural appropriation? Do you know what these terms refer to: passport culture, code switching, heart homes, shared identity, global citizenship, or cultural markers? Did you know that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives have of late added a B to the acronym DEIB – to also address issues of belonging? Well, all this is the topic of this episode, in which we “unpack belonging” and discuss the pressing cultural issues of today’s world. Megan’s book: Megan Norton. Belonging Beyond Borders: How Adult Third Culture Kids Can Cultivate a Sense of Belonging. cultureum.com       @cultureumdrj

    52 min

  7. 08/20/2024

    Mit Thomas Ostendorf über die Hamburg Hurricanes

    Der deutsche Defensivspieler Thomas Ostendorf spricht mit mir über seine Fußballmannschaft und erzählt über die Initiativen des Vereins zur Förderung von Multikulturalität und Inklusion sowie über die Bemühungen des Vereins, für Gerechtigkeit und Gleichheit in der Welt zu kämpfen. hamburg-hurricanes.com     @hamburghurricanes cultureum.com     @cultureumdrj

    16 min

  8. 08/20/2024

    The Hamburg Hurricanes – an Internationally Flavored Football Club

    Do you know these gentlemen in pink who play football every Sunday in Hamburg’s Central Park? Would you like to meet them? In this episode, three Hurricane players, George Balakrishna, Thomas Ostendorf, and Oussama Bensat, talk to us about the international character of this awesome grassroots football club, about their own cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and about the teams’ creative initiatives to make the world just a little better. hamburg-hurricanes.com     @hamburghurricanes cultureum.com     @cultureumdrj

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
3 Ratings

About

This podcast focuses on interviews with performing and visual artists, as well as on thought-provoking and engaging discussions about the cultural habits, practices, and values that shape who we are. The older episodes center more around the connections between language and culture, and examine the cultural aspects of mono- and multiculturalism, third-culture kid identity, and the challenges of living and working across different parts of the world. Most of the episodes are in English, but I bring you occasional interviews in German, French, Spanish, and Hungarian.

Information

  • Creator
    Language and Culture with Dr. J
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Language and Culture with Dr. J