79 episodes

A concise and original introduction to a wide range of subjects—from Public Health to Buddhist Ethics, Soft Matter to Classics, and Art History to Globalization—by the expert authors of the Very Short Introductions series. For wherever your curiosity may take you.

The Very Short Introductions Podcast Oxford University Press

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 16 Ratings

A concise and original introduction to a wide range of subjects—from Public Health to Buddhist Ethics, Soft Matter to Classics, and Art History to Globalization—by the expert authors of the Very Short Introductions series. For wherever your curiosity may take you.

    Ancient Greek and Roman Science - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    Ancient Greek and Roman Science - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    In the last episode of Season 7, Liba Taub introduces the science of ancient Greece and Rome and details the link between poetry, philosophy, and science.

    A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/VSI-Ep-79-Ancient-Greek-and-Roman-Science-transcript.pdf

    Learn more about Ancient Greek and Roman Science: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/ancient-greek-and-roman-science-a-very-short-introduction-9780198736998

    Liba Taub is Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, in the Department of the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, and Director and Curator of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science.

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    © Oxford University Press

    • 11 min
    Napoleon - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    Napoleon - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    In this episode, David A. Bell introduces Napoleon Bonaparte and his revolutionary life and career.

    A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VSI-Ep-78-Napoleon-transcript.pdf

    Learn more about “Napoleon: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/napoleon-a-very-short-introduction-9780199321667

    David A. Bell is the Sidney and Ruth Lapidus Professor in the Department of History at Princeton. He is the author of seven books, including the prize-winning The First Total War (2007), and, most recently, Men on Horseback (2020).

    Subscribe to The Very Short Introductions Podcast on:

    – Amazon Music: https://oxford.ly/3jDBK5Z

    – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R

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    – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0

    – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY

    – iHeartRadio: https://oxford.ly/3vjowkl

    – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD

    – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP

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    – YouTube: https://oxford.ly/3kZF8Jh

    © Oxford University Press

    • 14 min
    Condensed Matter Physics - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    Condensed Matter Physics - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    In this episode, Ross H. McKenzie introduces condensed matter physics, the field which aims to explain how states of matter and their distinct physical properties emerge.

    A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VSI-Ep-77-Condensed-Matter-Physics-transcript.pdf

    Learn more about “Condensed Matter Physics: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/condensed-matter-physics-a-very-short-introduction-9780198845423

    Ross H. McKenzie is an Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. His research in condensed matter physics focuses on using quantum theory to understand complex materials, ranging from organic superconductors to fluorescent proteins.

    Subscribe to The Very Short Introductions Podcast on:

    – Amazon Music: https://oxford.ly/3jDBK5Z

    – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R

    – Audible: https://oxford.ly/3yw0xSn

    – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0

    – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY

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    – YouTube: https://oxford.ly/3kZF8Jh

    © Oxford University Press

    • 14 min
    Democracy - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    Democracy - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    In this episode, Naomi Zack introduces democracy and the challenges posed against such a foundational part of our lives in the 21st century.

    A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/VSI-Ep-76-Democracy-transcript.pdf

    Learn more about “Democracy: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/democracy-a-very-short-introduction-9780192845061

    Naomi Zack is Professor of Philosophy at Lehman College, CUNY. Her recent books include The American Tragedy of COVID-19: Social and Political Crises of 2020 (2021) and Progressive Anonymity: From Identity Politics to Evidence-Based Government (2020).

    Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the next episode of The Very Short Introductions Podcast will premiere on Thursday, 30 November 2023.

    Subscribe to The Very Short Introductions Podcast on:

    – Amazon Music: https://oxford.ly/3jDBK5Z

    – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R

    – Audible: https://oxford.ly/3yw0xSn

    – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0

    – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY

    – iHeartRadio: https://oxford.ly/3vjowkl

    – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD

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    – TuneIn: https://oxford.ly/3M7iMAU

    – YouTube: https://oxford.ly/3kZF8Jh

    © Oxford University Press

    • 15 min
    Utopianism - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    Utopianism - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    In this episode, Lyman Tower Sargent introduces utopianism, an idea that is commonplace in our society and has shaped our politics, literature, and religion.

    A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/VSI-Ep-75-Utopianism-transcript.pdf

    Learn more about “Utopianism: A Very Short Introduction” here:

    https://global.oup.com/academic/product/utopianism-a-very-short-introduction-9780199573400

    Lyman Tower Sargent is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is the primary bibliographer in the field of utopian literature and was the recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Society for Utopian Studies.

    Subscribe to The Very Short Introductions Podcast on:

    – Amazon Music: https://oxford.ly/3jDBK5Z

    – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R

    – Audible: https://oxford.ly/3yw0xSn

    – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0

    – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY

    – iHeartRadio: https://oxford.ly/3vjowkl

    – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD

    – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP

    – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH

    – TuneIn: https://oxford.ly/3M7iMAU

    – YouTube: https://oxford.ly/3kZF8Jh

    © Oxford University Press

    • 14 min
    Nelson Mandela - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    Nelson Mandela - The Very Short Introductions Podcast

    In this episode, Elleke Boehmer introduces the world-renowned figure of Nelson Mandela and looks critically at his legacy.

    A PDF transcript for this episode can be found here: https://oxfordacademic.blubrry.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/VSI-Ep-74-Nelson-Mandela-transcript.pdf

    Learn more about Nelson Mandela: A Very Short Introduction here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/nelson-mandela-a-very-short-introduction-9780192803016

    Elleke Boehmer is Professor of World English at the University of Oxford and Director of the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing at Wolfson College. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, UK.

    Subscribe to The Very Short Introductions Podcast on:

    – Amazon Music: https://oxford.ly/3jDBK5Z

    – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R

    – Audible: https://oxford.ly/3yw0xSn

    – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0

    – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY

    – iHeartRadio: https://oxford.ly/3vjowkl

    – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD

    – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP

    – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH

    – TuneIn: https://oxford.ly/3M7iMAU

    – YouTube: https://oxford.ly/3kZF8Jh

    © Oxford University Press

    • 11 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
16 Ratings

16 Ratings

More of the world of James ,

VSI Podcasts? Yes please!

I’ve loved and benefited much from Oxford’s VSI series of books. The notion of having internationally renowned experts introduce their specialties, in “layman’s terms,” in small little books (almost booklets) that are “Very Short Introductions” is brilliant. In keeping with that innovative publishing methodology, this podcast version has the authors of these books provide an audio summary in short little 5-10 minute podcasts. It’s a fascinating adaptation of the philosophy to a new medium.

Get introduced.
To the world.
By the experts.
Even more briefly.

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