Podcast The Many Europes

The Many Europes is a student-produced podcast series within the Bachelor’s programme in European Studies. In this miniseries, students interview researchers from their programme about current and socially relevant topics across Europe. From politics and law to culture, economics and history, the series shows how diverse Europe is as a field of study — and how students learn to translate academic research for a wider audience.

Learning though podcasting

One of the highlights for me was getting to read my instructor’s research and then actually talk to them about it. It made the academic discipline of European Studies feel much more interactive and real. Inés Pérez Pérez, Culture Major

They independently select relevant research within their major, interview researchers at the University of Amsterdam, produce their own podcast episode, and work together with Radio Swammerdam for professional guidance. This creates a learning environment in which academic depth and the development of communication skills come together.

Dr. Krisztina Lajosi-Moore about the project

'At European Studies, we wanted to engage our students more actively in science communication and create opportunities to share the exciting research taking place in our programme with a wider audience. While we had already introduced podcast assignments, we lacked the professional expertise to teach students the craft of podcasting. That's why I was delighted to collaborate with Radio Swammerdam. Their guidance has enabled our students to produce high-quality podcasts while developing valuable communication skills. Just as importantly, these podcasts help demonstrate to the broader public the relevance and impact of academic research, something that is especially important at a time when the value of science and scholarship is increasingly being questioned'

Episodes

Each episode is based on current research within the programme and brings students into conversation with UvA researchers from a range of disciplines, including law and economics, as well as culture and history.

1. Post-National Panick!

What’s the importance of a national language in an international city? For dr. Jesse van Amelsvoort, we shouldn’t be too quick in assuming how ‘national’ some languages actually are. He is invited by Ines and Sophia, who in this episode discuss post-nationalism, literature and the city. What to make of the language’s importance?

2. The Power of Ignoring – Non-Repressive Responses

What if ignoring has more effect than action? This seems to be true for nationstates dealing with protesters. How would you respond if you were simply ignored? In this installment, Adam and Simone, students of the Politics major at European Studies, discuss the treatment of protests in today's Europe. Whilst the effects of violent state repression has been widely studied and has a place in our collective knowledge, the understanding of non-repressive responses are less publicized. Together with dr. Deren Onursal, they explore the intricacies of protest behaviour, varieties of state repression and the impact this has on people and groups, not through violence, but through emotion.

3. Fossil Fuels, the Challenge of Transitioning

Welcome back! In this episode, we hear from students from the Law major, as they focus on research that addresses the challenges of the transition away from fossil fuels through the lens of environmental law. Their guest, dr. Matteo Fermeglia, talks about the legal rulebook behind the biggest transition in our time: how Europe can move away from fossil fuels both effectively and fair.

4. One number to rule them all – but why GDP?

Economic thought about wealth can be a little abstract, but what if this is precisely the problem? In this episode, we join Filip and Pedro from the Economics major, as they discuss the many oddities surrounding the popularity of GDP – Gross Domestic Product – as a measurement for a nation's wealth. Their guest, drs. Paul Teule, shares his thoughts on the matter and discusses his forthcoming PhD-thesis on the philosophical assumptions surrounding economic thought.

5. White Genocide?

History majors Sara, Femke and Jonathan interrogate the far-right ecosphere, specifically the way Alt-Right voices are affecting mainstream narratives on European integration. As their guest, dr. Robin de Bruin, explains his article, a popular myth of the ‘white genocide’ fits right into the Alt-Right’s believes. Scary stuff. But as they discuss, it’s far from a new myth. What can we learn from its history?

Within the Bachelor’s programme in European Studies, Europe is central as a dynamic and multifaceted field of research. Alongside academic depth, increasing attention is being paid to science communication: how can academic research be translated for audiences beyond the university? In this project, students take on that role themselves. They independently select relevant research within their major, interview researchers at the University of Amsterdam, produce their own podcast episode, and work together with Radio Swammerdam for professional guidance. This creates a learning environment in which academic depth and the development of communication skills come together.