Pharisees and Sadducees - From Israelite to Jew

The excellent series From Israelite to Jew has its latest chapter named Jesus and other strange Jews and one must be warned in advance: this issue is mostly about Pharisees and Sadducees with a small addition about followers of charismatic Jews such as Jesus.

At the time, that is during the historic period this podcast is discussing here, the followers of Jesus were a distinct group among Jews, but far from one developing into a different religion nor a stream of social and political importance such as the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Therefore it is only right that host Michael Satlow delves into these two groups and attempts to juxtapose them and hardly takes on the others. And the subjects according to which the division is made is around theology (the existence of angels, of free will, of fate, of soul, of afterlife and such) as well as around ritual and the authority to interpret the holy script.

A part of the historic background that would complement this depiction, would be a description of the social economic reality of the time and it seems Satlow is about to embark on such a track. However, he will first of all discuss the major source for this period: the historian Josephus. That will be then ext episode of the podcast. I expect that the title will be much more indicative than it was this time.

More FITJ:
The Dead Sea Scrolls,
Herod the Ambiguous,
Jewish varieties,
Jews in the Hasmonean era,
The Maccabee Uprising.

Biological invasions and transformations - EEH

One of the sources for content to the Exploring Environmental History Podcast are the conferences that host Jan Oosthoek attends. Frequently he manages to get several of the presenters on the conferences to sit down with him and do an interview. The recordings then make it to the podcast.

Thus, Oosthoek attended a one-day conference was held at the University of Oxford entitled "Invasions and Transformations" in September this year. The participants of this meeting examined and discussed the histories of alien species and biological invasions in different parts of the world. Oosthoek first interviewed Glenn Sandiford, a postdoc researcher at the University of Illinois about his paper entitled "Nineteenth century narratives on the introduction of carp in America". Then he spoke with Bernadette Hince of the Australian National University on the history and impacts of invasive species on sub-Antarctic islands.

The interviews are framed within an explanation delivered by Jan Oosthoek. This approach works quite well for the podcast. It gives a good feel of what is currently going on in the field. Complementary to these issues are those that define the field of Environmental history. Oosthoek just finished a series addressing the defining questions and they comprise about the last five issues before this very last one.

More Exploring Environmental History:
Environmental history: an applied science,
Defining Environmental History with Marc Hall,
Defining Environmental History - Paul Warde,
Defining Environmental History - Donald Worster,
Natural Disasters.

Vaccination fears - Moments in Medicine

The series History of Medicine Podcasts from Oxford Brooke University (School of Arts and Humanities) also called: 'Moments in Medicine', had a fascinating issue about the vaccination debate.

The podcast shows the loaded history of vaccination. Immediately upon the early uses of vaccination (or inoculation) the practice was contested. One almost gets the impression that people are naturally suspicious of vaccination. By all means, no one likes to be injected with alien content and certainly not if it causes disease. Even if the one disease is a mild one to prevent another more problematic one.

In all times, vaccination could only be successful if it was widely applied, enough to cut of the growth of the germ. This, for highly contagious disease, may require up to 95% use. Yet, this leaves a 5% or more section that need not be vaccinated, yet still can benefit from it. This benefit can also lure the false idea that the vaccination is not actually needed. Fed into the natural suspicion this gives root to the debate.

More History of Medicine:
History of Medicine podcasts (Oxford Brookes University),
Medieval Islamic Medicine (University of Warwick),
Medicalhistory.

Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung - LSE podcast

The LSE podcast usually offers lectures on subjects that are laden with meaning in current world affairs. Whatever is hot in politics is discussed with scientific (most of the time) and hence you can find a multitude of talks on Climate Change, Credit Crunch, Middle-East and such. Occasionally much less trodden paths are offered and there is one I would like review here.

Professor Arthur I. Miller revealed the results of his study into the friendship between Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung. Pauli, the tormented yet brilliant physicist went to see Jung for psycho-analysis. Jung found Pauli's dreams so fascinating he paid special attention to the scientist and also when Pauli was declared healed - there are some doubts to cast on that - he and Jung remained in contact and developed a friendship or at least a regular basis to discuss his dreams.

Consequently, this talk is mostly about Pauli; a bit about physics and much about Pauli's troubled private life with bad marriages, illicit affairs, bar room brawling and a lot of excessive drinking. Jung pops up when Pauli seeks help and Jung can apply his ideas of dream interpretation. The richness of Pauli's dreams allow for full application of Jung's interest in alchemy and mythology, which in turn appeals to Pauli. Where Miller leads is that Jung's metaphysics actually may have led to some of Pauli's important conjectures. Whether Jung has really helped Pauli to become a more integrated person though, remains, as said, in doubt.

More LSE Events:
Natural Resource Management,
The Iran power struggle,
Justice,
In Search of Islam’s Civilization,
Religion and the Market - John Gray on LSE.

Avi Shlaim on Israel and Palestine - The Economist

It is always good to hear a historian about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this case, The Economist podcast offered a short conversation with Israeli historian Avi Shlaim, who is considered as one of the revisionists among Israeli historians.



Shlaim repeats a position that can be seen as one example of what Henry Kissinger is supposed to have generally stipulated: The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The specific tactical mistake Shlaim has in mind is the Palestinian (and broad Arab) rejection of the 1947 UN division plan. Not only would they have been better off than today or at any time in the future if there is ever going to be a Palestinian state along the pre-1967 borders. He goes on to add that the Jewish state within the 1947 borders would not have been viable.

More from The Economist:
A crisis of authority in Iran,
Comfort with Obama,
Democracy in America - podcast review,
Issues of Race,
The primary system.

Guests of Eire - History of Ireland

The BBC's Short History of Ireland podcast brings short daily episodes that takes us through the history of Ulster and Eire in the most elegant, informative and even entertaining fashion.

Despite a few thematic jumps and slight shifts back and forth, generally this series is chronological. And so, after weeks it has finished speaking of the period of World War II and has begun to discuss the after-war era, kicking off with all the reconstruction needed after the war. Here, as well as with the war-section, Ulster and Eire have a different history, yet, the two, as close as they are, have their histories intertwined.

As far as WW 2 is concerned, this makes for fascinating and unexpected anecdotes. Most unexpected are those of Eire, which was neutral during the war and carefully maintained its neutrality. Despite that, effectively it stood on the allied side in many aspects, whereas at the same time, it had internal forces drawing towards the Germans. But after all, Eire was relatively far away and yet it was still close enough to have fighting men of both parties wind up on its soil. I was surprised to hear their stories. Both Germans and allied soldiers got a royal treatment in Ireland

The episodes that touch on this issue, as well as those about the Americans in Ulster and about the smuggling between Ulster and Eire and those about German spies and collaborators are simply fantastic and worth to dig up and listen to again. All in all, this is a wonderful podcast to give a daily listen to.

More Short history of Ireland:
A short history of Ireland - BBC Podcast.