This month, In a Nutshell presents something different: a two-part series focussing on the subject of Palestine. We offer the microphone to researchers who tell us about their perspectives and knowledge on the topic in its broadest sense. This week’s guest, Sally Thin, will untangle the genocide case against Israel. How can a country be tried for genocide? What are the limits of international law? And what happens if a state is found responsible for genocide by the International Court of Justice? In this episode, Sally (Sarah) Thin will tackle the complicated topic of international law and South Africa’s ongoing genocide case against Israel. Sally Thin is an assistant professor in International and European Law. She is a member of the Research Centre for State and Law (SteR) and the current managing editor of the Hague Yearbook of International Law. In the past, Sally has also been a volunteer for several human rights and environmental organisations, including Fossielvrij NL and Amnesty International. Would you like to know more about this topic? Follow Sally’s tip and have a listen to the Asser Institute podcast JurisDictions. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

This month, In a Nutshell presents something different: a two-part series focussing on the subject of Palestine. We offer the microphone to researchers who tell us about their perspectives and knowledge on the topic in its broadest sense. Seeing that this is a big topic, we provide explanations for some key terms below. This week’s guest, Noura Alkhalili, will look at Palestine through a settler colonial lens: What is settler colonialism? How does it work? And how does it affect Palestinians today? Noura will navigate us through these questions and share her academic, as well as her personal insights with us. Noura Alkhalili is an Assistant professor of Human Geography at the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment. Settler colonialism in Palestine is one of her fields of expertise. Do you want to know more about settler colonialism in Palestine? Follow Noura’s tip and read The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi. Key terms: Intifada: Intifada is an Arabic word that means ‘shaking off’. In the Palestinian context, it stands for civil uprising against the Israeli oppression and occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The first Intifada happened in the 1980s and the second Intifada in the early 2000s. Zionism: Zionism is a political ideology and movement originally for the establishment of an exclusive Jewish national state in Palestine. Zionism argues that the only solution to anti-Semitism is the establishment of an independent nation-state for Jewish people through the strengthening and enlargement of the state of Israel. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

Does it matter whether Russian athletes compete at the Olympics? Why do transgender athletes ruffle so many feathers when it comes to sports competitions – even in disciplines like darts? And why do countries keep hosting mega-sporting events, even if they lead to massive financial losses? Sport is at the centre of many political debates. But why? In this week’s episode of In a Nutshell, Antonia talks to PhD candidate Paul Reef about mega-sporting events and the politics behind them. Including discussions about the upcoming Paris Olympics and why some of its security measures might be here to stay. Paul Reef is a PhD candidate in political and international history at the Faculty of Arts. He is researching the intersection between sport and politics, specifically public protests against the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. In 2023, he was awarded the Hermesdorf Talent Award for his media appearances on sport politics and his role in the public debate on human rights and international sporting events. Do you want to learn more about the politics of sport? Then follow Paul’s recommendations for critical journalistic reporting about sporting events, including the platform inside the games, and, if you speak Dutch, the sports reporting of Trouw and NRC. For a more historical perspective on the politics of sport, have a look at Barbara Keys’ book Globalizing Sport. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

Why do we need to talk about death? How can we relearn to think of dying differently? And why do music and tattoos help in processing the death of a loved one? In the thirteenth episode of In a Nutshell, we stare death in the face. Together with this week’s guest, Iline Ceelen, we will explore our perception of death, talk about last parties and walks, and, in the meantime, gain some engaging bits of wisdom about life. Iline Ceelen is a PhD candidate in Comparative Religious Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. She has always pondered life’s greatest mysteries. After exploring the topic of birth through her work as a midwife, she now is facing the topic of death. Iline’s work has taught her valuable insights into life that she passes on to her audience. Do you want to know more about euthanasia? Follow Iline’s tip and read What Kind of Death by Govert den Hartogh. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

How can a spider ‘think’ with its eyes? What can we learn about thinking from baking bread? And how have the weird environments humans built around them changed the way we think? The twelfth episode of In a Nutshell is all about animal intelligence – and how understanding animal intelligence can teach us something about human intelligence too. Together with this week’s guest Bas van Woerkum-Rooker Antonia takes a dive into alternative forms of thinking – some of which don’t even require a brain. Bas van Woerkum-Rooker is a Ph.D. candidate at the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. He has previously graduated with a research master’s in Philosophy of Mind and in his Ph.D. project, Bas strives to develop a less human-centred view of animal minds. Would you like to know more about how animals think? Follow Bas’ tips and read Beyond the Brain by Louise Barrett or An Immense World by Ed Young or watch the animated movie Wolfwalkers. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

What does space look like? Why do we need to explore the universe? And what do microwaves have to do with that? The eleventh episode of In a Nutshell is a small expedition to space. Together with this week’s guest Søren Larsen, we will look at pictures from space, talk about telescopes, and learn why exploring space is not only important but also useful for life on Earth.   Søren Larsen is an associate professor at the Department of Astrophysics and a member of the Euclid consortium. He is interested in understanding star formation histories, the chemical enrichment of nearby galaxies, and stellar clusters. Søren discovered his passion for stars in his childhood in the Danish countryside and has been infecting his audience with his enthusiasm ever since.  Do you want to know more about space? Follow Søren’s tips and read The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel and visit www.astronomie.nl. Or have a look through a telescope yourself and join the Stargazing Evening in Nijmegen on March 22nd.  Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

Time seems to be a pretty straightforward affair – or is it? What if history would not move ahead, but function as a spiral, like Indigenous understandings of time suggest? And how does this influence the way we can relate to nature? The tenth episode of In a Nutshell is dedicated to Indigenous perspectives on nature and time. This week’s guest, Laura, will explain how this can inform Indigenous activism – and why always looking seven generations into the future might also be a good policy for Western environmental policy. Laura De Vos is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Arts. They teach Indigenous Studies and American Studies courses and are currently researching North American Indigenous social movements. Would you like to learn more about indigenous ways of viewing the world and a spiralic understanding of time? Then follow Laura’s tip and read The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

Why are candy bars so tempting? What makes the microbes in our gut so important? And are we really what we eat? The ninth episode of In A Nutshell is all about the link between our brains and food choices. This week’s guest, Esther, will tell us how our brains, immune systems, and guts are connected. Esther Aarts is a Principal Investigator at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour of the Food and Cognition group and a Professor of Nutritional Neuroscience. She examines how our brain impacts our eating behavior and how the food we consume impacts our brain and vividly explains her findings to her audience. Do you want to know more about the link between food and our brains? Follow Esther’s tip and read The Psychobiotic Revolution by Scott Anderson. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and thought: ‘I’d like to read more of this’? Then you are in luck because there probably is – in the form of fanfiction. And PhD student Julia Neugarten studies them. The eighth episode of In a Nutshell is entirely dedicated to this fascinating piece of online subculture and literary genre. And from its origins in the 1960s to the more than 14 million works published on the fanfiction open-source repository Archive of Our Own today – Julia knows all about it. So, what makes people write and publish stories for free? What has Star Trek to do with homoerotic fanfiction? And what do authors think about fanfictions of their work? Listen in and find out. Would you like to learn more about fanfiction? Then have a look at Julia’s tip and read Francesca Coppa’s book The Fanfiction Reader: Folk Tales for the Digital Age (2017) – or dive in directly with the fanfiction of your choice on Archive of Our Own. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

What makes Long Covid traumatic? Which role do politics and society play in this? And why should we follow the Germans? The seventh episode of In A Nutshell is all about Long Covid. This week’s guest Vivienne Matthies-Boon will tell us about her personal struggle with the sickness and about how her experience has been heavily affected by political structures. Vivienne Matthies-Boon is a professor of Philosophical Ethics and Political Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. Her primary interests are phenomenological experiences of injustice and in her work, she deals with fragility, trauma, death, illness, and health. In her newest research, Vivienne examines Long Covid through her philosophical lens and elaborately explains how and why the sickness is traumatic. Do you want to know more about Long Covid and trauma? Follow Vivienne’s tip and watch 'Unrest' by Jennifer Brea or read up on Long Covid here https://www.bmg-longcovid.de/. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

From 25-year-old single women being historically referred to as ‘spinsters’ to Bridget Jones singlehood jokes of the early 2000s – singles don’t always have it easy. And, until recently, they were also neglected when it came to being academically studied as a distinct group of people. The sixth episode of In a Nutshell is entirely dedicated to this rising global demographic of singles. For this, we have invited the ‘accidental’ singlehood researcher Ea Utoft into the studio. Together, we talk about the drawbacks and the benefits of modern singlehood – and everything in between. Ea Utoft is an assistant professor at Radboud University and an expert in singlehood studies. She started writing about singlehood during her Ph.D. research and especially during the pandemic, when many single people were outside of any social bubbles and largely isolated, and has been fascinated with the topic ever since. Would you like to learn more about the science behind and experiences of being single? Follow Ea’s tips and read Rebecca Traister’s book All the Single Ladies or Glynnis MacNicol’s memoir No One Tells You This. Or have a listen to the podcasts Solo – The Single Person’s Guide to a Remarkable Life and Spinsterhood Reimagined. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

How risky is playing the lottery? Why would anyone go free solo climbing? And most importantly, do we need to risk it to get the biscuit?  The fifth episode of In a Nutshell is all about risking it. From gambling to putting one’s life on the line – this episode will take you onto the uncertain paths of life. And this week’s guest Kim Fairley will be the navigator on this exploration of risk. Kim Fairley is an assistant professor of Economics with specific expertise in behavioural economics at the Nijmegen School of Management. Unlike most people, Kim does not avoid risks but instead investigates them to share her useful findings with her audience. Do you want to know more about risk, uncertainty, and insecurity? Follow Kim’s tip and listen to the podcasts Freakonomics Radio and ParentData with Emily Oster. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

In the fourth episode of In a Nutshell, host Antonia Leise invites the Ph.D. candidate in Plant Ecology and Physiology Rosa Boone into the studio. In this episode, we go below ground and have a close look at the soil our food depends upon – or, more precisely, how an electronic nose can help sniff out whether grassland soil is healthy or not. Why is healthy soil important? How can smell help in determining soil health? And what do Pickwick tea bags have to do with all of this? Rosa Boone knows the answers – even though determining what healthy soil is might not be as straightforward of a question as one might think. Rosa Boone is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Science and currently developing an electronic nose to help farmers determine whether their soil is healthy or not. She has long been fascinated with nature restoration and works closely with farmers and artists to make the topic of soil health more accessible.  Want to know more about soil health? Follow Rosa's tip and watch the documentary Planet Soil (2023; Dutch: Onder het Maaiveld) or read the book Nose Dive (2022) by Harold McGee. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

In the third episode of In a Nutshell, host Jara Majerus invites professor of Mathematical Physics and lover of randomness Klaas Landsman into the studio. In this episode, we dive into the riddles of randomness. What is randomness? Which role does it play in the universe, and what does Einstein have to do with it? Klaas Landsman knows all the answers and explains why he is utterly excited about everything random. Klaas Landsman is a Professor of Mathematical Physics and the winner of the Spinoza Prize 2022. He has investigated randomness and chance thoroughly and does not lose his enthusiasm to share and explain his findings to people around him. Want to know more about chance? Follow Klaas’ tip and read "Ten Great Ideas about Chance" by Brian Skyrms and Persi Diaconis (2018) or "Naar alle onwaarschijnlijkheid" (Dutch Edition, 2018) by Klaas himself. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

In the second episode of In a Nutshell, host Antonia Leise invites assistant professor and historian of emotion Anneleen Arnout into the studio. This episode is all about the material that we walk through the world on – and mostly tend to forget about. Guest Anneleen Arnout introduces the surprisingly emotional history of asphalt paving. Including an exploration into horse accidents of the 19th century, asphalt's prior history as a make-up component – and why people used to boil eggs on streets. Anneleen Arnout is an assistant professor of Cultural History at Radboud University. Fascinated by the history of emotion, her current project, for which she received a VENI grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO), focuses on the urban emotional experience in Amsterdam, London, and Paris of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Would you like to know more about the emotional history of asphalt paving and the making of the modern metropolis? Follow Anneleen's tip and watch the movie Berlin – Die Sinfonie der Großstadt (1927; trans.: Berlin: Symphony of a Metropolis). Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

In the first episode of In a Nutshell, host Jara Majerus invites the PhD scholar and folktale enthusiast Arjan Sterken into the studio.  This episode is all about monsters. What are monsters? Where do they come from, and what are they trying to tell us? Arjan Sterken knows all the answers and lets us in on the mythical meaning of uncanny creatures. Arjan Sterken is a teacher and PhD scholar in Comparative Religious Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. He is utterly fascinated by folktales and myths and loves to pass this fascination on to his audience. Want to know more about monsters? Follow Arjan's tip and watch the movie The Shape of Water. Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise

Welcome to the podcast In a Nutshell that is brought to you by Vox - or more precisely, by Jara Majerus and Antonia Leise. Every two weeks, we will explore the most interesting topics that a hundred years of Radboud University have brought forward. Do you want to learn more about stories you might have never heard of? Make sure to subscribe and check out the first episode on the 9th of October! Hosts: Antonia Leise & Jara Majerus Edit: Jara Majerus Cover: Antonia Leise