Future in the Humanities

Conspiracy theories have been widely debated throughout history. But the rise of social media, the global conversation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and enhanced technical capabilities to study them in near real-time have made them increasingly present in public debates.

Show Notes

Conspiracy theories have been widely debated throughout history. But the rise of social media, the global conversation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and enhanced technical capabilities to study them in near real-time have made them increasingly present in public debates.

This episode, featuring Samuel Olaniran and Iginio Gagliardone, offers an original take on conspiracy theories. It does not presume them to be the societal plague they are often framed as being. Without supporting or leaning into conspiratorial claims, we discuss how conspiracy theories might be a way to speak back to power and a handy means of making sense of the social world.

Click here to learn more about the work done at the Wits Department of Media Studies.

Produced by Andile Masuku and Iginio Gagliardone. Co-produced by Brendan "Spike" Ballantine. Written by Andile Masuku. Recording, editing, sound design and mixing by Brendan "Spike" Ballantine. Voice acting by Nkululeko Sibiya and Damilola Oladokun.

What is Future in the Humanities?

Reimagining the Humanities from the Global South.

Launched during Wits University's centenary anniversary - the series tackles critical questions on the role and future of the Humanities. The arts, philosophy, anthropology, and literary studies are increasingly perceived as under attack. And yet, in the Global South, these disciplines have never been in a position of greater strength. Scholars in Africa and South America are displaying unprecedented confidence in challenging frameworks that used to be uncritically adopted from centres of knowledge in Europe or North America. Reflections on race, power, or how we interface with our planet that emerged from societies once perceived at "the margins" are gaining increasing centrality on a global stage.

The series addresses some of these innovations and contradictions, drawing in different voices within and outside the academic world. Each episode focuses on a specific challenge, puzzle, or problem, rather than on a piece of research or a prominent researcher, in ways that display the unique sensitivities and insights that distinguish academia in the Global South.

The Future in the Humanities podcast is produced by Andile Masuku and Iginio Gagliardone. Co-produced by Brendan "Spike" Ballantine. Written by Andile Masuku. Recording, editing, sound design and mixing by Brendan "Spike" Ballantine.