Best ROCKING OUR PRIORS Podcasts (2024)

1
"Mission-Driven Bureaucrats": Dan Honig 1:30:56

22h ago1:30:56

1:30:56

How can we improve government capacity and public services?In “Mission-Driven Bureaucrats”, Dan Honig argues that civil servants are often deeply committed, yet hobbled by strict rule books. Trapped by top-down strictures, civil servants may even become disillusioned. Unable to help, they quit.Government ministries can be so much more effective if …

1
What Explains The Great GAY Divergence? 26:21

5d ago26:21

26:21

Imagine a world where love knows no boundaries, where two people can marry regardless of their gender. Now open your eyes. In some parts of the globe, this is reality. In others, it's a distant dream.Twenty years ago, a mere 26% of Americans supported same-sex marriage. Today, that figure has skyrocketed to 69%. That is extremely rapid cultural cha…

1
Discovering Earth's Oldest Rocks 46:10

7d ago46:10

46:10

We now have a live Mobile App for iOS and Android. There you can learn all the basics of geoscience with our CampGeo content, purchase a visual audiobook on the Geology of Yellowstone National Park, and listen to past PlanetGeo episodes! Download now at this link Like, Subscribe, and leave us a Rating! —————————————————— Instagram: @planetgeocast T…

1
The Islamic Revival: Professor Aaron Rock-Singer 1:29:12

10d ago1:29:12

1:29:12

Aaron Rock-Singer is a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Middle East Initiative. He has published two fantastic books, “Practicing Islam: Egypt’s Islamic Revival” and “In the Shade of the Sunna: Salafi Piety in the Twentieth-Century Middle East”. Aaron is truly brilliant, connecting both the macro and the micro. By examining structural shifts …

1
Modern Threats and Religious Backlash 16:28

14d ago16:28

16:28

The Ten Commandments must now be displayed in all Louisiana’s public school classrooms. The law, signed by Republican Governor Jeff Landry, requires poster-sized copies with easily readable text.Why is this happening? Is it unprecedented?Actually, it echoes the 1970s global religious revival. Threatened by liberal modernity, conservatives worldwide…

1
Making a Mammoth Cave 39:34

14d ago39:34

39:34

This episode is Part 2 of our Mammoth Cave series - where we discuss the geological setup that enabled creation of the longest cave system in the world. The geology of the region, including the Green River, set the stage for the formation of Mammoth Cave, the largest cave system that has been mapped. Stay tuned for our third installment on Mammoth …

1
Episode 133 - The High Top Table of Podcasts

16d ago

—

Episode 133 notes And here we are again to regale you with Jaime’s B-day story, The Taylor Swift Imperial Phase, a man and his dream, and the finest cinema late 80’s NBC had to offer Musically we feature The Cloud Nothings, Toner, Suzie True, Egg Drop Soup, St Vincent, and Haley and the Crushers. On that last note, please check out “Unsubscribe fro…

1
The Geology of Clay 38:02

21d ago38:02

38:02

We now have a live Mobile App for iOS and Android. There you can learn all the basics of geoscience with our CampGeo content, purchase a visual audiobook on the Geology of Yellowstone National Park, and listen to past PlanetGeo episodes! Download now at this link Like, Subscribe, and leave us a Rating! —————————————————— Instagram: @planetgeocast T…

1
"Islam And Citizenship in Indonesia": Robert Hefner 2:33:09

24d ago2:33:09

2:33:09

Professor Robert Hefner has a tremendous new book, “Islam and Citizenship in Indonesia: Democracy and the Quest for an Inclusive Public Ethics”. It’s one of my favourite books of the year, drawing on thirty years of ethnographic research. Today, he joins “Rocking Our Priors”. We discuss:Indonesia’s religious historyWhy have Hinduism and Buddhism ha…

1
The Longest Cave System in the World 37:05

28d ago37:05

37:05

This is the first episode in a series of 3 on the world's longest cave system - Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. In this episode, Chris and Jesse talk a little about Mammoth and some of its impressive statistics. The focus however, is more about the necessary ingredients for cave development in general. We talk about the 4 general ingredients: suitable ro…

1
The Uniqueness of Iceland 31:45

1M ago31:45

31:45

In this episode, Jesse and Chris talk about the geology of Iceland - although we keep it at a high level. We're going to come back to this - Iceland - later after Chris returns from his trip. Then, we'll get into some of detail that makes Iceland so unique. Here, we discuss how Iceland might be a prototype for the formation of continents and also t…

1
"A History of the Muslim World": Michael Cook 1:31:26

1M ago1:31:26

1:31:26

Michael Cook's "A History of the Muslim World" is my favourite book of 2024. Together, we discussed:- Did Islamic science weaken due to religious authoritarianism?- Why, in the Middle East and North Africa, were there so few peasant rebellions?- Theologically, how important was Ghazali? - What determined the rate at which people converted to Islam?…

1
Episode 132 - The Bleedies

1M ago

—

Sometimes the episodes are good. Sometimes they…aren’t so good. This one falls into the second category. Things start out good with talk of eclipses and earthquakes before sliding into an episode of TSS after dark and eventually starting to get shakey about 30 minutes in. The bands are good at least. We talk about the amazing Castle Rat, METS, Spac…

1
What's Driving the Global Decline in Trust? 30:20

1M ago30:20

30:20

Trust is down, worldwide. In India, Iran, Indonesia and Nigeria, less than 15% say that ‘most people can be trusted’. What’s going on? I suggest several likely mechanisms:1) Generalised distrust is correlated with strong family bonds2) Poorer countries have rapidly urbanised at a lower level of income3) Rule of law varies worldwide4) Political cont…

1
Tough Soil - The Geology of Hardpan 35:45

1M ago35:45

35:45

Hardpan! Where did this idea for an episode come from? Chris has been doing a ton of yard work lately and it’s not uncommon come across a layer when digging a hole that is next to impossible to penetrate. He has to bust out my pick axe to get through it. It's Called Hardpan. Really dense layer that often occurs below the topsoil. Problems: Roots ca…

1
Some Rocks You SHOULD Know - Metamorphism and Plate Tectonics 44:38

2M ago44:38

44:38

We now have a live Mobile App for iOS and Android. There you can learn all the basics of geoscience with our CampGeo content, purchase a visual audiobook on the Geology of Yellowstone National Park, and listen to past PlanetGeo episodes! Download now at this link Like, Subscribe, and leave us a Rating! —————————————————— Instagram: @planetgeocast T…

1
When Continents Became Stable 40:34

2M ago40:34

40:34

Today we really go into the weeds. Jesse and a colleague just published a paper in the journal Nature that proposes a new model for how continents became stable. Stable continents have all the granite at the surface, which contains all the heat producing elements like U and Th and K - elements that decay away. Today, we discuss that paper in detail…

1
Episode 131 - Butter Pie

2M ago

—

Furious Podcasting Settle in for a big ole piece of butter pie and some furious podcasting as we briefly recount trips to Italy and training camp, almost getting arrested over a popular novel of yesteryear, Lou’s secret girlfriend, and Jaime’s take on “Poor Things” For a little extra treat, listen to the end to hear a delightful rendition of an old…

1
Earth's Oldest Stuff 37:22

2M ago37:22

37:22

Today, Chris and Jesse get into a discussion about Earth’s oldest material. Earth is 4.568 Billion years old. First of all, that’s amazing the geochronologists have refined this down to 3 decimal places. How do we know this? The oldest grains ever found are 4.38 billion years old. If that’s the case, then how do we know the Earth is significantly o…

1
Geo-Tripping - A How-To Guide 43:15

2M ago43:15

43:15

In this episode, we tackle a listener question regarding planning a geology trip for students. Both Chris and Jesse have quite a bit of experience in planning and executing field excursions for students. We believe that seeing geology in the field is one of the most powerful learning opportunities for students of all levels. In our discussion, we t…

1
What led to the demise of foot-binding? 7:12

2M ago7:12

7:12

What led to the demise of foot-binding? by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
The Rocks You Need to Know 1:04:31

3M ago1:04:31

1:04:31

We now have a live Mobile App for iOS and Android. There you can learn all the basics of geoscience with our CampGeo content, purchase a visual audiobook on the Geology of Yellowstone National Park, and listen to past PlanetGeo episodes! Download now at this link Like, Subscribe, and leave us a Rating! —————————————————— Instagram: @planetgeocast T…

1
Cutting the Grand Canyon - Dr. John Douglass 1:13:41

3M ago1:13:41

1:13:41

Join us as we have the honor of interviewing Dr. John Douglas. Jesse and Chris have been following his research on how the Grand Canyon was actually formed for some time. We have recently finished our audio-visual book on the Grand Canyon (Link above) and we have a chapter dedicated to the actual cutting of the Canyon. The answer to this question h…

1
Who are the world's most influential philosophers? 22:47

3M ago22:47

22:47

Who are the world's most influential philosophers? by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
What prevents Hindu-Muslim conflict? Saumitra Jha 38:28

3M ago38:28

38:28

Saumitra Jha (Associate Professor of Political Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business) joins me to discuss what prevents Hindu-Muslim conflict.We discuss his paper on "Trade, Institutions, and Ethnic Tolerance: Evidence from South Asia" https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/trade-institutions…

1
Uranium and the Start of the Earth? - How Geochronology Works 37:24

3M ago37:24

37:24

The idea for this episode came from the comment section of a social media post. It has it's roots in one of the biggest misconceptions in Geology and also Geochronology. The comment was about radio-carbon dating and how it's been "proven" to be unreliable. In this episode, Jesse and Chris have a discussion about the "toolbox" for geochronoligists a…

1
Episode 130 - Psyop

3M ago

—

February 9th? Not likely. This is the last of the “pre-Italy” podcasts. Hopefully I will be able to get these out faster than one per month. Anyway, as part of a little “Sunday Morning Surprise” we discuss the subversive nature of both Tele-Tubbies and a certain NFL power couple, the majesty of AntsCanada, and the shining gem of the internet: Elita…

1
Is Pakistan becoming more Patriarchal? 11:35

3M ago11:35

11:35

Over the 20th century, the entire world became more gender equal. Or so I thought. But Pakistan has rocked my priors. Female employment has slightly risen. Meanwhile, young Pakistani women are more sexist than their grandmothers. What is going on?Charts and graphs are on my Substack: https://www.ggd.world/p/is-pakistan-becoming-more-patriarchal…

1
The History of Granite - Dr. Mike Ackerson 1:22:20

3M ago1:22:20

1:22:20

In charge of the Nations Rock Collection. That's a pretty sweet job description. Join us as we have the honor of interviewing Dr. Mike Ackerson. In this episode, we certainly get into some detail about igneous petrology. Mike and Jesse are good friends and have spent some time discussing things that introductory geology classes take for granted. Fo…

1
The Patriarchal Political Order: Soledad Artiz Prillaman 1:33:47

3M ago1:33:47

1:33:47

The Patriarchal Political Order: Soledad Artiz Prillaman by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
The Devil's Metal - The Geology of Nickel 48:39

3M ago48:39

48:39

Today, Jesse and Chris discuss the geology of Nickel - The Devil’s Metal. Surprisingly, Earth’s core has a high percentage of Nickel - 10 to 20% of the core is nickel. We allow ourselves the luxury of getting into the details on nickel and why the core has so much. Of all the metals we’ve discussed on the podcast, the geology of nickel is the most …

1
Slave-Raiding, Solidarity and Status in Africa 32:59

4M ago32:59

32:59

Slave-Raiding, Solidarity and Status in Africa by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
Sub-Saharan Africa's Economic Stagnation 8:47

4M ago8:47

8:47

Sub-Saharan Africa's Economic Stagnation by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
What Would Reduce Female Genital Cutting? 6:42

4M ago6:42

6:42

What Would Reduce Female Genital Cutting? by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
Geology From Above - Dr. Anji Shah 1:01:36

4M ago1:01:36

1:01:36

Today, we have the another great interview - Dr. Anji Shah. She works for the USGS and has done a lot of work on heavy-mineral sands and critical elements. In this discussion, we talk about the paleo-environment that could concentrate critical minerals in heavy sands. Dr. Shah also tells us how "airborn geophysics" is important in looking for miner…

1
Why is female employment low in India? How might that change? Suhani Jalota & Lisa Ho 1:12:55

4M ago1:12:55

1:12:55

Why is India's female labour force participation so low? And how might that change?Suhani Jalota and Lisa Ho share insights from their brilliant work in Mumbai and West Bengal. This discussion is superbly insightly and great fun. Stay tuned for jokes & data.Paper on Mumbai: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/z3v4gxqpkvc4p9ntjy0ie/h?dl=0&e=1&preview=Jal…

1
Does Egalitarianism enable more Gender Equality? 21:52

4M ago21:52

21:52

If everyone is equal, it’s much more acceptable for women to get to the top.In societies where no one is special, men seem much more accepting of female leadership. Whereas in hierarchical cultures, where subordinates must bow to their bosses, female managers and politicians are more strongly disliked. They may even trigger backlash.This is a novel…

1
Romantic Love is an Under-Rated Driver of Gender Equality 27:51

4M ago27:51

27:51

Patriarchy is reinforced by fraternal solidarity. The Athenian demos, German guilds, Tswana kgotla, Chinese imperial dynasties, Muslim Brotherhood and Indian caste panchayats all reinforced male dominance. As long as men are united, bound in collective loyalty, women are secondary.How might this change?On International Women’s Day, I’d like to high…

1
The Fast Carbon Cycle 28:55

4M ago28:55

28:55

We now have a live Mobile App for iOS and Android. There you can learn all the basics of geoscience with our CampGeo content, purchase a visual audiobook on the Geology of Yellowstone National Park, and listen to past PlanetGeo episodes! Download now at this link Like, Subscribe, and leave us a Rating! —————————————————— Instagram: @planetgeocast T…

1
Episode 129 - A Bad One

4M ago

—

Ok. Sometimes a podcast lingers too long, and you just need to get it out there and over with. I meant to put this out about a month ago, but got waylaid by a work trip, disease, and a weeklong internet outage (all of the above to be discussed in Eppy 131). Podcast Constipation….. On the other hand, I butcher the Hungarian language and give my impr…

1
What’s the Future of the US Labor Movement? Suresh Naidu 54:14

4M ago54:14

54:14

What’s the Future of the US Labor Movement? Suresh Naidu by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
The Geology of Asbestos 38:06

4M ago38:06

38:06

In this episode, Jesse and Chris discuss the geology of asbestos. Really, we cover all things related - history, past uses (some of which are mind boggling), health issues, and of course the mineralogy. If you want the datail, this episode is for you. Jesse goes off the deep end a little as he nerds out on some geochemistry. We hope you enjoy. We n…

1
Why Do East Asian Firms Value Drinking? 21:13

4M ago21:13

21:13

East Asian businesses often go out drinking. Why is this such an important part of corporate culture, relative to other world regions?A month ago, I didn’t know. Now, after my interviews with people in China and Korea, the answer is very obvious.By Dr Alice Evans

1
Ideals of Collective Harmony 24:40

4M ago24:40

24:40

In some societies, collective harmony is more highly valued than self-expression. If people are reluctant to speak out, prior culture is more likely to persist unchallenged. Caring deeply about social approval amplifies fears of ostracism and motivates quiet conformity. Moreover, where self-assertion is strongly disliked, feminist activism is more …

1
Ideals of Upward Mobility 17:14

4M ago17:14

17:14

What I am about to say may make you feel uncomfortable. Some may even find it offensive. In some circles, it’s still a distasteful taboo. Westerners rarely speak about it publicly, certainly not directly, even though most people definitely want it.As a social scientist, I am not so squeamish. So I’ll say it……

1
How is East Asian culture different? 13:03

4M ago13:03

13:03

East Asian societies tend to idealise:- Meritocracy and reverence for education- Upward mobility and economic prosperity (trumping the afterlife)- Collective harmony.By Dr Alice Evans

1
We Just Don't Have Enough - Prof. Adam Simon 1:15:03

4M ago1:15:03

1:15:03

Dr. Adam Simon joins PlanetGeo to discuss many topics. One of the most interesting topics of discussion is the copper dilemma facing the world. If we want to transition to green energy like Electric Vehicles, we will face a shortage of copper. Dr. Simon describes Copper as the artery of a green transition. However, he's done the math and it doesn't…

1
Hostile Sexism in South Korea: Professor Jouen Kim 9:09

5M ago9:09

9:09

Hostile Sexism in South Korea: Professor Jouen Kim by Dr Alice EvansBy Dr Alice Evans

1
How Do Rocks Really Crystallize? 47:51

5M ago47:51

47:51

Today, Chris and Jesse once again revisit the topic of Bowen's Reaction Series. We've never approached the topic in such a before. The heart of our discussion centers around 1- What is Bowen's Reaction Series? and 2- How do we approach this highly idealized concept in an introductory class. How rocks really crystallize in a geologic setting is far …

1
Episode 128 - Best of 2023

5M ago

—

Episode 128 notes: Our long awaited, long overdue “Best of 2023. This one got delayed out because of some last minute work travel and also us being kind of fuckups We also hit on the Wham and Hypgnosis docs, the Spitting Image Muppets, and list etiquette. Spiritual Cramp and Upchuck are reviewed. Lou’s top 10: “Fake” – Hoplite Desire Pathway – Scre…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

ROCKING OUR PRIORS Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide