On the first episode of Sustainability Matters (formerly Humanities Matter), we explore the complexities of diversity and inclusion in higher education. Do the frameworks in US universities today advance equity, or merely mask deeper systemic issues? How can academia move beyond optics to genuine transformation? And what does diversity and justice in higher education truly look like? All this and more with Dr. Nimisha Barton, author of “Diversity Practitioners and Institutional Whiteness”, a chapter in her book A Just Future, published by Cornell University Press—a partner of De Gruyter Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir

Guest: Dr. Nimisha Barton

This month on Humanities Matter, we discuss the variation in literacy rates among India’s social strata, the importance of considering a gendered perspective in adult education policies within the country, and how such policies can empower marginalized communities and bring about social change.

All this and more with Dr. Preeti Dagar, author of “Subaltern Perspectives in Adult Education”, a chapter in the book Adult Education in India, Volume 35 in the series International Issues in Adult Education, published last year by Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Preeti Dagar

In this episode of Humanities Matter, we take a closer look at the documented sightings of the so-called Gloucester Sea Serpent over the years. Are there truly monsters lurking in the deep? Or do these stories reveal a stark truth about marine sustainability and the lasting impact of human fishing practices on our oceans?

All this and more with Dr. Robert France, author of Disentangled: Ethnozoology and Environmental Explanation of the Gloucester Sea Serpent, published by Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Robert L. France

In the second half of this episode on Humanities Matter, we examine when countries might deploy autonomous weapons systems, whether these weapons could better follow international human rights law than humans if properly programmed, the feasibility of a global ban, and the challenges in regulating or limiting their production.

All this and more with Dr. Barry de Vries, author of Individual Criminal Responsibility for Autonomous Weapons Systems in International Criminal Law, which is volume 65 in “International Human Law Series” published by De Gruyter Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Barry de Vries

In this special extended episode of Humanities Matter, we take a closer look at Autonomous Weapons Systems and the legal frameworks surrounding their use.

What exactly defines an autonomous weapon? Can an individual be held legally responsible for the consequences of deploying such a weapon? And can international law keep pace with the rapid rise of AI-driven weaponry?

We answer all these questions and more in the first half of this episode with Dr. Barry de Vries, author of Individual Criminal Responsibility for Autonomous Weapons Systems in International Criminal Law, which is volume 65 in “International Human Law Series” published by De Gruyter Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Barry de Vries

In this episode of Humanities Matter, we dive into human rights and humanitarian law development in Asia, exploring current regional challenges, persisting colonial legacies, external geopolitical pressures, and the push for greater accountability against selective enforcement.

All this and more with Dr. Matthias Vanhullebusch, co-editor of volumes 7, 8, and 9 of “The Asian Yearbook of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law”, published by Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Matthias Vanhullebusch

This month on Humanities Matter, we take a closer look at a groundbreaking environmental human rights law being developed in Latin America and the Caribbean. What is it? How is it connected to the Escazú Agreement and the American Convention on Human Rights? And how could these developments shape the global conversation on indigenous rights, property laws, sustainable development, and environmental justice?

All this and more with Dr. Mario Aguilera, author of the new book Environmental Human Rights: New Thinking from Latin America and the Caribbean—which is part of the series “Theory and Practice of Public International Law”, published by Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Mario Aguilera

In this episode of Humanities Matter, we look at the role of regenerative agrourbanism in creating sustainable urban living spaces. How can urban agriculture boost local economies and enhance community well-being? Is it possible to strike a balance between urban aesthetics and food supply? And can restoration design truly heal damaged landscapes and rejuvenate cities?

We answer these questions and more with Dr. Robert L. France, author of Regenerative agrourbanism: Experiencing edible placemaking transforming neglected or damaged landscapes, lives, and livelihoods, published by Brill.

Liked this podcast? Have thoughts on the topic? Want us to address a specific theme in the future? Write to us at podcast@brill.com.

Host: Ramzi Nasir
Guest: Dr. Robert L. France