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In this episode, Jim Fraser introduces forensic science, a subject of wide fascination and importance, as a criminal case can often hinge on a piece of evidence like a hair, a blood trace, half a footprint, or a tyre mark. Learn more about “Forensic Science: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/forensic-science-a-very-short-introduction-9780198834410 Jim Fraser has 40 years’ experience in forensic science and has worked on many high profile cases, in various roles, including as an expert witness, case reviewer, senior police manager, policy adviser, and researcher.  He has also advised many public agencies including police organisations in the UK and abroad, the Home Office, the Scottish Parliament, and the UK Parliament. He is a Research Professor in Forensic Science at the University of Strathclyde. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Anthony Pereira introduces modern Brazil, a country associated in many people’s minds with conviviality, sensuality, and natural beauty yet is still something of an enigma. Learn more about “Modern Brazil: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/modern-brazil-a-very-short-introduction-9780198812081 Anthony W. Pereira is a Professor and Director of the Brazil Institute at King’s College London. He has held positions at the New School for Social Research, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, Tulane University, and the University of East Anglia. He is the author and co-author of many books and is an occasional commentator on Brazil for the BBC, CNN, France 24, The Conversation, and other media organisations. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Andrew Davies introduces projects, a temporary organization and one-time process established to achieve a desired outcome which now shape the human-built world in which we live, work, and play. Learn more about “Projects: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/projects-a-very-short-introduction-9780198727668 Andrew Davies is the RM Phillips Freeman Chair and Professor of Innovation Management in SPRU, University of Sussex Business School Andrew (2019-). He is researcher, educator, consultant and advisor who is fascinated by understanding and making innovation happen in complex projects, with a focus on large-scale infrastructure in the built environment. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Hermione Lee introduces biography, one of the most popular, best-selling, and widely-read literary genres. Learn more about “Biography: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/biography-a-very-short-introduction-9780199533541 Dame Hermione Lee is the Director of the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing at Wolfson College and a trustee of the Wolfson Foundation. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, the British Academy and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and an Honorary Fellow of New, St Hilda’s, and St Cross Colleges, Oxford. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Marina Warner introduces the fairy tale, a form of literature that has had the power to enchant us and spark our imaginations for hundreds of years. Learn more about “Fairy Tale: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/fairy-tale-a-very-short-introduction-9780199532155 Marina Warner is a writer, historian, cultural critic, and novelist. She is a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, an Honorary Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the British Academy. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Laura Marcus introduces one of the most popular written forms, the autobiography, form that offers understanding of the ways in which lives have been lived and fundamental accounts of what it means to be a self in the world. Learn more about “Autobiography : A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/autobiography-a-very-short-introduction-9780199669240 Laura Marcus is Goldsmiths’ Professor of English Literature and Fellow of New College at Oxford. She is also a Fellow of the British Academy. Marcus has published widely on nineteenth and twentieth-century literature and culture, with books on autobiography, Virginia Woolf, modernist writing and literature and film. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Paul Klenerman introduces the immune system, central to all human health and area of continual focus in medical research. Learn more about “The Immune System: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-immune-system-a-very-short-introduction-9780198753902 Paul Klenerman is Wellcome Trust Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Professor of Immunology at the University of Oxford. He is also Immune Theme Lead at the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Kimberly Reynolds introduces children’s literature, which not only encompasses picture books, pop-ups, and novels, but has modernised to also include online games and eBooks. Learn more about “Children’s Literature: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/childrens-literature-a-very-short-introduction-9780199560240 Kimberley Reynolds is Professor of Children’s Literature in the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics at Newcastle University. She was President of the International Research Society for Children’s Literature (2003 – 2007). Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Catriona Kelly introduces Russian literature centred around the figure of Alexander Pushkin that permeates into national culture. Learn more about “Russian Literature: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/russian-literature-a-very-short-introduction-9780192801449 Catriona Kelly is a Professor of Russian, University of Oxford and Fellow of New College and Lecturerer at Merton College. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Joachim Whaley introduces the Holy Roman Empire, once described by Voltaire as ‘neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire’, as its history and significance is often misunderstood. Learn more about “The Holy Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-holy-roman-empire-a-very-short-introduction-9780198748762 Joachim Whaley is Professor of German History and Thought at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of several books on religious toleration in early modern Germany and on the Holy Roman Empire in the early modern period, all of which have been translated into German. He has written numerous articles on the religious and intellectual history of the German lands in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 2015. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Dana Arnold introduces art history, which encompasses the study of the history and development of painting, sculpture, and the other visual arts. Learn more about “Art History: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/art-history-a-very-short-introduction-9780198831808 Dana Arnold is Professor in Art History at the University of East Anglia, UK. She has published extensively on art and architectural history, especially in relation to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Her work has been published into many languages and enjoys a world-wide following. You can hear more from Dana Arnold with ‘10 Things to Know about Art History’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oh5TjZZmbU Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Julian Baggini introduces atheism, wrongly considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief characterized by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion. Learn more about “Atheism: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/atheism-a-very-short-introduction-9780192804242 Julian Baggini is the editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Julia Simner introduces synaesthesia, a neurological condition that gives rise to a ‘merging of the senses’, in which words can be tasted and colours can be heard. Learn more about “Synaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/synaesthesia-a-very-short-introduction-9780198749219 Julia Simner is a neuropsychologist and researcher in the field of synaesthesia research and multi-sensory processing. Her education and career have taken her to the Universities of Oxford, Toronto, Edinburgh and Sussex, and she now runs the Synesthesia and Sensory Integration lab at the University of Sussex. She is the Science Officer for the UK Synaesthesia Association, Director of the ERC-funded MULTISENSE project, and Director of the Savant Network. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Miri Rubin introduces the Middle Ages, a term coined around 1450 to describe a thousand years of European history. Learn more about “The Middle Ages: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-middle-ages-a-very-short-introduction-9780199697298 Miri Rubin is Professor of Medieval History at Queen Mary University of London and Head of the School of History. She has taught at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and has held visiting positions in Paris, Princeton, and New York. Her research has explored areas of the religious cultures of medieval Europe, and has been influenced by an interdisciplinary approach which had benefited from the use of textual, visual and musical sources. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Kathleen Taylor introduces dementia, the fifth-most common cause of death across the world which, despite recent advances in brain science, still has no effective treatment. Learn more about “Dementia: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/dementia-a-very-short-introduction-9780198825784 Kathleen Taylor studied physiology and philosophy at the University of Oxford. After a research MSc at Stirling University, working on brain chemistry, she returned to Oxford to do a DPhil in visual neuroscience and postdoctoral work on cognitive neuroscience. In 2003 she won two national writing awards, and decided to leave the uncertain and challenging world of academic science for the even more uncertain and challenging world of science writing. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Bryan Cheyette introduces the ghetto, a term which has been universalized as the incarnation of class difference, colonialism, and apartheid, and has been applied to segregated cities and countries throughout the world but is still an extraordinarily complex concept. Learn more about “The Ghetto: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-ghetto-a-very-short-introduction-9780198809951 Bryan Cheyette is Chair in Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Reading, and a Fellow of the English Association. He has lectured widely throughout the United States and Europe and has held visiting positions at Dartmouth College, the University of Michigan, and the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds fellowships at the universities of Leeds, Southampton and Birkbeck College, London. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Robert Jones introduces possibly the most powerful commercial and culture force globally–branding–which, despite brand awareness and skepticism, holds an inescapable influence on our lives. Learn more about “Branding: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/branding-a-very-short-introduction-9780198749912 Robert Jones is a strategist at Wolff Olins, one of the world’s leading branding consultancies, and visiting professor at the University of East Anglia, where he teaches a unique postgraduate course on brand leadership. At Wolff Olins, he has helped build brands like Barclays, National Trust, Oxfam, Tesco, and Virgin. Robert also created a free online course, The Secret Power of Brands, for FutureLearn and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Brand Management. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Jennifer Gidley introduces the future, an area of fascination for humans from the beginning of time driven by both of our fear of the unknown and our curiosity to know. Learn more about “The Future: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-future-a-very-short-introduction-9780198735281 Jennifer Gidley has extensive experience in the futures studies field, combining scholarly research, academic teaching, and leadership of the World Futures Studies Federation (UNESCO Partner), she was re-elected as President in 2013 for a second four-year term. Jennifer has held academic positions in Australia at Southern Cross (1995-2001); Swinburne (2003-2006); and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (2008-2012); and holds visiting academic posts in Europe. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Anthony Arnull introduces European Union law, which will have a central role as the European Union deals with the consequences of Brexit and the eurozone crisis. Learn more about “European Union Law: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/european-union-law-a-very-short-introduction-9780198749981 Anthony Arnull holds the Barber Chair of Jurisprudence at the University of Birmingham. He has specialized in the law of the European Union for over 30 years and worked at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg from 1989-92. He has given evidence to a number of UK Parliamentary Select Committees and acted as Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords EU Committee. In 2013-14, he served as an output assessor on the Law Sub-Panel for the 2014 Research Assessment Exercise (REF). Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share

In this episode, Rebecca Arnold introduces fashion, a gigantic global industry which generates some three hundred billion dollars in revenue every year yet is often denigrated as trivial and superficial. Learn more about “Fashion: A Very Short Introduction” here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/fashion-a-very-short-introduction-9780199547906 Rebecca Arnold is a Research Fellow in the School of Humanities in the Department of History of Design at the Royal College of Art. Follow The Very Short Introductions Podcast on: – Apple Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/2SQQ79R – Blubrry: https://oxford.ly/2IVCep0 – Google Podcasts: https://oxford.ly/34W2bvY – SoundCloud: https://oxford.ly/3nPvtoD – Spotify: https://oxford.ly/3dxUJuP – Stitcher: https://oxford.ly/3k9kEvH © Oxford University Press Share Tweet Share