What is a zombie? You might be thinking of the flesh-eating, undead monsters common in Hollywood, but the origin of zombies is much more fascinating than the stories in film and TV.
From the brutal slave plantations of Haiti to the development of voodoo legends and traditions, to the modern monsters of Hollywood, join us for a look at the history of zombi ... Show More
Jan 19
371. Charles Darwin: Greatest Scientist of All Time? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
In the 19th century, a quiet, curious naturalist named Charles Darwin proposed a theory that went on the shake science, religion, and philosophy. Darwin introduced a new way of thinking about life itself. His theory of evolution by natural selection revealed that every species (h ... Show More
23m 38s
Jan 12
370. What is the World’s Oldest Civilisation? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
People love to debate history, especially when it comes to who was first. Last year, I made an episode about the oldest country in the world. I argued that the answer might be San Marino, because it has a long, continuous history as an independent state. And the reaction from lis ... Show More
30m 11s
Oct 2023
Lucy Swanson, "The Zombie in Contemporary French Caribbean Fiction" (Liverpool UP, 2023)
Believed to have emerged in the French Caribbean based on African spirit beliefs, the zombie represents not merely the walking dead, but also a walking embodiment of the region's history and culture. In Haiti today, the zombie serves as an enduring memory of enslavement: it is de ... Show More
49m 59s
Oct 2023
A History of Horror - Witches, Ghosts, Werewolves & Horror Comedy
Happy almost Halloween, Everyone! For those of you who have been following my channel since the early days, you might recall that I started off doing much spookier content. I love Halloween and horror, though I tend to veer more spooking and supernatural than gory. Back in 2018 I ... Show More
48m 42s
Jul 2023
When Zombies Came To Hollywood
Independent horror film ‘White Zombie’, starring Bela Lugosi, premiered in New York City’s Rivoli Theatre on July 28th, 1932. It marked the first time that zombies had featured in a Hollywood picture - albeit as the result of an evil voodoo master in Haiti rather than a condition ... Show More
12m 25s
Feb 2023
Patricia Saldarriaga and Emy Manini, "Infected Empires: Decolonizing Zombies" (Rutgers UP, 2022)
Let’s talk about zombies! Scholars Patricia Saldarriaga and Emy Manini have produced an engaging and important analysis of the idea of zombies, and how and why these particular monsters are omnipresent in American popular culture, especially these days. Zombies both represent and ... Show More
50m 28s