W&L After Class

The Lifelong Learning Podcast

W&L After Class: Season One

Ralph Ellison Walks into a Jazz Bar

A Literary Chat with Marc Conner
The university provost and Jo and James Ballengee Professor of English talks Ralph Ellison and the writer’s views on America’s complex history. Conner discusses Ellison scholarship at W&L, how he came to co-edit a book of his letters, and how Ellison’s personality emerges in the thousands of his letters preserved in the Library of Congress.
Recorded March 12, 2020
Aired June 23, 2020

The New Social (Justice) Network

A Conversation about Justice with Johanna Bond
W&L Law’s Sydney and Frances Lewis Professor of Law dives into the world of human rights, highlighting the justice reforms achieved by nonprofits with which she works. She explains some of the common threads linking violence against women around the world, how social justice compares to other forms of justice, and what work needs to be done to help women and families from the U.S. to Uganda, as well as how we can all get involved.
Recorded May 15, 2020
Aired July 7, 2020

Beer, Bacteria and Bison

A Meeting of Microbial Minds with Bill Hamilton
The biology professor regales us with anecdotes from his Spring Term trips to Yellowstone, his long history as a brewmaster in Lexington, and how he’s helping make W&L a more sustainable campus. You’ll learn more about the microbes that make your beer – and your garden – delicious.

Recorded May 19, 2020
Aired July 21, 2020

Enter the Clearing the Mind Abode

A Taste of Tea with Janet Ikeda
The professor of Japanese sheds light on the importance of Japanese tea culture and how this peaceful yet precise process can prepare students (and just about anyone) for the next step in their lives. A fresh cup of tea is suggested to accompany this podcast!

Recorded July 2, 2020
Aired August 4, 2020

The Pursuit of Happiness

Finding Fulfillment with Karla Murdock
Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Karla Murdock, teaches us about the most important thing in life: happiness. From marriage "advice" to smartphone technology, Karla provides insight into her research and the research of other scientists who have studied happiness, positive and negative affect and much more.
Recorded June 29, 2020
Aired August 18, 2020

Your Implicit Bias is Showing...

Talking Candidly About Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination with Julie Woodzicka
The Abigail Grigsby Urquhart Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Science explains concepts like stereotyping and bias. More importantly, Professor Woodzicka illustrates the impact of these human behaviors. Guests will also hear from W&L student Enuma Anekwe-Desince '22 and alumna Murray Shortall '03.
Recorded August 6, 2020
Aired September 1, 2020

Real Opportunity for All

An Inside Look at Poverty and Its Many Causes with Howard Pickett
The Director of the Shepherd Program, Assistant Professor of Ethics and Poverty Studies and Adjunct Professor of Law talks with us about poverty in America. In this episode, Pickett focuses not only on what "poverty" means but also on how we can creatively look at issues surrounding poverty and people affected by it.
Recorded August 11, 2020
Aired September 15, 2020

Which Witch?

A Deep Dive into Witches and Devils Throughout History with Mikki Brock
Associate Professor of History Mikki Brock talks witches, witch hunts, the Devil, and the "why" behind them in our latest episode, out just in time for you to enjoy it with a fall chill in the air. With Halloween just around the corner, listen at your own risk...
Recorded September 17, 2020
Aired September 29, 2020

Not to Get Political But ...

Things Get Political with Mark Rush
The Waxberg Professor of Politics and Law and Director of W&L’s Center for International Education joins the podcast to discuss the importance of understanding our political system ahead of the 2020 election (and any election). With host Ruth Candler, Professor Rush also explores his career in international education, from W&L to Dubai and beyond.
Recorded September 29, 2020
Aired October 13, 2020

Let's Get Real… About Surrealism

A Discussion of Dali, Curating and Surrealism's Lasting Impact with Elliott King
The associate professor of art history dives into the subconscious world of Surrealism, unpacking the work of Dali and explaining just how important his long-lasting career was. Professor King also shares how his journey with Dali and other Surrealist artists has deepened through his curatorial work and his courses with students.
Recorded October 12, 2020
Aired October 27, 2020

When You're a Statistical Improbability

Thinking Creatively about Life and the Mathematics within it with Sybil Prince Nelson
Join us for a truly unique conversation with Assistant Professor of Mathematics Sybil Prince Nelson (‘01). Together, we discuss her path through W&L as a Math and Music major; her current careers as a statistician, author and professor; and why she dubbed herself a "statistic improbability."
Recorded October 26, 2020
Aired November 10, 2020