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We are still on a break.  In the meantime, enjoy one of Tony’s favorite interviews from the past. Why have many women in the Middle East resorted to increasingly conservative modes of dress in recent decades?  And what happens after a political regime rapidly collapses leaving society in near total chaos as happened in Iraq […]

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It is the end of the world as we know it! Actually, when hasn’t it been the end of the world as we know it?! That is the question that motivates a fascinating new book looking at the world going to hell. Prof. Robert Joustra discusses “How To Survive the Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at the End of the World,” which he co-authored with Prof. Alissa Wilkinson. We cover everything from Battlestar Galactica to The Walking Dead, all through the lens of the philosophical work of Charles Taylor. We even talk Mad Men and Breaking Bad for good measure.

This is our annual trick and treat for you as you celebrate Reformation Day! Check out our previous spooky Halloween episodes in the archives.

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Why have women in the Middle East resorted to more conservative forms of dress in recent decades? And what happens when social order breaks down in Iraq following the US invasion in 2003? These two questions, along with an analysis of the rise of ISIS, are answered by Dr. David Patel of Brandeis University. He connects these threads via a political economy approach to religious institutions and behavior by showing how signaling and common knowledge are important in coordinating society, and how religious leaders may play a role in enhancing such coordination. David explains how and why Shiites were more successful in building social networks in Iraq following the collapse of the Hussein regime as compared to their Sunni counterparts, and what ISIS has been doing in recent years to account for its success.

Check out our archive for more great episodes on Islam and other topics!

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