What is the impact of our perception of our own body? How does it impact our wellbeing? How does our understanding of our body differ across cultures and change over time?
Psychology researcher Dr Helge Gilmeister and art historian Dr Matt Lodder join Professor Jules Pretty.
Louder than Words is the new podcast encouraging difficult discussions, offering a platform to people making a difference and explaining how you can take action on issues you care about. In each episode Professor Jules Pretty and journalist Martha Dixon will look at a key global issue and give you a chance to hear from leading researchers, policy makers, thinkers and campaigners plus those directly affected by the issue. We’ll be launching the first episode on Thursday 29 April 2021, but we thought we'd give you a taste of what you'll find. Louder Than Words is being brought to you by the Centre for Public and Policy Engagement at the University of Essex and CommsConsult. Upcoming episodes will cover climate change, mental health, migration, inequality and nature as therapy. ...
Theatre and drama can be entertainment, but they can also unstick difficult social problems by promoting empathy, encouraging us to see life from different perspectives and nurturing links between people. The latest Louder Than Words looks at how theatre can bring insights, bring people together and unlocks issues. Theatre writers and creators Professor Liz Kuti and Annecy Lax, from the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre talk to Professor Jules Pretty. They suggest that telling stories, expressing ideas through performance and watching performances in the theatre, online and on television is in many ways as natural as breathing and an essential part of being human. At the same time theatre and drama offers space to transform people. Annecy says: “The kind of theatre I work in can have a really transformational effect on people. I’ve been in the room where that has happened and been involved in projects where theatre has had a huge benefit on people’s lives.” ...
New thinking about how to learn is changing the lives of students. Professor Jules Pretty talks to Dr Liam Jarvis from the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies and Dr Katy Wheeler from the Department of Sociology at the University of Essex. They will be joined by Professor Bruce Hood from the University of Bristol, who will talk about an immersive happiness course for students. ...