The Science & Belief in Society Podcast
Episodes
The complex relationship between science and religion in the 19th century
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bernard Lightman, a Distinguished Professor of Humanities at York University, in Toronto, Canada, who is best known for his work on the Cultural Histo...
What do Muslims think about science?
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sociologists Dr Saleema Burney and Dr Stephen Jones, now at the University of Keele, were both part of the ‘Science and Religion: Exploring the Spec...
Where is the global in the history of science?
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Alexander Hall, an Assistant Professor at McMaster University in Canada who studies the history ofbiology and environmental science in popular me...
Are scientists allowed to be religious at work?
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr Carissa Sharp, a social psychologist at the University of Birmingham, Dr Renny Thomas, a sociologist at the Indian Institute of Sc...
Exposing the oft overlooked historical connections between the natural and the supernatural
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Peter Harrison, Professor Emeritus of History and Philosophy at the University of Queensland, talks about his latest book, Some New W...
How do students reconcile their beliefs with their school curriculum?
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rachael Shillitoe is a sociologist and a senior social scientist in the British civil service. She was previously a Leverhulme Research Fellow at the ...
What do religious and spiritual Australians think about modern medicine?
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Anna Halafoff, an Associate Professor of Sociology and coordinator of the Spirituality and Wellbeing (SWell) Research Network, SWELL, based at Deak...
How do religious views affect abortion policies in the US and South America?
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Amy Adamczyk, Professor of Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of City University of New York, and Dr Reynaldo Rivera and Dr Ma...
What do non-religious scientists think about their religious colleagues? With Dr. Rebecca Catto
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the third episode of our new series, Dr Rebecca Catto, Associate Professor of Sociology at Kent State University (USA) who was for a decade a Princ...
What role does morality play in the relationship between religion and science? with Prof. John H. Evans
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
John Evans, Tata Chancellor’s Chair in Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology, and Co-Director of the Institute of Practical Ethics of the Univer...
The Successes of the INSBS with Prof. Fern Elsdon-Baker
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fern Elsdon-Baker, Professor of Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society at the University of Birmingham, looks back at the successes of the network s...
Emerging Trends in the History of Science and Religion with Dr Adam Shapiro
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of the season, James and Will are joined by Dr Adam R. Shapiro, an historian of science, whose work focuses on public understandi...
Psychology of (non)Religion with Dr Carissa Sharp and Dr Carola Leicht
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the penultimate episode of the season, Will and Rebecca are joined by Dr Carissa Sharp, Assistant Professor in Psychology of Religion in the School...
Religious Identity, Political Orientation and Vaccine Attitudes with Dr Renate Ysseldyk and Emily Tippins
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Will is joined by a new co-host Dr Rebecca Hughes, a social psychologist at the University of Birmingham. Will and Rebecca welcome Ren...
Abortion, Religion & Liberalism with Professor Amy Adamczyk
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this timely episode James and Will welcome Amy Adamczyk, Professor of Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and The Graduate Center, Ci...
Science and Religion in Argentina with Professor Reynaldo Rivera, Dr Arturo Fitz Herbert and Sol Barbera
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode James and Will welcome Professor Reynaldo Rivera, Full Professor in the School of Communication and Design, post-doctoral researcher D...
STS and Religion in Conversation with Dr Thokozani Kamwendo, Dr Caroline McCalman, Dr James Riley and Dr Will Mason-Wilkes
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode James and Will welcome Dr Thokozani Kamwendo, post-doctoral researcher at Durham University, and Dr Caroline McCalman, post-doctoral r...
Science & Meaning: From 'Cultured Meat' to the March for Science with Dr Neil Stephens
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we welcome Dr Neil Stephens, Associate Professor in Technology and Society at the University of Birmingham. Neil discusses his 15+ yea...
Reflections on the History of Science & Religion with Prof. Bernard Lightman
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode (our first recorded in-person) we talk with distinguished historian of science Professor Bernard Lightman. We discuss his wide-ranging...
The End of the World with Dr Hauke Riesch
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Science & Belief in Society Podcast is back - but for how much longer? In this opening episode of Season 3, James and Will welcome Dr Hauke Ri...
Measuring Meditation: the Study of Contemplative Science with Mareike Smolka
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Religious practices and their effects are increasingly the subject of scientific investigation. In the field of Contemplative Science, mediative pract...
Science and Colonial Legacies in East Africa with Professor Adam Chepkwony
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Richard and Will talk with Professor Adam Chepkwony, a Full Professor of Religion at the University of Kabianga in Kenya. Professor C...
Science and Islam in the 19th Century with Dr Sarah Qidwai
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Rachael and Richard talk with Dr Sarah Qidwai, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Regensburg, Germany. Sarah’s work exp...
Science Scepticism around the World with Dr Baastian Rutjens
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding public attitudes towards science has become an increasingly important area of research in recent decades, and the importance of this kin...
Evolution and Creation in New Zealand with Dr John Stenhouse
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode James Riley and Richard Grove talk with John Stenhouse, Associate Professor of History at the University of Otago, New Zealand. ...
Cultural Psychology of the Mind with Dr. Vivian Dzokoto
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, hosts Richard Grove and James Riley meet with Dr. Vivian Dzokoto, a Cultural Psychologist at Virginia Commonwealth University in the ...
Varieties of Atheism in Science with Professor Elaine Howard Ecklund and Dr David R. Johnson
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, hosts Rachael Shillitoe and Richard Grove, meet with Elaine Howard Ecklund, Professor of Sociology at Rice University and David R. Jo...
Science, (Con)spirituality and COVID-19 with Dr Anna Halafoff
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
New-age spirituality, wellness and alternative health practices have been cast in a new light as the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded. The relationship ...
Fingerprinting Ghosts: Science, Technology & the Occult with The Media of Mediumship Project Team
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Media of Mediumship project is running jointly at the University of Stirling and the Science Museum Group. The project team comprises Principal In...
Season Two Trailer
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A sneak peak of what's coming up in Season Two of The Science & Belief in Society Podcast
Science and Religion in Mass Media - Dr Tom Aechtner
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of Season 1 of the Science & Belief in Society Podcast, we’re re-joined by Dr Tom Aechtner, Senior Lecturer in Religion and...
Science and Non-religion - Dr Lois Lee
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we talk with Dr Lois Lee about the relationship between science and non-religion and the perceived affinity between the two. Through ...
Historical Research on Science and Religion: The Conflict Thesis Revisited - Dr James Ungureanu
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode James and Will welcome Dr James Ungureanu, Historian in Residence in the George L. Mosse Program in History at the University of Wisco...
Science and Religion in African Contexts - Dr Bankole Falade
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk with Dr Bankole Falade about his recent social psychological and media research on science and religion in South Africa and Ni...
The Humanist Blockbuster and the Evolutionary Epic - Dr Alexander Hall
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we welcome Dr Alexander Hall, who discusses his research into the popular media representation of science and religion in the 20thcen...
Special: Measuring Public Attitudes - Dr Cary Funk and Dr Courtney Johnson from the Pew Research Centre
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Pew Research Centre is a fact tank which focuses on issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. They study U.S. politics and policy; journalis...
Science and Religion amongst Indian Scientists - Dr Renny Thomas
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr Renny Thomas introduces his research on science and religion in India. Renny explains how his ethnographic work in Indian laborato...
Science, Religion and Stereotypes - Dr Kimberly Rios
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest for this latest instalment of the Science & Belief in Society Podcast is Dr. Kimberly Rios, Associate Professor at Ohio University, whos...
Special: COVID, Conspiracies & Vaccines - Dr Tom Aechtner
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, we caught up with Dr Tom Aechtner, Senior Lecturer in Religion and Science at the University of Queensland, to record an episode for the Sci...
Sociological Research on Science and Religion in the USA - Dr Shiri Noy
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we talk with Dr Shiri Noy about the value of quantitative and qualitative methods in understanding public attitudes to science and re...
Introducing the Network - Prof. Fern Elsdon-Baker
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Professor Fern Elsdon-Baker introduces the Network and explains the importance of multi-disciplinary and international research into ...
Science and Belief in Society Trailer
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Trailer for the Science and Belief in Society Podcast.