In Context with School for Advanced Research

You never think about it…until it fails. Universal electrification, microgrids, storage, and the politics of batteries- this episode dives into how the power system we barely notice shapes our daily lives, our sense of fairness, and our climate future. In this episode: The hidden history behind the power grid you rely on every day Why electricity is as much about people and politics as it is about...

What if the real story of the border isn’t about walls at all? In this episode, we explore how rivers, irrigation projects, and trade routes have bound together and divided the U.S., Mexico, and Canada over nearly two centuries. In this episode, Paul and C. J. discuss:  Personal roots in the U.S.–Mexico borderlands and origins of the project Transformation of the border through massive constr...

In this episode, Paul and Gabriella discuss:  What Gabriella Coleman means by “sturdy knowledge” and why the concept matters in today’s epistemic crisis How misinformation debates often rely on a “naive liberal epistemology” that oversimplifies how knowledge is produced Why is scientific consensus difficult to achieve, even without political polarization Why AI boosterism reflects the same ep...

In this episode, Paul, Carl, and Heidi discuss: What it feels like to live in Minneapolis amid intensified ICE and Border Patrol operations. The role of legal observers and rapid response networks in documenting enforcement activity. The power and limits of social media in organizing, surveillance, and public accountability. How churches, small businesses, musicians, and neighborhood groups are re...

In this episode, Paul, Barbara, Phillip, and Robert discuss:  Why Chaco Canyon drew people for centuries, and why it continues to remain a powerful symbol of the ancient Southwest. What social network migration has revealed about Chaco Canyon throughout the centuries. How science, oral tradition, and indigenous epistemologies can better work together to interpret sacred places like Chaco. The...

In this episode, Paul, Maurizio, Parker, Steven, and James discuss: How AI and machine learning have changed the approach to archeological research. Understanding the paradigm shift AI brings to archaeology. Multi-factorial and the human factor. Ethical considerations surrounding AI, indigenous communities, and cultural heritage. Key Takeaways: We are currently in a stage of experimentation where...

Welcome to In Context with SAR! In this episode, Doug and Paul introduce In Context with SAR! How do the present and past shape each other? Why does understanding this matter? Investigating Humanity with SAR tackles the fascinating world of scholarly research through questions like why people left Chaco Canyon or how climate change affects migration and explores them through the perspectives of th...