Historian Surekha Davies Knows Where Monsters Really Come From ('Humans: A Monstrous History') episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 11, 2025 · 48 MIN

Historian Surekha Davies Knows Where Monsters Really Come From ('Humans: A Monstrous History')

from 5AM StoryTalk · host Cole Haddon

Historian of science, monster consultant, and author of the brilliant new book '⁠Humans: A Monstrous History⁠'. Today I'm joined by DR. SUREKHA DAVIES, and we'll talking the perception of category breakers as monsters in history and storytelling and how our relationship to these 'monsters' helped invent race, gender, and nations along the way. This conversation couldn’t be more relevant to our world today – from migrant crises, to trans rights, to Gaza.A BONUS EPISODE with Surekha is also available via Apple Podcasts or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at ⁠Substack⁠. In it, Surekha discusses a seminal piece of art from her life — the iconic 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' episodes, 'THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS' Parts 1 and 2, which involve one of her favorite fictional monsters…the Borg.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-dr-surekha-davies-talks-star-trek-tngs-the-best/id1807437928?i=1000723059163Substack: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/bonus-episode-surekha-davies-talksLINKS:Learn more about Dr. Surekha Davies and buy ‘Humans: A Monstrous History’ here: https://www.surekhadavies.org/Watch the trailer for ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’: ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ Parts 1 and 2 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RPxUenDwSE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fcolehaddon.substack.com%2FIn my conversation with Surekha, I mention my artist-on-artist conversation with historian, author, and screenwriter Alex von Tunzelmann. You can read that here: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/q-and-a-historian-and-screenwriter?utm_source=publication-searchSUBSCRIBE TO THE '5AM STORYTALK NEWSLETTER'⁠⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/⁠⁠You'll gain access to both the 5AM StoryTalk newsletter and all episodes of this podcast – including exclusive bonus episodes in which my guests discuss seminal pieces of art from their lives. Ask questions in the comments section there, too!SUBSCRIBE TO THE '5AM STORYTALK PODCAST' AT APPLE⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5am-storytalk/id1807437928⁠⁠A paid subscription at Apple will get you access to all of my bonus episodes in which my guests return to break down a seminal artwork from their lives.TIP JARNot up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIAFollow Cole/5AM StoryTalk at…⁠⁠5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠EMAIL⁠[email protected] StoryTalk would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast's music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠

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Historian Surekha Davies Knows Where Monsters Really Come From ('Humans: A Monstrous History')

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