PODCAST · society
The East Angle
by The East Angle
In this podcast, two University of East Anglia academics working on Japan, Ra Mason and Sherzod Muminov, discuss the history, politics, current affairs, and sports of the so-called East in the broad sense of the term (that also includes the vast post-Soviet space) but with a specific focus on Japan. In each episode, we do so with the help and insights of our guests, who are often but not always practicing academics, thinkers, and writers. Our goal is to have informal discussions on a region that usually goes under the radar, and to bridge the divide between academia and the broader society.
Episodes
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A Tokyo Special: Simon Lee and Jeffrey J. Hall on Changing Japan
After a long hiatus, the podcast is back! During the summer, the podcast took a break because Sherzod was in Tokyo for three months on a research fellowship. While there, he met and spoke with two people who know Japan intimately and interpret it to the outside world in different ways: Simon Lee,...
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Asylum seekers are on a journey of death: Council worker's day-to-day struggles and message of hope
For this episode, we met up with UEA alumna Elham Metwly, who has an MA in Politics and vast experience in social care, specifically working with asylum seekers and refugees in various capacities for local government organisations in the UK.Elham shared her experiences and insight and helped…
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Samurai, Castles, and the Making of Modern Japan - A Conversation with Professor Oleg Benesch
In this episode, Ra and Sherzod welcomed Prof. Oleg Benesch to the podcast. Oleg is Professor of East Asian History at the University of York and has written and co-authored a number of amazing books on Japanese history. His first book was Inventing the Way of the Samurai (Oxford, 2014), and in...
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Where will the babies come from? Talking Japan's future with a Japanese student
We invited Iguchi Haruka, a student from Japan currently studying International Politics at the UEA, to this Christmas episode. We asked Haruka questions on issues we often discuss on the podcast: Japan's declining population, attitudes to over-tourism and immigration, attitudes towards work-life...
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Cold War Japan, bears, Kyoto, sumo, and so much more—A conversation with Prof. Thomas French
We were delighted to host Prof. Thomas French, who is a historian of modern Japan, in this new episode of the East Angle.Tom has been a friend and colleague to both of us over many years. He has lived and worked in Kyoto for almost fifteen years, and is currently Associate Professor in the…
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We invited a colleague and a student to ask about their Japan experiences
In this episode, we sit down with a colleague, Dr Georgia Walker-Churchman, and a master’s student, Mr Kevin Revell, who both recently travelled to Japan. We were curious to hear about their experiences firsthand. The resulting conversation was full of curiosities for us. From favourite…
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From Union Jacks to the LDP and the Premier League: What’s Unfolding Now
In this episode, the hosts Ra and Sherzod dive into England’s heated flag-hanging debate that has dominated the news over the past few weeks (with a local twist as Ra provides an eye-witness account of a nervy encounter), unpack the candidates and stakes in Japan’s LDP leadership race, and gear…
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Beyond Pokémon, Anime and Sushi: The Real Story of Japan’s Soft Power
This week's guest is a former student of one of the hosts, Sherzod, and current supervisee of the other, Ra.Heather Faure is writing a dissertation on Japan's soft power, which she says explains the nation's rising popularity globally, including nations where the memory of its expansionist empire...
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The End of Expertise: In a Divided World Full of Opinions, Does Truth Still Matter?
In a post-truth world where more and more people get their news and knowledge from social media or other non-traditional sources, does expertise count anymore? The spread of mobile phones and high-speed internet has enabled unprecedented levels of access to information, but how does one navigate...
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Why is everyone crazy about immigration?
For this episode, we invited our UEA colleague Dr Juvaria Jafri to discuss the hot topic of our times - immigration. Why has immigration become such a controversial issue? Why do all the so-called First World countries worry about the growing number of migrants despite the fact that these very...
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Why are Japanese people having less sex? And is porn to blame?
In this episode the hosts Ra and Sherzod discussed the issues besetting contemporary Japan - and the world - such as the decline of birthrate, rise in mental health issues, and the feeling of helplessness and uncertainty about the future. They talked about "social ailments" such as the hikikomori...
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Why decolonize the curriculum and wider society? A conversation with our student Anastassia Melnikov
We invited our postgraduate student, Anastassia Melnikov, to this episode for a refreshing perspective on the university, society, and the world. Anastassia has a unique family history. A child of Soviet parents who fought against authoritarianism, she grew up in several countries and experienced…
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Is Trump courting Russia because he is worried about China? A conversation with Sergey Radchenko
What lessons can we draw from the Soviet Union's Cold War bid to Run the World, which is the title of the latest book by the historian Sergey Radchenko? What does Russia's sense of historic destiny tell us about its relations with the West and China? Hosts Ra and Sherzod discussed these and some...
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Were atomic bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki an experiment, and other questions with Ran Zwigenberg
In this episode Ra and Sherzod welcomed Ran Zwigenberg, a scholar of Japanese and world history and associate professor at Penn State. A prize-winning historian, Ran is one of the most eclectic and interesting scholars currently writing on Japan, war memory, castles, history of psychiatry and…
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Will Trump's deal for Ukraine be good for the world?
Recorded as Marco Rubio prepared to meet with a Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia and European leaders gathered in Paris, this episode has the hosts disagreeing on Trump's approach to the Ukraine War. They also talked about philosopher kings and the evolution of Kaoru Mitoma as the most...
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New podcast season! A chat on Okinawa, culture wars, and the first Uzbek in the Premier League!
With Ra in sunnier places than the cold and grey England, the hosts recorded the January episode online, discussing such diverse topics as the state of Okinawa and Japan, latest edition of culture wars in Britain and long-running exploitation in Japan, as well as social issues. Moving on to…
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Episode 7 (Christmas Edition): How does Japan do Christmas? And has 2024 been a good year for Japan?
In this final episode of 2024 the hosts Ra Mason and Sherzod Muminov discussed the major events of the outgoing year. They also talked about Christmas in Japan (and the Soviet Union), questioned whether Japan can be optimistic going forward, and asked why baseball is more popular in Japan than...
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Episode 6: What Trump's victory will mean for Japan, with Paul O'Shea
Paul O'Shea is a specialist in the international relations of East Asia and a senior lecturer at Lund University in Sweden. We asked him about the implications of Trump's upcoming second term for Japan and East Asia, the political crises in the leading democracies, the cost of living crisis,...
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Episode 5: With the author Nick Bradley
We invited the writer Nick Bradley to this episode of the podcast to discuss novels, Japan, AI and other things. Nick Bradley is a graduate of the UEA Creative Writing MA. He also completed his PhD at the UEA, where he researched the figure of the cat in Japanese literature. Nick's first book…
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Episode 4: Kishida's Legacy and Challenges Faced by Japan's New Leadership
In this brief episode, Ra and Sherzod discuss the challenges faced by Japan's new prime minister and assess the legacy of the now former PM Kishida.
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Episode 3: War in Ukraine
This episode is recorded in collaboration with the East Centre - University of East Anglia's Centre for the Study of East-Central Europe and the former Soviet Space. Ra and Sherzod are joined by Dr Francis King and Dr Olga Sovenko to discuss the war in Ukraine from historical, sociological, and...
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Episode 2: What is this podcast? And What's Japan's Place in the World?
In this episode the hosts Ra Mason and Sherzod Muminov introduce both the podcast and themselves to the audience. They talk about the backstory of the East Angle, their own strange experiences in Japan before turning to the big question: "What's Japan's Place in the World?" Finally, they end the...
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Episode 1: Gender Issues in Japan
Why does Japan, one of the leading nations in the world, lag behind when it comes gender equality? What should change in society for gender equality to be achieved? In this first episode of The East Angle, hosts Ra Mason and Sherzod Muminov discuss gender issues in Japan with Mami Mizutori, a top...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
In this podcast, two University of East Anglia academics working on Japan, Ra Mason and Sherzod Muminov, discuss the history, politics, current affairs, and sports of the so-called East in the broad sense of the term (that also includes the vast post-Soviet space) but with a specific focus on Japan. In each episode, we do so with the help and insights of our guests, who are often but not always practicing academics, thinkers, and writers. Our goal is to have informal discussions on a region that usually goes under the radar, and to bridge the divide between academia and the broader society.
HOSTED BY
The East Angle
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The East Angle have?
The East Angle currently has 23 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The East Angle about?
In this podcast, two University of East Anglia academics working on Japan, Ra Mason and Sherzod Muminov, discuss the history, politics, current affairs, and sports of the so-called East in the broad sense of the term (that also includes the vast post-Soviet space) but with a specific focus on...
How often does The East Angle release new episodes?
The East Angle has 23 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The East Angle?
You can listen to The East Angle on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The East Angle?
The East Angle is created and hosted by The East Angle.
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