Week-in-Review: 3 New vids, 11 Interviews
Added 2019-03-08 15:20:28 +0000 UTCHi everyone! I know it has been a few weeks since my last video, so I wanted to reach out to y'all and let you know what I've been working on.
1) 3 New Videos for March: I am currently editing "Is Religion Biologically Hardwired?" A video that brings in a whole bunch of cognitive science that argues the propensity to be religious is biologically hardwired into humans. I have also filmed "The Last Lama: Who is the Dalai Lama?" a short introduction of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism. I am producing this video in collaboration with Step Back History, a friend and fellow YouTuber (and patron of RFB too! say hi if you see this!) who runs an awesome history channel. I am also desperately trying to finish my St. Patrick's Day special: The Druids: What Do We Actually Know? Which was suggested by a few of you!
2) 11 Interviews: I am conducting eleven, yes eleven, different interviews with scholars of religion in March. 6 cognitive scientists at a conference this week. A New Testament textual criticism expert for her research on the Gospel of John. Jason Josephson-Storm, an expert on Shintoism and magic. And 3 additional interviews with the scholars I chose to collaborate with through the Northeastern University. If these interviews turn out well, they might form the basis for season 1 of a podcast. At the very least, they will be incorporated into new videos.
3) Plenary Panel at American Academy of Religion: I've been invited by the president of the American Academy of Religion to speak on a panel about YouTube and religious studies! Super excited. As some of you may know, the AAR holds a huge meeting every November attended by thousands of religious studies scholars. The plenary panels are usually held in the largest conference room and are attended by tons of people. I'm hoping this will be a big opportunity to try to convince some scholars of the importance of YouTube and public engagement in general.
