Why Social Categories Matter — Steven Vertovec | Futures of Difference Ep. 0

Описание: Why do social categories like race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality have such real impact on everyday life — and why are they changing in unprecedented ways right now? In this introductory episode, anthropologist Steven Vertovec and journalist Georg Diez explain what Futures of Difference is about.

Steven Vertovec is Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity and has spent his career examining how social categories shape societies across the Caribbean, the UK, Germany, Singapore, and South Africa.

Georg Diez is a journalist, author of "Anderland," and former Spiegel columnist. He brings a perspective shaped by years of reporting on Europe's migration crisis, identity politics, and the forces of othering — asking what these shifts mean for the future of democracy.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
→ How social categories shape everyday experience and inequalities
→ Why we are at a critical juncture in how groups are being talked about
→ What this podcast series will explore across five episodes
→ How othering, identity, and democratic struggle are reshaping diversity
→ Why social categories are more malleable than most people think

CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
0:12 - Steven Vertovec — Social categories across societies
0:42 - Why this is a critical moment
1:24 - What this podcast explores
1:36 - Georg Diez — Journalist, Spiegel, "Anderland"
2:38 - Othering, identity, and the future of democracy
3:08 - Why this conversation matters
3:39 - Looking ahead

UPCOMING EPISODES:
Ep. 1: Social Categorization and Populism — with Michele Lamont (Harvard)
Ep. 2: Migration and Ethnic Diversity — with Dan Hiebert (UBC)
Ep. 3: Colonial Legacies and Cultural Diversity — with Junjia Ye (NTU Singapore)
Ep. 4: Mixity and How Social Categories Change — with Miri Song (Kent/LSE)
Ep. 5: Essentialism, Intersectionality, and Social Complexity — with Ann Phoenix (UCL)

ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Steven Vertovec is an anthropologist and Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity. He is the originator of the superdiversity concept, which describes the unprecedented level of demographic and social complexity in contemporary societies.

Georg Diez is a journalist, author, and podcast co-host. His book "Anderland" examines the transformation of German society through migration and cultural change. He was a long-time columnist for Der Spiegel and has written extensively on identity, democracy, and the politics of difference.

———
LISTEN & WATCH EVERYWHERE
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cpm9PFeksY2...
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futu...

ESSAYS, PODCASTS & MORE
📧 Subscribe: https://futuresofdifference.substack.com

ABOUT
Futures of Difference is produced by Steven Vertovec at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity.
🌐 https://www.mmg.mpg.de

#FuturesOfDifference #SocialCategories #HumanDiversity #StevenVertovec #GeorgDiez #Anderland #AcademicPodcast #Superdiversity #Diversity