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by Converging Dialogues
Converging Dialogues is a podcast that is designed to have honest and authentic conversations with a diversity of thoughts and opinions. Wide-ranging topics include philosophy, psychology, politics, and social commentary. A spirit of civility, respect, and open-mindedness is the guiding compass. convergingdialogues.substack.com
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- 3 days ago1h 33m
#493 - Athens & Sparta: A Dialgoue with Adrian Goldsworthy
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Adrian Goldsworthy about the history of Athens and Sparta. They provide an overview of Athens and Sparta, Aegean history, and city-states in Ancient Greece. They talk about why tyranny did not work in these early city-states, Persian War with Greece, Peloponnesian War, Alexander the Great, legacies of Athens and Sparta, and many more topics. Adrian Goldsworthy is a historian and author. He has his DPhil from Oxford University and has conducted research at Cardiff University and taught at King’s College London and University of Notre Dame. He is the author of numerous books on Roman history. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
- 1 weeks ago1h 8m
#492 - The Life of George Washington: A Dialogue with H.W. Brands
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with H.W. Brands about the life of George Washington. They discuss Washington as an enigma, his social and political statue, his upbringing and temperament, and his relationship with his wife and his relationship with slavery. They also talk about Washington as a general, as president, and the legacy of Washington.H. W. Brands holds the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin. He has written more than a dozen biographies and histories, including The General vs. the President, a New York Times bestseller. Two of his biographies, The First American and Traitor to His Class, were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. He is the author of the latest book, American Patriarch: The life of George Washington. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
- 2 weeks ago1h 27m
#491 - Boundaries of Belonging in the Ottoman Empire: A Dialogue with Ayşe Baltacıoğlu-Brammer
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ayşe Baltacıoğlu-Brammer about belonging among various ethnic and religious groups in the early and middle Ottoman period. They discuss the landscape of religious and sectarian divides in the early Ottoman Empire, Turkic origins of the Safavids and Sufis, the Qizilbash, and various sociocultural variables. They talk about immigration between the Safavids and the Ottomans, the Safavid’s turn from Sufi to Shia, Qizilbash documents and Ottoman surveillance, remnants today, and many more topics. Ayşe Baltacıoğlu-Brammer is Assistant Professor of History and Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies & Steering Committee Chair of the Ottoman Studies Initiative (OTS-NYU) at New York University. She has her PhD from The Ohio State University. She specializes in Middle Eastern history, with a focus on early modern Ottoman and Safavid Empires. She is the author of the book, Boundaries of Belonging: Sectarianism and Statecraft in the Early Modern Ottoman Empire. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
- 3 weeks ago1h 45m
#490 - A New History of Europe: A dialogue with Roderick Beaton
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Roderick Beaton about the history of Europe. They discuss how Europe is defined, origins of Europe from ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Turkey, European history as Christian history, Europe during WWI and WWII, the European Union, and the future of Europe. Roderick Beaton is a professor emeritus at King’s College London. He has written several books on Greek and European history, including The Greeks and Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation, which was shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize. He is the four-time winner of the prestigious Runciman Award, and in 2024 was knighted by King Charles III “for services to History.” He is the author of the latest book, Europe: A New History. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
- May 5, 20261h 11m
#489 - Four Billion Years of Life on Earth: A Dialogue with Andrew Knoll
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andrew Knoll about the four billion years of life on earth. They discuss geobiology, carbon and the carbon cycle, nitrogen and phosphorus, sulfur, and metals in the human body. They also talk about plate tectonics, habitability, minerals, climate change, life on other planets, and the future of life on earth. Andrew Knoll is the Fisher Research Professor of Natural History and Earth and Planetary Sciences, Emeritus, at Harvard University. He is the recipient of the International Prize for Biology and the Crafoord Prize in Geosciences and member of the National Academy of Sciences. His books include A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters and Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth, and the most recent, Earth and Life: A four billion year conversation. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
- Apr 27, 20261h 21m
#488 - A New History of the Ancient Maya: A Dialogue with David Stuart
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Stuart about the ancient Maya. They provide an overview of the Maya, Mayan language, beginnings of the Mayan civilization, Mayan creation myth, early collapse of the ancient Maya, dynasties in the classic Mayan period, Teotihuacán, the four heavens, Spanish conquest, and many more topics. David Stuart is the David and Linda Schele Professor of Mesoamerican Art and Writing and director of the Mesoamerica Center at the University of Texas at Austin. His books include Palenque: Eternal City of the Maya, The Order of Days: Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancient Maya, Spearthrower Owl: A Teotihuacan Ruler in Maya History, and the most recent, The Four Heavens: A New History of the Ancient Maya. He is the youngest person ever to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
- Apr 20, 20261h 9m
#487 - In Praise of Addiction: A Dialogue with Elizabeth F. S. Roberts
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Elizabeth F. S. Roberts talk about different ways of thinking about addiction. They define addiction, substance and control, considerations on whether dependency is maladaptive, individual decisions, cultural distinctions, loneliness and substances, and many other topics. Elizabeth F. S. Roberts is professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan. Since 2013, she has participated in collaborative environmental health research in Mexico City. She is the author of the latest book, In Praise of Addiction. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
- Apr 14, 202659 min
#486 - Adventures in the Louvre: A Dialogue with Elaine Sciolino
In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Elaine Sciolino about the Louvre. They discuss the allure of the Louvre, history of the Louvre, the Mona Lisa, Nike, and stolen artifacts. They discuss Persian art, Pyramid of the Louvre, the Louvre at night, sexism in the Louvre, first time and returning visitors, and many more topics. Elaine Sciolino is a contributing writer and former Paris bureau chief for The New York Times, based in Paris since 2002. Her latest book, Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum, is now out in paperback. In 2025, it was named an Economist best book of the year, a Smithsonian Magazine best travel book, a New York Observer best art book, and a Library Journal best book of the year. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe
About Converging Dialogues
Converging Dialogues is a podcast that is designed to have honest and authentic conversations with a diversity of thoughts and opinions. Wide-ranging topics include philosophy, psychology, politics, and social commentary. A spirit of civility, respect, and open-mindedness is the guiding compass. convergingdialogues.substack.com
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