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The Subverse

Dark N Light
Climate Change
Indian Science Fiction
Capitalism
Climate Crisis
Big Cats
Anthropocene
Conservation
Himalayas
Uttarakhand
Speculative Fiction
The Blaft Book Of Anti-Caste SF
Dibang Valley
The Sentence
Caste System
Aerocene
Nature
Asiatic Golden Cat
Environmental Aesthetics
Cultural Evolution
Wildlife Conservation

The Subverse, presented by Dark 'n' Light is a podcast that uncovers the hidden and marginal in stories about nature, culture and social justice. From the cosmic to the quantum, from cells to cities and from colonial histories to reimagining futures. Join Susan Mathews every fortnight on a Thursday for weird and wonderful conversations, narrated essays and poems that dwell on the evolving continge... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes75Founded5 years ago
Categories
Society & CultureArts

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Artwork for The Subverse

Latest Episodes

In the final episode of the season, Susan Mathews speaks with Antone Martinho-Truswell, a fascinating behavioural ecologist, Operations Manager at the Sydney Policy Lab, and Research Associate at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the U... more

In episode four of The Subverse, host Susan Mathews talks with Joaquin Ezcurra, an intrepid and adventurous cartographer, marine technician and web developer. Since 2017, Joaquin has been actively involved in Aerocene, an open-source, experimental pr... more

In episode three, Susan Mathews continues her conversation with Mădălina Diaconu, a researcher at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Vienna, Austria and author of Aesthetics of Weather (2024). Mădălina works on environmental aesthetics... more

In episode two, Susan Mathews speaks to Mădălina Diaconu, a researcher at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Vienna, Austria and author of Aesthetics of Weather (2024) who works on environmental aesthetics, urban aesthetics and phenome... more

We kick off season five of The Subverse, focused on the element of 'air', with host Susan Mathews in conversation with Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune, India. Roxy has made breakthroug... more

In episode three of season four, host Anjali Alappat sits down with writer, academic and documentary producer, Sami Ahmad Khan.

He is the author of Red Jihad: Battle for South Asia (2012), Aliens in Delhi (2017), and the monograph Star Warriors of... more

In this final instalment of Cataplisms, we join conservation anthropologist Sahil Nijhawan and his collaborator Iho Mitapo in the Dibang Valley on a journey that is both spiritual and scientific. Iho and Sahil are founding members of the Dibang Team,... more

In episode three, we chat with Rashmi Devadasan, Rakesh Khanna, and R.T. Samuel, the brilliant minds behind The Blaft Book of Anti-Caste SF, which has been making waves in the Indian speculative fiction scene.

Rashmi Devadasan is a writer with ove... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host

Recent Guests

Antone Martinho-Truswell
Evolutionary biologist and member of the Sydney Policy Lab and the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney.
University of Sydney
Episode: Defying Gravity: Bird flight, culture and evolutionary grooves
Joaquín Ezcurra
Intrepid cartographer, marine technician, and web developer involved with the Aerocene movement.
Aerocene
Episode: Floating on an Ocean of Air: Exploring the intersections of art, activism and science
Mădălina Diaconu
Researcher of environmental aesthetics and urban aesthetics
Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna
Episode: Configurations of Air: Matter, Traces and Making a Landscape
Roxy Mathew Koll
Climate scientist from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
Episode: Currents of Change
Dr. Sami Ahmad Khan
Writer, academic and documentary producer, recipient of several academic honors including a Fulbright grant, teaches at JNU.
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Episode: Sami Ahmad Khan
Rashmi Devadasan
Co-founder of Blaft Publications and writer with over 25 years in indie publishing, Tamil feature films, and Indian English theatre.
Blaft Publications
Episode: Rashmi Devadasan, Rakesh Khanna & R.T. Samuel
Rakesh Khanna
Co-founder of Blaft Publications, editor of various anthologies, including The Blaft Book of Anti-Caste SF.
Blaft Publications
Episode: Rashmi Devadasan, Rakesh Khanna & R.T. Samuel
R.T. Samuel
Editor and independent cultural producer working between London and New Delhi, co-editor of The Blaft Book of Anti-Caste SF.
Blaft Publications
Episode: Rashmi Devadasan, Rakesh Khanna & R.T. Samuel
Gautam Bhatia
Author, editor, and lawyer
Episode: Gautam Bhatia

Host

Susan Mathews
Host and creator of a series focused on literary inspiration and the intersections of culture, nature, and social justice. She guides conversations that explore various dimensions of contemporary ecological and cultural topics.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 15 ratings
  • Excellent, intellectually stimulating and easy to understand

    What a brilliant podcast. I love how diverse and nuanced the topics on this podcast are. Super interesting conversations and incredible book recommendations too. Definitely a must listen. An eye opener.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TalesandTexts
    India3 years ago
  • All creatures great and small

    Beautifully crafted and highly informative

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ujbook
    Netherlands5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

There are commendations for the enlightening discussions that challenge prevailing narratives and promote awareness.
Listeners appreciate the intellectually stimulating content and diverse topics.
Feedback highlights the captivating storytelling approach that blends literature with social issues.

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That’s Just How We Talk
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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Gautam Bhatia
Q: What do you think are the gaps right now in terms of storytelling in the Indian sci-fi landscape?
I think we need more expansive and universal narratives, especially grand space operas that are not identifiable as Indian but still resonate with broader themes.
Gautam Bhatia
Q: How do you feel the Indian sci-fi scene has developed in these last few years?
There have been new writers emerging, but it's still top heavy and has a long way to go in terms of depth and representation compared to genres like Chinese sci-fi.
Gautam Bhatia
Q: Could you tell us a bit about the anthology you're editing for Westland?
It is completely by open call, meaning there are no solicited pieces. We received 233 submissions and selected 10 stories and one novel using a double-blind peer review process.
Rashmi Devadasan, Rakesh Khanna & R.T. Samuel
Q: What made you want to be a writer and a storyteller? Did you always want to be one?
I grew up as a huge bookworm and wanted to be part of the magical process of creating books.
Floating on an Ocean of Air: Exploring the intersections of art, activism and science
Q: How do you look back at this? And what are some of the lessons that we could take going forward?
One lesson is to keep fighting amidst rising right-wing movements and the implications of lithium extraction on indigenous rights.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Subverse

What is The Subverse about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focusing on themes around the intersections of nature, culture, and social justice, episodes feature deep and often unconventional explorations of ecological and societal issues. Conversations often include unique guests from diverse backgrounds such as evolutionary biology, literary studies, and environmental activism, seeking to highlight marginalized voices and innovative perspectives. The podcast's distinctive narrative style also incorporates essays and poetry, enriching the discussion on how colonial histories shape current ecological and social landscapes, alongside potential future pathways for justice and sustainability. It presents an engaging blend of scholarly inquiry and artistic expression, making it appealing to those interes... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers The Subverse has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of The Subverse are there?

The Subverse launched 5 years ago and published 75 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Subverse?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Subverse?

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What guests have appeared on The Subverse?

Recent guests on The Subverse include:

1. Antone Martinho-Truswell
2. Joaquín Ezcurra
3. Mădălina Diaconu
4. Roxy Mathew Koll
5. Dr. Sami Ahmad Khan
6. Rashmi Devadasan
7. Rakesh Khanna
8. R.T. Samuel

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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