Sep 25 2024 39 mins 3
Before Sonia Shah became a renowned science journalist and award-winning author, she got her start at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where studied philosophy and neuroscience and served as editor-in-chief of The Oberlin Review. That early experience at the student-run newspaper, she says, was “absolutely foundational . . It was what made me decide to be a journalist."
Shah has written extensively on global health, human rights, and the environmental crises of our time. Her work on pandemics, the spread of diseases, and humanity’s place in nature has garnered worldwide attention. In this Season 2 Premiere of Running to the Noise, Shah sits down with Oberlin President Carmen Twillie Ambar to discuss her upcoming book, Special: The Rise and Fall of a Beastly Idea, and the dangers of human exceptionalism.
In this conversation, Shah challenges the widely held belief that humans are superior to other species. She shares how our self-perceived dominance has shaped our relationship with nature, disease, and technology, and argues that understanding other species' communication, intelligence, and emotions could redefine our place in the world—ultimately improving life on the planet for everyone.
What We Cover in This Episode:
Sonia Shah’s exploration of human exceptionalism in her latest book, Special: The Rise and Fall of a Beastly Idea.
The moral and economic consequences of treating animals as resources or biological tools, rather than as sentient beings.
How historical events, such as the development of the cholera epidemic, reflect humanity’s role in the spread of pandemics.
The unrecognized communication and intelligence of animals and what we can learn from them.
Sonia’s personal journey from activist journalism to her involvement in electoral politics and why she believes the stakes today are higher than ever.
Show Notes & Resources:
- Sonia Shah’s latest book: Special: The Rise and Fall of a Beastly Idea.
- Sonia Shah’s TED Talk: "3 Reasons We Still Haven’t Gotten Rid of Malaria".
- The Nation article by Sonia Shah on COVID-19 and human responsibility in the environmental crisis.
