Chapter 1: Why the Humanities and Social Sciences when people are starving?

In 2020, Nigeria's president Muhammadu Buhari comforted kidnapped and released school boys in Kankara, Katsina State by telling them that "You children are very lucky. I hope you will be very careful your success in the future depends not on subjects like History and English but Technology." This derision for the humanities (and the idea that one can study only one or the other, and when faced with the choice, one must study only Technology) is a widely held sentiment in Nigeria by leaders and everyday citizens.

In this episode, I make a case for why 'Humanities and Social Sciences' or 'Technology and Natural Sciences' is a false dilemma. Interdisciplinary education can provide a more holistic understanding of society and foster critical thinking and communication skills in individuals. The Humanities are critical for the well-being of a diverse, democratic and postcolonial society like ours because they help us define what 'better' means for us.

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00:00 Introduction to Sweet Medicine Podcast

05:20 Critique of Government Attitudes Towards Humanities

10:52 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Education

17:40 Personal Journey and Opportunities in Humanities

21:31 The Broader Impact of Humanities and Social Sciences

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