Video Lectures
Author Talk: The Borders of Our Minds
Historian and journalist David Mould discusses his latest book on travel, history, and culture, "Postcards from the Borderlands," Mould explores the meaning of borders. Are they simply political and geographical, marked by posts, walls, and fences, or should we think of them more broadly?
His journey begins with maps and cartoons that poke fun at how we view other parts of the US. He moves on to the carve-up of Africa, the artificial (and often straight-line) borders drawn by colonial powers. He explores what The Economist called “the world’s craziest border” between India and Bangladesh in South Asia. Through the gerrymandered jumble of former Soviet republics whose names end in -stan, he ends up in Central Asia.
Mould is Professor Emeritus of Media Arts and Studies at Ohio University, has traveled widely in Asia and southern Africa. Born in the UK, he worked as a newspaper and TV journalist before moving to the US. His travel essays and articles have been published in Newsweek, Christian Science Monitor, Times Higher Education, and History News Network. His books include: "Monsoon Postcards: Indian Ocean Journeys" (Ohio University Press, 2019)
"Postcards from Stanland: Journeys in Central Asia" (Ohio University Press, 2016).
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