KU Leuven Faculty of Arts

Julie Claeys, Bastiaan De Groote and Laura Van Hoeymissen explore the differences between being pregnant and giving birth now and in the nineteenth century.

Karen Rock and Lisa Zamboni try to figure out why nostalgia is such an important phenomenon in our culture, both in the past and today. The neurological phenomenon is largely responsible for the Friends revival, the creation of series such as Stranger Things and the vinyl comeback. Professor of English literature Pieter Vermeulen makes a link with climate change and capitalism.

Indra Bruynseels en Elise Coenen steken de hoofse liefde in een modern jasje: de verhalen van Ferguut, Galiëne, Arthur, Guinevere en Lancelot worden getransponeerd naar een 'Seduction Island'-setting. Professor Geert Claassens analyseert het gedrag van de hoofse heren en dames.

Amelie Cuppens, Paulien Lambert, Remco Roelants and Anke Stroobants examine the topic of LGBTQI+ rights in Russia. What is it like being a non-heterosexual person in a country where 'gay propaganda' is illegal and where the orthodox church still has a strong influence on the law? Russia expert Lien Verpoest helps the students find an answer to these questions.

In this episode, Ynse Bergans and Tannekin Coninx explore the topic of female prostitution and sex work. The students interview Professor of Modern History and Society Magaly Rodriguez Garcia and head out to gather different views on the subject.

Hanne Akkermans, Kaat Bastiaens and Kaat Valvekens investigate why Nick Cave is still so popular and how his music and art has evolved throughout the years. To that end, the students interview Cave expert Ortwin de Graef, Professor of English Literature. (picture: Bleddyn Butcher, source: Wikipedia)

Charlotte Herbots, Milan Huysegems and Lauren Vanderpoorten interrogate professor Jan Baetens about the detective novel. What is a detective novel? Which types of detective novels are discerned? Why are they so popular? How can you innovate a genre that's confined by stereotypes and archetypes? Why are some authors more popular than others?

Lionel Gras and Judith Tulkens talk to us about the history of cakes, sweets and pastries. For instance, how did layers come into existence? Which pies are the favourites of people on the street? Which pies are typically Belgian? Lionel and Judith then investigate the old saying "Daar zijn de daken met vlaaien bedekt" ('There, the rooftops are covered with pies'): which sort of pies are those?

Margot Blomme en Marie Neefs trekken erop uit om het verborgen verhaal te ontdekken van Michaelina Wautier. Eerst interviewen zij Katelijne van der Stighelen, hoogleraar en kunsthistorica aan KU Leuven, die zich onder andere specialiseert in vrouwelijke kunstenaars. Zij praten met haar over Michaelina en over de recente opflakkering van academische belangstelling voor vrouwen in de kunst. Margot en Marie interviewen daarna Marjan Debaene, hoofd collectie oude kunst en curator van het Museum M.