Dr Chris Deacy, Reader in Theology and Religious Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, has just released a new episode of his podcast series on ‘Nostalgia’.
In the latest instalment, Chris interviews Dr Simon Kirchin, Reader in the Department of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. Simon grew up in a working class family in Dudley, and in the podcast he talks about how he ended up at the University of Oxford, and the circuitous route that brought him to Kent in 2003. We learn about Simon’s earliest, ‘traumatic’, memory and the important role that rituals and structures played, for example at Christmas, while he was growing up. Simon talks about the influence played by game shows and the Carry On films and about his predilection for amateur dramatics, which has led to him playing the part of the Pantomime Dame. He makes a number of insightful observations regarding the ‘performance’ nature of lecturing and how it has much in common with stand-up comedy.
Simon also talks about the influence played by his Religious Studies teachers at school and about why in his career he feels he is the ‘cat that got the cream’. The interview ends with some poignant reflections regarding whether we can ever be nostalgic about negative experiences and bittersweet experiences pertaining to romance and whether there might be certain past experiences that Simon would like to relive.
The podcast is available here:
https://audioboom.com/posts/6907891-simon-kirchin