There's no better place to study and research Fantasy than Glasgow. As the 10th cohort of Fantasy MLitt students graduate and the Centre of Fantasy & the Fantastic celebrates its 5th anniversary, we’re celebrating the literature of the impossible in the podcast’s season finale.

Professor Dimitra Fimi, Professor Matthew Sangster, Dr Will Tattersdill and Dr Anna McFarlane join the podcast for a fantastic conversation across media, and spanning centuries of literary history. From what makes fantasy so compelling to myths and misconceptions; we delve into the depths of Booktok and fandom, explore the publishing industry and AI futures, as well as touch on the many texts that inspired their research – not to mention the fantasy texts you need to read.

You don’t need to be a fantasy reader to enjoy this episode, but you will be by the end credits.

Discover the UofG Centre for Fantasy & the Fantastic

Meet Professor Dimitra Fimi, Professor Matthew Sangster, Dr Will Tattersdill and Dr Anna McFarlane, and find out about their research

Learn more about the Fantasy MLitt and how you can apply

Follow @UofGFantasy on social media: Instagram, Bluesky, and X

Check out the UofGFantasy YouTube channel to watch recordings from recent events and discover research from Centre members.

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In summer 2025, the world marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dr Tim Peacock returns to the podcast for an episode reflecting on the legacy of the bombings; from their immediate impact on Japan and the growth of nuclear culture in the US, to international relations and nuclear diplomacy in the decades after.

In the second half of the episode, Dr Peacock shares two games he has developed in the UofG Games & Gaming Lab which are centred around global nuclear and humanitarian crises: Dial N for Nuclear and HOPE AGE. Listen to find out how these games challenge players, as well as HOPE AGE’s impact when it was played by delegates at the United Nations earlier this year.

Learn more about Dr Tim Peacock & his research

Follow Dr Tim Peacock on X and Bluesky: @DrTimPeacock and @drtimpeacock.bsky.social

Read Dr Peacock’s articles for The Conversation UK on Godzilla and the cinematic legacies of the first nuclear tests, Oppenheimer, and Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace speech.

Discover the UofG Games & Gaming Lab

Follow the UofG Games & Gaming Lab on X and Bluesky: @UofGGamesLab and @uofggameslab.bsky.social

Explore research in the Scottish Centre for War Studies & Conflict Archaeology

Follow the Scottish Centre for War Studies & Conflict Archaeology on X and Bluesky: @UofGWarStudies and @uofgwarstudies.bsky.social

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Countless stories could be told about Kelvingrove Park and its ever-evolving role in Glasgow’s 850-year history and the lives of the city’s residents. In the early 1980s, it was home to Kelvin Wheelies, a skatepark once hugely popular with local teenagers and professional skateboarders from across the UK alike. Now, it lies hidden, buried at the heart of the park with few traces to signal its existence.

Dr Kenny Brophy joins Cia on the podcast to discuss the story of Kelvin Wheelies, recounting its place in the city’s modern sporting history, and in the memories of Glasgow’s skaters. He highlights the role of contemporary archaeology, and the methodologies archaeologists can use in order to explore events and sites from recent memory.

In summer 2025, Dr Brophy led a team of archaeologists, students, volunteers from Archaeology Scotland’s New Audiences project, and former Kelvin Wheelies skaters to excavate the skatepark.

Listen to find out what they discovered…

Learn more about Dr Kenny Brophy and his research

https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/staff/kennethbrophy/

Visit Dr Brophy’s blog, The Urban Prehistorian

https://theurbanprehistorian.wordpress.com/

Follow Dr Brophy on X @urbanprehisto: https://x.com/urbanprehisto

Find out more about Kelvin Wheelies & the excavation

https://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/arts/aboutus/news/headline_1204406_en.html

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