Courses · Paul Ryer

In Context with School for Advanced Research

by Paul Ryer

How do the present and past shape each other? Why does understanding this matter? In Context with SAR tackles the fascinating world of scholarly research through questions like why people left Chaco Canyon or how climate change affects migration and explores them through the perspectives of three experts across anthropology, archaeology, and the humanities more broadly. Hosted by Paul Ryer and produced by the School for Advanced Research (SAR), each episode brings together voices from the field who share real-world stories, behind-the-scenes research, and their takes on today’s challenges. Founded in 1907, SAR is a hub for groundbreaking social science and humanities research, supporting scholars and artists through residencies, seminars, and collaborations. Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico SAR is also home to the Indian Arts Research Center, a leader in Native arts and museum practices. Whether you’re an academic, a student, or just someone who loves a good story In Context with SAR is here to bring big ideas to life. Join us as we connect history to today’s world—one question at a time.

Latest episodes

Showing 10 · updated from the feed

Wild New World: How Humans Remade a Continent and What We Lost

Passenger pigeons, wolves, and bison reveal how humans transformed America’s wildlife, and why a wilder future may still be possible. Originally recorded as SAR’s 2023 Pr

Oct 14
1 h 21 min

White Sands: The Footprints Rewriting Human History

What if ancient footprints in New Mexico proved humans lived in North America during the Ice Age? In this conversation from a presentation at SAR in 2022, discover how th

Sep 23
1 h 10 min

Who Do You Trust With Your Water?

From informal settlements in Bolivia and Arizona to recycled water in Singapore, this conversation reveals why solving water insecurity takes more than technology—and how

Aug 12
43 min

The Grid: The Invisible System Running Your Life. You never think about it—until it fails

You never think about it…until it fails. Universal electrification, microgrids, storage, and the politics of batteries- this episode dives into how the power system we ba

Jul 7
50 min

What If the Border Story Starts With Water?

What if the real story of the border isn’t about walls at all? In this episode, we explore how rivers, irrigation projects, and trade routes have bound together and divid

May 14
47 min

Believing In Bits

In this episode, Paul and Gabriella discuss: What Gabriella Coleman means by “sturdy knowledge” and why the concept matters in today’s epistemic crisisHow misinformatio

Mar 11
40 min

Social Movements and Ethics in Philosophy

In this episode, Paul, Carl, and Heidi discuss: What it feels like to live in Minneapolis amid intensified ICE and Border Patrol operations.The role of legal observers a

Feb 19
41 min

What happened at Chaco Canyon?

In this episode, Paul, Barbara, Phillip, and Robert discuss: Why Chaco Canyon drew people for centuries, and why it continues to remain a powerful symbol of the ancient

Jan 16
51 min

How is AI Changing Archaeology / Anthropology / History / Native Studies?

In this episode, Paul, Maurizio, Parker, Steven, and James discuss: How AI and machine learning have changed the approach to archeological research.Understanding the par

Dec 10 2025
50 min

Welcome to In Context with SAR!

Welcome to In Context with SAR! In this episode, Doug and Paul introduce In Context with SAR! How do the present and past shape each other? Why does understanding this

Nov 17 2025
22 min