Rod Phillips talks to Radio France International about divorce and to other media about wine and alcohol
During September, Professor Rod Phillips spoke to a number of media about the histories of divorce, wine, and alcohol, all areas of his research.
Rod Phillips talks to Radio France International about divorce and to other media about wine and alcohol
During September, Professor Rod Phillips spoke to a number of media about the histories of divorce, wine, and alcohol, all areas of his research.
He gave an interview for Radio France International’s history podcast on France’s first divorce law, which was passed in 1792, during the French Revolution. It was not only far more liberal than any divorce law in Europe or North America at the time, but it made divorce more accessible than most current divorce laws. (The social and demographic aspects of divorces under this law were the subject of Rod’s doctoral dissertation.)
A write-up of the interview is here: https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20260926-france-s-first-divorce-law-a-social-revolution-ahead-of-its-time
The podcast is here (from about minute 14):
Rod also gave a feature interview for Areni Global, a wine-focused think-tank based in Paris, where he talked about the history of the notion that wine can improve with age. This is a fairly recent concept that probably emerged in a coherent form from the mid-1800s. Rod linked it to wider trends, such as more significance being attached to human aging and to developments in statistics at this time. The interview will be aired in December.
Rod also did interviews for radio stations in Toronto and Vancouver on the current decline of alcohol consumption.
Professor Phillips offers courses at Carleton on the French Revolution and the history of alcohol.