Best Center for New Critical Politics and Governance Podcasts (2025)

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Should athletes be able to major in college sports? The Dodgers prepare for the World Series, and More 1:02:49

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5h ago1:02:49

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Today on AirTalk, we explore the rifts in the Democratic party; should you be able to major in sports?; Triple Play — the Dodgers attempt to repeat in the World Series; and FilmWeek: Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Today on A…

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St. Louis All Local AM: Striking Boeing machinists to vote on deal Sunday, GOP senator critical of Trump beef plan 4:36

10h ago4:36

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Striking union members to vote on Boeing offer Sunday, update on Gov. Kehoe’s police task force, Sen. Hawley opposed Trump’s Argentinian beef plan, IL lawmakers not interested in redistricting, COVID vaccines may help some cancer patients, Arch celebrates 60th and will be open, local BBQ king crowned World Live Fire champ…

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Selena Daly, "Emigrant Soldiers: Mobilising Italians Abroad in the First World War" (Cambridge UP, 2025) 1:03:32

16h ago1:03:32

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During the First World War, over 300,000 Italian emigrants returned to Italy from around the world to perform their conscripted military service, a mass mobilisation which was a uniquely Italian phenomenon. But what happened to these men following their arrival and once the war had ended? In Emigrant Soldiers: Mobilising Italians Abroad in the Firs…

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Gretchen Felker-Martin, "Black Flame" (Tor Nightfire, 2025) 19:09

16h ago19:09

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One woman's deadly obsession with a haunted archival film precipitates her undoing in Black Flame (Tor Nightfire, 2025) from the USA Today bestselling author of Manhunt, Gretchen Felker-Martin. A cursed film. A haunted past. A deadly secret. The Baroness, an infamous exploitation film long thought destroyed by Nazi fire, is discovered fifty years l…

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Michael B. Cosmopoulos, "The World of Homer: Archaeology, Social Memory, and the Emergence of Greek Epic Poetry" (Cambridge UP, 2025) 1:22:08

16h ago1:22:08

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Epic poetry, notably the Iliad and the Odyssey, stands as one of the most enduring legacies of ancient Greece. Although the impact of these epics on Western civilization is widely recognized, their origins remain the subject of heated debate. Were they composed in a single era or over the course of centuries? Were they crafted by one or by many poe…

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13:2 - Sherman Jackson Part 2 57:26

16h ago57:26

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In this episode, Hizer Mir and Salman Sayyid continue the conversation with Professor Sherman Jackson, discussing his work on the Islamic secular, Islamic studies and the state. The second half of this special episode discusses religious pluralism, the modern state and the secular, and the relationship between Sharia and the political. Sherman Jack…

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Jesse Rodenbiker, "Ecological States: Politics of Science and Nature in Urbanizing China" (Cornell UP, 2023) 1:05:21

16h ago1:05:21

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Based on two years of extensive fieldwork, Ecological States: Politics of Science and Nature in Urbanizing China (Cornell UP, 2023) examines ecological policies in the People’s Republic of China to show how campaigns of scientifically based environmental protection transform nature and society. While many point to China’s ecological civilization pr…

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Scott D. Anthony, "Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World" (Harvard Business Review Press, 2025) 1:03:49

16h ago1:03:49

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Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World (Harvard Business Review Press, 2025) arrives at the perfect moment as artificial intelligence and other technologies promise to unleash another wave of major transformation. This book is a kaleidoscopic look at how eleven disruptive innovations—including the iPhone, transistor, disposab…

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Harry Cliff, "Space Oddities: The Mysterious Anomalies Challenging Our Understanding of the Universe" (Doubleday, 2024) 1:06:13

16h ago1:06:13

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Nothing captivates the human imagination like the vast unknowns of space. Ancient petroglyphs present renderings of the heavens, proof that we have been gazing up at the stars with wonder for thousands of years. Since then, mankind has systematically expanded our cosmic possibilities. What were once flights of fancy and dreams of science fiction wr…

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Taru Salmenkari, "Global Ideas, Local Adaptations: Chinese Activism and the Will to Make Civil Society" (Edward Elgar, 2025) 43:34

16h ago43:34

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Exploring the boundaries, fringes, and inner workings of civil society, Taru Salmenkari investigates local forms of political agency in China in light of the globalization of political values, practices, and institutions in Global Ideas, Local Adaptations: Chinese Activism and the Will to Make Civil Society (Edward Elgar, 2025). She provides a theo…

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Amy Shea, "Too Poor to Die: The Hidden Realities of Dying in the Margins" (Rutgers UP, 2025) 30:33

16h ago30:33

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Death is the great equalizer, but not all deaths are created equal. In recent years, there has been an increased interest and advocacy concerning end-of-life and after-death care. An increasing number of individuals and organizations from health care to the funeral and death care industries are working to promote and encourage people to consider th…

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Hindutva and Anti-Christian Violence in Contemporary India 19:53

16h ago19:53

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Kenneth Bo Nielsen is Associate Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo and leader of the Centre for South Asian Democracy. M. Sudhir Selvaraj is Assistant Professor at the Department of Peace Studies and International Development at the University of Bradford. Kathinka Frøystad is Professor of South Asia Studies at the Universit…

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NBA gambling scandal, A proposed new definition of obesity, Lead in protein powders? and more 1:02:05

1d ago1:02:05

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Today on AirTalk, the FBI announces charges tied to an NBA gambling scandal; New research finds almost 70% of U.S. adults are considered obese under a proposed new definition of obesity; Consumer Reports finds high levels of lead in popular protein powders and shakes; Larry is joined by LAist climate and environment reporter Erin Stone to talk abou…

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St. Louis All Local AM: Barefoot man scales TV tower, lawmaker’s family dies in chopper crash 4:30

21h ago4:30

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Four members of IL gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey die in helicopter crash, 1-year old shot in leg overnight, man scales Affton TV tower, St. Louis County Land Bank struck down, Boeing and union publicly fuming during mediation, Stifel having a great quarter/year

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Joanna Woronkowicz, "Artists at Work: Rethinking Policy for Artistic Careers" (Stanford UP, 2025) 40:18

1d ago40:18

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What does it mean to be an artist? In Artists At Work: Rethinking Policy for Artistic Careers (Stanford UP, 2025) Joanna Woronkowicz, the co-founder of the Center for Cultural Affairs and co-director of the Arts, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Lab at Indiana University Bloomington and currently based at Copenhagen Business School, tells the story …

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Alice Lovejoy, "Tales of Militant Chemistry: The Film Factory in a Century of War" (U California Press, 2025) 45:50

1d ago45:50

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The history of film calls to mind unforgettable photographs, famous directors, and the glitz and hustle of the media business. But there is another tale to tell that connects film as a material to the twentieth century's history of war, destruction, and cruelty. This story comes into focus during World War II at the factories of Tennessee Eastman, …

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Nathan E. Sanders and Bruce Schneier, "Rewiring Democracy: How AI Will Transform Our Politics, Government, and Citizenship" (MIT Press, 2025) 43:32

1d ago43:32

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AI is changing democracy. We still get to decide how. AI’s impact on democracy will go far beyond headline-grabbing political deepfakes and automated misinformation. Everywhere it will be used, it will create risks and opportunities to shake up long-standing power structures. In this highly readable and advisedly optimistic book, Rewiring Democracy…

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What Do You Want Out of Life? A Philosophical Guide to Figuring Out What Matters 1:04:41

1d ago1:04:41

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What do you want out of life? To make a lot of money, work for justice, run marathons, sing in a choir, have children, travel the world? The things we care about in life—family, friendship, leisure activities, work, our moral ideals—often conflict, preventing us from doing what matters most to us. Even worse, we don’t always know what we really wan…

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Tami Parr, "Goats in America: A Cultural History" (Oregon State UP, 2025) 49:43

1d ago49:43

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The humble goat has played a surprising and important role throughout the history of the United States. Despite this, goats are often overlooked by many Americans, even if they have strong opinions about these complex creatures. In Goats in America: A Cultural History (Oregon State UP, 2025) Dr. Tami Parr calls attention to these disregarded animal…

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Dagmar Wujastyk, "Indian Alchemy: Sources and Contexts" (Oxford UP, 2025) 57:16

1d ago57:16

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Indian Alchemy: Sources and Contexts (Oxford UP, 2025) serves to expand readers' understanding of what it meant to practice alchemy on the Indian subcontinent. With its broad selection of examined themes, this collection offers a detailed and comprehensive investigation of the Indian alchemical idiom and the beliefs and practices of its practitione…

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Robert C. Bird, "Legal Knowledge in Organizations: A Source of Strategic and Competitive Advantage" (Cambridge UP, 2025) 59:26

1d ago59:26

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Legal Knowledge in Organizations: A Source of Strategic and Competitive Advantage (Cambridge UP, 2025) offers a step-by-step guide on how to utilize the law as a source of value in organizations. Robert C. Bird demonstrates how legal knowledge can be a valuable asset for firms, providing them with a sustainable competitive advantage that is difficu…

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Kate McDowell, "Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact" (ALA, 2025) 53:06

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In today’s polarized landscape, libraries face two key challenges: the difficulty of turning raw data into narratives that effectively advocate for libraries, and the ethical complexities of representing communities in these stories. In Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact (ALA, 2025), Kate M…

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Abhimanyu Kumar and Aletta André, "The House of Awadh: A Hidden Tragedy" (HarperCollins India, 2025) 45:42

1d ago45:42

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Begum Wilayat Mahal, the self-proclaimed heir to the House of Awadh, has fascinated journalists and writers for decades. She claimed she was Indian royalty, descended from the kings of Awadh, a kingdom annexed by the British in 1856. She spent a decade in the waiting room of the New Delhi train station, receiving journalists intrigued by the image …

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Matthew D. Nelsen, "The Color of Civics: Civic Education for a Multiracial Democracy" (Oxford UP, 2023) 47:18

1d ago47:18

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Matthew D. Nelsen, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami, has a new book out that focuses on the content of civic education in the United States, and how we learn about the diverse and varied history of the United States. There is an ongoing and contemporary conversation about civic education in the United States, a…

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Public opinion on nuclear power, NBA season preview, Overview of Prop 50, and more 1:03:17

2d ago1:03:17

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Today on AirTalk: Changes in the Department of Transportation's policy regarding English proficiency are causing a stir; Public opinion changes around nuclear power; NBA season preview; and the basics of Prop 50. Today on AirTalk: English proficiency exams for CDL holders (0:15) Nuclear energy and public opinion (24:17) NBA preview (24:17) Prop 50 …

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St. Louis All Local AM: STL County animal shelter far beyond capacity, how much Rams money is left? 4:18

2d ago4:18

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With nearly 200 animals the county’s animal shelter is way over capacity, county exec and council argue about whether to raise adoption fees, some residents criticize use of Rams settlement money, Gov. Kehoe weighs in on data centers, lien on new BJC tower

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Greg Soden, "Unscripted Moments: Conversations with Propagandhi (2020-2025)" (Earth Island Books, 2025) 38:59

3d ago38:59

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Propagandhi formed in 1986 in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada and are now based in Winnipeg. Their outspoken influence and consistency in anti-fascist, animal-friendly, gay-positive, and pro-feminist ideas have inspired thousands of hardcore, thrash metal and punk rock music fans across four decades. Unscripted Moments: A Podcast About Propaga…

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Stuart Hart, "Beyond Shareholder Primacy: Remaking Capitalism for a Sustainable Future" (Stanford Business Books, 2024) 1:16:17

3d ago1:16:17

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In Beyond Shareholder Primacy: Remaking Capitalism for a Sustainable Future (Stanford Business Books, 2024) Hart argues that the current Milton Friedman–style "shareholder primacy capitalism," as taught in business schools and embraced around the world, has become dangerous for society, the climate, and the planet. Moreover, he maintains, it's econ…

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Arnab Roy and Paul Ugor eds., "The Postcolonial Bildungsroman: Narratives of Youth, Representational Politics, and Aesthetic Reinventions" (U Alberta Press, 2025) 35:49

3d ago35:49

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Offering a fresh comparative lens, The Postcolonial Bildungsroman: Narratives of Youth, Representational Politics, and Aesthetic Reinventions (U Alberta Press, 2025) demonstrates how postcolonial writers have transformed the Bildungsroman from an eighteenth-century European genre meant to express local concerns around childhood development into one…

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Teresa M. Mares and Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, "Will Work for Food: Labor Across the Food Chain" (U California Press, 2025) 33:34

3d ago33:34

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Food consumers are demanding a healthier and more sustainable food system. Yet labor is rarely part of the discussion. In Will Work for Food: Labor Across the Food Chain (U California Press, 2025), Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern and Teresa Mares chronicle labor across the food chain, connecting the entire food system--from fields to stores, restaurants, h…

Center For New Critical Politics And Governance Podcasts