Best Scholars Strategy Networks Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 279: Clearing Up Vaccine Confusion 34:27

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12d ago34:27

34:27

When Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the entire federal vaccine advisory committee and installed new members, it raised alarms across the public health world. At the same time, measles is making a comeback as more Americans are hesitant about getting vaccines. Professor Lindsey Haynes-Maslow explains how we got h…

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David S. Wall, "Cybercrime: The Transformation of Crime in the Information Age" (Polity, 2024) 29:47

1h ago29:47

29:47

How has the digital revolution transformed criminal opportunities and behaviour? What is different about cybercrime compared with traditional criminal activity? What impact might cybercrime have on public security? In this updated edition of his authoritative and field-defining text, cybercrime expert David Wall carefully examines these and other i…

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Edward Tenner, "Why the Hindenburg Had a Smoking Lounge: Essays in Unintended Consequences" (APS Press, 2025) 1:01:20

2d ago1:01:20

1:01:20

How did the addition of lifeboats after the Titanic shipwreck contribute to another tragedy in Chicago harbor three years later? How efficient are wild animals as investors, and how do dog breeds become national symbols? Why have scientific breakthroughs so often originated in the study of shadows? How did the file card prepare scholarship and comm…

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Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling, "The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums, and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecking Science" (PublicAffairs, 2025) 1:07:51

5d ago1:07:51

1:07:51

In this episode, New Books Network host Nina Bo Wagner talks to Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling about his recently published book The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums, and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecking Science (PublicAffairs, 2025). They talk about the process of writing the book, including delving deep into the local paranomal community in New Ha…

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Matthew Wisnioski on the History of the Idea and Culture of “Innovation” in the United States 1:39:16

13d ago1:39:16

1:39:16

Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel, talks with Matt Wisnioski, Professor of Science, Technology, and Society at Virginia Tech, about his new book, Every American an Innovator: How Innovation Became a Way of Life. The pair talk about how the new book connects to Matt’s earlier book, Engineers for Change; how what Matt calls “innovation expertise” fir…

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Elliot Lichtman, "The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games" (MIT Press, 2025) 48:46

21d ago48:46

48:46

In The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games (MIT Press, 2025), Elliot Lichtman will teach you some of computer science’s most powerful concepts in a refreshingly accessible way: exploring them through word games, board games, and strategy games you already know. Learn recursion by playing tic…

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Elliot Lichtman, "The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games" (MIT Press, 2025) 48:46

21d ago48:46

48:46

In The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games (MIT Press, 2025), Elliot Lichtman will teach you some of computer science’s most powerful concepts in a refreshingly accessible way: exploring them through word games, board games, and strategy games you already know. Learn recursion by playing tic…

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Carly A. Kocurek and Matthew Payne, "Ultima and Worldbuilding in the Computer Role-Playing Game" (Amherst College Press, 2024) 30:12

23d ago30:12

30:12

Ultima and World-Building in the Computer Role-Playing Game (Amherst College Press, 2024) is the first scholarly book to focus exclusively on the long-running Ultima series of computer role-playing games (RPG) and to assess its lasting impact on the RPG genre and video game industry. Through archival and popular media sources, examinations of fan c…

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Carly A. Kocurek and Matthew Payne, "Ultima and Worldbuilding in the Computer Role-Playing Game" (Amherst College Press, 2024) 30:12

23d ago30:12

30:12

Ultima and World-Building in the Computer Role-Playing Game (Amherst College Press, 2024) is the first scholarly book to focus exclusively on the long-running Ultima series of computer role-playing games (RPG) and to assess its lasting impact on the RPG genre and video game industry. Through archival and popular media sources, examinations of fan c…

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Trans Technologies 1:07:27

24d ago1:07:27

1:07:27

How can technology creates new possibilities for transgender people? How do trans experiences, in turn, create new possibilities for technology? Trans Technologies, (MIT Press, 2025) by Dr. Oliver L. Haimson, explores how and why mainstream technologies often exclude or marginalize transgender users. Trans Technologies describes what happens when t…

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Trans Technologies 1:07:27

24d ago1:07:27

1:07:27

How can technology creates new possibilities for transgender people? How do trans experiences, in turn, create new possibilities for technology? Trans Technologies, (MIT Press, 2025) by Dr. Oliver L. Haimson, explores how and why mainstream technologies often exclude or marginalize transgender users. Trans Technologies describes what happens when t…

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Episode 278: How Taxes Can Save Lives 29:25

26d ago29:25

29:25

Congress is in the middle of a high-stakes budget debate that includes fighting over tax policy and funding for many vital public programs. But what’s often missing from that budget debate is a focus on the people these decisions affect, especially kids. Professor Jean Junior explains how tax policy choices made on Capitol Hill directly affect heal…

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Ben Snyder on Spy Plane: Inside Baltimore’s Surveillance Experiment 1:01:34

27d ago1:01:34

1:01:34

In this 100th episode (!!!) of Peoples & Things, host, Lee Vinsel, talks with Benjamin H. Snyder, Associate Professor of Sociology at Williams College, about his recent book, Spy Plane: Inside Baltimore’s Surveillance Experiment (University of California Press, 2024). Spy Plane examines how the city of Baltimore, Maryland, came to adopt a corporate…

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Jean J. Ryoo and Jane Margolis, "Power On!" (MIT Press, 2022) 59:40

1M ago59:40

59:40

An interview with Jean Ryoo and Jane Margolis about Power On! A diverse group of teenage friends learn how computing can be personally and politically empowering and why all students need access to computer science education. This lively graphic novel follows a diverse group of teenage friends as they discover that computing can be fun, creative, a…

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Episode 277: Consumer Protection Under Fire 37:17

1M ago37:17

37:17

Under the Trump administration, major changes at key consumer protection agencies, including widespread staff cuts and rule rollbacks, are raising concerns about the future of efforts to curb unfair or deceptive financial practices. Professor Terri Friedline explains what’s been happening at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, why it matters,…

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Dave Cook, "Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-'Em-Ups" (Bitmap Books, 2022) 19:26

1M ago19:26

19:26

Get ready for the fight of your life in Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-'Em-Ups (Bitmap Books, 2022). Written by award-winning author Dave Cook, and opening with a foreword by legendary Double Dragon creator, Yoshihisa Kishimoto, this odyssey through bare-knuckle nostalgia features over 200 games spanning 37 years. At over 45…

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John Horn, "Inside the Competitor's Mindset: How to Predict Their Next Move and Position Yourself for Success" (MIT Press, 2023) 1:45:13

1M ago1:45:13

1:45:13

Inside the Competitor's Mindset: How to Predict Their Next Move and Position Yourself for Success (MIT Press, 2023) offers a roadmap to help leaders predict, understand, and react to their competitors’ moves. It is a valuable tool to help companies stay ahead of their competitors when the competition is intensifying. To make the right choice when a…

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Alex Davies, "Driven: The Race to Create the Autonomous Car" (Simon & Schuster, 2022) 1:27:49

2M ago1:27:49

1:27:49

In Driven: The Race to Create the Autonomous Car (Simon & Schuster, 2022), Alex Davies tells the enlightening and significant story of the effort to create driverless cars and the intense competition among tech heavyweights such as Google, Uber, and Tesla to move this technology forward. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have been one of the most hyped tec…

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Emily Leachman and A. Garrison Libby, "A Complete Guide to Training Library Staff: From Onboarding to Offboarding" (Bloomsbury, 2024) 58:39

2M ago58:39

58:39

Written for library managers and training leaders, A Complete Guide to Training Library Staff (2025, Bloomsbury) presents a comprehensive lifecycle for staff development with a focus on tools and techniques to build a sustainable training program, set staff up for success in their positions, and develop a positive and supportive community across th…

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From Hal to Siri: How Computers Learned to Speak 54:27

2M ago54:27

54:27

Today we learn how computers learned to talk with Benjamin Lindquist, a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University’s Science in Human Culture program. Ben is the author “The Art of Text to Speech,” which recently appeared in Critical Inquiry, and he’s currently writing a history of text-to-speech computing. In this conversation, we explore:…

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Sara E. Wolf, "Teaching Copyright: Practical Lesson Ideas and Instructional Resources" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 40:39

2M ago40:39

40:39

The teaching of copyright and related concepts can easily be overwhelming to instructors who are experts in their field but may have little to no detailed understanding of copyright law. They require reliable, accessible information to coach students on copyright-related matters. In Teaching Copyright: Practical Lesson Ideas and Instructional Resou…

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Episode 276: The Fight Over Medicaid 44:54

2M ago44:54

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As Republican lawmakers push for major budget cuts, Medicaid is in the crosshairs. Professor Nicole Huberfeld breaks down why Medicaid matters to millions of Americans and what makes proposed changes—like work requirements and block grants—so complex and potentially harmful. She moves beyond policy details to explore the real-world impact: how budg…

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Academic Librarians: A Discussion with Karen McCoy 55:53

2M ago55:53

55:53

The library is an important partner in academic success for students and professors. So why do so many people overlook this key resource? Karen McCoy takes us inside her job on two college campuses, unpacking what librarians do, and why she’s so happy to help everyone find exactly what they need. Our guest is: Karen B. McCoy, who is a librarian cur…

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Jacquelyn Schneider and Julia MacDonald, "The Rise of Unmanned Warfare: Origins of the Us Autonomous Military Arsenal" (Oxford UP, 2023) 48:29

2M ago48:29

48:29

The Rise of Unmanned Warfare: Origins of the Us Autonomous Military Arsenal (Oxford UP, 2023) tells the fascinating story of the people, processes, and beliefs that led to the contemporary American unmanned arsenal. It takes an expansive look at automated and autonomous technologies, from mines and torpedoes to guided bombs and missiles, satellites…

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Jennifer Holt, "Cloud Policy: A History of Regulating Pipelines, Platforms, and Data" (MIT Press, 2024) 1:07:45

2M ago1:07:45

1:07:45

How the United States' regulation of broadband pipelines, digital platforms, and data—together understood as “the cloud”—has eroded civil liberties, democratic principles, and the foundation of the public interest over the past century. Cloud Policy: A History of Regulating Pipelines, Platforms, and Data (MIT Press, 2024) is a policy history that c…

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Beaty Rubens, "Listen In: How Radio Changed the Home" (Bodleian Library, 2025) 52:57

2M ago52:57

52:57

Radio, today, can feel like a faithful old companion, but its early history was sensational. Between 1922 and 1939, British life was transformed by what was known as the Radio Craze. Listen In: How Radio Changed the Home (Bodleian Library, 2025) expresses what the radio's arrival signified at a personal level. This narrative history recounts the pe…

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Gina Seymour, "Youth Social Action in the Library: Cultivating Change Makers" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 42:16

2M ago42:16

42:16

Learn how to take an apolitical, unbiased stance to support students as they pursue research, literature connections, maker activities, and civic engagement projects in their communities, nationally, and globally. In Youth Social Action in the Library: Cultivating Change Makers (Bloombury, 2025), Gina Seymour outlines school and public library prog…

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Darryl Campbell, "Fatal Abstraction: Why the Managerial Class Loses Control of Software" (W. W. Norton, 2025) 1:09:28

2M ago1:09:28

1:09:28

A tech insider explains how capitalism and software development make for such a dangerous mix. Software was supposed to radically improve society. Outdated mechanical systems would be easily replaced; programs like PowerPoint would make information flow more freely; social media platforms like Facebook would bring people together; and generative AI…

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Tracy Fullerton and Matthew Farber, "The Well-Read Game: On Playing Thoughtfully" (MIT Press, 2025) 33:08

2M ago33:08

33:08

How players evoke personal and subjective meanings through a new theory of player response. In The Well-Read Game: On Playing Thoughtfully (MIT Press, 2025), Tracy Fullerton and Matthew Farber explore the experiences we have when we play games: not the outcomes of play or the aesthetics of formal game structures but the ephemeral and emotional expe…

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Stacy Brown, "Revolutionize Youth Book Clubs: Strategies for Meaningful and Fun Reading Experiences" (Bloomsbury, 2024) 1:03:01

2M ago1:03:01

1:03:01

Learn to facilitate modern book clubs devoted to elevating the reading experience through active engagement, resulting in long-term commitment to book club events. How do you get the kids in your library to read? The benefits of reading are plentiful, especially for youth – it improves vocabulary, helps them become more empathetic and inclusive, an…

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Episode 275: Higher Ed on the Frontlines 45:49

2M ago45:49

45:49

Higher education is under fire—from attacks on DEI to threats against research funding, political pressure is mounting fast. While headlines often focus on elite and Ivy League schools, Professor Cecilia Orphan reminds us that regional public universities and rural institutions are also in the crosshairs. These essential but often-overlooked instit…

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Peter Krapp, "Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation" (MIT Press, 2024) 1:13:44

2M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

We're pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Krapp, the author of Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation (MIT Press, 2024), to the New Books Network. In Computing Legacies, Peter Krapp explores a media history of simulation to excavate three salient aspects of digital culture. Firstly, he profiles simulation as cultural technique, enabling symbol…

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Peter Krapp, "Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation" (MIT Press, 2024) 1:13:44

2M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

We're pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Krapp, the author of Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation (MIT Press, 2024), to the New Books Network. In Computing Legacies, Peter Krapp explores a media history of simulation to excavate three salient aspects of digital culture. Firstly, he profiles simulation as cultural technique, enabling symbol…

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Peter Krapp, "Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation" (MIT Press, 2024) 1:13:44

2M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

We're pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Krapp, the author of Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation (MIT Press, 2024), to the New Books Network. In Computing Legacies, Peter Krapp explores a media history of simulation to excavate three salient aspects of digital culture. Firstly, he profiles simulation as cultural technique, enabling symbol…

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Tension Ep. 17: Navigating Future Uncertainty in Animal Health 50:23

2M ago50:23

50:23

What happens when a global animal health institution starts thinking about the future? In this episode of the Tension Podcast, foresight advisor Tianna Brand shares how the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) used its 100th anniversary to leap forward — creating participatory future scenarios to explore collapse, innovation, and transformat…

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Radiophilia 1:10:31

3M ago1:10:31

1:10:31

Today’s guest is Carolyn Birdsall, Associate Professor of Media Studies, University of Amsterdam. If you’re a scholar of sound or radio, you likely know her work, particularly her monograph Nazi Soundscapes (AUP, 2012) which was the recipient of the ASCA Book Award in 2013. Her new book, Radiophilia (Bloomsbury, 2023), examines the love of radio th…

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Terry Baxter and Libby Coyner-Tsosie, "Stories on Skin: A Librarian's Guide to Tattoos as Personal Archives" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 53:47

3M ago53:47

53:47

Tattoos are not merely decorative; they contain deep meaning for individuals and communities. They document their wearers' personal histories and position in families or society, and they engage with a communal understanding of symbols. Stories on Skin: A Librarian's Guide to Tattoos as Personal Archives (Bloomsbury, 2025) by Terry Baxter & Libby C…

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Melissa Villa-Nicholas, "Data Borders: How Silicon Valley Is Building an Industry Around Immigrants" (U California Press, 2023) 57:00

3M ago57:00

57:00

Uncle Sam is watching, whether you like it or not. And the surveillance program the United States is building has as its foundation immigrants who have crossed the nation's southern border. In Data Borders: How Silicon Valley is Builidng an Industry Around Immigrants (University of California Press, 2023), UCLA information studies professor Melissa…

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Peter B. Kaufman, "The Moving Image: A User's Manual" (MIT Press, 2025) 52:05

3M ago52:05

52:05

Video (television, film, the moving image generally) is today’s most popular information medium. Two-thirds of the world’s internet traffic is video. Americans get their news and information more often from screens and speakers than through any other means. The Moving Image: A User's Manual (MIT Press, 2025) is the first authoritative account of ho…

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Daniel J. Solove, "On Privacy and Technology" (Oxford UP, 2025) 33:16

3M ago33:16

33:16

Data and privacy have emerged as critical issues in our digitally interconnected era, profoundly influencing individual rights, societal norms, and democratic processes. In his book, On Privacy and Technology (Oxford UP, 2025), Daniel Solove provides a compelling exploration of the intersection between evolving technologies and privacy rights. Draw…

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James Cartlidge, "The Rise of the Roguelite: Inside a Gaming Phenomenon" (CRC Press, 2025) 28:12

3M ago28:12

28:12

The Rise of the Roguelite: Inside a Gaming Phenomenon (CRC Press, 2025) analyzes the wave of roguelite games that have appeared over the past decade, putting them in historical context, informing readers about their development out of and relation to the roguelike genre that inspired them. The book includes discussions of the historical development…

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Episode 274: What’s Happening With Social Security 28:11

3M ago28:11

28:11

As the Social Security Administration faces a wave of staffing cuts and administrative shakeups, what’s at stake for the millions who depend on it? Brookings Institution economist Dr. Gopi Shah Goda discusses what these behind-the-scenes changes mean—and why some of the loudest political talking points about fraud and inefficiency don’t hold up. Sh…

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Lauren E. Bridges on Fantasies and Realities of Digital Transformation and the Data Center Industry 1:14:53

3M ago1:14:53

1:14:53

Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel, talks with Lauren Bridges, Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the University of Virginia, about her work on the political, economic, and environmental politics of big data infrastructures. They focus on some of Bridges’ work on the disconnect between the promises made to localities around digital transformati…

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Jonathan D. Cohen, "Losing Big: America's Dangerous Sports Gambling Boom" (Columbia Global Reports, 2025) 59:01

3M ago59:01

59:01

In 2018, the United States Supreme Court opened the floodgates for states to legalize betting on sports. Eager for revenue, almost forty states have done so. The result is the explosive growth of an industry dominated by companies like FanDuel and DraftKings. One out of every five American adults gambled on sports in 2023, amounting to $121 billion…