Episodes - In Theory Podcast
29 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 6 years ago - ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThis podcast uses theory to explain the world around us, from pop culture to politics to our personal lives. Each month, co-hosts Maria Sachiko Cecire and Noorain Khan raid academia for the the most fascinating and relevant social, cultural, and scientific theories and figure out what they mean for us today.
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Episodes
Mini-Ep: Maria Had a Baby!
November 13, 2017 16:31 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBMissed us? We’ve been busy…in Maria’s case, making a BABY! (Among other things.) In this mini episode we check in about maternal health numbers in the US (not amazing), the experience of becoming a mother (pretty sweet, but keep yer grains of salt handy), and - of course - hit up some feminist theory about this whole childbearing thing. What’s up, Simone de Beauvoir! If you’ve been watching The Handmaid’s Tale and need another perspective on reproduction, you’ve come to the right place. Mamma...
S3E6 - Season 3 Gab: Taking Stock, Making Resolutions
January 06, 2017 13:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBOne year is over, another just begun! In this mid-season gab we talk about how to look back over the past year and share strategies for making New Year's resolutions that stick. Discover the official Noorain Khan method for taking stock at the end of a year, hear our goals for 2017, and get some concrete advice on how to make a good resolution courtesy of kids.usa.gov. We also reveal our greatest resolution successes (Maria's involves Mordor, kind of) and swear that THIS is the year we're go...
S3E5 - Poetry
December 22, 2016 12:58 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBDoes the prospect of reading a poem send you into panicked memories of 11th grade English class? FEAR NOT! Poetry doesn't have to be like that! In this episode we find out how it's secretly all around us in the best ways, use theory to kill the author and open up avenues for fun interpretation, and share love for viral poetry by women of color. Maria's pal and colleague Dr. Adhaar Noor Desai helps demo how to unpack a plum(b) poem (the results make Noorain blush!), and we discover how to put ...
S3E4 - Gifts
December 08, 2016 02:15 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBGot gift-giving on your mind? You're not the only one to agonize over it! Is exchanging presents a magical practice of reciprocity that leads to stronger human bonds (Team Anthropology!) or is it an inefficient scourge leading to deadweight loss (Team Economics!)? In this episode, we explore these two camps...and in the process get to Japan's extreme gifting culture (Maria’s our in-house expert!), best/worst presents (yay!/ack!), holiday shopping, and registries. Get ready folks, we unwrap ...
S3E3 - International Activism
November 24, 2016 15:51 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBWant to go out and change the world? Great! WE NEED IT. But how to avoid doing more harm than good, especially when working for people from other contexts and cultures? We dig into this tricky question with Dr. Ryan Richard Thoreson: human rights lawyer, LGBTIQ activist, and one of our personal faves. Along the way we encounter white savior Barbie, grapple with the notion of cultural relativism, and each reveal some of our most facepalm-worthy moments abroad. Ryan also catches us up on the st...
S3 Replay: Progressive Patriotism
November 10, 2016 10:25 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBFollowing the 2016 election results, we've decided to share our vision for America at its best. So we're re-releasing our episode on patriotism from Season Two. In it, we talk about what it means to be both progressive and patriotic, and describe our inclusive American dream, which has room for both tradition and change. There is so much work to be done, and so much good to fight for. We've rounded up some links for ways to get involved and, if needed, help heal yourself and your community on...
S3E2 - Restorative Justice
October 27, 2016 14:02 - 39.7 MBReady to rethink what justice might look like in courts, schools, nations, and even our personal lives? In this episode, we take on restorative justice, the fledgling movement to engage victims and perpetrators (yes, we know, a loaded word!) of all kinds in constructive dialogue. This model offers a powerful alternative to the punitive paradigm of the American incarceration system, and ideally can lead to understanding, growth, and community-building. Human Rights lawyer and all-around badass...
S3E1 - Self Help
October 20, 2016 03:47 - 32 minutes - 44.2 MBLifehacks, Oprah, The Secret…who CAN’T use a little self-help to maximize their personal and professional lives? We kick off Season 3 by diving into self help and celebrity advice culture, exploring both what’s great about them and their darker sides. We pin down the concept “neoliberalism,” and talk about how competition from the boardroom to the bedroom is leaving people feeling more isolated and looking to self-help for ways to survive in an increasingly precarious economy. On the way, Noo...
S2E8 - Aliens: Where is everybody???
June 09, 2016 02:50 - 28 minutes - 38.7 MBHey--is anyone out there? In our last official episode of Season 2, we talk about whether humans are actually alone in the universe with the help of theories from physicists, philosophers, and Champagne Papi. JK. Kind of. From the Fermi Paradox to the Great Filter Theory to the Drake Equation (see what we did there?) we discuss whether it's crazy to believe in UFOs and little green men…or crazy NOT to! Along the way Maria reveals her awkward mixup of foreign vs. intergalactic policy expectati...
S2E7 - Do-It-Yourself Theory and the Crafting Comeback
May 26, 2016 03:52 - 33.8 MBFrom craft brewing to knitting, when did acting like we’re home on the range get so cool? And why is it so satisfying to can your own jar of jam, hand-build a table, or make a quilt? This week we take on the history, culture, and politics of hipster crafting and DIY. With the help of our trusty friend Marx and a theory of "new domesticity," we dig into what modern-day maker throwbacks can tell us about our work lives and gender identities. Sociologist and beer whisperer Dr. Allison McKim help...
S2E6 - Season 2 Gab: Bold Transformations & Cozy Routines
May 12, 2016 04:44 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBHere in our mid-season grab-bag of chilled out convo, we take a break from theory to gab: we reflect on some of the amazing experiences we had as teenagers that made us into the people we are today. From socially conscious scouting to international underwear adventures, we take it back to '90s and let you in on some dorky-but-excellent truths about our formative years. PLUS we each describe our perfect Saturday and get enthusiastic about go-to takeout and gas station jalapeño poppers. Don't j...
S2E5 - Aging: Like Wine or Milk?
April 28, 2016 05:12 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBHi In Theoryites—we’re back and talking about getting older! Especially as women who've crossed into the brave new world of being thirtysomethings. That means we’ve got on point theory for you related to andro-centrisim + biological determinism, and how they're part of calculating what Amy Schumer calls your last f*ckable day. Kidding! We hope. We’re also going to take on cultural difference and eldercare, mentorship, and poetry about wearing purple. Like for real. No need for anti-aging crea...
S2E4 - Destination: VACATION
April 14, 2016 02:55 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBEver tried to cram a year's worth of relaxation, adventure, and bonding into your precious few vacation days? Had a meltdown while lost down the TripAdvisor rabbit hole? Got down on yourself for feeling unproductive and wanting to ditch? This time Noorain and Maria talk about vacations: who gets to take them and who doesn't, the benefits of leaving your job both physically and mentally behind, "authentic" trips and the upsides of kicking back in a world of total artifice. Maria spills about h...
S2E3 - Patriotic Party in the U.S.A.!
March 31, 2016 03:48 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBAmerica? F YEAH-- in this episode we take patriotism back from the haters and talk about our own progressive brown lady versions of loving up on our country. We share personal stories, like the creepy Scandinavian encounter that got Maria defending the red white and blue, and how the Shiite genocide relates to Noorain's patriotism. And OF COURSE we've got to talk about country music's uncanny ability to articulate certain kinds of America love! We also give you the theoretical low-down on why...
S2E2 - Food for Thought
March 17, 2016 03:04 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBIf you are what you eat…what does that make us as Americans today?! In this MEGA-EP we're talking about food: how it gets produced, its impact on people, animals, and the environment, and how to make better decisions in the grocery store. We are super excited to feature an in-depth interview with food activist and all-around legend Kate Galassi. Then Maria and Noorain break open the world of assembly-line chickens, ask some questions about food deserts, and do their best to avoid slave shrimp...
S2E1 - Periods: Surfing the Crimson Wave
March 03, 2016 04:29 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBHey you! In Theory's back for Season 2 and we're taking on menstruation! Ever wondered why we have periods? (No really - WHYYYYY??? ) We've got answers for you! Turns out that menstruation is full of theory to be unpacked. This week we discuss menstrual taboos across cultures, how creative tactics can help people survive oppressive systems, Maria's dream mechanical womb, and gab about the First Moon Party you never had. This isn't just for ladies--come one, come all and surf the crimson wave ...
Interview with Noorain & Maria: Part 2
February 25, 2016 04:59 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBHere it is, the exciting second half of our interview! Just one week away from the official start of S2...
Interview with Noorain & Maria: Part 1
February 18, 2016 04:27 - 17 minutes - 24.2 MBMissed us? We’re (almost) back! In the weeks leading up to Season 2 we’re releasing this two-part interview with your co-hosts…and introducing our fab new team member Olive! Listen in for the inside scoop on how Maria and Noorain met, how the podcast came about, and reflections on growing up different in “flyover states.” (Olive’s family raised POT BELLIED PIGS!) We’re putting theory aside for the moment and just hanging out – come join! You know we won’t be able to resist nerding out, high f...
Mini-Ep: Have an Unnecessarily Sexy Halloween!
October 27, 2015 04:10 - 13 minutes - 18.2 MBBOO! Need help picking out what to wear for Halloween? We're interrupting our own hiatus to dish on the wide range of awesomely horrific ways companies have sexed up women's and girls' Halloween costumes, from sexy pumpkins to sexy pizza rat (yes that happened). The internet has started cataloging this creepy trend every year now, but WHY is it happening? In this special between-season mini-episode, we get into the pornification of femininity and talk over Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth to unde...
Episode 9: Our Country Music Obsession Confession
October 01, 2015 04:54 - 34.4 MBFeels so right, feels so wrong, now we're crying, now we're running back for more… Tale of a bad ex? Nope! It's our flat-out love affair with country music. Join us in the last episode of Season 1 as we reveal all our feels about this much-abused genre, with a special focus on its fabulous storytelling and the time-honored tradition of lady revenge songs. We'll share some of our favorite tunes and talk about Lauren Berlant's infinitely useful theory of "the female complaint." Carrie Underwood...
Episode 8: Our Quantified / Cyborg Selves
September 17, 2015 03:03 - 46.3 MBIs your Fitbit turning you into a cyborg? In this week's podcast we explore the Quantified Self Movement, which encourages gathering data about ourselves in the quest for self-improvement. We get into what this means for our culture of maximization and productivity, how new technologies have helped us to think of ourselves as machines, and how the singularity movement envisions our cyborg future. On the way we talk about Donna Haraway's feminist Cyborg Manifesto, how long Ray Kurzweil thinks ...
Episode 7: A Crash Course in Apocalyptic Prophecy
September 03, 2015 18:03 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBFrom the folks on the street distributing pamphlets about Armageddon to the rise of survivalists and doomsday preppers, the apocalypse seems to be everywhere. In this episode we get a crash course in the end of the world as we know it from Dr. Anbara Khalidi of Wadham College, Oxford. We find out what the Christian apocalypse is supposed to look like, why people get so passionate about it, and how Foucault's theories of discourses can help us make sense of it all. Dexter, exorcisms, and rains...
Season 1 Gab: SHORTS! on Celebrities, Noorain's Wedding, News, & Vacations
August 20, 2015 03:26 - 30 minutes - 28 MBIt's summer and In Theory brings you some shorts that we've recorded over the past few months that are just a little bit shorter and little bit sweeter! Perfect for between quick dips in the water at the beach. CELEBRITIES: First we get why we love to talk about celebrities, and how celeb gossip can matter in our lives (even if we never meet Snooki or the Hemsworths ourselves). NOORAIN’S WEDDING: Following up on Episode 5’s discussion of the Wedding Industrial Complex, Noorain talks us throug...
Episode 6: Paleoworld
August 06, 2015 03:57 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBWhat is it about our paleolithic ancestors that makes us (and celebs from Miley Cyrus to Matthew McConaughey) want to adopt their hunter-gatherer ways? This week, we take on the Paleo Diet and explore the notion that getting back to our Stone Age roots can help us lead healthier, happier lives. That gets us deep into evolutionary theory, from Darwin’s concept of survival of the fittest to the science in Jurassic Park to our personal gut bacteria...and even a bogus explanation of why ladies lo...
Episode 5: Wedding industrial complex bells are ringing
July 23, 2015 02:46 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBGoing to the chapel of love? Time to talk about the billion-dollar wedding industry! We take you through the stats and checklists of wedding planning, and give the low-down on the capitalist origins of some major Big Day traditions. Get ready to rethink white dresses, diamond engagement rings, celebrity weddings, and where taste comes from. Appearances by Disney princess culture, Scottish kilts, promposals, Eliza Dolittle, and more!
Episode 4: Childhood: those golden years (or are they?)
July 09, 2015 06:39 - 35.4 MBAhhh childhood-- those innocent years when kids use their imaginations, play outside, and have experiences that will shape them for life. Timeless, right? Except not. These understandings of childhood are pretty recent and often assume a white, middle-class, heteronormative child. We talk about where these ideas come from and some of the disturbing results when a kid doesn't conform to popular assumptions about what children "should" be like. Get ready to blow the lid off of childhood! Lin...
Episode 3: Cultural Appropriation!
June 25, 2015 04:27 - 26 minutes - 24 MBThis time we talk about cultural appropriation: What is it? How can you know? Is eating a taco cultural appropriation? We get into the roles of context, history, and power disparities in answering these questions...plus more on tattoo fails, pop music, some of Urban Outfitters' most facepalm-worthy designs, and the dangers of "strategic anti-essentialism".
Episode 2: Why are people so nasty to women on the Internet?
June 14, 2015 19:18 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBIn this episode, we take a look at the dark sexist underbelly of the Internet. We discuss examples in blogging (like the explosive reactions to posts by a gluten-free woman food blogger), gaming, and social media. In the process, we take up the patriarchy, gender-based violence, and the concept of “emotion work.”
Episode 1: Yup, there's a Military-Entertainment Complex...
May 29, 2015 14:56 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBWe kick off In Theory by diving into the military-entertainment complex. In this episode, we figure out how ISIS co-opted one of the most successful video games of all time and that gets us to Top Gun, Katniss Everdeen, and theories of nationhood...