Literary Studies

Spacecraft / The Stuff of Life by Timothy Morton

We begin this philosophical conversation with an overview of Object-Oriented Ontology, the school of thought in which both Spacecraft and The Stuff of Life are rooted. Tim discusses how they came to describe life through ‘stuff’, touching on bananas, concealer, electric peanuts, and the Battersea Power Station. Stay tuned for lively tête à tête on Star Wars versus Star Trek. Spoiler: both franchises are good and beloved by both parties, but their philosophical outlooks differ in important ways. We learn of Tim’s connection to Sir Patrick Stewart as well as their favorite spacecraft, then veer into the relationship between spacecraft and human treatment of ecology, the environment, and the individual. Take a listen.

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Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson by Tara T. Green, part two

In the second half of this conversation on activist, educator, writer, and bisexual icon Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Tara T. Green discusses Alice’s queerness and her life as a queer person in the 19th century United States. Dunbar-Nelson defied many assumptions a contemporary reader may have of the Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction era United States, including that she was exceptionally well-traveled. We learn about Alice’s love of California, her time in New York and contribution to the Harlem Renaissance, and her queer affairs. Take a listen.

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Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson by Tara T. Green, part one

Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson has received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Booklist. Pulitzer-prize winning poet Jericho Brown praised the book as “a brilliant analysis.” So who was Alice Dunbar Nelson? Born in New Orleans in 1875, she would become an activist and writer and contributor to the Harlem Renaissance. She navigated a hostile and ever-changing country as a Black bisexual woman, subject to systemic racism and sexism and impositions of “respectability.” More intimately, she navigated an abusive marriage to the well-known writer Paul Laurence Dunbar. Bloomsbury Academic podcast and Tara T. Green discuss how Alice Dunbar-Nelson found ways to not only survive but thrive in a world and a marriage that were fundamentally against her. Take a listen.

Queer Data by Kevin Guyan

How do we decide who counts? Kevin Guyan, queer author, activist and scholar, joins us to discuss his latest book Queer Data: Using Gender, Sex and Sexuality Data for Action to break down how data shapes the world around us, and how we in turn, shape it. Take a listen.

Image of the Bloomsbury Handbook to Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler with Kendra R. Parker

Octavia E. Butler is widely recognized today as one of the most important figures in contemporary science fiction. In this episode, Kendra R. Parker discusses what attracted her to Butler’s work, before jumping into discussions about Afrofuturism, the environment, representation in literature, and much more. Connecting current social movements to those of Butler’s time, this episode ultimately reflects on the timeless nature of Butler’s work and her uncanny ability to predict the future.

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Othello with Ayanna Thompson

Ayanna Thompson is a scholar, activist, and self-proclaimed Othello whisperer. She is the co-author of Teaching Shakespeare with Purpose, the author of Passing Strange and Performing Race and Torture on the Early Modern Stage, and the editor of Weyward Macbeth, Colorblind Shakespeare, and the Arden Third Series’ Othello. In this episode, Ayanna Thompson outlines the complexities of Othello, the history of racism in theater, and the strides the industry still needs to make to reach equality. For any theater buff, aspiring performer, literature professor, or Shakespeare fan, this is a conversation you’ll want to join.

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Bonus Episode: Coronavirus and the Anthropocene

In the midst of this international pandemic, there are many new and important discussions taking place. During this special follow-up episode, author Chris Schaberg is back to talk about the impact of coronavirus on the environment around us—including the rapid decrease in air travel, employment, economic stability, and overall human interaction. A quick listen for anyone looking to consider how these extreme conditions are changing the climate conversation.

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Searching for the Anthropocene with Christopher Schaberg

Debated, denied, unheard of, encompassing: the Anthropocene is a vexed topic, and requires interdisciplinary imagination. Christopher Schaberg invites listeners on an atmospheric, impressionistic adventure with the environmental humanities. This episode is not about defining or settling the Anthropocene, but rather about articulating what it’s like to live in the Anthropocene, to live with a sense of its nagging presence, even as the stakes grow higher with each passing year.

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Veil with Rafia Zakaria

The veil is a complex and unique object, one that holds personal and cultural significance and often prompts very passionate and even aggressive reactions. Author Rafia Zakaria is here to help us consider the veil from a range of perspectives, including her own. This episode takes a close look at the veil in relation to women, aesthetics, power, and identity, and is for anyone looking to join the conversation.

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The Sexual Politics of Meat with Carol J. Adams

Veganism. Animal rights. Feminism. Masculinity. Capitalism. The climate crisis. Racism. Author Carol Adams discusses how each of these issues is connected. If you’re eager to explore the intersectional relationships between them and discover how they relate to the way society thinks about meat consumption and gender politics, then this is the episode for you.