This is Episode 3 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.
In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we focus on the industry surrounding Valentine's Day. Using the work of Laruen Berlant, Michael Warner, Karl Marx, Wendy Brown, Matthew Coleman and Matt Sparke, we explore the ways in which heteronormativity and neoliberalism are jointly put to work in the preservation and propagation of capitalism and the nation-state. 

The Tesco Valentine's Day advert can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TV5e_9Pfe4

The theoretical texts we refer to are:
"Sex in Public" by Lauren Berlant and Michael Warner (http://sites.middlebury.edu/sexandsociety/files/2015/01/Berlant-and-Warner-Sex-in-Public.pdf)
"Capital Vol. 1" by Karl Marx (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Capital-Critique-Political-Economy-Classics/dp/0140445684)
"Neo-liberalism and the End of Liberal Democracy" by Wendy Brown (http://lchc.ucsd.edu/cogn_150/Readings/brown.pdf)
"Reclaiming Democracy: An Interview with Wendy Brown" (http://criticallegalthinking.com/2013/01/30/reclaiming-democracy-an-interview-with-wendy-brown-on-occupy-sovereignty-and-secularism/)
"U.S. statecraft and the U.S.–Mexico border as security/economy nexus" by Matthew Coleman (http://www.elsevierscitech.com/pdfs/JPGQ/2005_US_statecraft_and_the_US_Mexico_border_as_securityeconomy_nexus.pdf)
A Neoliberal Nexus: Economy, Security and the Biopolitics of Citizenship on the Border by Matt Sparke (https://faculty.washington.edu/sparke/NN.pdf)

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agra…he_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast/?fref=ts) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 3: Shopping for Love

This is Episode 7 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.
In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we look at the UK Budget, which was announced this week. We examine the ideological positions behind policies such as the Sugar Tax, the Academicisation of Schools, and cuts to various welfare benefits. 

The theoretical text we refer to is:
"Mothers on Display: Lunchboxes, Social Class and Moral Accountability" by Vicki Harman and Benedetta Capellini (Link behind paywall: http://soc.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/02/02/0038038514559322.full.pdf+html)

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agra…he_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast/?fref=ts) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 7: Of Red Lunchboxes and School Lunchboxes (UK Budget 2016)

This is Episode 13 of the State of the Theory Podcast.
Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.
In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.
In this episode, we discuss the tragedy that took place at the Hillsborough football ground in Sheffield in 1989, the way the police and emergency authorities failed, and the way that failure was covered up. We explore particular narratives of class and regional identity that allowed for the cover-up to work. 

The texts we refer to are:
“State of Exception” by Giorgio Agamben (https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Exception-Giorgio-Agamben/dp/0226009254)
“Eichmann in Jerusalem” by Hannah Arendt (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eichmann-Jerusalem-Penguin-Classics-Hannah/dp/0143039881)

You can watch the Bruce Grobelaar interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiUlAzIKoH4

A BBC Panorama Documentary on Hillsborough can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaBnY-SnwxA

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agra…he_Face_of_God)
State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)
Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast/?fref=ts) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors


Episode 13: You'll Never Walk Alone - Remembering Hillsborough 1989

This is Episode 33 of the State of the Theory Podcast, or the first episode of our second series.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we look at how space and the way spaces are designed affect our identities.  

You can read the op-ed piece about gender neutral bathrooms here: http://time.com/4702962/gender-neutral-bathrooms/

You can read Lacan’s essay “The Instance of the Letter in the Unconscious” here: http://files.eshkolot.ru/lacan1.pdf

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 33: Designing Spaces of Identity

This is Episode 35 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we continue our discussion of sexual harassment, focusing on a recently published list of Indian academics who have been accused of sexual harassment. 

This episode was recorded on 26 October 2017, and events may have changed since.

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 35: Sexual Harassment, Academia and The List

This is Episode 37 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we look at the Netflix show "Mindhunters" and examine how in its depiction of the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI and its investigations of serial killers, it can be seen to be performing what Michel Foucault terms discourse. We examine the show, its depiction of insanity, criminality, university, and the FBI, in an effort to learn more about the nuances of Foucault’s ideas.

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 37: Mindhunting with Foucault

This is Episode 41 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we discuss the upcoming strike action called by the University and College Union (UCU) about proposed changes to our pension scheme. We use this opportunity to reflect on labour politics in Higher Education, and the role of trade unions in contemporary employer-employee relations within our industry and beyond. 

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 41: Strike!

This is Episode 43 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week, we return to podcasting with our take on the growing hostilities between India and Pakistan. We focus on the coercive role played by the nation-state, and ask if the state is a rational actor or not? We discuss the use of social media in constructing patriotism, and developing a consensus around military violence.

Theoretical texts we refer to in this episode are “The Origins of Totalitarianism” by Hannah Arendt (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Origins-Totalitarianism-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/0241316758/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1551561291&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Origins+of+Totalitarianism) and “Imagined Communities” by Benedict Anderson (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imagined-Communities-Reflections-Origin-Nationalism/dp/1784786756/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1551561355&sr=1-1&keywords=imagined+communities+anderson)

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 43: India and Pakistan

This is Episode 45 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we continue last week’s discussion about the politics of childhood, but shift the focus to ideologies of science, specifically in the context of vaccination and the anti-vaxx movement. What does this strangely successful movement say about our cultural attitudes towards science, industry, capitalism, and the role of families and children in all of this?

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 45: Vaccinations and Science

This is Episode 48 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, the first of a two-parter, we explore the world of food, dieting, and bodies. We talk about our own relationships with food, and think about how critical theory helps us understand, but does not necessarily gives us the tools to change the way we feel about ourselves. Along the way, we talk about Foucault and Audre Lorde.
 

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 48: Bodies and Dieting

This is Episode 49 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, the second of a two-parter, we explore the world of gyms, exercises, and bodies. We talk about our own relationships with our bodies, and think about how critical theory helps us understand, but does not necessarily gives us the tools to change the way we feel about ourselves. 
 

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 49: Bodies and Exercising

This is Episode 53 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, the second of a two-parter on historic tourism, we continue our discussion from last week, by focusing on heritage and industry, through spaces such as the Whitney Plantation Museum, the Tenement Museum, the Tower of London, Verdant Jute Museum and much else. 

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 53: Historic Tourism - Pt. 2 (Heritage and Industry)

This is Episode 58 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, the second of a two parter on sport, we focus on Muslim athletes in Britain, and think through the relationship between sporting success, religion and race. 

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 58: Sport II - Religion, Race and Nationhood

This is Episode 61 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we continue last week’s discussion on Capitalist Utopias, with friend of the pod and special guest Dr Katie Muth. Following on from the self-help industry, this week we focus on multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes, and their presence in capitalism. Along the way, we talk about Octavia E. Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin, “Star Trek” and “The Matrix”. 

The difference between MLMs and pyramid schemes that we quote can be found here: https://consumer.sd.gov/fastfacts/marketing.aspx

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 61: Capitalist Utopias II - MLMs and Pyramid Schemes

This is Episode 62 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we mark the ongoing US Democratic Presidential Primary season by focusing on the candidacy of Marianne Williamson. We think through the politics of New Age thinking, and explore its connection to postmodernism and orientalism. 

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 62: New Age Thinking

This is Episode 65 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we continue our discussion on mental health from last week. Today we focus on the political economy of mental health, comparing the health-care systems in the UK and the USA, and what it means for the way we think about and manage mental health issues. 

More information about The Samaritans can be found at https://www.samaritans.org

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 65: Mental Health 2 - Political Economy

This is Episode 68 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we talk about recent and historic controversies about sporting celebrations – from Sourav Ganguly taking his shirt off on the player’s balcony at Lord’s Cricket Ground, to Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe’s celebrations during the 2019 Women’s Football World Cup. We read politics of race, class, and empire into these celebrations and the responses they have elicited in the media.

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick and Anindya Raychaudhuri

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @drhfitz and @DrAnindyaR

Episode 68: Sporting Celebrations

This is Episode 69 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we talk about the Indian government’s punitive and military measures in Kashmir. We think about effects of the combination of religious nationalism, racist misogyny and unbridled capitalism on the situation in Kashmir. 

#StandWithKashmir #EndKashmirBlockade

We mention the work of Dibyesh Anand: https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/91407/porno-nationalism-and-the-male-subject-an-ethnography-of-hindu-nationalist-imagination-in-india

You can read BBC coverage of allegations of torture by government forces here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-49481180

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 69: Kashmir

This is Episode 71 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, recorded on 5 July, we talk about the recent controversy arising from the decision to cast Halle Bailey (a black actor) in the role of Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. We use this story to explore the role of race and gender in the politics of casting. 

We refer to this twitter thread about the diversity in the ways in which mermaids have been represented through history: https://twitter.com/erik_kaars/status/1146690062182232065

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 71: Casting Gender and Race

This is Episode 72 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we talk about the climate change and political activism, and discuss what appears to us to be the strengths and the weaknesses of the Extinction Rebellion movement. We ask: what should be the relationship between the human and non-human, and who should have priority?

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 72: Climate Change and Anthropocentrism

This is Episode 73 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we continue our discussion about climate change and political activism from last week, and talk about teenage political activism. Focussing on Greta Thunberg, Emma Gonzalez and Malala Yousafzai, we interrogate the position occupied by these young women, and how their political activism is received and consumed by an adult world. 

You can watch Emma Gonzalez speak at the March for our Lives rally here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u46HzTGVQhg

You can watch Greta Thunberg speak at the United Nations here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW3IQ-ke43w

Our thanks to Dr Peter Mackay (@PadraigMacaoidh) for supplying some really useful ideas for this episode.

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 73: Climate Change, Violence and Teenage Activism

This is Episode 74 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In the middle of the possible impeachment of Donald Trump, Penguin Random House has released the nine-page letter from the anonymous CIA whistleblower as an audio book, which you can listen to hear (https://soundcloud.com/penguin-audio/the-whistle-blower-complaint-released-by-the-house-intelligence-committee-9262019) This got us thinking about the importance of ritualised performance in our democracy. We talk about the performance of the Chilcot Report in Edinburgh in August 2016 (https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/aug/09/comedians-begin-edinburgh-recital-of-chilcot-report-iraq-out-and-loud) and the dramatization of the Muller report (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/08/its-the-end-of-my-presidency-movie-stars-channel-mueller)

We use J.L. Austin, Mikhail Bakhtin and Victor Turner to think about the importance of performance, and its connection to our body politic.

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 74: Democracy, Performance, Ritual

This is Episode 75 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

Here we do a callback to Episode 37: Mindhunting with Foucault, in which we use the theories of Michel Foucault to analyse the Netflix show "Mindhunters". Now that Netflix has released the second season of the show, we return to these theories to think about what has changed in the second season, and how it finds ways of testing the limits of the categories that it has created. 

You can watch the Ed Kemper comparison video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDYBmNYc8IA

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 75: Mindhunter 2.0

This is Episode 76 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we are excited by the return of “Spitting Image” (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/28/spitting-image-returns-chaotic-times-trump-putin-zuckerberg) and think about what makes effective satire. What is the relationship between satire and time, and why does some satire age well, while others don’t? What is the point of satire anyway?

You can watch the “Going for an English” sketch from “Goodness Gracious Me” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huSP7PtctC4

You can watch the “Delhi Mail” sketch from “Goodness Gracious Me” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7nU2a23m9o

You can listen to “The Post 9/11 Blues” by Riz MC here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKTsJpfC0IQ

You can listen to “Send the Marines” by Tom Lehrer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFvxqQTh3m4

You can listen to “National Brotherhood Week” by Tom Lehrer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgASBVMyVFI

You can watch “Black Jeopardy” with Tom Hanks on “Saturday Night Live” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7VaXlMvAvk

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 76: Satire

This is Episode 78 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we look at famous images of famous politicians and try to understand how and why politicians use the power of the image. Who are they trying to convince, and of what?

You can see the photograph of Narendra Modi and his mother here: https://twitter.com/FriedrichPieter/status/1189649532025528320

You can see the photograph of Narendra Modi praying here: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-in-uttarakhand-to-offer-prayers-at-kedarnath-shrine/story-M52WZnEawYecbsLpRD4ZZO.html

You can see Boris Johnson stuck on a zip wire here: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/16/stuck-zip-wire-boris-johnson-london-2012-olympics

You can see the photograph of Barack Obama here: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/us/politics/indelible-image-of-a-boys-pat-on-obamas-head-hangs-in-white-house.html

Our theme music is "The Face of God" by The Agrarians (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Agrarians/The_Jovial_Shepherd/The_Face_of_God)

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 78: The Image of the Politician

This is Episode 81 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we take on #Megxit and Andrewgate, two of the scandals that have rocked the British royal family in recent weeks. Are the stories working in a similar way? And what do they have to say about the nature and role of the royal family in today’s Britain.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 81: Megxit

This is Episode 82 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we mark the recent announcement of this year’s Oscar nominations with our thoughts about diversity in awards nominations. Is it important that the work of filmmakers and actors of diverse backgrounds be recognised through awards? And, if so, why, exactly?

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 82: Oscars

This is Episode 86 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This episode marks our return in lockdown.  In the light of renewed global anti-racist protests, we do a two-parter on race and education. In this, the first part, we focus on race in Higher Education, and think a bit about what precisely decolonising universities would imply.  

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 86: Race and Education I - Universities

This is Episode 87 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we conclude our two-part look at race and schools. We look at private and government run schools in the UK and the US, and think about ways in which the education system is affected by racial hierarchies. To what extent have schools been used to ameliorate racial inequalities, and to what extent have they merely reinforced them?  

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 87: Race and Education II - Schools

This is Episode 88 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we look at a few examples of alt-right movements and how they are structured through conspiracy theories. Focussing on recent stories involving the Black Lives Matter and anti-lockdown protests in the US and conspiracies involving the journalist Ash Sarkar in the UK, we think through what conspiracy theories mean, and what it tells us about the alt-right on both sides of the Atlantic.

You can read the “InStyle” article about Hawaiian shirts here: https://www.instyle.com/fashion/hawaiian-shirts-alt-right-white-supremacy-protestors

You can read about Ash Sarkar’s “orange emoji” tweet here: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/reading-stabbings-muslim-journalist-death-22227933

You can find Ash Sarkar’s “kosher salt” tweet here: https://twitter.com/AyoCaesar/status/1278738702139883521 

Since the podcast was recorded, Kick Ass Liz’s tweet seems to have been deleted. 

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 88: Oranges and Hawaiian Shirts

This is Episode 89 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we look at the fate of Humanities in Higher Education. As multiple departments close, and others face more financial restrictions, we ask who decides value when it comes to education, and on what basis.
 

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 89: SHAPE-ing the Humanities

This is Episode 90 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we talk about the act of taking the knee as a political protest, and through tracing its history in America and Britain, we explore the relationship between gesture and substance when it comes to political protest. 
 

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 90: Taking the Knee

This is Episode 91 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we talk about the experience of watching old movies during lockdown, and the nostalgia industry that has been built around these emotions. We talk about Disney+, “Home Alone”, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “The Princess Bride” among others. What relationship between the past, present and future does nostalgia help to construct and how does popular culture help inscribe these relationships?

The Susan Sontag essay Notes on “Camp” can be found here: https://monoskop.org/images/5/59/Sontag_Susan_1964_Notes_on_Camp.pdf 
 

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 91: The Past, Present and Future of Nostalgia

This is Episode 92 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we talk about the strangely successful new Netflix show “Indian Matchmaking”, and discuss the appeal of dating-based reality TV shows. What do they promise, how do they deliver and what is it about them that seem so widely popular? 

The Susan Sontag essay Notes on “Camp” can be found here: https://monoskop.org/images/5/59/Sontag_Susan_1964_Notes_on_Camp.pdf 
 

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 92: Indian Matchmaking

This is Episode 93 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

This week we welcome friend of the pod Dr Tom Clemens for a discussion about the recent controversy surrounding the statistical adjustment of school-leaving grades for Scottish students. We think about the use of statistics, and the way concepts like ‘fairness’ and ‘credibility’ when it comes to education rely on replicating, rather than challenging, forms of structural inequality.


State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 93: The Merit of Statistics

This is Episode 94 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In the week that Joe Biden nominates Senator Kamala Harris of California as his Vice-Presidential pick, we talk about black identity, left-wing politics and the Democratic party.


State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 94: Race and the Democratic Party

This is Episode 95 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

Following on from last week’s episode about race and the democratic party, we explore the racial dynamic of British mainstream politics, focussing on the figure of the Conservative British Asian.


State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 95: Race and the Conservative Party

This is Episode 96 of the State of the Theory Podcast.

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably.

In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

In this episode, we tackle the stories of Jessica Krug and Rachel Dolezal, and think through what they might tell us about race, identity and academia.


State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR) 

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

Episode 96: The Dolezal-Krug Effect

Politics. Power. Popular Culture. And other stuff, probably. 
In this series, we’re like super nerdy philosophical DJs: mashing up Serious Academic Questions with the most topical news and trends in pop culture. Each week, we’ll tackle a new topic and collide it with ‘critical theory’ (we’re pretty loose with our definitions, though, so expect the unexpected). Our aim is to destroy the stuff we know, explore the stuff we don’t and unsettle everything we think we know about the world. We take the obvious, the commonsensical, the certain, and then we rip it all to shreds. We are your theory doctors and we are always on call.

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