media

We have three segments this episode:

1. We talk with Shannon Golden about Kony 2012. Shannon provides some insight into the situation in Uganda while Chris cynically revels in the implosion of Invisible Children.
2. We talk about the Mike Daisey/This American Life fiasco. Arturo defends liars, as usual, while I, er, Jon, stands strong as a defender of truth.
3. The whacky world of Young Adult literature.

Links from the discussion:

• Amy Finnegan and Shannon Golden on Office Hours
• Visible Children
• This American Life: Retraction
• FLA Foxconn report
• Racist Hunger Games Fans
• OpenBook
• The Implicit Racism test

Get Improv #35. (35 Improvs. Are we improving yet?)

After a lengthy break, we’re back! Racism in hockey, Work It, and The Trap are among our topics this episode. Enjoy!

Download Improv #32

After a quick ASA recap from Jesse and Arturo, we talk about the challenges of writing—and academic writing in particular—and whether diversity on television can make a difference.

Download Episode #29

Two topics this week:

First, Arturo jumps off from a recent New Books in Sociology episode to ask whether or not sociology is too set in making repetitive and uncreative arguments.

Second, Chris takes us on a tour through the Billboard Hot 100 and the Top 200, with a stop at the Grammy Album of the Year, partially in response to this article on Hysteria and pop music.

Note: Jon accidentally posted the link to last episode when initially creating this post. If you got the wrong file, please redownload now. Sorry!

Download The Hot 26!

Two segments this week:

First, Chris gives a shout out to Sociological Images for their post on Push Up Bikini Tops at Abercrombie Kids, which inspires a discussion about gender and childhood culture.

Second, a discussion about Ebooks, Amazon, DRM, and the fate of public knowledge.

Links:

• J Crew Pink Toenails
• Push Up Bikini Tops at Abecrombie Kids
• Disney Princess Grapes
• Peggy Orenstein
• Amazon Library Lending
• HarperCollins Puts 26 Loan Cap on Ebook Circulations
• Siva Vaidhyanathan on Media Matters

Download Improv 25.

We start off talking about Charlie Sheen and celebrity (yeah, sorry), and then transition into a discussion about the iPad and music, and technology and qualitative data analysis. We thought we were done then, but we kept on talking about the sad state of rock music today and then NPR versus the right wing. We decided to keep the whole thing.

Links from the episode:

• GarageBand on iPad guided tour
• Alex Skolnick, Goodbye to Romance: Standards For A New Generation
• Whatever Happened to Alternative Nation?
• Siamese Dream Bassist?
• The Nevermind baby all grown up
• Cry Baby Documentary
• Rappers aren’t afraid to be weird
• Peter Dreier on Office Hours
• NPR and Muslim Brotherhood stunt
• NPR CEO Steps Down

Download Episode 22!

This week, Eric Plemons joins the conversation and Jose Marichal makes a return visit as well. After introducing the Improv Hotline at 612.242.AGIL, we have a discussion about teaching social theory, the value of reading original texts, and the challenges of tuning out distractions for sustained reading and writing. Our final segment is a lengthy discussion of the impact of the 2010 midterm elections.

By the way, be sure to watch the feed because we’ve got another new episode we recorded last week coming your way in just a few days. Editing is hard.

Download Improv #17

This week, we have two special guests: Gwen Sharp from Sociological Images and Don Waisanen from ThickCulture.

First, we talk about a couple of Gwen’s recent posts on Soc Images regarding whiteness, cowboys, and the Republican’s “Pledge” and the mythology of being a country boy/girl. (Oh, and vajazzling.)

Second, we talk about Stephen Colbert’s Congressional testimony. Don thinks it missed the mark, we compare Colbert and Stewart, and discuss the complexity of satire and irony in politics.

Download Improv #14

Three topics this week*:

• Arturo talks about his journey into the world of online discussion forums and blog comments
• Phil Davison, who has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, a bachelor’s degree in History, a master’s degree in Public Administration…and a master’s degree in Communication.
• We discuss Urban Legends: Why suburbs, not cities, are the answer.

Download Lucky #13.

* Well, actually last week: this was recorded on September 16.

This week Jesse, Jon, and Arturo (on location at the Denver airport) talk about What the Tea Party Really Wants by David Brooks and Gail Collins. Topics include: the success of Glenn Beck; morality and the market; the idea that “everybody’s to blame” for the sad state of the economy; and the power of catchy anecdotes against data and experts.

Episode #12…gogetit!