politics

This episode’s guest is Lane Kenworthy, author of our Summer 2009 cover story, Tax Myths. In the article, Kenworthy address four myths about taxes and we go through each one and then some.

You can read Kenworthy’s article for free on thesocietypages.org. Go check it out and if you like it as much as we think you will, share it with your friends over email or on Facebook, Twitter, or on whatever social networking site all you cool kids are using this month.

Also, Kristin Haltinner stops by to discuss Jill McCorkel and Jason Rodriquez’ “Are You an African?” The Politics of Self-Construction in Status-Based Social Movements, from May 2009’s Social Forces.

Also: let us know what you think of the podcast so far by taking our survey!

Download episode #19 now!

Our guest this week is Theda Skocpol, who joins us in the Contexts Podcast studio to discuss the state of American civic and political participation today. Topics include the impact of the internet on politics, loudmouths in the news media, John Stewart and the prospects for social science research today.

Wes Longhofer also joins us again to discuss a discovery that explains why we’re not all free riders.

Also: let us know what you think of the podcast so far by taking our survey!

Download episode #18 now!

This episode, we speak with Barbara Risman about her call for a Council of Social Science Advisors featured in her Spring 2009 One Thing I Know column for Contexts. We talk about how policy might be different if social scientists played a greater role and also about sociology and socialism.

If you’re interested in the idea of a Council for Social Science Advisors, and you’re heading to San Francisco for the ASA’s this weekend, be sure to attend Open Forum: Does the Obama Administration Need a Social Science Scholars Council? A Public Forum, Saturday August 8 at 2:30 pm.

This episode also includes a discussion of a discovery on health & unemployment.

Also: let us know what you think of the podcast so far by taking our survey! It’s very short & your feedback will help us figure out what’s working, what’s not working & how we can best steer the Contexts Podcast Juggernaut into the Future!

Download episode #17 now!

Katherine McCoy, author of our Winter 2009 cover article, Uncle Sam Wants Them, talks with Arturo about the rise of private military corporations in Iraq and Afghanistan. After you listen in here, be sure to head over to thesocietypages.org where you can read Katherine’s article in its entirety. For free!

Also, Wes Longhofer stops by to share a discovery from Politics and Society that may surprise you: corrupt government doesn’t necessarily equal ineffective government.

Download episode #9 now!

Alan Wolfe joins us for a discussion of his new book, The Future of Liberalism. Topics include the relationship between classical liberalism and liberalism today, the prospects for bipartisanship in the Obama administration and the role of social scientists in the public sphere.

Also, Arturo’s Discovery of the week on foster care and well-being. Is foster care bad for kids or are troubled kids simply more likely to be in foster care? Listen in and find out.

Download episode #7 now!

Our web editor, Jon Smajda, interviews Jose Marichal, professor of political science at California Lutheran University and blogger in chief at ThickCulture, a blog about politics, culture and technology. Jose describes how he uses blogging to enhance both his teaching and research, and discusses how Web 2.0 technologies like blogging and podcasting can contribute to a multidisciplinary social science.

Download episode #4 now!

This week, we turn again to our Fall 2008 Discoveries for a set of technology-themed discoveries. Next, we chat with Francesca Polletta about her article in our Fall issue, Storytelling in Politics. In particular, we talk about when and why political storytelling is effective and we get Polletta’s take on storytelling in the 2008 election. The failure of Joe the Plumber, she argues, represents the end of the “little anecdote” and a new appreciation that the best political stories are often sophisticated and nuanced.

Download episode #3 now!

We’ll be back in a few weeks after the new year. Happy Holidays!

In this episode, Jesse and Arturo learn about women from our Fall 2008 batch of Discoveries and also sit down for an interview with Jen’nan Read, author of Muslism in America in our Fall 2008 issue.

Download episode #2 now!

If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe! If you have iTunes installed, just go to the iTunes Store and search for “Contexts” (or just follow this link). If you’re using another podcatcher, our RSS feed is thesocietypages.org/podcast/feed/. If you’re not sure what podcasting is, watch Podcasting in Plain English…and then subscribe to our podcast!

Next Week: we interview Francesca Polleta about Storytelling in Politics.

In this inaugural episode of the Contexts Podcast, we look at a few Discoveries from our brand new Fall 2008 issue of Contexts that explore the effects of religion on people’s lives. Also, we talk with Andrew Perrin about his Contexts article, Why you voted, as well as how polls are “productive fictions”.

We’re new to podcasting here at Contexts, but we’re planning on bringing these episodes to you on a biweekly basis from here on out, so subscribe to our podcast feed or subscribe to our podcast in iTunes. (Note: we’re new to iTunes, so you can’t find us by searching yet, so you need the direct link for now.)

Download episode #1 now!

Next Week: we interview Jen’nan Read about her article, Muslims in America.

Music credits: this week’s episode features music from Drop Trio, available at Magnatune.com.