This week we talk with Joshua I. Newman and Michael Giardina about their recent book [Sport, Spectacle, and NASCAR Nation: Consumption and the Cultural Politics of Neoliberalism]. Our conversation covers topics including the whiteness of stock car racing, religion and rebellion at the race track, and the production and consumption of Southern identity. We also discuss the value of researching NASCAR, sports, and other popular culture activities.
This episode, new Office Hours contributor David Phillippi interviews Francesco Duina about his book, Winning: Reflections on an American Obsession. Topics include competition in sports, raising children, and comparing America’s culture of competition with Denmark. What are we trying to gain by being so competitive? And are we getting it? Listen in to find out.
This episode, we talk with the authors of two recent Contexts features on higher education. We speak to Michael Hout about his Winter 2009 “One Thing I Know” column (which you can read online in its entirety here), and then William Beaver tells us about his article, A Matter of Degrees, from our Spring 2009 issue.
What happens to those exonerated of crimes they didn’t commit? Do they receive multi-million dollar settlements and go back to their normal lives as popular TV shows suggest? Unfortunately, most exonerees do not fare so well. In this episode, we talk with Saundra D. Westervelt and Kimberly J. Cook about their article, Coping with Innocence After Death Row, from our Fall 2008 issue.
Contexts grad board member John Sullivan also stops by to share not just one, but two discoveries about soccer hooligans.