Podcasts of the (two) weeks ending November 20

Consider This – Young Activists At U.N. Climate Summit: ‘We Are Not Drowning. We Are Fighting‘

Some of the most powerful voices for action on the climate crisis are the youngest.

Radiolab – Mixtape

Radiolab ran a five-part series on the history and influence of the cassette tape (one of my all-time favorite pieces of technology) and they are uniformly excellent, so I’m listing them all here:

• • Dakou
  • Jack and Bing
  • The Wandering Soul
  • The Cassetternet
  • Help?

Throughline – Nikole Hannah-Jones and the Country We Have

In interview with investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones about The 1619 Project, soon to be released as a book, and the backlash against it.

What Next – How Schools Surveil Your Kids

Remote learning allowed the introduction of surveillance tools on children’s computers that are now becoming standard.

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• • Afropop Worldwide – 2
  • AirSpace – 1
  • Best of the Left – 2
  • The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
  • Code Switch – 2
  • Consider This – 4
  • Decoder Ring – 3
  • Disney History Institute – 1
  • Fresh Air – 2
  • Futility Closet – 1
  • Have You Heard? – 2
  • Hit Parade  – 2
  • Hub History – 3
  • Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
  • The Last Archive – 3
  • LeVar Burton Reads – 1
  • Lost Massachusetts – 3
  • The Moth – 1
  • The Memory Palace – 2
  • 99% Invisible – 6
  • One Year – 2
  • Politically Re-Active – 2
  • Planet Money – 2
  • Radio Boston – 6
  • Radiolab – 14
  • Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
  • Scientific American – 4
  • Seizing Freedom – 2
  • Sidedoor – 2
  • Slow Burn – 1
  • The Story Collider – 1
  • Strong Songs – 1
  • Stuff the British Stole – entire series
  • The Thirty20Eight – 1
  • This American Life  – 4
  • This Day in Esoteric Political History – 15
  • Throughline – 10
  • The Tomorrow Society – 1
  • The Truth – 1
  • Twenty Thousand Hertz – 6
  • Unf*cking the Republic – 2
  • Unspooled – 1
  • Up First – 1
  • The War on Cars – 1
  • What Next – 7

Podcasts of the Week Ending October 9

Disney History Institute – Disney World’s 50th Anniversary

50 years of the Florida resort and theme parks through the lens of one pianist who performs on Main Street, U.S.A.

Sidedoor – Make Way for Elephants

How people in India and China are learning to coexist with elephants.

This American Life  – My Bad

Stories of great embarrassment and what we learn from them.

What Next – Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic?

Pandemic preparedness means more than technological solutions but also a commitment to bold social welfare programs

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 2
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 2
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 2
• Decoder Ring – 3
• Disney History Institute – 1
• Fresh Air – 2
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hit Parade  – 2
• Hub History – 3
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• The Last Archive – 3
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 3
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 2
• 99% Invisible – 5
• One Year – 2
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 6
• Radiolab – 8
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 3
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• Slow Burn – 1
• The Story Collider – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• Stuff the British Stole – entire series
• The Thirty20Eight – 1
• This American Life  – 3
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 12
• Throughline – 7
• The Tomorrow Society – 1
• The Truth – 1
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 6
• Unf*cking the Republic – 2
• Unspooled – 1
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 6

Podcasts for Two Weeks Ending September 25

Scientific American 60-Second Science – Dinosaurs Lived–and Made Little Dinos–in the Arctic

Dinosaurs were so cool. Literally!

This Day in Esoteric Political History – Attica

The attrocity at a New York state prison, the media complicity in perpetuating the false narrative of the authorities, and how little has changed in criminal justice in 50 years since.

This Day in Esoteric Political History – Calendar Confusion

That time in 1752 when everyone in the British Empire lost 11 days.

Twenty Thousand Hertz – Listening to the Movies

How audio description for movies originated and how it is done.

What Next – Empty Shelves Everywhere

Ongoing supply chain problems of the global pandemic.

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 2
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 2
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 2
• Decoder Ring – 3
• Fresh Air – 2
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hit Parade  – 2
• Hub History – 3
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• The Last Archive – 3
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 3
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 2
• 99% Invisible – 4
• One Year – 2
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 6
• Radiolab – 8
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 3
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• Slow Burn – 1
• The Story Collider – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• Stuff the British Stole – entire series
• The Thirty20Eight – 1
• This American Life  – 3
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 12
• Throughline – 7
• The Tomorrow Society – 1
• The Truth – 1
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 6
• Unf*cking the Republic – 2
• Unspooled – 1
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 5

Podcasts of the Week Ending August 28

This Day in Esoteric Political History – The Battle of Blair Mountain (1921)

A century ago in West Virginia, the largest labor uprising in American history began.  The US government responded with aerial bombing.

What Next – What Does Haiti Actually Need?

Haiti doesn’t have bad luck but suffers from over a century of imperialism and international aid programs that rarely get money and resources to Haitians.

 

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 2
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 2
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 2
• Decoder Ring – 3
• Fresh Air – 2
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hit Parade  – 2
• Hub History – 2
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• The Last Archive – 3
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 3
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 1
• 99% Invisible – 4
• One Year – 2
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 6
• Radiolab – 8
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 2
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• Slow Burn – 1
• The Story Collider – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• Stuff the British Stole – entire series
• The Thirty20Eight – 1
• This American Life  – 2
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 9
• Throughline – 7
• The Tomorrow Society – 1
• The Truth – 1
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 5
• Unf*cking the Republic – 2
• Unspooled – 1
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 4

Podcasts of the Week Ending August 14

99% Invisible – War, Famine, Pestilence, and Design

A fascinating history of several things created to deal with a crisis that had lasting effects.  What changes to our lives from the Covid-19 pandemic will make for permanent improvements in our society?

60-Second Science – Astronomers Find an Unexpected Bumper Crop of Black Holes

Black holes confuse and delight me.

What Next – A Doctor in the Middle of the Florida Surge

A doctor discusses how there are still huge barriers for many people – especially poor Black and Latin American people – to getting COVID vaccinations even when they want to.

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 2
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 2
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 2
• Decoder Ring – 3
• Fresh Air – 2
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hit Parade  – 1
• Hub History – 2
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• The Last Archive – 3
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 2
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 1
• 99% Invisible – 4
• One Year – 1
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 6
• Radiolab – 8
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 2
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• Slow Burn – 1
• The Story Collider – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• Stuff the British Stole – entire series
• This American Life  – 2
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 8
• Throughline – 7
• The Tomorrow Society – 1
• The Truth – 1
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 5
• Unf*cking the Republic – 2
• Unspooled – 1
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 3

Podcast of the Week Ending July 31

This Day in Esoteric Political History :: Kerner and “The Long Hot Summer” (1967)

A government commission produced a report in 1967 showing that the USA needed to stop overpolicing Black communities.  It was ignored.

This Day in Esoteric Political History :: The U.S. Rewrites the Haitian Constitution (1915)

The poverty and political instability of modern-day Haiti has its roots in United States’ imperialism from over a century ago.

What Next :: On the Front Lines of California’s Wildfires

Meet some of the incarcerated women who fight wildfires in California at great risk to themselves for little pay.

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 2
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 2
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 2
• Decoder Ring – 3
• Fresh Air – 2
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hit Parade  – 1
• Hub History – 2
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• The Last Archive – 3
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 2
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 1
• 99% Invisible – 3
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 6
• Radiolab – 8
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 1
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• Slow Burn – 1
• The Story Collider – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• Stuff the British Stole – entire series
• This American Life  – 2
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 8
• Throughline – 7
• The Tomorrow Society – 1
• The Truth – 1
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 5
• Unf*cking the Republic – 2
• Unspooled – 1
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 3

Podcasts of the Week Ending May 15

Consider This ::  How One LA Neighborhood Reveals The Racist Architecture Of American Homeownership

The story of a vibrant Black neighborhood destroyed to build a highway is an all too familiar story in the US.

99% Invisible :: Tanz Tanz Revolution

How the Berlin Wall, and its fall, lead to Berlin becoming a center of Techno dance music.

Radio Boston :: New Data On Chelsea’s Guaranteed Basic Income Program

To help struggling people in Chelsea, MA, the city gave them direct cash payments as relief.  Good things happened.

What Next :: The Palestinian Perspective

A rarely heard perspective on the continuing crisis between Israel and Palestine.

What Next :: I Was a Teenager in a Syrian Prison

Omar Alshogre tells his story of being imprisoned for protesting the Syrian regime and eventually becoming a student at Georgetown University.

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 2
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 2
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 2
• Fresh Air – 2
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hub History – 2
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• The Last Archive – 1
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 1
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 1
• 99% Invisible – 3
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 4
• Radiolab – 2
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 1
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• The Story Collider – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• This American Life  – 2
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 2
• Throughline – 6
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 2
• Unf*cking the Republic – 2
• Unspooled – 1
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 3

Podcasts of the Week Ending April 24

Afropop Worldwide :: Punk in Africa

Punk is not a genre typically associated with Africa but the music of rage both personal and political has found its niche in countries dealing with imperialism, apartheid, poverty, and political corruption.

Fresh Air ::  The Social Psychologist Who Works To Reduce Harm In Policing

Regulating police behavior rather than focusing on the attitudes of individual police officers is the approach advocated by one researcher.

Radio Boston :: Former Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson Reunites With Birth Mother

A heart-warming story of Tito Jackson, one of my favorite Bostonians, meeting his birth mother for the first time.

What Next :: Fear and Paranoia in American Policing

Police officers are trained to be terrified by everything around them leading to their inscrutable violent actions.

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 2
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 2
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 1
• Fresh Air – 1
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hub History – 2
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 1
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 1
• 99% Invisible – 3
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 3
• Radiolab – 2
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 1
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• The Story Collider – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• This American Life  – 2
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 1
• Throughline – 6
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 2
• Unf*cking the Republic – 2
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 1

Podcasts of the Week Ending April 3

Fresh Air :: The High Stakes Of Amazon’s ‘One-Click America’

The vote to unionize an Amazon warehouse in Alabama and what that means for labor in America.

Planet Money ::  Socialism 101

A primer on a widely misunderstood economic theory.

Radio Boston ::  New Study Supports Suffolk DA Rollins’ Focus More On Serious, Violent Crimes

Rachael Rollins ran for and was elected as Suffolk County District Attorney promising not to prosecute many nonviolent offenses and focus on more serious crimes.  Newly released data is proving her approach to be correct.

Radiolab :: What Up, Holmes?

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes originated a metaphor for free speech as “the marketplace of ideas,” but is there a better way to conceptualize freedom of speech?

This Day in Esoteric Political History :: Three Mile Meltdown

A partial nuclear meltdown at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania was apparently not as bad as it is always made out to be.

Throughline :: Our Own People

The story of a social justice activist I’ve never heard of before, Yuri Kochiyama. A Japanese-American woman who fought for Asian American equality, Kochiyama allied herself with numerous liberation movements. She was friends was Malcolm X and held him as he died.

What Next :: Can a Highway Be Racist?

There’s a long history in the United States of working class BIPOC communities being leveled to build and enlarge highways.  The freeway revolt against this practice continues in Houston.

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• Afropop Worldwide – 1
• AirSpace – 1
• Best of the Left – 1
• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 2
• Consider This – 1
• Fresh Air – 1
• Futility Closet – 1
• Have You Heard? – 2
• Hub History – 2
• Judas and the Black Messiah – Entire series
• LeVar Burton Reads – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 1
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 1
• 99% Invisible – 2
• Politically Re-Active – 2
• Planet Money – 2
• Radio Boston – 2
• Radiolab – 2
• Reparations: The Big Payback – 1
• Scientific American – 1
• Seizing Freedom – 2
• Sidedoor – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• This American Life  – 2
• This Day in Esoteric Political History – 1
• Throughline – 5
• Twenty Thousand Hertz – 2
• Up First – 1
• The War on Cars – 1
• What Next – 1

Podcasts of the Week Ending January 30

Have You Heard? ::  Reopening a Can of Worms

A deep dive into the debate over sending children back to school during the pandemic.

Lost Massachusetts :: The Lost Corner: AKA Hells Acre, The Oblong, Etc.

I’ve always been fascinated with “The Oblong” on the CT-NY border but had not known of the lawless settlement that once was in the corner of Massachusetts.

The Memory Palace :: The Stone

Long before the fears of a “9/11 Mosque” were stoked by prejudiced Americans, another fear of an outsiders’ religion manifested in protests and violence over a stone for the Washington Monument.

Radiolab :: Smile My Ass

Candid Camera created “reality television” by redefining how we viewed reality itself.

What Next :: Did the Media Fail the Trump Years?

Yes.

 

Running Tally of Podcast of the Week Awards for 2021

• The Brattle Film Podcast – 1
• Code Switch – 1
• Have You Heard? – 1
• Lost Massachusetts – 1
• The Moth – 1
• The Memory Palace – 1
• Politically Re-Active – 1
• Radio Boston – 1
• Radiolab – 1
• Scientific American – 1
• Strong Songs – 1
• This American Life  – 1