State Of The Theory

This is Episode 17 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 some recent stories about the way women’s bodies are regulated and policed in different ways. Using this as an example, we explore the possibilities of resistance. The texts we refer to are: “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses” by Louis Althusser (https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/althusser/

This is Episode 16 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 recent London mayoral election race. We examine the ways in which colonial history, race and Islamophobia featured in the way the campaigns were run, and the ways in which the election was covered. Specifically, we critique the way in which Zac Goldsmith, Conservative candidate, tried to build support among

This is Episode 15 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 recent news events about Muslim passengers being forced to get off planes out of concerns for security. We use these stories to think through the relationship between Islamophobia and securitisation. How does 9/11 change the way we view Muslims, and air-travel? What interests does the State have in creating

This is Episode 14 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 politics of commemoration of Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary. We look at the ways in which Shakespeare has been used to represent British nationhood, and a universal humanism at the same time. We explore the political implications of this, in terms of class, nationhood and Empire. The text we refer to i

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:

This is Episode 12 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 examine the politics behind the British Royal family in terms of its relationship to the history and memory of the British Empire. Taking opportunity of William and Kate's recent visit to India, we think through the politics of the post-colonial world, and contextualise the demand for repatriation of colonial acqui

This is Episode 11 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 Panama Papers. In the second of a two-parter, we examine on the politics of whistleblowing. We examine the attitudes about tax and taxation as revealed by the way the Panama Papers story has been treated in the media. We see how taxation plays a role in creating a sense of the nation-state, and calibrat

This is Episode 10 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 Panama Papers. In the first of a two-parter, we examine on the politics of whistleblowing. We set the Panama Papers story in the context of previous whistleblowing stories such as Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden, and discuss what the phenomenon of whistleblowing has to say about neoliberalism and dem

This is Episode 9 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 ways in which academia and academics are represented on television, in cinema and in popular culture. We think through the political consequences of these representations and ask what the role of academic expertise in society should be. The texts we refer to are: "Academics can change the world – if the

This is Episode 8 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 politics surrounding the freedom of speech. By focusing on case studies such as Donald Trump and the US Presidential Election, Chris Rock’s hosting of the recent Academy Awards, and the various debates surrounding Trans identities within Feminism, we discuss how useful the concept of free speech is to fu

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 Vick

This is Episode 6 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 relationship between cinema and journalism. In the week "Spotlight" won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and Al Jazeera America closed down, we explore the value of journalism in today's world. Using the theories of Pierre Bourdieu and Rodney Benson, we interrogate the place of investigative journalis

This is Episode 5 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 consider Donald Trump in USA, and Narendra Modi in India through theories of Fascism. We ask to what extent these politicians and the movements they lead can be described as 21st Century forms of Fascism. The theoretical texts we refer to are: Walled States, Waning Sovereignty by Wendy Brown (http://www.amazon.co.uk

This is Episode 4 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 consider Donald Trump in USA, and Narendra Modi in India through theories of Fascism. We ask to what extent these politicians and the movements they lead can be described as 21st Century forms of Fascism. The theoretical texts we refer to are: "The Origins of Totalitarianism" by Hannah Arendt (http://www.amazon.co

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.

This is Episode 2 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 fight for the legalization of homosexuality in India. Using the work of Eric Hobsbawm, Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben and Judith Butler, we explore the ways in which the nation-state uses the various wings of government in order to perpetuate marginalization. The theoretical texts we refer to are: "T

This is Episode 1 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 "Hymn for the Weekend" by Coldplay ft. Beyonce (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YykjpeuMNEk; "Princess of China" by Coldplay ft. Rihanna (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Uw6ZkbsAH8) and "Meet Me Halfway" by The Black Eyed Peas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7HahVwYpwo) The theoretical texts we refer to a