This week we switch formats and become a wall-to-wall sportscast in celebration of the 2022 World Cup!

jk, that would be awful. BUT, we do have some thoughts about the limits of academic freedom under theocracy, a story that reverberates from the hallowed slave-labor built stadiums of Qatar's World Cup all the way back to our old stomping grounds at THE Ohio State University. Turns out sometimes Presidential transitions can get messy. Who knew? 

And of course we've got lots of thoughts about academic labor and labor more broadly, from the UC system to the national rail worker's strike. We've said it before and we'll say it again: the fact that the wealthy are working this hard to undermine unions should really tell you everything you need to know.

Books to read for the holiday, thoughts on the year ahead, all the things you need for that drive to see those people you absolutely do love (just remember that).

Further Reading:

"World Cup Raises Issues of Academic Freedom", Inside Higher Ed

"UC Postdoctoral scholars and researchers reach tentative deal but strike continues", LA Times 

"Deal reached to partially avert University of California strike", KTLA

"Ohio State President Leaves Big Plans Unfinished as She Steps Down", Chronicle of Higher Ed

"Press Release: UAW 2865 Disabled Workers form Justice Coalition, Reject Tentative Agreement"

What We're Reading:

Keith Haring, Keith Haring: Journals

Larissa Hjorth and Ingrid Richardson, Ambient Play

Hey, hi, hello! The end-of-the-semester slump is here and has us all in our feels. Nic and James discuss conferencing, the midterms (we're not a 'political' podcast in that sense we swear!), and how they plan to get through to the end of the year. Also, did you know that most of us don't actually know how to do peer reviews?! Lots of great stuff in this episode. You don't want to miss this one!

Further Reading:

What We're Reading:

It's the spooky season, and in the land of Black YA that can only mean one thing: Famous horror trope meets "Get Out"!

And what a horribly unsatisfying description of this deeply interesting and unexpected novel. Tiffany D. Jackson's White Smoke certainly invites some comparisons to the horror classics (looking at you, Shirley Jackson). But with its Rust Belt setting and Cali-girl trapped in the Midwest protagonist, it finds a voice that is pretty undeniably its own. Join us as we think about the joys of the spooky season, ponder the subversively brilliant decision to reimagine the Midwest as the scariest place in the world, and see how many times James can name-drop Parasite in 90 minutes. Also, if you haven't seen Parasite yet, spoiler alert. This one has it all!

Further Reading:

"America's PhD Production Experienced Its Steepest Decline on Record", Chronicle of Higher Education

"'A Perilous Position,': Some Community College Students Struggle to Meet Basic Needs, Report Says", Chronicle of Higher Education

"What Happened to Black Enrollment?", Chronicle of Higher Education

"Big Vote on Undocumented Students", Inside Higher Ed

"US State Policies on DACA & Undocumented Students", Higher Education Immigration Portal

"Echoes of Latin American Racism Reverberate in the US", The New York Times

What We're Reading:

J. Logan Smilges, Queer Silence: On Disability and Rhetorical Absence

Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life

GO VOTE!!

Find My State or Local Election Office

We thank you for your patience during our short hiatus! We’re back and trying to make sense of all the things. Nic and James discuss the events of the recent weeks, including the overnight changes to Biden’s student loan forgiveness terms (do better!), the unsurprising “prestige hierarchy” of faculty life, and how to handle the mid-semester slump. We add a new segment to the mix. Listen now!

Further Reading:

What We're Reading:

And none of us ever want to go back there.

We're far enough into the pandemic to do some real taking stock, figuring out what worked, what didn't, what we can let go of, and what we really shouldn't be in a rush to bring back. And yet somehow if feels like the plan is just to ignore all that and pretend the pan dulce never happened. It's going predictably. Also because the universe can be relied on for at least some humor, a streetwear brand somehow manages to be uncool and exploitative at the same time. Is this...growth? 

But it's not all bad news, particularly on the academic hiring front. And at least there's always books to read. 

Further Reading:

"CUNY and Kith Partner for Fall 2022 Clothing Collection," CUNY

"UI to Invest $50 million to add 150 to 200 faculty members," The News-Gazette

What We're Reading:

Nic's Book Manuscript! Watch this Space!

Jarvis R. Givens, Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching

We're back for year 3! To say that academia is a wild ride and that we still have jobs is...an understatement. Whew! Nic and James take time to reflect on the summer break and their current trajectories before jumping into the newness of the year and all that comes along with it. Did you hear that we're getting some student loans cut by the Biden administration? Is it nearly enough? Do we need to continue demanding more forgiveness? Hint: You probably know the answer. Also, it turns out that big money and big tech are the only ones who can save us from ourselves?!? Oh, so much to unpack in this episode. Have a listen and find out!

Also, we want to hear from you. Drop us a line at [email protected]

Further Reading:

What We're Reading:

Back for more adventures on the road to Young Adulthood! This month, Ariel and James look back to the early days of Young Adult literature with an oft-overlooked contemporary retelling of an old classic. The Greek myth of Thesseus rewritten to tell the story of a young biracial Black and Jewish woman growing up in Philadelphia who goes on a quest to find her father, Fran Ross' 1974 novel Oreo is that rarest of treats: an honest-to-God funny book! Join us as we try to map out where this book sits on our journey across the landscape of YA. And stay for the incredibly hot takes on everything from shortage of satirical YA lit to what it takes to make a "funny" sexual assault scene. Either the mid-Atlantic is going to be very proud or we should expect to be hearing from some lawyers soon.

And now, here's something we hope you'll really like!

After a menacing amount of promising, it's here! James made a YA book podcast. Well, Ariel Rawson made a YA book podcast and James...was present. The LotJ Family is growing. Get into it!

For this, the first stop on our road trip across the landscape Young Adult literature (get the title?!), we have a lot to say. We read L.L. McKinney's A Blade So Black and discuss the origins of Young Adult Literature, the meaning of "Southern"ness, and the pitfalls of critiquing Black lit for its "Blackness". But that's all set-up for an exploration of a novel that pitches itself as "Buffy meet Alice in Wonderland". Prepare for plenty of thoughts about both. And please do reach out with your own books suggestions, thoughts, opinions, whatever really. Let the road trip begin!

Oh you thought the semester was over?!

Well, you were right. It is. But like good academics, we had just a few more things to get off our plates, including this episode recorded back in May during the height of Finals madness. And let's all just agree to blame finals for its tardiness. Worth the wait, though, for some reflections, some introspection, and just a bit of planning. We've got ambitious plans for summer (books, conferences, actually exciting stuff!) and thoughts about how to maybe make next year functional?

Also heads up: We'll be dropping a few more surprises in the feed over the next few weeks, so stick around. You know none of us really gets to be "off" all summer.

Further Reading:

CUNY BRESI Funds

What We're Reading:

Marlon M. Bailey, Butch Queen Up in Pumps: Gender, Performance, and Ballroom Culture in Detroit

Bettina L. Love, We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom