This is Episode 96 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 tackle the stories of Jessica Krug and Rachel Dolezal, and think through what they might tell us about race, identity and academia.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 95 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.

Following on from last week’s episode about race and the democratic party, we explore the racial dynamic of British mainstream politics, focussing on the figure of the Conservative British Asian.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 94 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 the week that Joe Biden nominates Senator Kamala Harris of California as his Vice-Presidential pick, we talk about black identity, left-wing politics and the Democratic party.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 93 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.

This week we welcome friend of the pod Dr Tom Clemens for a discussion about the recent controversy surrounding the statistical adjustment of school-leaving grades for Scottish students. We think about the use of statistics, and the way concepts like ‘fairness’ and ‘credibility’ when it comes to education rely on replicating, rather than challenging, forms of structural inequality.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 92 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.

This week we talk about the strangely successful new Netflix show “Indian Matchmaking”, and discuss the appeal of dating-based reality TV shows. What do they promise, how do they deliver and what is it about them that seem so widely popular?

The Susan Sontag essay Notes on “Camp” can be found here: https://monoskop.org/images/5/59/Sontag_Susan_1964_Notes_on_Camp.pdf

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 91 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.

This week we talk about the experience of watching old movies during lockdown, and the nostalgia industry that has been built around these emotions. We talk about Disney+, “Home Alone”, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “The Princess Bride” among others. What relationship between the past, present and future does nostalgia help to construct and how does popular culture help inscribe these relationships?

The Susan Sontag essay Notes on “Camp” can be found here: https://monoskop.org/images/5/59/Sontag_Susan_1964_Notes_on_Camp.pdf

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 90 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.

This week we talk about the act of taking the knee as a political protest, and through tracing its history in America and Britain, we explore the relationship between gesture and substance when it comes to political protest.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 89 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.

This week we look at the fate of Humanities in Higher Education. As multiple departments close, and others face more financial restrictions, we ask who decides value when it comes to education, and on what basis.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 88 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.

This week we look at a few examples of alt-right movements and how they are structured through conspiracy theories. Focussing on recent stories involving the Black Lives Matter and anti-lockdown protests in the US and conspiracies involving the journalist Ash Sarkar in the UK, we think through what conspiracy theories mean, and what it tells us about the alt-right on both sides of the Atlantic.

You can read the “InStyle” article about Hawaiian shirts here: https://www.instyle.com/fashion/hawaiian-shirts-alt-right-white-supremacy-protestors

You can read about Ash Sarkar’s “orange emoji” tweet here: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/reading-stabbings-muslim-journalist-death-22227933

You can find Ash Sarkar’s “kosher salt” tweet here: https://twitter.com/AyoCaesar/status/1278738702139883521

Since the podcast was recorded, Kick Ass Liz’s tweet seems to have been deleted.

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors

This is Episode 87 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.

This week we conclude our two-part look at race and schools. We look at private and government run schools in the UK and the US, and think about ways in which the education system is affected by racial hierarchies. To what extent have schools been used to ameliorate racial inequalities, and to what extent have they merely reinforced them?

State of the Theory is brought to you by Hannah Fitzpatrick (@drhfitz) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (@DrAnindyaR)

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stateofthetheorypodcast) or Tweet us @TheoryDoctors