The Ear

In this archival episode of The Ear, reporter Alicia Theologides Rodriguez commemorates the 50th anniversary of a controversial Columbia study that explored whether chimps possess the cognitive capacity to learn sign language. While the Nim project ultimately failed to prove its hypothesis, it revealed much more about the ethical precarity of anthropomorphizing animals in experimental settings. By contrasting Nim’s fate with that of other animals in Columbia’s care, this episode explores the unique privileges and perils that Nim encountered because of the way he was humanized.

​​Credits:

• Edited by Claire Schnatterbeck and Sophia Cordoba

• Produced by Julia Hay

• Music by Christina Li

• Illustration by Lizzie Melashvili

• Voice Acting by Claire Schnatterbeck, Jorge Hernandez, Vasily Tselioudis, Donovan Barcelona, and August Phillips

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In this episode of The Ear, reporter Shay Stulman explores the link between Columbia and the opium trade. She explores the profound impact this historical association has had on shaping esteemed American institutions. How do we reckon with the violent histories of philanthropic families? How did the opium trade shape prestigious American institutions? Tune into this episode to reflect on the implications of Columbia’s connection to this complicated history.

​​Credits

• Edited by Claire Schnatterbeck, Sophia Cordoba

• Produced by Claire Schnatterbeck, Sophia Cordoba

• Music by Christina Li 

• Illustration by Connor Sund

• Voice Acting by Ciro Salcedo 

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Columbia boasts a student body that is known for being politically engaged. How did the institution earn the label? And does it still deserve the title today? In this episode of The Ear, reporters Nicole Sandrik-Arzadi and Lara-Nour Walton explore these questions and more.

​​Credits:

• Edited by Sophia Cordoba, Claire Schnatterbeck

• Produced by Claire Schnatterbeck

• Music by Murat Gulcelik

• Illustration by Macy Sinreich

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In this episode of The Ear, Ellie Carver-Horner and Charlotte Fay explore the complicated history of the atomic bomb, a controversial scientific creation that began at Columbia University in the basement of Pupin Hall. What role did Columbia play in the intricacies of nuclear discovery? How did those making these discoveries justify their role in mass destruction, and how does Columbia reckon with that violence in 2023? Learn alongside Ellie and Charlotte as they engage with Columbia’s complex history of innovation, a story of conflicting moralities, and the foundations for a piece of science that altered the course of human history.

​​Credits

• Edited by Claire Schnatterbeck

• Produced by Julia Hay

• Music by Murat Gulcelik

• Illustration by Saumya Chaudhry

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With over 150 countries represented at Columbia, it is no surprise that the University must meet a vast array of language needs. For children of immigrants, learning their native language can mean a greater cultural connection. In this episode, reporter Sophia Cordoba speaks with professors and students alike to understand what it means to live and learn as a heritage speaker.

​​Credits:

• Edited by Claire Schnatterbeck

• Produced by Julia Hay

• Music by Obi Okoli

• Illustration by Cassie Wang

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Welcome back to The Ear, Spectator’s podcast dedicated to documenting, excavating, and investigating Columbia’s past and present. In this episode, Claire Burke and Claire Schnatterbeck investigate what makes a rural student. How do Columbia and Barnard define “rural”? Does the quintessential “rural student” actually exist? Schnatterbeck and Burke use their own rural backgrounds as a starting point and begin to explore what it means to be a rural student at an elite institution.

Credits:

• Script Edited by Sophia Cordoba and Caelan Bailey

• Produced by Claire Schatterbeck

• Music by Eva Scholz-Carlson

• Illustration by Julian Michaud 

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In this episode of The Ear, Ellie Carver-Horner discusses the extensive archive of Indigenous audio recordings housed in the Columbia University Center for Ethnomusicology and the efforts the University is making to repatriate them. What is audio repatriation, and what does it look like to return something that isn’t physically tangible? Who owns these recordings, and why does their existence matter? Listen to explore the importance of being able to connect with the voices of one’s ancestors.

​​Credits:

• Script edited by Claire Schnatterbeck

• Audio produced by Julia Hay

• Music by Murat Gulcelik

Aakin Kuukin by Nicole Balsirow 

• Illustration by 

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Twenty years after the death of Edward W. Said, a Columbia professor, renowned intellectual, and outspoken advocate of Palestine,reporter Lily Glaser seeks to understand his life, legacy, and impact on campus. In this episode of The Ear, Glaser  rifles  through his personal papers, speaking with former students, listening to exiled authors, and attending lectures.

​​Credits:

• Script edited by Claire Schnatterbeck

• Audio produced by Matthew Schwitzer

• Music

The Ear Theme

Stave - Obi Okoli

State of the World - MakaihBeats

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 - West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Stave (Short) - Obi Okoli

Dream Big - Audiobinger

• Illustration by Gabe de la Cruz

• Voice Acting by Matthew Schwitzer
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In this episode of The Ear, reporter Alicia Theologides Rodriguez speaks with Columbia students from many backgrounds to better understand how fear impacts the way that they navigate New York. This episode explores the underlying reasons for different students’ fears in an attempt to understand why there are discrepancies between the fears of students and New York Crime trends.

​​Credits:

• Script edited by Natalie Goldberg, Avery Reed, Claire Schnatterbeck, Abby Thayananthan 

• Audio produced by Matthew Schwitzer

• Music 

State of the World - Makaih Beats

The Ear Theme

Dream Big - Audiobinger

• Illustration by Cindy Jin
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From connections to horror stories, and from perks to unionizing.

Resident Advisors, otherwise known as as RAs, navigate a complex role in a residential community. They are students like any other, and yet they are also responsible for ensuring the well-being of their peers, and even policing them when necessary. The complexities of the role are complicated even further by financial considerations, time commitment, and so much more. In this Ear episode, reporter Abby Thayananthan speaks with current and former RAs to discuss the job as well as the unionizing, a hot topic on campus right now. 

Credits:

• Produced by Matthew Schwitzer

• Music by

"State of the World" - Makaih Beats

"The Ear Theme"

"Dream Big" - Audiobinger

• Illustration by Macy Sinreich

Follow us on Instagram @SpectatorPodcasts and check out our other episodes!