Best Contemporary Feminism Podcasts (2025)

1
Jon L. Pitt, "Botanical Imagination: Rethinking Plants in Modern Japan" (Cornell UP, 2025) 47:13

4h ago47:13

47:13

Botanical Imagination: Rethinking Plants in Modern Japan (Cornell University Press, 2025) explores the complicated legacy and enduring lure of plant life in modern Japanese literature and media. Using critical plant studies, Jon L. Pitt examines an unlikely group of writers and filmmakers in modern Japan, finding in their works a desire to "become …

1
Heist 22:43

3d ago22:43

22:43

Caper movies aren’t like others involving criminals: there’s an aesthetic to a caper that’s as important to the thieves as it is to the viewers. Heist is David Mamet’s 2001 caper film that stands as his Singin’ in the Rain—an apt comparison, since “caper” meant “to dance” long before it took on its criminal meaning. Join us for an appreciation of o…

1
Intersectional Feminism vs. Girlboss Feminism: Chatting about Lindy West with Paige Worthy 58:49

4d ago58:49

58:49

This week’s text: ✍️ “What No One Else Will Tell You About Feminism” by Lindy West This week’s guest: Paige Worthy (she/her) is a writer, editor, and brand messaging strategist for progressive entrepreneurs. Known for her spicy takes, thoughtful wordcraft, and zero tolerance for misogynist bullshit, Paige shows up in business and life as a truth-te…

1
Claire Knight, "Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953" (Cornell UP, 2024) 1:26:23

7d ago1:26:23

1:26:23

Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953 (Cornell UP, 2024) explores a neglected period in the history of Soviet cinema, breathing new life into a body of films long considered moribund as the pinnacle of Stalinism. While film censorship reached its apogee in this period and fewer films were made, film …

1
Lori Jo Marso, "Feminism and the Cinema of Experience" (Duke UP, 2024) 50:11

8d ago50:11

50:11

Political theorist Lori Marso has been intrigued by filmmaker Chantal Ackerman for many years and has integrated Ackerman’s work into her courses at Union College and into her writings and scholarship as well. So it is no surprise that Feminism and the Cinema of Experience (Duke UP, 2024) is both an academic and a personal journey into Ackerman’s w…

1
Kevin Smokler, "Break the Frame: Conversations with Women Filmmakers" (Oxford UP, 2025) 51:39

10d ago51:39

51:39

In the twenty-first century alone, women filmmakers have succeeded at directing every size, genre, and style of motion picture. Their movies have won Oscars (Free Solo), made actors into household names (Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone), received induction into the Library of Congress's National Film Registry (Real Women Have Curves), and become…

1
Christopher Hanscom, "Impossible Speech: The Politics of Representation in Contemporary Korean Literature and Film" (Columbia UP, 2024) 1:11:14

11d ago1:11:14

1:11:14

How does art engage with its social context? What does 'the politics of art' even mean? In his new book Impossible Speech: The Politics of Representation in Contemporary Korean Literature and Film (Columbia University Press, 2023), Christopher P. Hanscom takes on these questions in the context of contemporary Korean literature. Moving away from rea…

1
Objectification Begins With Words: Reading Robin Wall Kimmerer with Nancy Harris 47:54

11d ago47:54

47:54

This week’s text: ✍️ “Speaking of Nature” by Robin Wall Kimmerer This week’s guest: Nancy Harris (she/her) is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and facilitator supporting leaders and organizations committed to equity, people-centered work, and transformational change. She’s the founder of Restart Consulting, host of The Intersection podcast, and…

1
Adam Tooze on approaching history, polycrisis, the contemporary USA, Batman… and many other things 1:35:34

12d ago1:35:34

1:35:34

Frank Ruda and Agon Hamza sit down with the British-American historian and theorist Adam Tooze, to talk about the contemporary situation, polycrisis, history and its future, climate crisis, pandemic, … and many other things! You can listen to our podcast here: https://anchor.fm/crisisandcritique If you like this and other episodes, please consider …

1
From Hal to Siri: How Computers Learned to Speak 54:27

13d ago54:27

54:27

Today we learn how computers learned to talk with Benjamin Lindquist, a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University’s Science in Human Culture program. Ben is the author “The Art of Text to Speech,” which recently appeared in Critical Inquiry, and he’s currently writing a history of text-to-speech computing. In this conversation, we explore:…

1
The Politics of Andor (Season 2, Episodes 10-12): Freedom and Order 58:57

14d ago58:57

58:57

It’s the UConn Popcast, and we continue our analysis of Andor season 2 with the conclusion to the series. We break down, analyze, and explain the political themes in these finale episodes, focusing on freedom, order and their interconnectedness in both the rebellion and the Empire. We explore the extent to which farce is an operative mode of storyt…

1
Mayukh Sen, "Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star" (Norton, 2025) 57:15

17d ago57:15

57:15

In 2022, Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. But she wasn’t the first actress of Asian origin to be nominated. In 1935, Merle Oberon was nominated for Best Actress for the role of Kitty Vane in The Dark Angel, only her second film in the U.S. film industry. But no one knew Oberon was Asian. Her pu…

1
E. 104 Unpacking purpose-driven leadership with flaconi’s Alexandra Szarmach (Live) 51:45

18d ago51:45

51:45

Today’s episode marks an exciting milestone: it’s the official launch of our year-long partnership with flaconi, Germany’s leading online retailer for beauty and perfume. Flaconi stands for more than just beauty products, it’s a brand that celebrates diversity, mental well-being, empowerment, and culture. Values that align deeply with what we do he…

1
Vincent L Stephens, "Broads, Sisters, Exes: Feminist Millennial Television" (Wayne State UP, 2025) 1:09:41

19d ago1:09:41

1:09:41

This timely and telling analysis identifies the formal and thematic innovations pioneered by millennial feminists between 2012 and 2020 that have shaped the trajectory of our favorite shows today. Author Vincent L. Stephens offers close readings of nine pivotal series, including Girls, Orange Is the New Black, Broad City, Jane the Virgin, Crazy Ex-…

1
The Politics of Andor (Season 2 Episodes 7-9): Truth and Discipline 1:10:58

19d ago1:10:58

1:10:58

It’s the UConn Popcast, and we continue our analysis of Andor season 2 with episodes 7-9. We break down the politics of these episodes, focusing on the question of when in a rebellion must you break cover and insist - publicly - on the truth. We see a second major theme of this arc as discipline. The rebellion is moving from a para-military to a mi…

1
Unpacking Compulsory Heterosexuality: Exploring Adrienne Rich's essay with Lindsay Johnson 59:40

19d ago59:40

59:40

This week’s text: ✍️ “Compulsary Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence” by Adrienne Rich This week’s guest: Lindsay Johnson, aka The Radical Connector, is a sales & visibility coach for misfit entrepreneurs building their businesses to the beat of their own drums and radical enough to believe they can change the world! Lindsay’s superpower is getti…

1
Joy Is Revolutionary: A Conversation on Zadie Smith’s Essay with Jordan Maney 56:44

19d ago56:44

56:44

This week’s text: ✍️ “Joy” by Zadie Smith (New York Review of Books) This week's guest: Jordan Maney is the Radical Joy Coach™ helping Black, brown, and queer folks recover their softness, reclaim their joy, and rest without guilt. She’s a writer, speaker, and coach whose work centers joy as a liberatory, ancestral practice. Jordan’s presence is su…

1
Abolition Can Mend Democracy: Discussing Angela Davis’ essay with Amelia Hruby 57:32

19d ago57:32

57:32

This week’s text: ✍️ “Abolition Can Mend Our Democracy” by Angela Y. Davis (Inquest) This week’s guest: Amelia Hruby is a feminist writer, podcaster, and producer with a PhD in philosophy. She’s the founder of Softer Sounds, a feminist podcast studio for entrepreneurs and creatives, and host of Off the Grid, a podcast about leaving social media wit…

1
The Fisher King 27:01

20d ago27:01

27:01

It’s our 300th episode and we honor a listener request for this milestone. The Fisher King (1991) could not be made today–not because of politics or cultural changes, but because it’s impossible to neatly classify. A love story, a tale of redemption, a disturbing study of psychosis, a romantic comedy, and an Artthurian quest, the film combines genr…

1
Mike Miley, "David Lynch’s American Dreamscape: Music, Literature, Cinema" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 58:46

21d ago58:46

58:46

How are David Lynch's films as much in dialogue with literary and musical traditions as they are cinematic ones? By interrogating this question, David Lynch’s American Dreamscape: Music, Literature, Cinema (Bloomsbury, 2025) broadens the interpretive horizons of Lynch's filmography, calling for a new approach to Lynch's films that goes beyond cinem…

1
Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik, "Watching TV: American Television Season by Season, Fourth Edition" (Syracuse UP, 2024) 1:09:10

23d ago1:09:10

1:09:10

In their fourth edition of Watching TV: American Television Season by Season (Syracuse University Press, 2025), Harry Castleman and Walter Podrazik present a season-by-season narrative that encompasses the eras of American television from the beginning in broadcast, through cable, and now streaming. They deftly navigate the dizzying array of contem…

1
Tupur Chatterjee, "Projecting Desire: Media Architectures and Moviegoing in Urban India" (NYU Press, 2025) 42:36

27d ago42:36

42:36

Since the late 1990s, the multiplex in India has emerged as a dominant site of media exhibition, almost always embedded within the shopping mall. This spatial pairing has transformed the experience of moviegoing, making it impossible to inhabit one space without also passing through the other. The rise of the mall-multiplex signals a broader shift …

1
The Politics of Andor (Season 2 Episodes 4-6): Too Much Information 55:24

28d ago55:24

55:24

It’s the UConn Popcast, and we continue our analysis of Andor season 2 with episodes 4-6. We break down the politics of these episodes, focusing on the mirrored political challenges faced by figures from the Empire and the Rebellion. We see a big theme of these episodes as “too much information,” as both sides struggle to distinguish friend from fo…

1
Ipek A. Celik Rappas, "Filming in European Cities: The Labor of Location" (Cornell UP, 2025) 44:59

29d ago44:59

44:59

Filming in European Cities: The Labor of Location (Cornell University Press, 2025) explores the effort behind creating screen production locations. Dr. Ipek A. Celik Rappas accounts the rising demand for original and affordable locations for screen projects due to the growth of streaming platforms. As a result, screen professionals are repeatedly t…

1
Amanda D. Lotz, "After Mass Media: Storytelling for Microaudiences in the Twenty-First Century" (NYU Press, 2025) 1:04:29

30d ago1:04:29

1:04:29

With significant evolutions in digital technologies and media distribution in the past two decades, the business of storytelling through screens has shifted dramatically. In the past, blockbuster movies and TV shows like Friends aimed first for domestic mass audiences, although the biggest hits circulated globally. Now, transnational distribution p…

1
Peeping Tom 35:47

1M ago35:47

35:47

“Some writers confuse authenticity, which they ought always to aim at, with originality, which they should never bother about.” So said W. H. Auden and so we see demonstrated in Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom (1960), which boldly employs every convention of the horror film in order to achieve a stunning, authentic portrait of a disturbing mind at wor…

1
The Politics of Andor (Season 2 Episodes 1-3): The Personal is Political 51:28

1M ago51:28

51:28

It’s the UConn Popcast, and today we react to Andor Season 2, episodes 1-3. We break down the politics of these episodes, focusing on the motives and aims of the rebellion and the Empire. Both sides have major coordination problems in these episodes, although the causes are very different. We explain and analyze the recurrent problems of authoritar…

1
Assigned Reading with Becky Mollenkamp is Coming May 13th! 3:17

1M ago3:17

3:17

Welcome to Assigned Reading—the feminist podcast where we read bold, brilliant essays and talk about them like real people. In this short trailer, host Becky Mollenkamp introduces the show and what to expect: weekly conversations about powerful feminist essays, deep questions, occasional confusion, and a whole lot of curiosity. Each episode feature…

1
Ben Arogundade, "Hollywood Blackout: The Battle for Recognition in a White Hollywood" (Cassell, 2025) 1:12:55

1M ago1:12:55

1:12:55

On February 29, 1940, African American actor Hattie McDaniel became the first person of color, and the first Black woman, to win an Academy Award. The moment marked the beginning of Hollywood's reluctant move toward diversity and inclusion. Since then, minorities and women have struggled to attain Academy Awards recognition within a system designed…

1
Ross Benes, "1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times" (UP of Kansas, 2025) 48:47

1M ago48:47

48:47

In 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted our Bizarre Times (2025, University of Kansas Press) journalist Ross Benes examines low culture in the late 1990s. From pro wrestling and Pokémon to Vince McMahon and Jerry Springer, Benes reveals its profound impact and how it continues to affect our culture and society today. The yea…

1
Peter B. Kaufman, "The Moving Image: A User's Manual" (MIT Press, 2025) 52:05

1M ago52:05

52:05

Video (television, film, the moving image generally) is today’s most popular information medium. Two-thirds of the world’s internet traffic is video. Americans get their news and information more often from screens and speakers than through any other means. The Moving Image: A User's Manual (MIT Press, 2025) is the first authoritative account of ho…

1
Giorgio Bertellini, "The Divo and the Duce: Promoting Film Stardom and the Political Leadership in 1920s America" (U California Press, 2019) 1:00:48

1M ago1:00:48

1:00:48

In 1927, the Hollywood stars (and spouses), Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr stood outside their California home, arms raised in fascist salute. The photo’s caption, referencing the couple’s trip to Rome the previous year, informs fans that the couple “greet guests at their beach camp in true Italian style.” How did “America’s sweetheart” an…

1
Jonathan D. Cohen, "Losing Big: America's Dangerous Sports Gambling Boom" (Columbia Global Reports, 2025) 59:01

1M ago59:01

59:01

In 2018, the United States Supreme Court opened the floodgates for states to legalize betting on sports. Eager for revenue, almost forty states have done so. The result is the explosive growth of an industry dominated by companies like FanDuel and DraftKings. One out of every five American adults gambled on sports in 2023, amounting to $121 billion…

1
Alfred L. Martin, Jr., "Fandom for Us, by Us: The Pleasures and Practices of Black Audiences" (NYU Press, 2025) 1:16:38

1M ago1:16:38

1:16:38

Boldly going where few fandom scholars have gone before, Fandom for Us, by Us: The Pleasures and Practices of Black Audiences (NYU Press, 2025) breaks from our focus on white fandom to center Black fandoms. Alfred L. Martin, Jr., engages these fandoms through what he calls the “four C’s”: class, clout, canon, and comfort. Class is a key component o…

1
E. 103 Reimagining photography through abstraction with Viviane Sassen (Live) 46:34

2M ago46:34

46:34

Viviane Sassen doesn’t just take photographs, she creates entire worlds. Known for her dreamlike use of light and shadow, she moves seamlessly between fashion, fine art, and documentary photography, always pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling, often exploring themes of identity, memory, and mortality. In this conversation, we’ll uncover th…

1
Jaye Early, "Confessional Video Art and Subjectivity: Private Experiences in Public Spaces" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 1:09:15

2M ago1:09:15

1:09:15

Confessional Video Art and Subjectivity Private Experiences in Public Spaces (Bloomsbury, 2025) examines the development of the confessional subject in video art and demonstrates how it can provide a vital platform for navigating the politics of self, subjectivity, and resistance in society. In doing so, it reframes video art – the most ubiquitous …

1
Rebecca Comay on Persistence, Dialectics, Dramaturgy, “Bad Mothers” ... and many other things! 1:33:45

2M ago1:33:45

1:33:45

Agon Hamza and Frank Ruda sit with the Canadian philosopher Rebecca Comay to discuss about her forthcoming books, (death) drive, dialectics, Hegel, dramaturgy, art and poetry, Marx.. and a lot of other things. You can listen to our podcasthere: https://anchor.fm/crisisandcritique If you like this and otherepisodes, please consider subscribing and s…

1
Megan Hunt, "Southern by the Grace of God: Religion, Race, and Civil Rights in Hollywood's American South" (U Georgia Press, 2024) 49:29

2M ago49:29

49:29

On this episode of the New Books Network, Dr. Megan Hunt joins us to talk about her recent book, Southern By the Grace of God, which was published in 2024 by the University of Georgia Press. Lke the media coverage of the civil rights era itself, Hollywood dramas have reinforced regional stereotypes of race, class, and gender to cleanse and redeem t…

1
Bridget Kies, "Murder, She Wrote" (Wayne State UP, 2025) 51:27

2M ago51:27

51:27

As part of the TV Milestones Series, Bridget Kies explores Murder, She Wrote (Wayne State University Press, 2025). Embark on a journey through the mysteries of Cabot Cove to learn why Murder, She Wrote is a timeless classic. Discover the secrets behind the enduring appeal of Murder, She Wrote (CBS, 1984-96) in this captivating investigation of the …

1
The Free Speech and Poetry of Ana Blandiana 50:34

2M ago50:34

50:34

In this episode, we sit down with Director and Producer Diana Nicolae and Editor and Camera Matt Jozwiakowski to discuss their documentary film, "Between Silence and Sin." The film explores the life and work of dissident Romanian poet Ana Blandiana, an artist whose voice was threatened, censored, and banned under the Communist dictatorship. In our …

1
Paul R. Laird and Elizabeth A. Wells, "The Cambridge Companion to West Side Story" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 1:04:50

2M ago1:04:50

1:04:50

Over sixty years after its opening night, West Side Story is perhaps the most famous and beloved of twentieth-century musicals and stands as a colossus of musical and dramatic achievement. It not only helped define a generation of musical theatre lovers but is among the handful of shows that have contributed to our understanding of American musical…

1
E. 102 Decoding the world of luxury with Maria von Scheel-Plessen (Live) 1:02:09

2M ago1:02:09

1:02:09

I’m joined by Maria von Scheel-Plessen, who traveled all the way from Munich to meet me at Fotografiska’s cozy Bar Clara—bringing luxury straight to the show. As a senior marketing leader for a top luxury brand, Maria is a powerhouse in her field, blending strategy, tech, and business. But her path wasn’t conventional. Instead of stepping into her …

1
Adam Kotsko, "Late Star Trek: The Final Frontier in the Franchise Era" (U Minnesota Press, 2025) 37:25

2M ago37:25

37:25

Late Star Trek: The Final Frontier in the Franchise Era (University of Minnesota Press, 2025) by Dr. Adam Kotsko explores the beloved science fiction franchise’s repeated attempts to reinvent itself after the end of its 1990s golden age. Beginning with the prequel series Enterprise, Adam Kotsko analyzes the wealth of content set within Star Trek’s …

1
Woman in the Dunes 33:29

2M ago33:29

33:29

In Walden (1854), Henry David Thoreau said he wanted to “drive life into a corner” and “reduce it to its lowest terms.” We often feel the appeal of that idea: to get away from civilization and really “live.” But would that always be a pleasurable series of epiphanies? Would the natural world always provide a backdrop against which we could explore …

1
Fiona Handyside, "Girls' Hairstories: Sparkle and Resilience in Contemporary Screen Cultures" (Edinburgh UP, 2025) 1:08:00

3M ago1:08:00

1:08:00

Why have dynamic and shifting hairstyles, from Katniss Everdeen’s Power Plait to JoJo Siwa’s outsize bows, become such a significant part of how girlhood is articulated in contemporary visual cultures? What do they tell us about how girlhood combines the qualities of resilience and sparkle needed to survive and thrive in turbulent post-recessionary…

1
Hye Seung Chung, "Cinema Under National Reconstruction: State Censorship and South Korea's Cold War Film Culture" (Rutgers UP, 2024) 49:27

3M ago49:27

49:27

Cinema under National Reconstruction (Rutgers UP, 2024) calls for a revisionist understanding of state film censorship during successive Cold War military regimes in South Korea (1961-1988). Drawing upon primary documents from the Korean Film Archive's digitized database and framing South Korean film censorship from a transnational perspective, Hye…

1
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 33:26

3M ago33:26

33:26

Every Western since Stagecoach seems to have been touted as “about the western.” To what degree is that true for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, George Roy Hill’s 1969 contribution to the genre? Join Mike and Dan for a conversation about how the film wonderfully reminds its viewers why they love westerns as it also offers its more hip viewers a…

1
Eric Dienstfrey, "Making Stereo Fit: The History of a Disquieting Film Technology" (U California Press, 2024) 1:18:56

3M ago1:18:56

1:18:56

Surround sound is often mistaken as a relatively new phenomenon in cinemas, one that emerged in the 1970s with the arrival of Dolby. Making Stereo Fit: The History of a Disquieting Film Technology (University of California Press, 2024) reveals that, in fact, filmmakers have been creating stereo and surround-sound effects for nearly a century, since…

1
Nadira Khatun, "Postcolonial Bollywood and Muslim Identity: Production, Representation, and Reception" (Oxford UP, 2024) 46:26

3M ago46:26

46:26

In Postcolonial Bollywood and Muslim Identity: Production, Representation, and Reception (Oxford UP, 2024), Nadira Khatun explores the contentious Muslim identity in contemporary India as reflected in recent Bollywood films. She argues that the approach towards Muslim identity in Bollywood films are influenced by the changing political landscape fr…