Best Worldbuild With Us Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 271: What If Your Camp Counselor Was Also a Mecha Pilot? (Land of a Thousand Finales Part 6) 57:00

17d ago57:00

57:00

Hey. You should watch Iron Blooded Orphans. Just sayin. And if you're feeling particularly generous, you can support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/worldbuildwithus Chat with us on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/SRFhWV3 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@worldbuildwithus Email us your suggestions: WorldbuildW…

1
Elliot Lichtman, "The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games" (MIT Press, 2025) 48:46

3d ago48:46

48:46

In The Computer Always Wins: A Playful Introduction to Algorithms through Puzzles and Strategy Games (MIT Press, 2025), Elliot Lichtman will teach you some of computer science’s most powerful concepts in a refreshingly accessible way: exploring them through word games, board games, and strategy games you already know. Learn recursion by playing tic…

1
Carly A. Kocurek and Matthew Payne, "Ultima and Worldbuilding in the Computer Role-Playing Game" (Amherst College Press, 2024) 30:12

5d ago30:12

30:12

Ultima and World-Building in the Computer Role-Playing Game (Amherst College Press, 2024) is the first scholarly book to focus exclusively on the long-running Ultima series of computer role-playing games (RPG) and to assess its lasting impact on the RPG genre and video game industry. Through archival and popular media sources, examinations of fan c…

1
Trans Technologies 1:07:27

6d ago1:07:27

1:07:27

How can technology creates new possibilities for transgender people? How do trans experiences, in turn, create new possibilities for technology? Trans Technologies, (MIT Press, 2025) by Dr. Oliver L. Haimson, explores how and why mainstream technologies often exclude or marginalize transgender users. Trans Technologies describes what happens when t…

1
Ben Snyder on Spy Plane: Inside Baltimore’s Surveillance Experiment 1:01:34

9d ago1:01:34

1:01:34

In this 100th episode (!!!) of Peoples & Things, host, Lee Vinsel, talks with Benjamin H. Snyder, Associate Professor of Sociology at Williams College, about his recent book, Spy Plane: Inside Baltimore’s Surveillance Experiment (University of California Press, 2024). Spy Plane examines how the city of Baltimore, Maryland, came to adopt a corporate…

1
Jean J. Ryoo and Jane Margolis, "Power On!" (MIT Press, 2022) 59:40

16d ago59:40

59:40

An interview with Jean Ryoo and Jane Margolis about Power On! A diverse group of teenage friends learn how computing can be personally and politically empowering and why all students need access to computer science education. This lively graphic novel follows a diverse group of teenage friends as they discover that computing can be fun, creative, a…

1
John Horn, "Inside the Competitor's Mindset: How to Predict Their Next Move and Position Yourself for Success" (MIT Press, 2023) 1:45:13

25d ago1:45:13

1:45:13

Inside the Competitor's Mindset: How to Predict Their Next Move and Position Yourself for Success (MIT Press, 2023) offers a roadmap to help leaders predict, understand, and react to their competitors’ moves. It is a valuable tool to help companies stay ahead of their competitors when the competition is intensifying. To make the right choice when a…

1
Alex Davies, "Driven: The Race to Create the Autonomous Car" (Simon & Schuster, 2022) 1:27:49

29d ago1:27:49

1:27:49

In Driven: The Race to Create the Autonomous Car (Simon & Schuster, 2022), Alex Davies tells the enlightening and significant story of the effort to create driverless cars and the intense competition among tech heavyweights such as Google, Uber, and Tesla to move this technology forward. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have been one of the most hyped tec…

1
Episode 270: Stained Glass, Stained Souls (Land of a Thousand Finales Part 5) 53:56

1M ago53:56

53:56

In this episode we take a closer look at the fantasy side of our dual-world with help directly from our listeners! A big thanks to all of you who've contributed so far and make sure you go to our Discord if you want your tenet on our finale series! And if you're feeling particularly generous, you can support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/w…

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

1M 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
Jacquelyn Schneider and Julia MacDonald, "The Rise of Unmanned Warfare: Origins of the Us Autonomous Military Arsenal" (Oxford UP, 2023) 48:29

1M ago48:29

48:29

The Rise of Unmanned Warfare: Origins of the Us Autonomous Military Arsenal (Oxford UP, 2023) tells the fascinating story of the people, processes, and beliefs that led to the contemporary American unmanned arsenal. It takes an expansive look at automated and autonomous technologies, from mines and torpedoes to guided bombs and missiles, satellites…

1
Jennifer Holt, "Cloud Policy: A History of Regulating Pipelines, Platforms, and Data" (MIT Press, 2024) 1:07:45

1M ago1:07:45

1:07:45

How the United States' regulation of broadband pipelines, digital platforms, and data—together understood as “the cloud”—has eroded civil liberties, democratic principles, and the foundation of the public interest over the past century. Cloud Policy: A History of Regulating Pipelines, Platforms, and Data (MIT Press, 2024) is a policy history that c…

1
Beaty Rubens, "Listen In: How Radio Changed the Home" (Bodleian Library, 2025) 52:57

1M ago52:57

52:57

Radio, today, can feel like a faithful old companion, but its early history was sensational. Between 1922 and 1939, British life was transformed by what was known as the Radio Craze. Listen In: How Radio Changed the Home (Bodleian Library, 2025) expresses what the radio's arrival signified at a personal level. This narrative history recounts the pe…

1
Episode 269: Seasons of Seasonal Depression (Land of a Thousand Finales Part 4) 54:20

2M ago54:20

54:20

On this week's episode things go a little off the rails but honestly it's for the best. Also, please go to our discord and directly contribute to our final world! And if you're feeling particularly generous, you can support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/worldbuildwithus Chat with us on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/SRFhWV3 Subscri…

1
Darryl Campbell, "Fatal Abstraction: Why the Managerial Class Loses Control of Software" (W. W. Norton, 2025) 1:09:28

2M ago1:09:28

1:09:28

A tech insider explains how capitalism and software development make for such a dangerous mix. Software was supposed to radically improve society. Outdated mechanical systems would be easily replaced; programs like PowerPoint would make information flow more freely; social media platforms like Facebook would bring people together; and generative AI…

1
Peter Krapp, "Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation" (MIT Press, 2024) 1:13:44

2M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

We're pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Krapp, the author of Computing Legacies: Digital Cultures of Simulation (MIT Press, 2024), to the New Books Network. In Computing Legacies, Peter Krapp explores a media history of simulation to excavate three salient aspects of digital culture. Firstly, he profiles simulation as cultural technique, enabling symbol…

1
Worldbuilding Factions with Martha Wells (Part 2) 30:12

2M ago30:12

30:12

How do protagonists and villains get things done in your world? Probably not all by themselves! Factions - whether they're religious, corporate, political or trade organizations - are a VITAL part of your worldbuilding, adding spicy conflict when interests don't align. Join Janet and the AMAZING Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries) as they discuss …

1
Worldbuilding Factions with Martha Wells (Part 1) 29:15

2M ago29:15

29:15

How do protagonists and villains get things done in your world? Probably not all by themselves! Factions - whether they're religious, corporate, political or trade organizations - are a VITAL part of your worldbuilding, adding spicy conflict when interests don't align. Join Janet and the AMAZING Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries) as they discuss …

1
Radiophilia 1:10:31

2M ago1:10:31

1:10:31

Today’s guest is Carolyn Birdsall, Associate Professor of Media Studies, University of Amsterdam. If you’re a scholar of sound or radio, you likely know her work, particularly her monograph Nazi Soundscapes (AUP, 2012) which was the recipient of the ASCA Book Award in 2013. Her new book, Radiophilia (Bloomsbury, 2023), examines the love of radio th…

1
Episode 268: Vandals in the City of Fate (Land of a Thousand Finales Part 3) 1:00:46

2M ago1:00:46

1:00:46

On this week's episode we introduce the other half of our Undead Kings including King Ramses from Courage the Cowardly Dog, a prophet of fate, and a complete charlatan. In upcoming episodes your input is going to matter more than ever so make sure you get on Discord and get some tenets in! (Also please excuse the underwater mic Rob has, we're tryin…

1
Melissa Villa-Nicholas, "Data Borders: How Silicon Valley Is Building an Industry Around Immigrants" (U California Press, 2023) 57:00

2M ago57:00

57:00

Uncle Sam is watching, whether you like it or not. And the surveillance program the United States is building has as its foundation immigrants who have crossed the nation's southern border. In Data Borders: How Silicon Valley is Builidng an Industry Around Immigrants (University of California Press, 2023), UCLA information studies professor Melissa…

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

2M 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
Crafting Creatures That Make Scientific Sense with Shirin Sheppard (Part 2) 26:37

2M ago26:37

26:37

We're joined by illustrator and creature designer Shirin Sheppard to talk about making monsters that make scientific sense! How could dragons actually breathe fire? When do you reference real-world biology - and when do you leave it behind? Bring your creature questions to this fun interview! https://www.facebook.com/shirinillustration/ WORLDBUILD …

1
Crafting Creatures That Make Scientific Sense with Shirin Sheppard (Part 1) 31:06

2M ago31:06

31:06

We're joined by illustrator and creature designer Shirin Sheppard to talk about making monsters that make scientific sense! How could dragons actually breathe fire? When do you reference real-world biology - and when do you leave it behind? Bring your creature questions to this fun interview! https://www.facebook.com/shirinillustration/ WORLDBUILD …

1
Daniel J. Solove, "On Privacy and Technology" (Oxford UP, 2025) 33:16

2M ago33:16

33:16

Data and privacy have emerged as critical issues in our digitally interconnected era, profoundly influencing individual rights, societal norms, and democratic processes. In his book, On Privacy and Technology (Oxford UP, 2025), Daniel Solove provides a compelling exploration of the intersection between evolving technologies and privacy rights. Draw…

1
Lauren E. Bridges on Fantasies and Realities of Digital Transformation and the Data Center Industry 1:14:53

2M ago1:14:53

1:14:53

Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel, talks with Lauren Bridges, Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the University of Virginia, about her work on the political, economic, and environmental politics of big data infrastructures. They focus on some of Bridges’ work on the disconnect between the promises made to localities around digital transformati…

1
Will AI Transform What it Means to be Human in the Next Ten Years? 1:01:16

2M ago1:01:16

1:01:16

It’s the UConn Popcast, and what impact will AI have on being human in the next decade? Elon University’s Center for Imagining the Digital Future just released a big report on this question, based on a survey of nearly 300 global tech experts. These insiders predict major changes in the very near future to the way we think about work, life, and our…

1
Why Monster Hunters Matter with Laura Anne Gilman (Part 2) 33:24

2M ago33:24

33:24

Join us as we chat with best-selling fantasy author Laura Anne Gilman about writing MONSTER HUNTERS. Whether you're talking historical fantasy, urban fantasy or gothic horror, these iconic characters stalk the night. Let's discuss tropes, tips, and what these archetypal heroes add to your games and stories. https://www.lauraannegilman.net/ WORLDBUI…

1
Why Monster Hunters Matter with Laura Anne Gilman (Part 1) 32:32

2M ago32:32

32:32

Join us as we chat with best-selling fantasy author Laura Anne Gilman about writing MONSTER HUNTERS. Whether you're talking historical fantasy, urban fantasy or gothic horror, these iconic characters stalk the night. Let's discuss tropes, tips, and what these archetypal heroes add to your games and stories. https://www.lauraannegilman.net/ WORLDBUI…

1
Anita Say Chan, "Predatory Data: Eugenics in Big Tech and Our Fight for an Independent Future" (U California Press, 2025) 46:06

2M ago46:06

46:06

It’s a common refrain: AI is neither good nor bad because that depends on how its used. Professor Anita Say Chan begs to differ. Chan is the author of Predatory Data: Eugenics in Big Tech and Our Fight for an Independent Future (U California Press, 2025). Chan is Associate Professor in the School of Information Sciences and Department of Media and …

1
Ysabel Gerrard, "The Kids Are Online: Confronting the Myths and Realities of Young Digital Life" (U California Press, 2025) 40:40

2M ago40:40

40:40

How do young people use digital platforms? In The Kids are Online: Confronting the Myths and Realities of Young Digital Life (U California Press, 2025), Ysabel Gerrard, a Senior Lecturer in Digital Media and Society at the University of Sheffield explores the understandings and experience of young people as they navigate both the online and offline…

1
Episode 267: Bend the Knee to Our Undead Kings (Land of a Thousand Finales Part 2) 47:54

2M ago47:54

47:54

Hail to the Kings baby. And if you're feeling particularly generous, you can support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/worldbuildwithus Chat with us on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/SRFhWV3 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@worldbuildwithus Email us your suggestions: [email protected] Follow us on Twi…

1
Witchy Worldbuilding with Rachel Aaron (Part 2) 28:14

3M ago28:14

28:14

Join us for a spooky season interview with author Rachel Aaron (Hell of a Witch), as we explore the scary practice of worldbuilding with witches. We’ll discuss how witches are often treated differently from other magic users in fantasy and TTRPGs, the tricky aspects of crafting believable witches, and how to create a witchcraft-based magic system t…

1
Witchy Worldbuilding with Rachel Aaron (Part 1) 24:14

3M ago24:14

24:14

Join us for a spooky season interview with author Rachel Aaron (Hell of a Witch), as we explore the scary practice of worldbuilding with witches. We’ll discuss how witches are often treated differently from other magic users in fantasy and TTRPGs, the tricky aspects of crafting believable witches, and how to create a witchcraft-based magic system t…

1
Jeremy Braddock on "Firesign: The Electromagnetic History of Everything as Told on Nine Comedy Albums" 1:10:10

3M ago1:10:10

1:10:10

Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel, talks with Jeremy Braddock, Associate Professor of Literatures in English and Coordinator of the Media Studies Initiative at Cornell University, about his book, Firesign: The Electromagnetic History of Everything as Told on Nine Comedy Albums. The book explores themes of media and technology through nine albums ma…

1
Paddy Walker, "War Without Oversight: Why We Need Humans on the Battlefield" (Howgate, 2025) 1:36:29

3M ago1:36:29

1:36:29

Amid the fanfare around AI and autonomous weapons, decision-makers - both military and political - are imagining an augmented future for warfare that minimises human influence and connection. But in their rush for speed and lethality, leaders have failed to understand the behavioural and technical challenges that accompany these new weapon types, a…

1
James Boyle Draws the Line Between Humans and AI 53:43

3M ago53:43

53:43

It’s the UConn Popcast, and we spoke with Duke Law Professor James Boyle about his new book The Line: AI and the Future of Personhood (MIT Press, 2024). We spoke with Boyle about how our legal and moral understandings of personhood are being challenged by advances in AI. We discussed the role of the law, popular culture, tests of sentience, and our…

1
Cozy Fantasy Worldbuilding with Caitlin Rozakis (Part 1) 30:35

3M ago30:35

30:35

Join Janet and Caitlin Rozakis, author of The New York Times-bestselling novel Dreadful, for a delightful discussion of all things cozy fantasy! How do you create a setting that feels both cozy AND exciting? What are the essential elements of a cozy fantasy world? Bring your questions (and a cup of your favorite hot beverage) to this fun interview.…

1
Cozy Fantasy Worldbuilding with Caitlin Rozakis (Part 2) 33:41

3M ago33:41

33:41

Join Janet and Caitlin Rozakis, author of The New York Times-bestselling novel Dreadful, for a delightful discussion of all things cozy fantasy! How do you create a setting that feels both cozy AND exciting? What are the essential elements of a cozy fantasy world? Bring your questions (and a cup of your favorite hot beverage) to this fun interview.…

1
Making Radio History 1:07:07

3M ago1:07:07

1:07:07

Elena Razlogova is an Associate Professor of History at Concordia University. She is the author of The Listener’s Voice: Early Radio and the American Public (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011) and co-editor of “Radical Histories in Digital Culture” issue of the Radical History Review (2013). She has published articles in American Quarterly, Ra…

1
Episode 266: Piercing the Aurora Veil (Land of a Thousand Finales Part 1) 1:11:43

3M ago1:11:43

1:11:43

It's the beginning of the end folks so buckle up for a wild ride. This episode had me grinning ear-to-ear from start to end. And if you're feeling particularly generous, you can support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/worldbuildwithus Chat with us on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/SRFhWV3 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www…

1
The AI Mirror: How to Reclaim Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking 1:00:21

3M ago1:00:21

1:00:21

For many, technology offers hope for the future―that promise of shared human flourishing and liberation that always seems to elude our species. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies spark this hope in a particular way. They promise a future in which human limits and frailties are finally overcome―not by us, but by our machines. Yet rather than …

1
How to write Audio Drama with Emily Inkpen (Part 1) 36:37

3M ago36:37

36:37

Emily Inkpen is the co-creator of the award-winning Dex Legacy, an incredible audio drama about to enter its 3rd season! Learn Emily's process for writing and creating an audio drama that wins awards in this episode of the World Anvil worldbuilding podcast. https://www.emilyinkpen.com/thedexlegacy-home WORLDBUILD WITH US! Create a ✨free✨ World Anvi…

1
How to write Audio Drama with Emily Inkpen (Part 2) 27:48

3M ago27:48

27:48

Emily Inkpen is the co-creator of the award-winning Dex Legacy, an incredible audio drama about to enter its 3rd season! Learn Emily's process for writing and creating an audio drama that wins awards in this episode of the World Anvil worldbuilding podcast. https://www.emilyinkpen.com/thedexlegacy-home WORLDBUILD WITH US! Create a ✨free✨ World Anvi…

1
Sex and Love with Robots and Chatbots 1:05:45

3M ago1:05:45

1:05:45

It’s the UConn Popcast, and can you fall in love with ChatGPT? Can, and should, you have sex with a robot? We asked Professor Kate Devlin, a leading researcher on intimate relations between humans and artificial intelligences, to help us navigate the new landscape of sex and love with robots. Kate is a Professor of AI & Society in the Department of…

1
Chris Skinner, "Intelligent Money: When Money Thinks for You" (Marshall Cavendish, 2024) 25:18

3M ago25:18

25:18

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/technologyBy New Books Network

1
The Audiobook's Century-Long Overnight Success 51:34

3M ago51:34

51:34

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its his…

1
Worldbuilding a Generation Ship with Michael Mammay (Part 1) 30:52

3M ago30:52

30:52

What are the unique worldbuilding challenges (and opportunities) presented by a generation ship? This week, Janet sits down with Michael Mammay, author of the popular Planetside series, to explore the corridors and cultures of this unique scifi subgenre! https://www.michaelmammay.com/ Reviews of Generation Ship: Lightspeed Publishers Weekly Library…

1
Worldbuilding a Generation Ship with Michael Mammay (Part 2) 29:51

3M ago29:51

29:51

What are the unique worldbuilding challenges (and opportunities) presented by a generation ship? This week, Janet sits down with Michael Mammay, author of the popular Planetside series, to explore the corridors and cultures of this unique scifi subgenre! https://www.michaelmammay.com/ Reviews of Generation Ship: Lightspeed Publishers Weekly Library…

1
Making Magic Schools with T. Alexander Stangroom & Amanda Hamon (Part 2) 33:42

3M ago33:42

33:42

Join Janet with industry experts T. Alexander Stangroom & Amanda Hamon (Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos) to talk about MAKING MAGIC SCHOOLS, as we bring World Anvil's INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING challenge to a close! https://koboldpress.com/the-kobold-team https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandahamon/ https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/sacoc WORLDBUILD …

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