Best Brendan Neal Podcasts (2025)

1
Living Right: Far Right Youth Activists in Contemporary Europe 1:14:22

13h ago1:14:22

1:14:22

What is the growing appeal of fascist idealism for young people? Why is radical nationalism on the rise in Europe and throughout the world? In Living Right: Far Right Youth Activists in Contemporary Europe (Princeton UP, 2024), Dr. Agnieszka Pasieka provides an in-depth account of the ideas and practices that are driving the varied forms of far-rig…

1
Scottie’s Runaway CJ Cup Win, and a Truist Championship Preview! 51:46

1d ago51:46

51:46

House and Hubbard kick off the pod with their recap of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Scottie Scheffler’s dominant win, and how this sets him up for the PGA Championship (01:56). Then, they discuss why the PGA TV ratings surge is here to stay (12:07). Finally, they preview and offer their favorite plays for the Truist Championship (25:59). The Ringer is …

1
The Bohnfire, Ep. 30: UFC analyst Michelle Waterson-Gomez on UFC 315 storylines, Bo Nickal's loss 41:06

3d ago41:06

41:06

On Episode 30 of “The Bohnfire” with Mike Bohn, Michelle Waterson-Gomez talks about retirement life, her transition into a UFC analyst, UFC 315 storylines and much more.

1
Deana Jovanović, "Staging the Promises: Everyday Future-Making in a Serbian Industrial Town" (Cornell UP, 2025) 1:23:24

3d ago1:23:24

1:23:24

Built on the shifting grounds of post-Yugoslav transformation, Staging the Promises examines how the residents of Bor — a Serbian copper-mining town marked by both socialist prosperity and post-socialist decline — became spectators to the staged enactments of promised futures. Deana Jovanović traces how local authorities and the copper-processing c…

1
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien 45:41

5d ago45:41

45:41

In this episode, Jordan and Brendan travel to Middle Earth to discuss the role of the common man in the fight against evil, worlds born from words, the emboldening of virtue, the imminent approach of glory, the purpose of silly hobbit songs, and what makes a story timeless. Other Mentions: Beowulf Next episode we will be discussing The Fellowship o…

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

5d 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
Diana Graizbord, "Indicators of Democracy: The Politics and Promise of Evaluation Expertise in Mexico" (Stanford UP, 2024) 52:44

7d ago52:44

52:44

The spread of democracy across the Global South has taken many different forms, but certain features are consistent: implementing a system of elections and an overarching mission of serving the will and well-being of a country's citizens. But how do we hold politicians accountable for such a mission? How are we to understand the efficacy of the pol…

1
Lian Sinclair, "Undermining Resistance: The Governance of Participation by Multinational Mining Corporations" (Manchester UP, 2024) 36:47

7d ago36:47

36:47

Why do multinational mining corporations use participation to undermine resistance? Do the struggles of local communities, activists and NGOs matter on a global scale? Why are there so many different global standards in mining? Undermining Resistance: The Governance of Participation by Multinational Mining Corporations (Manchester UP, 2024) develop…

1
Tim Grady, "Burying the Enemy: The Story of Those who Cared for the Dead in Two World Wars" (Yale UP, 2025) 54:30

8d ago54:30

54:30

In Burying the Enemy: The Story of Those who Cared for the Dead in Two World Wars (Yale University Press, 2025), Tim Grady recounts here a detailed history of the fate of combatants who died on enemy soil in England and Germany in World Wars I and II. The books draws on a rich archive of personal family experiences, and describes the often touching…

1
Chloe Ahmann, "Futures After Progress: Hope and Doubt in Late Industrial Baltimore" (U Chicago Press, 2024) 36:32

9d ago36:32

36:32

Factory fires, chemical explosions, and aerial pollutants have inexorably shaped South Baltimore into one of the most polluted places in the country. In Futures After Progress: Hope and Doubt in Late Industrial Baltimore (U Chicago Press, 2024), anthropologist Chloe Ahmann explores the rise and fall of industrial lifeways on this edge of the city a…

1
Power Outage at Zurich, PGA-LIV Ratings No-Contest, and CJ Cup Byron Nelson Preview 44:58

8d ago44:58

44:58

House and Nathan start with a recap of the Zurich Classic, including Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin’s win, the ratings for this event dwarfing LIV’s, and more (01:45). Then, they preview and offer their favorite plays for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson (19:00). The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about t…

1
The Bohnfire, Ep. 29: Din Thomas' UFC 317 surprise and Dustin Poirier retirement reaction 46:47

11d ago46:47

46:47

On Episode 29 of “The Bohnfire” with Mike Bohn, UFC analyst Din Thomas returns to discuss five things from the UFC 317 main event to Dustin Poirier's retirement fight and more.

1
Maliha Safri et al., "Solidarity Cities: Confronting Racial Capitalism, Mapping Transformation" (U of Minnesota Press, 2025) 1:06:18

11d ago1:06:18

1:06:18

In this episode, Maliha Safri, Marianna Pavlovskaya, Stephen Healy, and Craig Borowiak talk about their new co-authored book Solidarity Cities: Confronting Racial Capitalism, Mapping Transformation (University of Minnesota Press, 2024). This volume is part of the Diverse Economies and Livable Worlds series. Solidarity economies, characterized by di…

1
Amy Zhang, "Circular Ecologies: Environmentalism and Waste Politics in Urban China" (Stanford UP, 2024) 1:07:52

11d ago1:07:52

1:07:52

After four decades of reform and development, China is confronting a domestic waste crisis. As the world's largest waste-generating nation, the World Economic Forum projects that by 2030, the volume of household waste in China will be double that of the United States. Starting in the early 2000s, Chinese policymakers came to see waste management as…

1
Lorna Gibb, "Rare Tongues: The Secret Stories of Hidden Languages" (Princeton UP, 2025) 39:47

12d ago39:47

39:47

An enthralling tour of the world’s rarest and most endangered languages Languages and cultures are becoming increasingly homogenous, with the resulting loss of a rich linguistic tapestry reflecting unique perspectives and ways of life. Rare Tongues: The Secret Stories of Hidden Languages (Princeton University Press, 2025) tells the stories of the w…

1
Eleanor Paynter, "Emergency in Transit: Witnessing Migration in the Colonial Present" (U California Press, 2024) 54:38

13d ago54:38

54:38

Emergency in Transit: Witnessing Migration in the Colonial Present (University of California Press, 2024) by Dr. Eleanor Paynter responds to the crisis framings that dominate migration debates in the global north. This capacious, interdisciplinary open-access study reformulates Europe's so-called "migrant crisis" from a sudden disaster to a site of…

1
Justin Thomas Back in Form and a Zurich Classic Preview 44:36

16d ago44:36

44:36

House and Hubbard tee off with a recap of Justin Thomas’s RBC Heritage win and why his improved putting is the biggest factor in his momentum gain (02:10). Then, they discuss Joel Dahmen’s honest comments after he lost at Corales (18:00) before previewing and offering their favorite plays for the Zurich Classic (28:16). The Ringer is committed to r…

1
Katie Rose Hejtmanek, "The Cult of CrossFit: Christianity and the American Exercise Phenomenon" (NYU Press, 2025) 1:08:28

20d ago1:08:28

1:08:28

CrossFit in the United States has become increasingly popular, around which a fascinating culture has developed which shapes everyday life for the people devoted to it. CrossFit claims to be many things: a business, a brand, a tremendously difficult fitness regimen, a community, a way to gain salvation, and a method to survive the apocalypse. In Th…

1
Christof Lammer, "Performing State Boundaries: Food Networks, Democratic Bureaucracy and China" (Berghahn, 2024) 1:42:23

20d ago1:42:23

1:42:23

On the podcast today I am joined by Christof Lammer, a social anthropologist based at the University of Klagenfurt and inherit fellow at Humboldt University of Berlin. Christof is joining me to talk about his new book, Performing State Boundaries: Food Networks, Democratic Bureaucracy and China published in Open Access by Berghahn Books in 2024. Th…

1
Political Mythmaking in Nepal 33:12

21d ago33:12

33:12

How and why do local political processes in rural Nepal become an arena for political mythmaking? And, how do political myths obscure their own historical construction, thereby making hierarchical power structures appear inevitable? In this episode we discuss these questions with Ankita Shrestha whose ethnographic explorations into these issues for…

1
The Bohnfire, Ep. 28 from Kayla Harrison's house: Talking Amanda Nunes, Julianna Peña, more 30:03

22d ago30:03

30:03

On Episode 28 of “The Bohnfire," Kayla Harrison welcomes Mike Bohn into her Florida home to talk training camp for Julianna Peña, Amanda Nunes' return and much more.

1
Agnieszka Pasieka, "Living Right: Far-Right Youth Activists in Contemporary Europe" (Princeton UP, 2024) 46:29

22d ago46:29

46:29

Radical nationalism is on the rise in Europe and throughout the world. Living Right: Far-Right Youth Activists in Contemporary Europe (Princeton University Press, 2024) provides an in-depth account of the ideas and practices that are driving the varied forms of far-right activism by young people from all walks of life, revealing how these social mo…

1
Sarah Saddler, "Performing Corporate Bodies: Multinational Theatre in Global India" (Routledge, 2025) 1:10:32

24d ago1:10:32

1:10:32

How do corporations use theater to reconcile the crises of late capitalism? In our latest interview on Ethnographic Marginalia, we speak with Dr. Sarah Saddler about her new book Performing Corporate Bodies (Routledge, 2024), where she describes how corporations have borrowed techniques from activist theater to manage their workers in India and bey…

1
Final Masters Thoughts: Is Rory About to Go on a Run? Plus, RBC Heritage Preview. 55:34

23d ago55:34

55:34

House and Hubbard are back with their final thoughts about this year’s Masters, including the massive ratings surge for the final round (03:16), whether Rory’s win is the start of a dominant run for him (08:08), Ryder Cup ramifications (20:58), and whether the Masters impacts the PGA’s leverage in a potential LIV merger (25:51). Finally, they previ…

1
Mingwei Huang, "Reconfiguring Racial Capitalism: South Africa in the Chinese Century" (Duke UP, 2024) 1:05:34

25d ago1:05:34

1:05:34

In Reconfiguring Racial Capitalism: South Africa in the Chinese Century (Duke UP, 2024), Mingwei Huang traces the development of new forms of racial capitalism in the twenty-first century. Through fieldwork in one of the “China malls” that has emerged along Johannesburg’s former mining belt, Huang identifies everyday relations of power and differen…

1
Dána-Ain Davis and Christa Craven, "Feminist Ethnography: Thinking Through Methodologies, Challenges, and Possibilities" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022) 56:21

26d ago56:21

56:21

How do we acquire knowledge about societies? Does how we acquire social knowledge shape what we know? How conscious must we be of our own experiences as we do our research? What does feminism add to our methods and modes of research? Now in its second edition, Feminist Ethnography: Thinking through Methodologies, Challenges, and Possibilities (Rowm…

1
Rory Is Finally a Masters Champion and Completes the Career Grand Slam! 1:02:00

25d ago1:02:00

1:02:00

Rory finally did it! House and Hubbard hop on the mics to recap an all-time Masters Tournament, starting with the peaks and valleys of Rory’s performance that ultimately led him to win his first green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam (01:27). Then, they discuss Bryson DeChambeau’s fifth-place finish (21:10) and Justin Rose’s impressive sec…

1
Engage and Evade in 2025: Asad L. Asad on Latino Immigrants in America 51:48

28d ago51:48

51:48

Today I’m speaking with Asad L. Asad, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Stanford University. He is the author of Engage and Evade: How Latino Immigrant Families Manage Surveillance in Everyday Life (Princeton UP, 2023). A highly relevant book, Engage and Evade documents the interactions between undocumented people and the agents and institutions …

1
Final Masters Prep, and Betting Cards! 46:06

29d ago46:06

46:06

House and Hubbard are fresh from walking the course at Augusta to give you their last-minute prep heading into the Masters and their observations of players like Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and more. They also go through their final betting cards, who they like, who they’re staying away from, and favorite plays! The Ringer is committed to responsible g…

1
Chiara Calzana and Valentina Gamberi, "Haunting Ruins: Ethnographies of Ruination and Decay" (Berghahn Books, 2025) 47:19

1M ago47:19

47:19

In the contemporary world, ruins, rubble, and decaying material have become increasingly iconic landscapes. They can foster a more layered theory of time, change and memory. The seven ethnographic case studies in Haunting Ruins (Berghahn Books, 2025) trace human engagements with the temporal forces of ruins, which can trace the past and transform t…

1
The Bohnfire, Ep. 27: Jon Anik plays UFC 314 'True or False' for stacked Miami card 35:03

1M ago35:03

35:03

On Episode 27 of “The Bohnfire” with Mike Bohn, UFC commentator Jon Anik returns to play "True or False" on every fight on Saturday's stacked UFC 314 card in Miami.

1
2025 Masters Preview, Picks, and Sleepers With Justin Ray! 1:14:09

1M ago1:14:09

1:14:09

Hello, friends! House and Hubbard are joined by Twenty First Group’s Justin Ray to dive deep into the storylines and stats heading into this year’s Masters tournament. They start off with the two favorites to win, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, and why they will or won’t end up winning (02:18). Then, they discuss Collin Morikawa’s chances (20:…

1
Anna Maria Busse Berger and Henry Spiller, "Missionaries, Anthropologists, and Music in the Indonesian Archipelago" (U California Press, 2025) 1:09:04

1M ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Although the history of Indonesian music has received much attention from ethnomusicologists and Western composers alike, almost nothing has been written on the interaction of missionaries with local culture. Missionaries, Anthropologists, and Music in the Indonesian Archipelago (U California Press, 2025) represents the first attempt to concentrate…

1
All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy 45:24

1M ago45:24

45:24

In this episode, Jordan and Brendan discuss the “If Only” feeling, beauty in the midst of bleakness, the call to adventure, the cost of idealism, director’s cut conspiracies, and the idiocy of semicolons. What We’re Reading: Letters to a Diminished Church by Dorothy L. Sayers Present Concerns: Journalistic Essays by C.S. Lewis Perelandra by C.S. Le…

1
Becky Yang Hsu, "The Extraordinary in the Mundane: Family and Forms of Community in China" (Columbia UP, 2024) 49:00

1M ago49:00

49:00

How do individuals address serious challenges in a context where organized gatherings are subject to strict government control? This new edited volume brings together a diverse group of scholars to explore the many ways people in China self-organize and create varied forms of coordination to solve important problems. Through compelling, detail-rich…

1
Tuomas Tammisto, "Hard Work: Producing Places, Relations and Value on a Papua New Guinea Resource Frontier" (Helsinki UP, 2024) 2:05:32

1M ago2:05:32

2:05:32

On the podcast today I am joined by socio-cultural anthropologist, Tuomas Tammisto, who is an academy research fellow in Social Anthropology at Tampere University. Tuomas is joining me to talk about his recently published book, Hard Work: Producing Places, Relations and Value on a Papua New Guinea Resource Frontier (Helsinki UP, 2024) Hard Work exa…

1
Martha S. Jones, "The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir" (Basic Books, 2025) 54:14

1M ago54:14

54:14

Martha S. Jones grew up feeling her Black identity was obvious to all who saw her. But weeks into college, a Black Studies classmate challenged Jones’s right to speak. Suspicious of the color of her skin and the texture of her hair, he confronted her with a question that inspired a lifetime of introspection: “Who do you think you are?” Now a prizew…

1
Houston Open Takeaways, Early Masters Storylines, and Valero Texas Open Preview With Pat Mayo! 1:08:31

1M ago1:08:31

1:08:31

House and Hubbard are joined by Pat Mayo of The Pat Mayo Experience, and start off with their recap of the Houston Open, including Min Woo Lee’s win, Tosti’s top-five finish, and more (03:03). Then, they look ahead to the Masters, discuss early storylines, and what bets they’re looking to make (18:05). Finally, they end by previewing and offering t…

1
The Bohnfire, Ep. 26: Henry Cejudo's Q1 UFC standouts and top Q2 storylines 49:53

1M ago49:53

49:53

On Episode 26 of “The Bohnfire” with Mike Bohn, former two-division UFC champ Henry Cejudo names his standouts from UFC's first quarter (3:12), previews top second quarter storylines (16:58) and reveals plans for his MMA retirement (38:08)

1
Hemangini Gupta, "Experimental Times: Startup Capitalism and Feminist Futures in India" (U California Press, 2024) 41:59

1M ago41:59

41:59

Experimental Times: Startup Capitalism and Feminist Futures in India (U California Press, 2024) is an in-depth ethnography of the transformation of Bengaluru/Bangalore from a site of "backend" IT work to an aspirational global city of enterprise and innovation. The book journeys alongside the migrant workers, technologists, and entrepreneurs who sh…

1
Azmeary Ferdoush, "Sovereign Atonement: Citizenship, Territory, and the State at the Bangladesh-India Border" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 1:22:44

1M ago1:22:44

1:22:44

The former border enclaves of Bangladesh and India existed as extra-territorial spaces since 1947. They were finally exchanged and merged as host state territories in 2015. Sovereign Atonement: Citizenship, Territory, and the State at the Bangladesh-India Border (Cambridge UP, 2024) focuses on the protracted territorial exchange and experiences of …

1
Syaifudin Zuhri, "Wali Pitu and Muslim Pilgrimage in Bali, Indonesia: Inventing a Sacred Tradition" (Leiden UP, 2022) 1:10:48

1M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

Syaifudin Zuhri’s book Wali Pitu and Muslim Pilgrimage in Bali, Indonesia: Inventing a Sacred Tradition (Leiden, 2022) is a detailed examination of the recent emergence of the Wali Pitu (“Seven Saints”) tradition in Bali, Indonesia. The study is a multi-sited ethnography of pilgrimage traditions to the grave sites of the Wali Pitu, which is a part …

1
The Bohnfire, Ep. 25: Michael Chiesa's list of UFC 317 (IFW) main event options 50:19

1M ago50:19

50:19

On Episode 25 of “The Bohnfire” with Mike Bohn, UFC analyst and welterweight Michael Chiesa returns to list fights that could headline UFC 317 on International Fight Week 2025.

1
"COME ON NOW!" w/ Jacquis Neal, Shaun Diston and Lamar Woods 1:51:13

1M ago1:51:13

1:51:13

Jacquis Neal, Shaun Diston and Lamar Woods join Arden and the Production Team to break down Grant's season finale! Rainy DR! Touching dads! Love Bombing! - Arden thinks Grant's sister preferred Litia! - Jacquis thinks Grant was just a basic b this whooooole time! - Shaun is ready to defend Carolina's honor! - Lamar wants everyone to be happy for Gr…

1
Tiger Asks for Privacy, Viktor Hovland Gets His Groove Back, and a Houston Open Preview 51:43

1M ago51:43

51:43

House and Hubbard tee off with a Tiger Woods Instagram relationship post (02:12) and their recap of the Valspar Championship, including Viktor Hovland’s much-needed win after a rough start to the season (06:50). They also touch on the performances of Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele and more. Then, they preview and offer their favorite plays for…

1
V. Chitra, "Drawing Coastlines: Climate Anxieties and the Visual Reinvention of Mumbai's Shore" (Cornell UP, 2024) 1:04:16

2M ago1:04:16

1:04:16

Drawing Coastlines: Climate Anxieties and the Visual Reinvention of Mumbai's Shore (Cornell UP, 2024) reveals the ways that technical images such as weather infographics, sea-level projections, and surveys are fast remaking Mumbai's coasts and coastal futures. They set in place infrastructural interventions, vocabularies of development and conserva…

1
Tracie Canada, "Tackling the Everyday: Race and Nation in Big-Time College Football" (U California Press, 2025) 1:14:16

2M ago1:14:16

1:14:16

Big-time college football promises prestige, drama, media attention, and money. Yet most athletes in this unpaid, amateur system encounter a different reality, facing dangerous injuries, few pro-career opportunities, a free but devalued college education, and future financial instability. In one of the first ethnographies about Black college footba…

1
Ben Bowles, "Boaters of London: Alternative Living on the Water" (Berghahn Books, 2024) 1:10:12

2M ago1:10:12

1:10:12

Boaters of London is an ethnography that delves into the process of becoming a boater, adopting an alternative lifestyle on the water and the political impact that this travelling population has on the state. London and the Southeast of England in general is home to many people and families who live on narrowboats, cruisers and barges, along a netw…

1
"FUNKIEST WOMAN IN UTAH!" w/ Our friend (**and birthday Queen) Whitney and Paul Danke! 1:40:48

2M ago1:40:48

1:40:48

Our friend (**and birthday Queen) Whitney and Paul Danke join Arden and the Production Team to breakdown the HORNIEST EPISODE OF THE SEASON- FANTASY SUITES!! Farting Yoga! Panicked ziplines! Crocheted Lingerie! - Arden would say yes to a rose with Grant! ****WINK WINK*** -- Our friend Whitney loves a birthday as much as Arden! - Paul thinks there i…

1
Rory in OG Form With Players Win ... Major Next? Plus, Valspar Championship Picks! 1:12:39

2M ago1:12:39

1:12:39

House and Hubbard tee off with a recap of The Players, including Rory McIlroy’s playoff win and what this momentum means for the reason of the season (01:56). They also discuss who impressed and disappointed the most during the tournament (24:37). Afterward, they circle back to Rory’s odds of winning a major this year and how the potential Ryder Cu…

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Brendan Neal Podcasts

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