Richa Karmarkar and Mia Palmer, “Imagining New Racial Politics: Identity Work and Coalition Building in South Asian American Podcasts”
Mentor: Lia Wolock, Communication
This project examines the coalitions and expressions of identity forged through podcasts by South Asian American hosts and producers. South Asian American is a coalitional identity label that encompasses people who live in the United States and Canada and trace their heritage to the South Asian subcontinent, consisting today of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Fighting against internal divisions and outward misrepresentation, the young, digitally-savvy advocates of coalitional South Asian America reflect critically on their identities and histories to build radical futures. We mapped and catalogued a network of podcasters who are actively negotiating the politics of this emergent South Asian American identity, specifically looking at podcasts which are hosted and/or run by someone in the South Asian diaspora in North America, or has an intended South Asian American audience. Additionally, our work required careful analysis of the podcasts’ sound design, language of community or affinity, host and guests brought together, discussion topics or themes, building of the relationship between hosts and audiences, and overall listening experience. In particular, we carefully analyzed the ways that the intimate soundwork and confidential conversations so central to this genre of podcasting are productive tools for forging internal and external solidarities based on shared experiences of racialization. Podcasting, talking together as a community in a sincere and personal manner, is a crucial way South Asian Americans process their positionality and foster a sense of community through lived experiences. Podcasting allows for deep listening that feels lively, sociable, and co-present, and for the honoring of other’s personal experiences. This creates a meaningful platform for listeners and hosts to work through their understanding of themselves as part of a larger, emerging social justice-oriented community.
I really appreciated the depth of analysis provided in this presentation and the ease with which you both explained your research. Very clear and concise while also being engaging. Keep up the great work!
Thank you very much!
Thank you for sharing your research today. Dr. Wolock is awesome and I am so glad you had a chance to work with her.
This is a great presentation and I love the way your slides looked a bit like soundwaves. Excellent work.
As you think about podcasts as a place to build community and equalize (building on similarities rather than differences), I was curious if there were factors that also make podcasts exclusive. For example, how do the podcasts create specific communities that others may not have access to or feel a part of? This is not to say there are not benefits (as clearly you found this to be the case), but it would be interesting to explore how the same features that are beneficial may also create limitations to get at the complexity of these media. Just something to think about. Thank you again for sharing.
Hello Richa and Mia –
Great presentation! I liked how the graphics on your power points looked a bit like sound waves.
I am so excited you had the opportunity to work with Dr. Wolock on this research. It sounds like you learned a lot and have identified ways podcasts can really work to provide space for people of different backgrounds to connect. I was curious if you also identified any drawbacks to using podcasts for community building? For example, were there people who might be left out of these conversations and if so, how does that shape what community and the intimacy of podcasts that you discuss? Does it allow for greater intimacy and conversational tone? Just something to think about.
Again, great work.
My apologies for two posts – I thought the first one did not post and I wanted to make sure to tell you great work.