We Do Media Studies

We Do Media Studies is a podcast project of my Fall 2018 graduate media studies class, JAMS 860: Public Culture in the Digital Era.

As media scholars, it can be weird when you’re asked “What do you do?” If you say, “I do media studies,” it just leads to more questions. In each episode of We Do Media Studies, one student introduces you, dear listener, to a media studies topic that’s important to them.

Exploring different formats (i.e. free flowing conversation, audio essay, This American Life-style radio show, staged play) the students not only share their perspectives on media studies, they also got experience making media. In the process of making this podcast, as well as zines, they blurred the boundaries between creator, audience, and critic. This was a crucial complement to our semester-long exploration of different academic frameworks for studying mediated participation and social change (e.g. popular culture, participatory culture, public sphere, public culture).

Special thanks to Jeff Loomis for his wonderful tutorials with recorders and audio editing, general technical support, and his fabulous Tech Resources for Students.

Our theme music was written and recorded by Analise Pruni.