Faculty Top 5 features a Communication Studies faculty member’s “Top 5” list of something they find meaningful. This week, Professor Mary Vaughn offers her Top 5 Podcasts.
If you’ve had me for class, you know about my podcast obsession. I walk home from work, and it takes me about an hour. I use this time to listen to podcasts, and I think of them in two categories. Daily Inspirational Living Podcasts are part of my daily routine for learning and well-being. Long Car-Ride Podcasts are engrossing epic narratives I like to binge over a long period of time. I’ve made a Top 5 for each. I hope that’s not cheating.
Daily Inspirational Living Podcasts
- Their pitch: “Hidden Brain explores the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior and questions that lie at the heart of our complex and changing world. Our work, led by Host and Executive Editor Shankar Vedantam, is marked by a commitment to scientific and journalistic rigor, and a deep empathy for our guests and audience.”
- My take: I love the deep conversations Vedantam has with researchers in the field. So many of the topics in this podcast relate to things I teach in COM 1930 Interpersonal Communication. He makes research relatable to a non-academic audience.
- Favorite Episode: You 2.0: The Empathy Gym and The Double Standard
The Raceless Gospel
- Their pitch: “Rev. Starlette Thomas is a womanist in ministry and the host of The Raceless Gospel. In this ongoing conversation, Word meets Flesh. Thomas and guests talk about that taboo trinity — race, religion and politics.”
My take: Full disclosure: my husband produces this podcast, but he produces a lot of podcasts, and this one is a go-to for me. Listening to this podcast is like participating in an inspirational church service! Host Starlette Thomas prays poetry while offering brilliant theological analysis and robust dialogue on race, religion and politics. - Favorite Episode: Body Count (interview with Shane Claiborne)
- Their pitch: “Meditative Story combines human stories with meditation prompts embedded into the storylines — all surrounded by breathtaking music. Think of it as an alternative way into a mindfulness practice through story.“
- My take: I’ll be honest, I don’t always love the meditation prompts, but I get truly lost in these stories. I find that listening to good stories cultivates creativity, imagination, and empathy!
- Favorite Episode: When the Student is Ready, the Master is Long Gone | David Duchovny
- Their pitch: “This is how the news should sound. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by New York Times journalism.“
- My take: I love the approach of a deep (20-minute) dive into a single topic. The host usually interviews a reporter to learn what the reporter has found on a particular issue. I find that this type of reporting appropriately renders these issues as far more complex than a headline or tweet!
- Favorite Episode: I don’t have a “favorite” episode, but The Texas Abortion Law episode is a good example of how this podcast breaks down complex and controversial issues.
- Their pitch: “Strongly-held opinions. Open-minded debates. A weekly ideas show, hosted by Jane Coaston.“
- My take: The podcast is a great way to learn about controversial issues. The host is up front about her Libertarian POV, and she usually invites smart guests who have opposing points of view on the topic of the day. The conversation is civil, engaging, and instructive. Links to sources are included the show notes.
- Favorite Episode: I Love Section 230: Got a Problem with That?
Long Car-Ride Podcasts
- Season 1 explores the trial of Adnan Syed for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend and classmate Hae Min Lee. It hooked me, and many others, on podcasts and made me think about the US Justice system.
- An engrossing story about a small town mystery in southern Alabama. I sat in the car in front of my house finishing this one! This story features an enthralling intercultural encounter that blew up some of my stereotypes.
- Host Starlee Kind solves seemingly mundane, yet gripping mysteries. For me, these journeys into the ordinary inspire creativity and curiosity!
- Another one by my husband, who I think is a brilliant storyteller. Here, he tells the inspirational and sometimes heart-breaking story of trail-blazing Baptist theologian Molly T. Marshall.
- Explores the sobering and complex reality of racial segregation in East Nashville — both in housing (season 1) and school (season2). I think every Nashvillian should hear this podcast!