cacophony

alinaswe
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Society & Culture
  • Biweekly

cacophony is a show that dives into the intersection of pop culture, politics and feminism. in a world where we are constantly flooded with information, the cultural and political landscape can feel chaotic (or cacophonous). my job is the make sense of this cacophony, by making it clear how 'big' things (like politics and history) intertwine with the 'small' things (like pop culture and personal experience).

Episodes

  1. Jun 20

    why do people hate immigrants?

    welcome to the fifth audio edition of cacophony, first broadcast live on PULSE radio on 11/06/26! in this episode, i dissect the global trend of anti-immigrant discourse with a specific focus on the flare up of xenophobia within south africa at the moment. i look at why certain political actors may have a vested interested in stoking the flames of xenophobia & i consider the ways this xenophobia seeps into popular culture. i am really excited to bring podcasting, radio and audio into the universe of cacophony! you can find my social media handles below: substack: @cacophonyy instagram: @ca.cophony tiktok: @ca.cophony

    why do people hate immigrants?

  2. Apr 23

    tyla & the diaspora wars

    welcome to the fourth audio edition of cacophony, first broadcast live on PULSE radio on 02/04/26! in this episode, i unpack the ‘diaspora wars’ ie the cultural conflict between the african and black diaspora throughout the world. i look at how these ‘wars’ manifest through tyla and the tension around her racial identity. i suggest panafricanism as an important antidote to this tension. i am really excited to bring podcasting, radio and audio into the universe of cacophony! you can find my social media handles below: substack: @cacophonyy instagram: @ca.cophony tiktok: @ca.cophony

    tyla & the diaspora wars

  3. Apr 16

    the frigid feminine: on trad wives, slay queens & other archetypes

    welcome to the third audio edition of cacophony, first broadcast live on PULSE radio on 02/04/26! in this episode, i contemplate what the archetypes of ‘the trad wife’ and ‘the slay queen’ (in the african context) can reveal to us about femininity in the 2020s. i coin the phrase ‘frigid femininity’ to describe the nature of these gender performances. i define the frigid feminine as: archetypes of the feminine that are born from economic precarity and thus, define womanhood in relation to being financially supported by men. moreso, frigid femininities are often invested in promoting singular & gender essentialist views on what it means to be a woman. they are frigid in the sense that they are very stiff imaginings of what it means to be a woman that lack fluidity and freedom. i am really excited to bring podcasting, radio and audio into the universe of cacophony! you can find my social media handles below: substack: @cacophonyy instagram: @ca.cophony tiktok: @ca.cophony

    the frigid feminine: on trad wives, slay queens & other archetypes

  4. Apr 9

    the word 'woke'

    welcome to the second audio edition of cacophony, first broadcast live on PULSE radio on 13/02/26! in this episode, i trace the history of the word ‘woke’ from its origins in the 1900s to its resurgence in the 2010s to its current misappropriations by toxic political actors. from this history, i contemplate the political mood of the 2020s and unpack why it is often characterized as fascist. i am really excited to bring podcasting, radio and audio into the universe of cacophony! you can find my social media handles below: substack: @cacophonyy instagram: @ca.cophony tiktok: @ca.cophony

    the word 'woke'

  5. Feb 2

    ozempic, sara baartman & the politics of beauty

    welcome to the first audio edition of cacophony, first broadcast live on PULSE radio on 30/01/26! on this episode, i give a brief introduction to cacophony and why i started the project as a way to make sense of the world around us with a lens on where pop culture and politics intersect. then, i discuss how beauty standards are often reflective of the political moment of the time. i talk about what ozempic might reflect about this current moment, particularly as we experience as a rise in fascism. in addition, i dive into a history of beauty politics with a focus on sara baartman who exemplifies how violent colonial beauty standards can become. i am really excited to bring podcasting, radio and audio into the universe of cacophony! you can find my social media handles below: substack: @cacophonyy instagram: @ca.cophony tiktok: @ca.cophony

    ozempic, sara baartman & the politics of beauty
  • 5 Episodes

About

cacophony is a show that dives into the intersection of pop culture, politics and feminism. in a world where we are constantly flooded with information, the cultural and political landscape can feel chaotic (or cacophonous). my job is the make sense of this cacophony, by making it clear how 'big' things (like politics and history) intertwine with the 'small' things (like pop culture and personal experience).

Information

  • Creator
    alinaswe
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © alinaswe
  • Show Website
    cacophony