SORAPOD

ChainLink Studios

5.0 (2)
SOCIETY & CULTURE

With growing criticism of the academy from within and outside, we dig into what the future of the institution looks like, and what knowledge production is in today's context. SORA asks academics and ex-academics to discuss their experiences in the ivory tower, and what led them to stay or leave, what they’d change, and their forecasts for the future of academia.

11/11/2025

Please, Never Say That Again!

In this episode of SORAPod we are joined by Renata Yazzie - a Diné pianist and musicologist currently between New York City & New Mexico. Her research focuses on the intersections of Diné song and music with religion, theory, pedagogy, popular culture, and neurochemistry. Renata discusses the historical context of Navajo hymnals, the evolution of music within her culture, and the significance of language in expressing identity. The conversation explores the interplay between tradition and modernity, the role of voice in music, and the impact of historical events on cultural practices. Renata also reflects on her academic journey, the challenges of bridging Indigenous knowledge with academia, and her experiences living in New York City as a Navajo person. Music in this episode: Levi Platero's All I've Got Is The BluesIf you want to support the SORAPod and help us stay caffeinated while we record and edit, you can buy us a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/sorapod

1h 40m
03/11/2025

Summer Will Come w/ Annika Schmeding

Transcript In this episode, Annika Schmeding shares her journey exploring the multifaceted ways knowledge is produced and shared Through her experiences with circus performance and Sufi poetry, she highlights the importance of embodied knowledge and community engagement. Annika emphasizes the significance of joy, beauty, and solidarity in the face of adversity, and reflects on the evolving dynamics of Sufi practices and community leadership. This conversation delves into the complex realities of life in Afghanistan post-Taliban takeover, focusing on the experiences of women, the impact of cultural practices like Sufism, and the significance of poetry in Afghan society. We reflect on personal connections, the ethics of research, and the importance of resilience and hope amidst adversity. We discuss the challenges of navigating relationships and the emotional weight of loss in the context of ongoing political turmoil. Trigger Warning: Mention of suicide. If you would like to read Annika’s story about her friend and the teapot, you can find it HERE or on ResearchGate HERE To learn more about the Mobile Mini Circus for Children, you can find them at https://www.mmccglobal.org/ If you would like to support SORAPod, buy us a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/sorapod

1h 45m
12/17/2024

I'm Here to Talk History w/Jacien Carr

In this episode we are joined by Jacien Carr, a military historian from The Ohio State University. The discussion traverses Jacien's unique upbringing in a diplomatic family, his experiences in the Marines, and the academic journey that led him to study military history and secret societies. The conversation delves into the significance of mentorship, the complexities of cultural institutions, and the intersection of magic and power in these societies. If you want to support the SORAPod and help us stay caffeinated while we record and edit, you can buy us a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/sorapod

1h 37m
09/05/2024

This is Our Only Hope w/Nadeem Karkabi

The Society of Reluctant Anthropologists reunite with an original SORA member, Nadeem Karkabi, who is now a lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Haifa. Our conversation explores themes of self-liberation, the Palestinian musical scene, and the changing dynamics of Haifa over time. Nadeem shares his personal experiences as a Israeli-Palestinian scholar living in a system of oppression and recurring violence. The conversation explores the impact of the right-wing government in Israel, the challenges faced by academics in the current political climate, and the personal experiences of being a parent in a conflicted region. It also delves into the power of collective transformation and the importance of creating spaces for individual and communal liberation. For a transcript of the episode, check out ⁠⁠⁠sorapod.com⁠⁠ If you want to support the SORAPod and help us stay caffeinated while we record and edit, you can buy us a coffee here: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sorapod

1h 24m
07/04/2024

SORA Circus Pt 2

The three SORAteers are back together for a two-part episode looking back on Season 1 of SORA-pod and getting ready for Season 2! Part 2 of episode turns to the upcoming season’s focus on emancipation and knowledge. Building on the first season’s themes, and responding to the ongoing genocide in Palestine and elsewhere, the three hosts put forward their hopes and plans for Season 2. Thinking through the interconnectedness of global struggle and concepts like indigeneity and liberation, they outline their plans to include and amplify marginalized voices. By asking what knowledge can be recognized and for whom, and questioning what orientations toward violence and struggle reveal, the SORA-teers plant seeds for Season 2 to grow the discussion on radical imagination, hope, and action. For a transcript of the episode, check out ⁠⁠sorapod.com⁠ If you want to support the SORAPod and help us stay caffeinated while we record and edit, you can buy us a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/sorapod

56 min
07/02/2024

SORA Circus Pt 1

The three SORAteers are back together for a two-part episode looking back on Season 1 of SORA-pod and getting ready for Season 2! Reflecting on feedback and guests’ observations from the first season, part 1 of this episode considers how themes of power and knowledge, activism and scholarship, and community and imagination emerged interconnectedly across the episodes. The three hosts consider how this is reflected in everyday and academic contexts like the AAA, in what can be known and seen and what is not, and what alternative ways to organize and produce knowledge could be – time for SORA-com(mune)! For a transcript of the episode, check out ⁠sorapod.com Dr. Kisha Supernant E. Valentine Daniel's Book, Charred Lullabies If you want to support the SORAPod and help us stay caffeinated while we record and edit, you can buy us a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/sorapod

1h 3m
03/13/2024

Glitter & Gingham w/ Jessica Turner & Cassie Rosita Patterson

Jessica Turner and Cassie Rosita Patterson, Executive Director and Special Projects Consultant for the American Folklore Society (AFS), join us to explore how AFS fosters community through play, color, and active support of members within, outside, and in between academic institutions. They highlight the careful and joyful work of collaboration and accountability within an organization and show how organizations can reinvent themselves to be more inclusive, people-centered, and fun! For a transcript of the episode, check out sorapod.com Listen to Mickey Weem's Last Party on Earth on Spotify

1h 57m
01/25/2024

Again, My Memory's Terrible w/ Gregory Halbe

The Society of Reluctant Anthropologists talks to Gregory Halbe about collective decision making, navigating group dynamics, and the wild side of academic conferences! Gregory Halbe’s academic career has been largely shaped by fortuitous accidents and moments of sudden inspiration. Only lately, in what David Brooks calls the Second Mountain phase of his life, has Gregory found and started to seize a guiding sense of purpose. It started with a family move the summer before his junior year in high school. All classes in his first choice of foreign language, German, were filled. He ended up studying Russian instead. His teacher was married to the local orchestra director, so Gregory’s first experiences with Russian and orchestra were inextricably linked. Four years later, up against a deadline to choose a major going into his junior year, Gregory peered into the orchestra pit of a production of Man of La Mancha, turned to his dad, and said “that’s where I want to be". Two years later, frustrated by his inability to master the lip trill on his instrument, the horn, Gregory sought the synergy of his two loves, music and Russian, in a Russian culture masters program. A few failures and happy accidents later, Gregory found himself working on a dissertation on Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera, Snowmaiden. Along the way, he and his advisor, Prof. Margarita Mazo, founded Rusalka, a choir in the Russian folk tradition, which is where he and Maureen met. After all that, Gregory has found his priorities for a happy and fulfilling retirement in family, church, and community. For a transcript and credits for the episode, check out sorapod.com

1h 29m

5

out of 5

2 Ratings

With growing criticism of the academy from within and outside, we dig into what the future of the institution looks like, and what knowledge production is in today's context. SORA asks academics and ex-academics to discuss their experiences in the ivory tower, and what led them to stay or leave, what they’d change, and their forecasts for the future of academia.

Creator

ChainLink Studios
Years Active

2023 - 2025
Episodes

13
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© ChainLink Studios
Show Website

SORAPOD