Critical Media Studies
Michael Repici
The Critical Media Studies podcast discusses the interplay of technology and culture from an academic perspective. In each episode we consider the work of a prominent thinker in the field of critical media studies and discuss the implications of their work in relation to other thinkers and in light of current social contexts.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 16, 2025 • 42min
#93: Daisy Alioto - The Taste Economy
In this episode Barry and Mike continue their discussion onthe “Taste Economy” and the evolution of the internet from 2.0 to 3.0. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUnYbLoyplohttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/style/dirt-newsletter-daisy-alioto.html
May 2, 2025 • 41min
#92: Kyle Chayka - How to Cultivate Taste in the Age of Algorithms/The New Generation of Online Culture Curators.
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss Kyle Chayka’s essays and offer a primer on the new online “Taste Economy.” How to Cultivate Taste in the Age of AlgorithmsThe New Generation of Online Culture Curators
Apr 18, 2025 • 1h 20min
#91: The Episode That is Not on Heidegger or His Letter on Humanism (but sort of is).
In this episode Barry and Mike talk about Heidegger and what comes after philosophy and how that helps us to think about the role of the contemporary university.
Apr 4, 2025 • 45min
#90: Heidegger - The Question Concerning Technology
In this episode Barry and Mike take a different approach to Heidegger's The Question Concerning Technology. Rather than a traditional "what does all this mean" approach grounded in historical context, they look at the essay with a specific eye towards understanding what Heidegger can teach us about our current digital media culture and the essay's relevance for our interactions in the age of the internet and near total interconnection.
Mar 21, 2025 • 58min
#89: Harold Innis - Minerva’s Owl
This episode focuses on Harold Innis’ 1947 presidentialaddress to the Royal Society of Canada, “Minerva’s Owl” and his appendix to theaddress. Barry and Mike discuss how Innis charts the relationships among power,knowledge, and technologies and their relations to the durability of imperialsystems.
Mar 7, 2025 • 51min
#88: Revisiting Deleuze's "Postscript on the Society of Control"
In this episode Barry and Mike revisit Gilles Deleuze’s essay “Postscript on the Society of Control.” They attempt to reframe the central arguments of the essay in terms of our current digital culture.
Feb 21, 2025 • 1h 7min
#87: Alan Turing - Computer Machinery and Intelligence
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss Alan Turing’s 1950 essay, “Computer Machinery and Intelligence” and discuss whether or not Turing’s concept of machine intelligence is a contradiction in terms.
Feb 7, 2025 • 49min
#86: Freddie deBoer - The Indoor Plumbing Test
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss “The Indoor Plumbing Test” by cultural critic Freddie deBoer and ponder the question: Is AI only hype?
Jan 24, 2025 • 1h 2min
#85: Derek Thompson - The Anti-Social Century
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss Derek Thompson’s Atlantic essay, “The Anti-Social Century.” They discuss how the evolution of media technologies over the last 50 years, culminating in the development of AI have produced our current state of technologically enhanced solitude.The Anti-Social CenturyI'm In Love With Chat GPT
Jan 10, 2025 • 47min
#84: Wai Chee Dimock – AI and the Humanities
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss Wai Chee Dimock’s PMLA editor’s column, AI in the Humanities. After a brief summary of her argument they focus on the practicality of a humanistic approach to designing AI and its possible impacts.
