Culture Study Podcast

Tia Levings, a former trad wife, shares her deeply personal insights on escaping the constraints of traditional domestic life. She critiques the allure of the trad wife lifestyle, revealing the exhaustion and systemic barriers women face. Tia dives into her journey within a strict evangelical upbringing, shedding light on the trauma and challenges of fundamentalism. The discussion tackles the disparity between curated social media depictions and the harsh realities of traditional living, emphasizing the importance of agency and self-expression.

In this engaging discussion, host Jonathan Menjivar welcomes HGTV stars Ben and Erin Napier, along with Chip and Joanna Gaines. They dive into the captivating world of home renovation, exploring the concept of 'quiet luxury' and contrasting design philosophies. The guests reflect on authenticity versus commercialization, sharing personal stories that highlight the emotional ties to home. They also examine the impact of renovation shows on community identity and gentrification, revealing how HGTV shapes our tastes and influences our understanding of aesthetics.

A seven-part Netflix docuseries on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders called America’s Sweethearts? Oh my god, WHAT a rich text. The uniform, the dances, the body norms, the coded language, the particular feminine ideals, the intersections with Texas culture and evangelical culture — there’s just so much there. And I was thrilled when Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford, two of the co-hosts of the indispensable Vibe Check, agreed to help answer all of your (excellent) questions. (We couldn’t get the rights to Thunderstruck, but you can just imagine it playing over the intro and on repeat forever.)Show Notes:LISTEN TO VIBE CHECK, IT’S SO GOOD!!! Plus: Sam’s IG and Zach’s IGCaitlin Dickerson’s fantastic piece in The Atlantic that includes the “Who Am I….?” page from the DCC handbook that Sam reads in the episodeThe jump split that tears up the hips!How much money to NFL cheerleaders get paid? It’s complicated.Alex Sujong Laughlin makes the case for cheerleader unions in DefectorWe’re currently looking for your questions for future episodes about:Why is Paul Mescal so hotSydney Sweeney (and Gen-Z Stardom)Learning to craft / make things / hobby-around-the-houseFor our continuing series on romance novels: QUEER ROMANCEArtificial Intelligence (we’re gonna see if we can figure out an actually interesting theme here, so send us your weirdest or most mind-boggling questions)The economy, a.k.a. why is everything so damn expensive right now (my dream here is like an Odd Lots guest who doesn’t have private equity brain, please let us know if you have suggestions!)Contemporary ideas of self-careBuy Nothing groups and/or the current state of the secondhand marketAnything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segmentYou can submit them (and ideas for future eps) here (this is the subscriber-only form!)For today’s discussion: What feels most cult-like about DCC? Or truly anything else you’d like to discuss re: DCC, performance of Southern evangelical femininity, the thin ideal, etc. etc. Also, can someone convince Melody to actually watch the show?

Romance novelist Nisha Sharma discusses how romance writers challenge Big Publishing norms and self-publishing's impact. They explore Amazon's role, labor dynamics, and diverse representation in the industry. The conversation delves into the collaborative community among romance writers, resistance in reading, and the destigmatization of romance genres. Additionally, they touch on Kindle Unlimited's influence, challenges against Amazon's power, and the dynamics of self-publishing for romance writers.

Join Chelsea Devantez, a celebrity memoir aficionado, humor writer, and J.Lo scholar, as she delves into the complexities of J.Lo's life. They discuss body image standards, public perceptions, age expectations in the entertainment industry, J.Lo's relationships, and upcoming podcast updates. Unpacking the layers of J.Lo's persona and the dynamics of celebrity life, this episode offers insights into the world of fame and personal growth.

Virginia Sole-Smith discusses the emotional connection to jeans, linking production norms to anti-fatness. From comfort jeans to body image, the episode explores evolving trends and challenges of fitting jeans for diverse bodies, encouraging self-expression beyond beauty standards.

Explore royal fascination and colonial implications with scholars discussing Meghan vs. Kate, media framing, and potential end of monarchy. Reflect on personal memories, global fascination, and impact of British royals on former colonies. Dive into complexities of media portrayal, cultural perceptions, and potential for change in late capitalism. Delve into Prince Charles as a symbol for climate change action.

Exploring the cultural anxiety surrounding 'Sephora Teens' who have a passion for makeup and skincare products. Discussing the societal pressures on young people to care about beauty products. Special guest Elise Hu, author and mother, joins the conversation. Delving into the rise of tween skincare and makeup trends, evolving beauty standards, critical conversations about norms and values, and the evolution of skincare marketing targeting younger demographics.

After our GREAT discussion of A Court of Roses and Thorns we realized we wanted to talk a lot more about romance: about the so-called “boom” and what’s fueling it, of course, but also about various tropes (sick bed, forbidden romance, grumpy protagonist), race and cultural specificity, the level of “spice” and how it shows up on the page, and how to manage your own romance reading behavior. Melody heard Nisha Sharma speak at Romance GenreCon last year and knew she was the person to address so many of your questions. Whether you’re new to romance like me, don’t read it but are interested in why other people do, or have immersed yourself in the genre for years, I promise there’s something in this conversation that’s going to stick in your head for days.Show Notes:Nisha Sharma!!!! Follow her on Instagram and TikTok, and here’s links to all her recent books and upcoming eventsYou can pre-order The Letters We Keep and Marriage & Masti at Bookshop.org— promo code CULTURE gets you 10% offOr for pre-order swag, order from Doylestown Bookshop  Maya Rodale’s Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained“Canon building is empire building”Janice A. Radway’s Reading the RomanceLee & Low Books Diversity Baseline SurveyMONSTER THEORYA very fun round-up of Fabio romance novel covers, by the numbersA 2018 piece on cartoon covers “tricking” people into reading romanceAND NOW, A LIST OF EVERY BOOK RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODEThe Proposal by Jasmine GuilloryFor Real by Alexis HallThe Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata PatelYou Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke EmeziThe Roommate by Rosie DananThe Partner Plot by Kristina ForestQueen Takes Rose by Katee RobertDestiny’s Captive by Beverly JenkinsDouble Exposure by Rien GrayBeach Read by Emily HenryBride by Ali HazelwoodThat Prince is Mine by Jayci LeeA Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLeanSay You’ll Be Mine by Naina KumarRock Hard by Nalini SinghButcher & Blackbird by Brynne WeaverPower Play by B. P. GilmoreCollide by Bal KhabraOut on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-YoungChloe Liese for disability representationKimberly Lemming for cozy monster romanceMorning Glory Milking Farm by C. M. NacostaWe’re currently looking for your questions for future episodes about:Sydney Sweeney (and Gen-Z Stardom)Learning to craft / make things / hobby-around-the-houseTrad wives, featuring a co-host who used to be oneFor our continuing series on romance novels: QUEER ROMANCE and ROMANCE BOOKSTORESArtificial Intelligence (we’re gonna see if we can figure out an actually interesting theme here, so send us your weirdest or most mind-boggling questions)The economy, a.k.a. why is everything so damn expensive right now (my dream here is like an Odd Lots guest who doesn’t have private equity brain, please let us know if you have suggestions!)Contemporary ideas of self-careBuy Nothing groups and/or the current state of the secondhand marketAnything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segmentYou can submit them (and ideas for future eps) here (and here’s the subscriber-only priority form)For today’s discussion: We could’ve kept this podcast going for another three hours. So let’s do more of it here. What other tropes do you want to unpack? What didn’t we talk about — or what did we miss?

Spoiler: No, millennials are not the most nostalgic generation — we’re just in a deeply nostalgic moment in our lives, reckoning (sometimes gracefully, other times less so) with no longer being the Main Character in the generational story. But this moment does give us opportunity to talk about the shape and purpose of nostalgia, how YouTube both amplifies and short-circuits it, and so much more — featuring one of my favorite nostalgia thinkers, Gabe Bullard. We talk about gum commercials, inflated Limewire persecution threats, Bagel Bites, and interrogate the idea of “core memories,” and I cannot wait for your thoughts.Show Notes:Subscribe to Gabe’s fantastic Substacks, Number One With a Bullard and Together, Alone (a magazine about watching TV)Melody also highly recommends his episode of 99% Invisible on the Elvis stampWho wants to burn off their taste buds with some Big RedHere’s Svetlana Boym’s obituary which nicely sums up her work on nostalgia (gift link)Gabe also mentions writer and music critic Mark Fisher’s usage of “hauntology”— Fisher’s whole book Ghosts of My Life: Writings on Depression, Hauntology, and Lost Futures is available as a PDF hereYou can read Fred Davis’s 1977 paper about “the current nostalgia wave” hereThe ragtime song that made it to #3 on the charts because of The StingOne listener’s question referenced the Richard Scarry books— here’s a round-up of some of the modernization that’s been done on themWe’re currently looking for your questions for future episodes about:Trad wives, featuring a co-host who used to be oneFor our continuing series on romance novels: QUEER ROMANCE and ROMANCE BOOKSTORESArtificial Intelligence (we’re gonna see if we can figure out an actually interesting theme here, so send us your weirdest or most mind-boggling questions)The economy, a.k.a. why is everything so damn expensive right now (my dream here is like an Odd Lots guest who doesn’t have private equity brain, please let us know if you have suggestions!)What’s up with food blogs in 2024Contemporary ideas of self-careBuy Nothing groups and/or the current state of the secondhand marketAnything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segmentYou can submit them (and ideas for future eps) here (and here’s the subscriber-only priority form)For today’s discussion: We can all talk about our favorite old commercials… or we can talk about the purpose nostalgia serves in your life.