The Study Hall Podcast

Derek Beres is a co-host of The Conspirituality Podcast.  His work examining health disinformation has appeared in The Guardian, Mother Jones, and The New York Times. In this conversation, Derek discusses the origins of the MAHA movement and how journalists can counter health disinformation.    Listen to Conspirituality: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/conspirituality/id1515827446   Derek’s recent opinion piece for The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/opinion/maha-health-wellness-influencers.html   More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz    Music by KT The Terrible

Sarah Miller is a writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Popula. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Sarah chats about her recent N+1 essay chronicling her ayahuasca journey in Peru. She also discusses her essay for The New Yorker on botox. Sarah shares her approach to essays, explaining why she tackles difficult topics like climate change and mental health with humor.    Sarah’s essay on ayahuasca: https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-50/essays/pirates-of-the-ayahuasca/   Sarah’s essay on botox: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/desperate-for-botox   Her newsletter: https://therealsarahmiller.substack.com/   More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz    Music by KT The Terrible 

Osita Nwanevu, a columnist at The Guardian and contributing editor at The New Republic, discusses his new book “The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding.” In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Osita outlines his proposal to transform the American government and shares how media institutions can become more democratic.    More information about “The Right of the People”:  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704686/the-right-of-the-people-by-osita-nwanevu/   More info about Study Hall: Studyhall.xyz    Music by KT The Terrible

Kylie Cheung is a reporter at Abortion Everyday. In this conversation with host Daniel Spielberger, Kylie chats about her new book “Coercion Surviving and Resisting Abortion Bans.” Kylie discusses the various manipulative tactics conservative politicians utilize to criminalize abortion and what’s missing from mainstream media coverage of reproductive justice.    For more information about “Coercion”: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745350615/coercion/   More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz    Music by KT The Terrible   

Kaila Yu is a writer, former model, and lead singer of Nylon Pink. In this conversation, she discusses her new book “Fetishized:A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty.” In the book, Yu chronicles her own journey in the entertainment industry and delves into the harmful stereotypes about Asian women. In this conversation, Yu offers advice on marketing, memoir writing, and more. More info about Yu’s book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738645/fetishized-by-kaila-yu/ More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz. Music by KT The Terrible

Shawna Kenney’s writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, VICE, PBS, and The New York Times. She’s the author of I Was a Teenage Dominatrix, a memoir. In this conversation, Shawna discusses her approach to publishing and teaching. She also shares insight into her DIY approach to publicity and the nuances of the creative nonfiction.  Shawna is teaching a course for Study Hall; click here for more information: https://courses.outvoice.com/products/courses/pitch-perfect-workshop If you're a Study Hall subscriber, check the latest newsletter for your 50% discount code. Music by KT The Terrible

Alicia Kennedy, a food and culture writer featured in major publications like The Washington Post and Vogue, dives into the transformative landscape of food media. She shares insights on her pandemic-launched newsletter and the importance of storytelling that intertwines food justice with personal narratives. The discussion highlights the critical differences between 'food desert' and 'food apartheid,' advocating for community-driven solutions. Kennedy also emphasizes the value of independent media and collaborative approaches, urging readers to engage authentically with food culture.

Brian Merchant is a tech journalist who writes the “Blood In The Machine” newsletter. In this conversation, Brian discusses his ongoing project chronicling the impact of AI on the jobs market and explains why tech companies often lean into dystopia when marketing new products. He also offers his take on how AI is changing the media industry.  Check out Brian’s newsletter: https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/ More info about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz. Music by KT The Terrible 

In this conversation, D.D. Guttenplan, the editor of The Nation, and Richard Kreitner, a contributing writer and host of the “Think Back” podcast (https://www.thinkbackpod.com/), chatted about The Nation’s 160th anniversary issue. With dispatches from 50 writers and arts across the 50 states, the issue ponders the current disunited of America. Guttenplan and Kreitner also chat about The Nation’s approach to foreign policy coverage and what it takes to spearhead an expansive project.    For more about the issue: https://www.thenation.com/issue/july-august-2025-issue/   More info about Study Hall: https://studyhall.xyz/   Music by KT The Terrible

Sam Adler-Bell’s writing has appeared in New York Magazine and The New Republic. He’s also the co-host of the “Know Your Enemy” podcast. In this conversation with Daniel Spielberger, Sam chats about researching conservative figures, writing about the internal ideological divide amongst Democrats, and presenting leftist populism to a broader audience.  Listen to the Know Your Enemy podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-your-enemy/id1462703434 More about Study Hall: studyhall.xyz Music by KT The Terrible