Are you a fan of podcasts? Did you know there’s a whole collection of sociological podcasts? Below please find a list of podcasts hosted by sociologists that are great listening for both sociologists and the broader public.
If you’re a sociologist who hosts a podcast on a regular basis and would like to request inclusion on this page, email [email protected] with a link and description of your podcast. Inclusion is at ASA’s discretion.
The Annex Sociology Podcast
Joseph Cohen, Queens College in the City University of New York, hosts this podcast about academic sociology for academic sociologists. Episodes feature discussions with leading academic sociologists from across the world on the more niche topics that draw interest within sociology, such as current research, disciplinary politics, teaching, advisement, grantmaking, writing and publishing, and higher education administration. Listen here.
As A Matter of Interact
Wesley Cohoon, Midwestern State University, helps us understand and evaluate social interactions, relationships, human behaviors, institutions, and systems. He helps listeners practically apply sociology to their lives and helps them better navigate their lives and make informed decisions. Listen here.
Black and Highly Dangerous
Tyrell Connor, State University of New York, and Daphne M. Penn, University of Pennsylvania, take everyday questions, conversations, and debates, and attempt to provide answers by including up-to-date research along with occasional interviews from experts. Listen here.
Im/migrant Lives
Elizabeth Aranda, University of South Florida, hosts the podcast which seeks to inform the public about current issues affecting im/migrant communities. It draws on both cutting-edge research and grassroots activities to inform listeners about the challenges affecting im/migrant well-being and ways in which public policies and community organizations can solve the most pressing problems facing these groups. Listen here.
Justice Above All
Social scientists and legal scholars with expertise in racial justice advocacy host the episodes of this podcast series produced by the Thurgood Marshall Institute (TMI), an interdisciplinary think tank of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. We’ve entered a time where many of the building blocks underpinning our work for racial justice are being questioned or actively undermined. Justice Above All provides an accessible way to help educate the public about past and contemporary dynamics of structural racism and inform the national debate, revive our history, and remember how far we still must go to realize the ideals for which Thurgood Marshall and the advocates he led fought. TMI researchers host this podcast and explore topics related to economic justice, education equity, criminal justice, and political participation. Listen here.
Let’s Grab Coffee
Join SunAh, University of Memphis professor, author, goal-setting coach, and coffee lover, talks to experts from across the country, who are investigating our most pressing social issues and common curiosities. Each week she invites a different thought-provoking guest to grab a cup of coffee and chat about their motivations, inspirations, and what they know about the world around us. Listen here.
Moral Matters: Conversations with Sociologists on Altruism, Morality, and Social Solidarity
Produced by the ASA Section on Altruism, Morality, and Social Solidarity, the podcast features interviews with top scholars working on issues related to altruism, morality, and social solidarity. Listen here.
Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000
Alex Hanna, Distributed AI Research Institute, and Emily M. Bender, University of Washington, break down the Artificial Intelligence hype, separate fact from fiction, and science from bloviation. They’re joined by special guests and talk about everything, from machine consciousness to science fiction, to political economy to art made by machines. Listen here.
The Revolution and Ideology Podcast
Hosts Nick Lee and Jared Benson—both from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs—discuss history and social theory related to revolution, social change, and why people think the ways they do. Listen here.
Sex Talk with Clint & The Doc
Sociologist and sexuality speaker Jennifer Gunsaullus and on-air radio host Clint August of San Diego’s Classic Rock radio station 101KGB talk about the latest sex research, funny facts, relationship tips, sexual commentary, and upcoming events. Listen here.
The Social Breakdown
Ellen Meiser, University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Penn Pantumsinchai, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and Omar Bird, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, host this introductory-level show that uses humor and everyday examples to explore foundational concepts, theories, and theorists. Some episodes also feature guest sociologists from across the discipline who help break down complex sociological jargon and events. Listen here.
Sociologists Talking Real Sh*t
James McKeever, Los Angeles Pierce College, describes this podcast as a place where sociology meets the Black barbershop or salon. Listen here.
Sociology for Dark Times
Sanjiv Gupta, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, discusses with fellow sociologists the following questions. Everything all at once: Wars. Pandemics. Climate change. Neoliberalism. Authoritarianism. White supremacy. How can we, as sociologists, intervene in this moment, individually or collectively? How has their work changed over the last few years in response to the times? What are their sources of hope for change? Listen here.
Sociology Ruins Everything
Matt Sedlar, climate analyst at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, explores a variety of topics from a sociological perspective. Listen here.
Thinking Allowed
Laurie Taylor, a sociologist and a former professor at the University of York, hosts this podcast from BBC Radio 4 that focuses on the latest social science research. Listen here.
This Week in Sociological Perspective
Samuel Roundfield Lucas, University of California-Berkeley, is joined by guest authors to discuss money, politics, and everything else that makes the world go ‘round, offering insight on society, public affairs, and news of the week through the lens of sociological research. Listen here.
Uncommon Sense
Uncommon Sense is hosted by Rosie Hancock, The University of Notre Dame Australia, and Alexis Hieu Truong, University of Ottawa, and is brought to listeners by The Sociological Review. It’s a space for questioning taken-for-granted ideas about society–for imagining better ways of living together and confronting our shared crises. Listenhere.
Who Do We Think We Are?
Michaela Benson, Lancaster University, and her guests discuss citizenship and migration in Britain and debunk taken-for-granted understandings of who is a citizen and who is a migrant in Britain today. Listen here.
Why Sociology?
Angela Adkins, Stark State College, and Daniela Jauk-Ajamie, University of Akron produce this podcast series for use in sociology classrooms. It features mini interviews with sociology graduates of all degree levels who have taken career pathways beyond academia in applied and clinical careers to demonstrate the relevance of sociology to students and to highlight the applicability of the discipline in a variety of occupational fields. Listen here.
If you’re a fan of podcasts, you might like to listen to ASA Journal Podcasts. Each month, several authors of articles published in ASA journals record podcasts in which they provide, through an interview format, an overview of their research. Listen here.
