Thoughtcast
Encyclopedia
ThoughtCast is a Podcast
and public radio interview program with authors and academics. The interviews are conducted by Jenny Attiyeh, a former public radio and TV reporter from Manhattan and elsewhere whose previous work focused on covering the arts and ideas. ThoughtCast aims to offer a "bridge between the publications and pursuits of the intellectual world and a curious, informed, mainstream audience."
ThoughtCast is marked by its pace and focus: its segments consist of detailed, unhurried and personal conversation with current writers and thinkers.
emphasis, with a majority of the interviewees being Harvard professors. Guests have ranged from Lisa Randall
, the Harvard theoretical physicist; to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen
, to Alan Dershowitz
, who needs no introduction (he speaks on the subject of pre-emption
and the Israel-Hezbollah war); to Sam Huntington
of Clash of Civilizations
fame, to public radio program directors, to biographers Megan Marshall
and Carol Bundy, to philosopher Simon Blackburn
, author of the recent book Lust, of Cambridge University, England; to David Weinberger
and two other netizens on the Web 2.0 who attended a symposium on social architecture that took place at Harvard Law School
.
As of the summer of 2008, ThoughtCast introduced video to its lineup. The video includes interviews with Scottish historian Niall Ferguson
on the "American Empire," Internet gurus on neologisms gleaned from life online, and Joshua Micah Marshall, the creator of Talking Points Memo A conversation on Steve Reich
's Different Trains
with the Borromeo String Quartet
was also picked up by New Hampshire Public Radio. The program examines how Reich, in this challenging composition, compares the train trips he took as a child to the very different train trips Jews were forced to take during the Holocaust.
, which provides public radio stations throughout the country the means to broadcast ThoughtCast segments. WGBH
, an arts and culture public radio station in Boston, has broadcast many ThoughtCast interviews, and has featured the program on its Forum Network.
-
PRX reviews of ThoughtCast interviews:
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
and public radio interview program with authors and academics. The interviews are conducted by Jenny Attiyeh, a former public radio and TV reporter from Manhattan and elsewhere whose previous work focused on covering the arts and ideas. ThoughtCast aims to offer a "bridge between the publications and pursuits of the intellectual world and a curious, informed, mainstream audience."
ThoughtCast is marked by its pace and focus: its segments consist of detailed, unhurried and personal conversation with current writers and thinkers.
Range of Guests
ThoughtCast thus far has a strong New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
emphasis, with a majority of the interviewees being Harvard professors. Guests have ranged from Lisa Randall
Lisa Randall
Lisa Randall is an American theoretical physicist and a leading expert on particle physics and cosmology. She works on several of the competing models of string theory in the quest to explain the fabric of the universe. Her most well known contribution to the field is the Randall-Sundrum model,...
, the Harvard theoretical physicist; to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen, CH is an Indian economist who was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his contributions to welfare economics and social choice theory, and for his interest in the problems of society's poorest members...
, to Alan Dershowitz
Alan Dershowitz
Alan Morton Dershowitz is an American lawyer, jurist, and political commentator. He has spent most of his career at Harvard Law School where in 1967, at the age of 28, he became the youngest full professor of law in its history...
, who needs no introduction (he speaks on the subject of pre-emption
Preemptive war
A preemptive war is a war that is commenced in an attempt to repel or defeat a perceived inevitable offensive or invasion, or to gain a strategic advantage in an impending war before that threat materializes. It is a war which preemptively 'breaks the peace'. The term: 'preemptive war' is...
and the Israel-Hezbollah war); to Sam Huntington
Samuel P. Huntington
Samuel Phillips Huntington was an influential American political scientist who wrote highly-regarded books in a half-dozen sub-fields of political science, starting in 1957...
of Clash of Civilizations
Clash of Civilizations
The Clash of Civilizations is a theory, proposed by political scientist Samuel P. Huntington, that people's cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War world....
fame, to public radio program directors, to biographers Megan Marshall
Megan Marshall
Megan Marshall is an American writer and scholar. She is best known as the author of The Peabody Sisters: Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism, which was published in 2005. The book earned her a place as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in biography in 2006.-Biography:Marshall was born in...
and Carol Bundy, to philosopher Simon Blackburn
Simon Blackburn
Simon Blackburn is a British academic philosopher known for his work in quasi-realism and his efforts to popularise philosophy. He recently retired as professor of philosophy at the University of Cambridge, but remains a distinguished research professor of philosophy at the University of North...
, author of the recent book Lust, of Cambridge University, England; to David Weinberger
David Weinberger
David Weinberger is an American technologist, professional speaker, and commentator, probably best known as co-author of the Cluetrain Manifesto David Weinberger (born 1950 in New York) is an American technologist, professional speaker, and commentator, probably best known as co-author of the...
and two other netizens on the Web 2.0 who attended a symposium on social architecture that took place at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
As of the summer of 2008, ThoughtCast introduced video to its lineup. The video includes interviews with Scottish historian Niall Ferguson
Niall Ferguson
Niall Campbell Douglas Ferguson is a British historian. His specialty is financial and economic history, particularly hyperinflation and the bond markets, as well as the history of colonialism.....
on the "American Empire," Internet gurus on neologisms gleaned from life online, and Joshua Micah Marshall, the creator of Talking Points Memo A conversation on Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
's Different Trains
Different Trains
Different Trains is a three-movement piece for string quartet and tape written by Steve Reich in 1988. It won a Grammy Award in 1990 for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.The work's three movements have the following titles:...
with the Borromeo String Quartet
Borromeo String Quartet
The Borromeo String Quartet is an American string quartet, in residence at the New England Conservatory since 1992. They have performed throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, at numerous festivals and in many distinguished chamber music series...
was also picked up by New Hampshire Public Radio. The program examines how Reich, in this challenging composition, compares the train trips he took as a child to the very different train trips Jews were forced to take during the Holocaust.
Means of Distribution
ThoughtCast is podcast through the program's Web site and iTunes. The program is also available through the Public Radio ExchangePRX
PRX may refer to:* PRX , A telephone switching platform developed by Philips* Public Radio Exchange, a web-based public radio distribution company* PRX *Physical Review X, a scientific journal published by the American Physical Society...
, which provides public radio stations throughout the country the means to broadcast ThoughtCast segments. WGBH
WGBH (FM)
WGBH is a public radio station located in Boston, Massachusetts. WGBH is a member station of NPR and PRI. The license-holder is the WGBH Educational Foundation, which also owns WGBH-TV and WGBX-TV....
, an arts and culture public radio station in Boston, has broadcast many ThoughtCast interviews, and has featured the program on its Forum Network.
Media coverage
- Inside Higher Ed's Intellectual Affairs
- Internet pioneer Bob Doyle introduces ThoughtCast in Econtent Magazine article "The First Podcast"
- Associate producer Susan Wennemyr discusses ThoughtCast in Amherst Bulletin
- One Minute "How To" -- eyeliner!
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PRX reviews of ThoughtCast interviews: