The MIT Press Podcast

The MIT Press

Artificial Intelligence

Education

Technology

Climate Change

Video Games

Social Justice

Architecture

Telecommunications

Cognitive Science

Globalization

Flint Water Crisis

Code For America

Environmental Justice

Art

Public Health

Civic Tech

Trans Technologies

Democracy

Game Design

Alien Daughters Walk Into the Sun

Interviews with authors of MIT Press books.

66 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	587	Founded	8 years ago
Number of Listeners		Category	Education

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Latest Episodes

Soviet Blocks: The Bizarre Puzzle of How Tetris Embraced Western Values with Julien Mailland (MIT Press, 2026)

A geopolitical and legal history of the bestselling videogame Tetris—the stunningly successful game that began in a Soviet research lab monitored by the KGB. Tetris—the game that would take the world by storm—was formally introduced to the West in 19... more

5 Oct 2026 • 36 min • Most popular

The Hypocrisy Trap: How Changing What We Criticize Can Improve Our Lives with Michael Hallsworth (MIT Press, 2026)

In our increasingly distrusting and polarized world, accusations of hypocrisy are everywhere. But our attempts to stamp out hypocrisy may backfire, creating what Michael Hallsworth calls The Hypocrisy Trap. In his book The Hypocrisy Trap: How Chang... more

4 Oct 2026 • 49 min • Popular

Life's Chemical Secret: The Origin of Purpose and Mind with Addy Pross (MIT Press, 2026)

How the ground-breaking discovery of a new material form in chemistry—matter in a dynamic kinetic state—is helping to explain life’s unique characteristics. The materialist view of nature has guided scientific thinking since Galileo—reality can be me... more

29 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 3 min • Popular

The Player and the Played: From Gamed Capitalism to 21st-Century Fascism with Max Haiven (MIT Press, 2026)

A provocative examination of the ways our economy has been rigged by financialization, and the importance of games to our dangerous political moment. In an age when capitalism feels like an unwinnable game, extreme reactionary ideas and politics are ... more

28 Sep 2026 • 58 min

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Recent Guests

Jennifer Hoewe

Associate professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University; author of Enjoyment Is Breaking the News

Purdue University / MIT Press

Episode: Jennifer Hoewe, "Enjoyment Is Breaking News: How We Became Less Informed and More Divided (and How to Fix It)" (MIT Press, 2026)

Lee Dugatkin

Professor of biology and historian of science, University of Louisville

University of Louisville

Episode: Lee Alan Dugatkin, "Nary a Horse Left Standing: How a Nineteenth-Century Epidemic Transformed Medicine, Animal Welfare, and the Modern City" (MIT Press, 2026)

Leah C. Stokes

Author, The Carbon Wave

MIT Press

Episode: Leah C. Stokes, "The Carbon Wave: A Story of Democracy, Parenthood, and the Race to Protect Our Planet" (MIT Press, 2026)

Michelle Amazeen

Author of Content Confusion, News Media, Native Advertising, and Policy in an Era of Disinformation

Boston University

Episode: Michelle A. Amazeen, "Content Confusion: News Media, Native Advertising, and Policy in an Era of Disinformation" (MIT Press, 2025)

Clive Malunga

Musician and veteran of the liberation struggle; discussed as a long-form interview subject at the book's end

Zimbabwean music scene, Jenaguru festival (historical context)

Episode: Mhoze Chikowero, "The Military Entertainment Complex: Chimurenga Afrosonic Making of Zimbabwe" (MIT Press, 2026)

Nozomi Naoi

Author of The Land of Happiness, How the Japanese Department Store Visualized Modern Life

National University of Singapore

Episode: Nozomi Naoi, "The Land of Happiness: How the Japanese Department Store Visualized Modern Life" (MIT Press, 2026)

Virginia McGee Richards

Author of The Inner Passage, An Untold Story of Black Resistance Along a Southern Waterway

Author, The Inner Passage

Episode: Virginia McGee Richards, "The Inner Passage: An Untold Story of Black Resistance Along a Southern Waterway" (MIT Press, 2026)

Khiara M. Bridges

Author of Expecting Inequity, Professor of Public Law at UC Berkeley School of Law

UC Berkeley School of Law / MIT Press Book Author

Episode: Khiara Bridges, "Expecting Inequity: How the Maternal Health Crisis Affects Even the Wealthiest Black Americans" (MIT Press, 2026)

Fenwick McKelvey

Professor in communication studies; author

MIT Press, University (as referenced in interview)

Episode: Fenwick McKelvey, "SimPolitics: America’s Quest to Solve Politics with Computers" (MIT Press, 2026)

Host

Miranda Melcher

Host with affiliation to New Books Network and MIT Press contexts; multiple episodes.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 66 ratings

Insightful podcast from MIT
MIT Press remains on the cutting edge of human thought: not just trendy buzz words like “artificial intelligence,” but rather on the cutting edge of concepts across the humanities. Tune in…you won’t regret it.
Apple Podcasts
5
TagBerg
United Statesa year ago
Good concepts, poor production
I would expect MIT to have a well produced podcast. While the content is interesting the sound quality and audio from the host is VERY sub-par.
Apple Podcasts
3
Scott, not a bot
Australia3 years ago
the Director’s Cut
Magnificent insight into the production of texts…like a Director’s Cut with critic’s commentary.
Apple Podcasts
5
Le Matrix
United States6 years ago
Amazing
Literally the best
Apple Podcasts
5
zizekluver1994
United Kingdom6 years ago
So great to see this podcast up and running again!
This was one of the first great publisher podcasts so it was a shame when it went quiet a while back, wonderful to see it up and running again now and going from strength to strength!
Apple Podcasts
5
Katie.Stileman
United Kingdom6 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

guests are consistently diverse and topic-rich, delivering actionable takeaways for researchers and practitioners.

listeners appreciate the rigor and depth of scholarly dialogue.

production quality is sometimes noted as a weakness in some reviews, though content remains strong.

audience values conversations that connect theory to real-world impact.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#209	Norway/Education
Apple Podcasts	#238	Belgium/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Jennifer Hoewe, "Enjoyment Is Breaking News: How We Became Less Informed and More Divided (and How to Fix It)" (MIT Press, 2026)

Q: What are some concrete strategies for news organizations to achieve a better balance between enjoyment and appreciation in reporting?

She suggests structural changes in news organizations to prioritize democratic outcomes and public learning, adopting storytelling techniques over the inverted pyramid, and incorporating restorative narratives that emphasize hope and practical action alongside reporting of bad events.

Leah C. Stokes, "The Carbon Wave: A Story of Democracy, Parenthood, and the Race to Protect Our Planet" (MIT Press, 2026)

Q: What is the Inflation Reduction Act, and why should we care?

Leah explains that the IRA was a comprehensive climate law passed in 2022 with tax credits and incentives designed to accelerate clean energy manufacturing and deployment, creating long-term policy lock-in that shaped the political landscape and spurred private sector adaptation, even as later political changes altered some provisions.

Khiara Bridges, "Expecting Inequity: How the Maternal Health Crisis Affects Even the Wealthiest Black Americans" (MIT Press, 2026)

Q: Could you tell us about your research methods for this book?

She describes a two-year ethnography in a well-resourced San Francisco obstetrics department, combining participant observation with in-depth interviews of 200 individuals (125 non-Black, 75 Black) and interviews with clinicians and administrators to understand lived experiences of pregnancy and care.

Khiara Bridges, "Expecting Inequity: How the Maternal Health Crisis Affects Even the Wealthiest Black Americans" (MIT Press, 2026)

Q: Could you tell us one of the stories that you found to be very enlightening about this situation?

Bridges introduces Annette, a highly educated Black woman who faced repeated symptom dismissals during pregnancy; her eventual pancreatitis was only diagnosed after delivery, highlighting how discrimination persists even among the highly educated and well-off, and how class privilege cannot shield Black patients from harmful medical neglect.

Virginia McGee Richards, "The Inner Passage: An Untold Story of Black Resistance Along a Southern Waterway" (MIT Press, 2026)

Q: How do you balance preserving history with artistic expression in your photography?

I used the wet plate collodion process to create images that feel rooted in the past while keeping the present in view, allowing a fluid movement between present and history, and I tied the visuals to authentic maps and plats to honor the documented history.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The MIT Press Podcast

What is The MIT Press Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program features in-depth interviews with authors of MIT Press books, spanning topics from culture, history, science, and public policy to technology and social change. Listeners can expect rigorous, scholarly conversations that connect detailed research to broader social implications, with hosts guiding nuanced discussions about design, infrastructure, equity, and the future of societies. A notable strength is the program's ability to pair standout academics and authors with accessible, thoughtful dialogue, often highlighting methodological approaches and real-world case studies. The show stands out for its blend of historical insight, interdisciplinary perspectives, and a clear emphasis on how ideas translate into policy, practice, a... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The MIT Press Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The MIT Press Podcast:

1. MIT Technology Review Narrated
2. Doomscroll with Joshua Citarella
3. Philosophy For Our Times
4. The Gray Area with Sean Illing
5. The Opinions

How many episodes of The MIT Press Podcast are there?

The MIT Press Podcast launched 8 years ago and published 587 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The MIT Press Podcast?

Recent guests on The MIT Press Podcast include:

1. Jennifer Hoewe
2. Lee Dugatkin
3. Leah C. Stokes
4. Michelle Amazeen
5. Clive Malunga
6. Nozomi Naoi
7. Virginia McGee Richards
8. Khiara M. Bridges

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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