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This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

126 ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1351	Founded	15 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	Social SciencesScience

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Latest Episodes

Martin Shaw, "The New Age of Genocide: Intellectual and Political Challenges After Gaza" (Agenda Publishing, 2025)

The Israeli destruction of Gaza has returned the idea of genocide

to the center of world politics, with sharp conflicts between the

protesters and lawyers who invoke it and the governments and media that

deny it. The New Age of Genocide: Intelle... more

22 Jul 2026 • 1 hr 17 min

Suzy Hansen, "From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan" (FSG, 2026)

From Suzy Hansen, whose previous book, Notes on a Foreign Country, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan (Farrar, Straus & Giroux,

2026) is a story for a world out of join... more

21 Jul 2026 • 48 min

Caste as a Material Question with Rahul Sonpimple

This episode featured a conversation with Rahul Sonpimple, founder of the All-India Independent Scheduled Castes Association. Our conversation began with Rahul’s conception of Indian history and the place of anti-caste struggle within it. We delved f... more

20 Jul 2026 • 1 hr 5 min

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

An unsettling exploration of the persistence of racism in reproductive healthcare in the US—and why even affluent Black women are imperiled by substandard care.

From a leading expert on race, class, maternal health, and reproductive rights.

Racism in... more

19 Jul 2026 • 47 min

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Recent Guests

Martin Shaw

Author of The New Age of Genocide

Agenda Publishing

Episode: Martin Shaw, "The New Age of Genocide: Intellectual and Political Challenges After Gaza" (Agenda Publishing, 2025)

Suzy Hansen

Author of From Life Itself, Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan

Macmillan (publisher)

Episode: Suzy Hansen, "From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan" (FSG, 2026)

Rahul Sonpimple

Founder of All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association; former student leader

All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association

Episode: Caste as a Material Question with Rahul Sonpimple

Khiara M. Bridges

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

UC Berkeley School of Law

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

Elana Resnick

Anthropology scholar and author

Stanford University Press / Stanford University

Episode: Elana Resnick, "Refusing Sustainability: Race and Environmentalism in a Changing Europe" (Stanford UP, 2025)

Hector Amaya

Professor of Communication, University of Southern California; author

University of Southern California

Episode: Hector Amaya, "The Economy of Anonymity: Power in the Age of Identification" (Stanford UP 2026)

Ajantha Subramanian

Professor of Anthropology at CUNY Graduate Center

CUNY Graduate Center

Episode: Recall This Book x The Caste Pod: a Crossover episode with Ajantha Subramanian

Mike F. Alvarez

Co-editor of Suicide in Popular Media and Culture

University of New Hampshire

Episode: Mike F. Alvarez, Warren J. Bareiss, and Jolane Flanigan eds., "Suicide in Popular Media and Culture: Studies in Framing a Social Catastrophe" (Bristol University Press, 2026)

Ren Bareiss

Co-editor of Suicide in Popular Media and Culture

University of South Carolina Upstate

Episode: Mike F. Alvarez, Warren J. Bareiss, and Jolane Flanigan eds., "Suicide in Popular Media and Culture: Studies in Framing a Social Catastrophe" (Bristol University Press, 2026)

Host

Miranda Melcher

Host of The New Books Network; associated with New Books Network and New Books in Sociology

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 126 ratings

Interesting topics and guests
I love all the NBN podcasts, they are so interesting and informative. However sometimes the audio from the guests is hard to hear/understand... but everything else about these podcasts is great. So happy I found them!
Apple Podcasts
5
HanaBones
United States7 years ago
Informative, Fascinating, and Oh So Social!
All of the amazing NBn hosts, along with their fascinating guests, do a phenomenal job at providing an in-depth look into the latest Sociology publications without giving away too much! The wide variety of topics they cover and the engaging way in which they do so had me hooked from the very first listen. Thanks for putting out such an enjoyable show guys - keep up the great work!
Apple Podcasts
5
Katie Joy B.
United States8 years ago
Good so far
Thus far, the podcast has had decent conversation surrounding new books in sociology. The interviewers sound somewhat knowledgable and the guests provide some interesting insight into their books. The production quality is so-so, but listenable.
Apple Podcasts
5
socguy2
United States15 years ago

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Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful interviews with strong scholarly grounding.

Production quality is decent, but listener notes occasional audio issues.

Guests bring deep insights, though some episodes feel dense for new listeners.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#159	United States/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#49	United Kingdom/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#194	United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts	#42	Australia/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#62	Italy/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#161	Germany/Science/Social Sciences

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Caste as a Material Question with Rahul Sonpimple

Q: What is your view on leadership within Dalit movements—should it be autonomous and mass-based rather than charismatic?

Leadership should arise from organized, mass-based mobilization of the poor within Dalit communities; charisma is acceptable but must be sustained through organizational strength and a clear material program that centers the majority's needs over symbolic gestures.

Caste as a Material Question with Rahul Sonpimple

Q: Why do you favor the term 'Scheduled Castes' as a self-definition, and how does that connect to your strategy for political negotiation?

Choosing Scheduled Castes as a term helps unify diverse sub-castes under a common political program focused on rights and redistribution, enabling a stronger negotiating position with the state while highlighting the need for material improvements rather than symbolic recognition alone.

Caste as a Material Question with Rahul Sonpimple

Q: So could you explain how you understand the distinction between conflict and force within Indian history?

The history of Indian caste is primarily a history of conflict rather than a straightforward ladder of progress, and force, instead of being merely militant, is framed as a divine or moral necessity to emancipate the oppressed when used in a broader, principled struggle.

Recall This Book x The Caste Pod: a Crossover episode with Ajantha Subramanian

Q: Why use a podcast as a medium for exploring caste and diaspora politics?

Ajantha explains that podcasting creates immediacy, reach, and a platform to braid scholarly analysis with activist voices, enabling conversations that can cross institutional barriers and make complex ideas accessible to a broader public.

Carrie LeVan, "Neighborhoods Matter: How Place and People Affect Political Participation" (NYU Press, 2026)

Q: What are some actionable ideas local governments could implement to boost participation without massive infrastructure spend?

Suggestions include making design inherently obsolete through online public participation options, ending single-family zoning to allow higher density, and creatively repurposing abandoned spaces like malls into interactive, multigenerational hubs that encourage everyday community interaction.

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Sociology

What is New Books in Sociology about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two concise, conversation-driven episodes emphasizing scholarly book discussions in sociology and related social sciences. The format typically pairs a host with a guest expert to explore recently published books, situating them within broader debates on topics like nationalism, race, capitalism, religion, gender, and state power. Across episodes, interactions blend historical or contemporary case studies with methodological reflections, aiming to translate academic work for a broader audience. Notable strengths include a consistent focus on book-centered interviews led by multiple recurring hosts, plus a pattern of cross-disciplinary guests, which often yields nuanced insights into public policy, social inequality, and cultural dynamics.

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Which podcasts are similar to New Books in Sociology?

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1. New Books in Critical Theory
2. What's Left of Philosophy
3. New Books in Psychoanalysis
4. Why Theory
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New Books in Sociology launched 15 years ago and published 1351 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 New Books in Sociology?

Recent guests on New Books in Sociology include:

1. Martin Shaw
2. Suzy Hansen
3. Rahul Sonpimple
4. Khiara M. Bridges
5. Elana Resnick
6. Hector Amaya
7. Ajantha Subramanian
8. Mike F. Alvarez

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