
A podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Created and produced by Dr. Christina Gessler, the Academic Life podcast is inspired by today’s knowledge-producers around the world, working inside and outside the academy. Support our show by becoming a premium member! newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/academic-life
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 343 | Founded | 6 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | BooksArtsEducation | |||

When American fascists suddenly goose-stepped down Main Street in the 1930s, fascism was seen by the rest of the country as a terrifying and radical new European import. It was not. It didn’t come from abroad. Nor was it new or radical. The seed of A... more
How Girls Achieve points out a simple and overlooked truth: most schools never had girls in mind to begin with. That is why the world needs what Dr. Sally Nuamah calls “feminist schools,” deliberately designed to provide girls with achievement-orient... more
Featuring personal essay, manifesto, creative nonfiction, and poetry, Tsunami: Women’s Voices From Mexico (Feminist Press, 2025) gathers the multiplicity of voices being raised in Mexico today against patriarchy and its buried structures. Tackling ge... more
Whether you’re hoping to publish your first book or you’re a seasoned author with an unfinished proposal languishing on your hard drive, The Book Proposal Book provides honest and invaluable advice on how to overcome common sticking points and get yo... more
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You know that feeling after you finish an interesting book and have a million questions you want to ask the author? This podcast asks those questions. Dr. Gessler does a close read and stands in for the reader with thoughtful questions. I can visualize her coming to the interviews, her copy of the book about to burst with sticky notes! I’ve read so many books that I never would have found without This Academic Life.
Dr. Gessler is such an engaging interviewer. Her guests are varied, covering all aspects of life as an academic. She brings out the best in every guest.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #21 | |
Apple Podcasts | #80 | |
Apple Podcasts | #230 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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A thoughtful, scholarship-focused series that features in-depth conversations with authors, editors, and researchers across humanities, social sciences, and education. Episodes explore editing practices, book histories, pedagogy, DEI, and policy-relevant topics, often blending historical context with contemporary implications. Notable strengths include meticulous host interviewing, emphasis on primary sources and editorial process, and guests who bring both scholarly rigor and practical insight. Listeners likely include academics, graduate students, educators, and policy-minded professionals seeking detailed intellectual exploration and actionable ideas for teaching, research, and reform.
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Academic Life. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Academic Life and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
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Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Academic Life, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Academic Life:
1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. The Daily
3. The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
4. Good Hang with Amy Poehler
5. Fresh Air
The Academic Life launched 6 years ago and published 343 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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Recent guests on The Academic Life include:
1. Laura Portwood-Stacer
2. Betty Lai
3. Dr. Jen Polk
4. Amy Wilson
5. Irene Vega
6. Ann Blair
7. Domhnall Mitchell
8. Cristanne Miller
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.