Rephonic
Artwork for The American Vandal
Capitalism
The Gilded Age
Mark Twain
Close Reading
Literary Criticism
Hbcus
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Education
Activism
Historicism
Neoliberalism
Fredric Jameson
Insecurity
Civil Rights Movement
American Literature
Ideology
Close Reading For the 21st Century
Marxism
Gilded Age
Cultural Studies

Each season of American Vandal is comprised of thematically-linked conversations about literature, history, higher education, media, technology, and political economy. Sponsored by the premier source for programming and funding scholarship on Mark Twain's life and legacy.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes118Founded6 years ago
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Artwork for The American Vandal

Latest Episodes

On a hot Summer night in Brooklyn, Matt Seybold is joined by McKenzie Wark to launch the "Intellectuals" issue of e-flux Journal. They discuss the legacy of the public intellectual (and other mythic species), the belated reception of the vectoralist ... more

The final episode recorded at the ⁠Modes of Reading Today Symposium⁠, hosted by the ⁠Townsend Center For The Humanities⁠ focuses on media, mediation, and machine-generated texts. It opens with Nicholas Baer and Pardis Debashi's "Unattainable Texts," ... more

The second episode derived from the ⁠Modes of Reading Today Symposium⁠, hosted by the ⁠Townsend Center For The Humanities⁠ assesses what it means that "close reading is having a moment" through papers titled "What is Close Reading?" [8:00], "Finding ... more

An episode recorded as part of the Modes of Reading Today Symposium, hosted by the Townsend Center For The Humanities begins with a discussion of John Donne's insomnia and Wilfred Bion's undigested nightmares, followed by a vigorous discussion of att... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Hannes Bajohr
Assistant professor of German at Berkeley, panelist
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: Reading Machines (Vandal Live at Berkeley)
Jonathan Kramick
Maynard Mack Professor of English at Yale, author of Criticism and Truth on Method in Literary Studies
Yale University
Episode: Close Reading Is Having A Moment (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)
Farah Bakari
Assistant Professor of English at Berkeley and founding editor of Mid Theory Collective
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: Close Reading Is Having A Moment (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)
Dora Zhang
Associate Professor of English at Berkeley, author of Strange Likeness
UC Berkeley
Episode: Close Reading Is Having A Moment (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)
Joshua Gang
Associate Professor of English at Berkeley, author of Behaviorism, Consciousness, and the Literary Mind
UC Berkeley
Episode: Close Reading Is Having A Moment (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)
David Marno
Associate Professor of English at Berkeley; author of Death Be Not Proud, The Art of Holy Attention
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: Reading, Sleep, Attention, Grief (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)
Emma Lieber
Assistant Professor at The New School; practicing psychoanalyst in New York
The New School; psychoanalyst
Episode: Reading, Sleep, Attention, Grief (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)
Yael Segalovitz
Helen Diller Institute Visiting Professor of Comparative Literature; organizer of Modes of Reading Today symposium
UC Berkeley
Episode: Reading, Sleep, Attention, Grief (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)
Toril Moi
Professor and theorist mentioned in discussion on immersive reading and hermeneutics
University external to Berkeley
Episode: Reading, Sleep, Attention, Grief (Vandal Live at UC-Berkeley)

Hosts

Matt Seybold
Host and executive producer; affiliated with the Center for Mark Twain Studies; extensive work in American literature and Twain studies.
Matt Siebel
Host on the show; Associate Professor of American Literature and Mark Twain Studies; linked to Elmira College.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 30 ratings
  • Still Excellent

    Truly a hidden gem of podcasting

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WanderAll
    United States9 months ago
  • Excellent

    I’m excited for the new season

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WanderAll
    United States3 years ago
  • thoroughly good

    great show, consistently impressive coordination of culture and current events, and equally impressive wrangling of knowledgeable and charismatic guests; it always feels a little sad to say that listening to a good podcast is like listening to your smart friends on their best day, these people don’t know me, but this podcast is like listening to my smart friends on their best day. also: as of S4, extremely good intro music

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    agenbiter
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Audience notes the live formats and Substack resources as valuable extensions.
Many appreciate the balance of theory and practical implications for education and culture.
Listeners praise the show's rigorous, cross-disciplinary discussions and high-quality guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#211
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#235
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#186
Germany/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#112
Sweden/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#188
Brazil/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#243
Sweden/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Beyond The White Suit with Kerry Driscoll, Ann Ryan, & Barbara Snedecor (Vandal Live in Elmira)
Q: How does Livy Langdon influence Twain's work and career from Elmira?
Livy's progressive views and support reshape Twain's creative output and public role; her letters illuminate how Elmira and the Langdon family shaped his writing and career trajectory.
Beyond The White Suit with Kerry Driscoll, Ann Ryan, & Barbara Snedecor (Vandal Live in Elmira)
Q: What motivates the project to publish everything Twain wrote, and how does that affect the canon?
The hosts and guests agree that publishing everything preserves the complexity of Twain, including his flaws and difficult perspectives, which ultimately enriches understanding rather than diminishing his legacy.
This Guy Sucked with Claire Aubin & Erin Bartram (Vandal Live at Mark Twain House & Museum)
Q: What are the strongest possible cases for Twain sucking and what defenses exist?
A discussion of his flaws and controversial actions is weighed against his positive contributions as a cultural critic and writer, with emphasis on the complexity of judging him across different contexts and times.
After OpenAI (Vandal Live at Wake Forest Humanities Institute)
Q: What are the implications of AI on student learning and aesthetics?
AI can narrow stylistic outputs and reduce diversity in creative work; educators should address these risks by maintaining diverse teaching methods and encouraging student creativity beyond model-generated conventions.
After OpenAI (Vandal Live at Wake Forest Humanities Institute)
Q: How can classrooms resist the encroachment of AI and platform control?
By embracing friction in classroom technology, adopting more hands-on and in-person teaching, exploring ungrading and alternative assessments, and prioritizing direct teacher-student interactions over platform-driven data collection.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The American Vandal

What is The American Vandal about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program features long-form conversations that bridge literature, history, higher education, media, technology, and political economy. Episodes often center on scholarly critique of cultural institutions (like museums, universities, and edtech platforms), the social impact of AI, and the changing economics of education, with live and panel formats that blend archival insight, pedagogy, and critical theory. Across seasons, guests include professors, researchers, and educators who unpack how institutions shape reading, teaching, and public understanding—often pushing back on hype around tech, data, and market-driven education while highlighting the human context behind these shifts. A recurring strength is its ability to connect deep scho... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The American Vandal?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The American Vandal:

1. Know Your Enemy
2. What's Left of Philosophy
3. Tech Won't Save Us
4. Politics Theory Other
5. Jacobin Radio

How many episodes of The American Vandal are there?

The American Vandal launched 6 years ago and published 118 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 American Vandal?

Recent guests on The American Vandal include:

1. Hannes Bajohr
2. Jonathan Kramick
3. Farah Bakari
4. Dora Zhang
5. Joshua Gang
6. David Marno
7. Emma Lieber
8. Yael Segalovitz

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