Black Studies Podcast
Hosted by Black Studies
An academic podcast where two professors interview scholars and writers about the history, meaning, and future of the Black Studies discipline.
This is an academic deep-dive into the discipline of Black Studies itself. Rather than simply covering topics within the field, the hosts methodically question guests about their personal path into the discipline, their conceptual definition of it, and how their own work shapes its future. The podcast serves as a living archive, mapping the contours of the field through the voices of its practitioners.
“The show's focus is uniquely meta-analytical; it's a study of the study. It stands apart by examining the field's own history, intellectual traditions, and political commitments through the scholars who constitute it, rather than focusing on specific historical events or figures.”
Who hosts this show
The Black Studies Podcast is a Mellon grant-sponsored series of conversations examining the history and methods of the field. It is hosted by John E. Drabinski and Ashley Newby, colleagues in the Department of African American and Africana Studies at the University of Maryland. The show engages a wide range of activists, scholars, and cultural workers—from senior figures to graduate students—to explore the cultural and political meaning of Black Studies.
Credentials & credits
- John E. Drabinski: Professor, formerly at Amherst College, now at University of Maryland, Department of African American and Africana Studies.
- John E. Drabinski: Author of books including "Levinas and the Postcolonial" and "Glissant and the Middle Passage".
- John E. Drabinski: Co-editor of the Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy.
- John E. Drabinski: Ph.D. from the University of Memphis.
- Ashley Newby: Host and editor at University of Maryland, Department of African American and Africana Studies.
- Ashley Newby: Holds degrees in Black Studies and Sociology of Education.
Other ventures
- John E. Drabinski: Co-host of "Conversations in Atlantic Theory" podcast.
- John E. Drabinski: Previously hosted a New Books Podcast.
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02Dionne Ford - Writer and CriticJun 24, 2026 · 40 min
- 03
- 04
- 05Robert J. Patterson - Department of Black Studies, Georgetown UniversityJun 19, 2026 · 53 min
- 06
- 07W. Lawrence Hogue - Department of English, University of HoustonJun 12, 2026 · 54 min
- 08Laurian Bowles - Department of Anthropology, Davidson CollegeJun 10, 2026 · 57 min
Notable episodes
- 01Jarvis Givens - Department of African and African American Studies, Harvard University
Givens discusses the concept of a 'pre-history' of Black Studies, arguing that the intellectual work of Black teachers in Jim Crow schools laid the groundwork for the formal discipline.
- 02Dionne Ford - Writer and Critic
Ford provides a compelling narrative about the impact of the TV series 'Roots' and the importance of uncovering the stories of 'ordinary' Black people in her writing.
- 03Zana Sanders - Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, University of Califor...
Sanders details her non-traditional path from a decade-long career in corporate America to academia, explaining how Black Studies "gave me a language" for concepts she couldn't find elsewhere.
What you'll be asked on this show
Host John Drabinski typically opens with a broad, personal origin story question, asking what drew the guest to Black Studies. He often follows a clear three-act structure: the personal journey into the field, the guest's conceptual definition of the discipline, and finally, how the guest's specific research contributes to and expands the field's horizons. Questions are often long, contextual, and build logically on previous answers, creating a flowing narrative that allows guests to deliver extended, uninterrupted scholarly monologues.
Episodes are co-hosted, though one host typically leads each interview (primarily John Drabinski in the evidence provided). The format begins with a formal, detailed introduction of the guest's credentials and work. The tone is academic, structured, and conversational, with hosts allowing guests ample, uninterrupted time to develop complex ideas.
Questions Black Studies keeps coming back to
7 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Black Studies reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“What drew you to Black Studies and what sustains you in the work?”
This is the consistent opening question, used to ground the conversation in the guest's personal and intellectual origin story.
- Q.02
“What formative experiences pulled Black life and writing together for you?”
A variation of the origin question, specifically tailored for writers and literary critics.
craft
2- Q.01
“How do you imagine the field of Black Studies and how does that portrait orient you within it?”
Asked after the origin story, this question prompts the guest to define the discipline on their own terms.
- Q.02
“What does your current work hope to say about Black life?”
This probes the central mission and thematic concerns of the guest's scholarship or creative work.
process
2- Q.01
“How does your research fit into the history of Black Studies and what new horizons does it open?”
This question connects the guest's specific work back to the broader trajectory and future of the field.
- Q.02
“What is the role of study in your current writing process?”
This question explores the guest's research methods and creative discipline.
future
1- Q.01
“How do you see your work fitting into the history of writing about Black life?”
This question asks the guest to place their own contributions within a larger literary or scholarly tradition.
Signature segments
- · Opening line: "This is [Host Name] and you’re listening to The Black Studies podcast..."
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are almost exclusively academics—from late-stage doctoral candidates to senior professors—and authors whose work directly engages with Black Studies, Black history, and African American literature. They are often affiliated with university departments of Black Studies, English, or History.
- Zana Sanderson Zana Sanders - Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, University of Califor...
- Dionne Fordon Dionne Ford - Writer and Critic
- Jarvis Givenson Jarvis Givens - Department of African and African American Studies, Harvard University
- Khalisa Rae Thompsonon Khalisa Rae Thompson - Writer and Poet, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Griot & Grey Owl Black Sout...
- Robert J. Pattersonon Robert J. Patterson - Department of Black Studies, Georgetown University
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is sponsored by a Mellon grant and does not feature commercial advertisements.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of the Black Studies Podcast?
- The podcast is hosted by John E. Drabinski and Ashley Newby, who are both faculty in the Department of African American and Africana Studies at the University of Maryland.
- Is this podcast still running?
- Yes, it is an active podcast with a weekly cadence.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is an interview-based show where the hosts have long-form conversations with academics, authors, and activists in the field of Black Studies.
- Does the podcast have sponsors?
- The podcast is sponsored by a Mellon grant and does not have commercial advertising.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on its own website, Substack, and major streaming services like Spotify. Episodes are also published on YouTube.
- Who gets interviewed on the show?
- Guests are typically scholars, writers, and cultural workers whose work is directly related to Black Studies, ranging from doctoral students to senior professors and established authors.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]The Past and Future of Black Studies (Official Website)blackstudiespodcast.com
- [02]The Black Studies Podcast | Substacktheblackstudiespodcast.substack.com
- [03]John E. Drabinski | Amherst Collegeamherst.edu
- [04]John E. Drabinski - PhilPeoplephilpeople.org
- [05]John E. Drabinski - Department of Africana Studies, University of Marylandyoutube.com
- [06]Ashley Newby and John E Drabinski - Department of African American Studies at U of Marylandyoutube.com
- [07]John E. Drabinski - Google Scholarscholar.google.com
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