Rethinking Scholarship Through the Power of Podcast Storytelling

About this episode

The episode explores how podcasting can reshape scholarship and public engagement in higher education through a conversation with philosopher Barry Lam.

How podcasting fits into modern scholarship and the evolving goals of higher education. Barry Lam —philosopher, professor, and creator of the acclaimed narrative podcast Hi-Phi Nation — joins the show to explore how audio storytelling can bridge the worlds of scholarly research and public engagement. This wide-ranging conversation traces the evolution of narrative academic podcasts, the craft behind building compelling audio stories, and how philosophy can come alive when paired with documentary-style narrative. The discussion also uncovers the shifting landscape within academia—where traditional scholarly outputs like monographs still dominate—and how podcasting is beginning to challenge those norms. Hear how one podcaster’s work reshaped a university’s hiring and tenure considerations, why public-facing scholarship matters, and what institutions must rethink to truly support creative academic work. A thoughtful conversation for anyone curious about the future of academic storytelling, the possibilities of audio as scholarship, or the evolution of higher ed podcasting. Episode Links: Hi-Phi Nation Barry Lam | LinkedIn Barry Lam Connect with Us Share Feedback & Ask Questions…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jennifer-Lee Gunson, Neil McPhedran

Guest: Barry Lam

Topics covered

• podcasting
• scholarship
• higher education
• audio storytelling
• public engagement
• academic narrative

Keywords

• podcasting
• scholarship
• higher education
• audio storytelling
• academic narrative
• public engagement
• philosophy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Continuing Studies Podcast, University Podcasters Network

Books & works: Hi-Phi Nation

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