Research Guides: Social Work: Podcasts

Podcasts

Want to hear more on a subject? Do you learn best by listening or want to hear more ideas on a topic? Try a podcast.

Remember to evaluate podcasts just as you should evaluate journal articles, books, and web sites. Who wrote them? Who stands behind their accuracy? Are they up to date? Do they seem biased? Do they tell you where they find any 'facts' they discuss and where they came from? Can you verify what they say?

Finding Podcasts

Listen Notes: The Best Podcast Search Engine
It's like Google, but for podcasts. Search the whole Internet's podcasts. Curate your own podcast playlists. Listen on your favorite podcast player apps.
PodcastRE
PodcastRE contains links and metadata records to over 150,000 individual audio files, from over 1000 different podcast feeds. The database began in 2014, but it has podcasts dating back to 2007 (with older stuff surfacing every day). Search by show title, episode title, or keyword and display the results by grid or list.
Google Play Music
Subscribe and listen to podcasts with Google Play Music. Podcasts are free to download or stream, and you don’t need a subscription to Google Play Music to listen.
iTunes Podcasts
With hundreds of thousands of free podcasts at your fingertips, it’s easy to find and enjoy your next favorite podcast on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, computer, or Apple TV.
Spotify: Podcasts
Spotify offers thousands of podcasts, which you can listen to directly from the app.

Podcasts by Topic

All My Relations All My Relations is closing the representation gap of Native communities. Host Matika Wilbur and Adrienne Keene discuss issues Native people are facing while sharing personal experiences with regards to relationships, culture and identity. Each week, the cohosts invite guests to provide different perspectives on these topics and debunk misperceptions about Native people.
more...less...
Available on Google, Spotify, and Apple.
Code Switch NPR’s Code Switch breaks down race and identity and its impact on the world. Hosted by journalists of color, this podcast uses storytelling to help listeners understand how race shapes politics, pop culture and many mediums in ways we’ve never realized. Each episode dissects race issues and cultural shifts, tackling the uncomfortable conversations head on.
more...less...
Available on Spotify, Google and Apple
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People This is the podcast for you if you've ever wanted to have a conversation about race but were afraid of saying the wrong thing. Bringing people together for open, comfortable discussions about race, guests from different backgrounds come together to get the conversations going.
Identity Politics Tune in as co-hosts Ikhlas Saleem and Makkah Ali talk about race, gender and being Muslim in America. Every week, they invite guests to come by and share personal stories about navigating America as Black Muslim women while highlighting politics, pop culture, racism and Islamophobia.
more...less...
Available on Apple
Invisibilia Another NPR gem that deconstructs human behavior, beliefs and assumptions, each episode combines storytelling and science on topics of race, relationships and many more.
more...less...
Available on Apple, Spotify, and Google.
Latinos Who Lunch Artist Favyfav and art historian Babelito discuss race, gender and class issues in the Latinx community. Listen as their Spanglish voices bring a comedic effect to pressing topics such as identity, history and family. Aside from the humor, the duo is bringing Latinx culture to the forefront.
more...less...
Available on Apple.
Long Distance This documentary podcast series highlights the Filipino voice. Explore a collection filled with tales about art, food, culture and many more topics as told by Filipinos. Long Distance sheds a light through storytelling and paints a reflective image of this community.
more...less...
Available on Apple.
The Nod Learn about Black history that you might’ve missed in school. From the golden era of Black television to what you probably didn’t know about Josephine Baker, Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings dive into the many layers of Black life.
more...less...
Available on Apple and Spotify.
POD save the People Activist DeRay McKesson provides insight into social justice, politics and activism. In each episode, activists, experts and national leaders break down issues and news that is sometimes overlooked. Tune in every Tuesday to stay informed on what’s happening in America.
more...less...
Available on Spotify, Google, and Apple.
Scene on Radio Scene on Radio focuses on many American issues. But of particular note is their 14-part series called "Seeing White" which takes a deep dive into white supremacy, white privilege and what it means to Black in America. The series works to challenge the policies and traditions put in place in our history as viewed through a bigger lens.
more...less...
Available on Spotify and Apple.
Still Processing New York Times journalist Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris provide a daily dose of what’s going on in the news while giving us a peek into their own lives. Whether they’ve having a conversation about their visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture or breaking down what it meant for Nike to partner with Colin Kaepernick, this duo is sure to get you thinking about all things culture.
more...less...
Available on Apple
The Stoop Two journalists break down what it means to be Black. The Stoop shares powerful stories and celebrates the resilience of Black people. You’ll find an episode per month, but when you spend 30 minutes listening to one, you’ll know it was worth the wait.
more...less...
Available on Apple and Google.
Yo, is this Racist? If you ever questioned a situation and thought to yourself, "Is this racist?" chances are this podcast has the answer. This weekly series showcases viewers' submitted voicemails and emails (and of course answers the big question). You’ll be surprised by the honest submissions and laugh along as the pair tackles important issues head-on with humor.
more...less...
Available on Apple

Combat Jack Combat Jack is a hip-hop podcast that's also happens to be a great place for social justice conversations. Along with incredible rappers such as Ty Dolla Sign, the podcast features social justice icons like Black Lives Matter protester and organizer DeRay Mckesson and sex-positive feminist and activist Feminista Jones. This podcast is perfect if you enjoy your social justice conversations with a dose of raw hip-hop culture.
Edge of Sports Hosted by The Nation's sports editor, David Zirin, Edge of Sports takes a look at sports news through a political lens. From #NoJusticeNoLebron to what Serena Williams and other female athletes face in the industry, Zerin creates dialogue about an intersection most people overlook.
BackTalk This biweekly podcast is produced by feminist media organization Bitch Media. Hosts and Bitch Media editors Sarah Mirk and Amy Lam discuss culture topics like the Bill Cosby rape allegations and Netflix series Jessica Jones — all from a feminist perspective.
Best of the Left Different from the other podcasts on this list, Best of the Left is a curation of the best progressive podcasts on the Internet. From Dan Savage's reflections on why it's important for activists to make demands of mayors to questions about human nature and culture from listeners, this podcast will keep you engaged in social justice dialogue from a range of viewpoints.
Pitchfork Economics Any society that allows itself to become radically unequal eventually collapses into an uprising or a police state—or both. Join venture capitalist Nick Hanauer and some of the world’s leading economic and political thinkers in an exploration of who gets what and why. Turns out, everything you learned about economics is wrong. And if we don’t do something about rising inequality, the pitchforks are coming.
POD save the People Activist DeRay McKesson provides insight into social justice, politics and activism. In each episode, activists, experts and national leaders break down issues and news that is sometimes overlooked. Tune in every Tuesday to stay informed on what’s happening in America.
more...less...
Available on Spotify, Google, and Apple.

The Business of Fashion By The Business of Fashion For those who prefer their style with a side of commerce, this podcast by fashion industry bible The Business Of Fashion is the ultimate listen. Covering fashion from a 360 degree perspective with a special focus on culture, the podcast offers exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the biz, including renowned fashion critic Tim Blanks, Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri and Kim Kardashian West.
Creative Conversations With Suzy Menkes Suzy Menkes, the editor of Vogue International, has just launched Creative Conversations, a series of in-depth interviews with top designers.
The Cutting Room Floor By Omondi Hosted by emerging American designer Recho Omondi, this podcast takes a no-holds-barred approach to a variety of issues plaguing the fashion industry. From whether fashion criticism is still relevant nowadays, to the lack of diversity in the industry, it is extremely insightful listening for anyone interested in fashion on a deeper socio-political level. Despite being a fairly new name on the fashion scene, Omondi even managed to score an interview with the likes of Diet Prada and Alexander Wang's chief strategist, Stephanie Horton.
Desert Island Discs Not tied exclusively to fashion by any means, but the Desert Island Discs archive is one of the best places to listen to interviews with some of the world’s greatest designers, including Vivienne Westwood, Zandra Rhodes, Celia Birtwell and Anya Hindmarch - as they choose their eight discs (sometimes wonderful, sometimes intriguing), one book and single luxury item.
Dior Talks By Dior Fashion and art history devotees will find Dior Talks nothing short of fascinating. Boasting a rotating lineup of special hosts, each episode features interviews with esteemed figures from the art world, all of whom have been instrumental in helping Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri form her vision for the house.
Dream It Real By COACH Another major fashion podcast to devour is Coach's Dream It Real, a weekly download hosted by writer and editor Heben Nigatu. The podcast features some of the brand's many faces and celebrity guests, including Selena Gomez, Michael B. Jordan and Maisie Williams of Game Of Thrones. Its premiere episode featured Selena Gomez, who discussed her musings on social media, self-acceptance and her collaboration with Cardi B.
Dressed: The History Of Fashion “With over seven billion people in the world, we all have one thing in common. Every day we all get dressed,” says the introduction to the podcast. Dressed: The History of Fashion explores both social and cultural histories of clothing – from the origin of cat-eye sunglasses (first called Harlequin glasses) to the relationship between fashion and film.
Fashion Fix With Charli Howard Model and body activist Charli Howard hosts Fashion Fix, a podcast that aims to give a fashion fix whilst fixing the world. She discusses body positivity with fellow model Sonny Turner, alarming low pay in the fashion industry and the hunt for ethical denim. An entertaining listen that spotlights many of the biggest issues in the industry right now, and shows us what more we could be doing.
Fashion No Filter Fashion journalists Camille Charriere and Monica Ainley co-host this behind-the-scenes peek into the fashion industry. Now in its fifth year, Fashion No Filter has covered everything from getting to grips with the Instagram algorithm with the app’s head of fashion partnerships, Eva Chen, to how to navigate sustainability with model and climate activist Arizona Muse.
Fashion Revolution Podcast The stories of those who work behind the scenes in the fashion industry are brought to the fore in Fashion Revolution. A combination of investigations and interviews, the fashion journalist Tamsin Blanchard discusses a year-long research project that focused on 540 garment workers in India, Cambodia and Bangladesh. Hard-hitting and packed with information, this is a three-part series that will stay with you long after you finish the final episode.
Fashion Unzipped The Telegraph’s fashion podcast, hosted by their two senior fashion editors, is a journey through the last few years of trends, thoughts and concerns. There is a roster of wonderful interviews, including one from last year with Alexandra Shulman on what life is like after a quarter century at the helm of British Vogue. Another highlight is an amusing decade recap of the 2010s through fashion – all the outfits and trends you hoped to forget.
Fashion Victims A lot of fashion, a lot of gossip – Luke Meagher and Darnell Jamal are the funny addition to this round-up. Very tongue-in-cheek, they roam between topics like ‘why we’re tired of J Lo’s Versace dress’, ‘Are Kim Kardashian’s Skims the new corset?’ and recently their Quarantine Chronicles, celebrating figures in fashion who are making a positive impact right now
GUCCI Podcast By GUCCI A rare glimpse into the enigmatic world of Gucci, each episode features the voices who are collaborating with the Florentine fashion house's creative director, Alessandro Michele. Showcasing the likes of Florence Welch talking about poetry and actress Hari Nef on unconventional beauty, it's an intriguing look at the eclecticism that Gucci is so famous for.
The Memory of... with John Galliano By Maison Margiela Hosted by Maison Margiela creative director, John Galliano, this show offers rare access to the inner sanctum of the critically acclaimed fashion house. Featuring stories "usually only heard by select fashion insiders", the 12-minute show covers an array of topics, from Galliano's decision to hold a co-ed show with genderless style to the fascinating story and people involved in the creation of Maison Margiela's first fragrance, Mutiny. It's perfect for those who love to delve deep into the art of fashion in a matter of minutes
MÉTIER CLASS: 3.55 By CHANEL Taking it one step further than their eternally magnificent runways, CHANEL's podcast offers up exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with many CHANEL muses, including Marion Cotillard, Pharrell Williams, Keira Knightley and the late Karl Lagerfeld himself. Perfect for those who are mesmerized by Lagerfeld's runway spectacles, the podcast opens up a new world of CHANEL that many don't get to see.
Oh Boy By MAN REPELLER Always on-brand, Oh Boy is very much in line with blogger and entrepreneur Leandra Medine Cohen's mantra for Man Repeller: "where an interest in fashion never minimises one's intellect". Featuring an incredibly interesting mix of industry insiders and culture changers, host Jay Buim talks to the likes of journalist and activist Gloria Steinem, author and illustrator Garance Doré and style icon, Alexa Chung. Each episode falls around the 45 to 60 minute mark, making it ideal for those lazy afternoons.
The Wingwoman The brainchild of two fashion journalists, Charlie Gowans-Eglinton and Frankie Graddon, The Wingwoman has fashion in its DNA but that doesn’t stop it from covering adjacent territory as well – specifically, as they say, of “thirty-something life, honestly”. Having launched as recently as February, they’ve been continuing the weekly episodes into quarantine – and it’s compelling to listen to the pandemic play out, from early discussions of not wanting to touch the handrails on the tube to fully-fledged lock down and the rise of Zoom weddings. They tackle interesting conundrums, like the morality of shopping during a pandemic, and whether depending on your personality type, the constant video calls are a joy or a drain.

Resources for Creating a Podcast

HowSounds
HowSound is the bi-weekly podcast on radio storytelling produced by Rob Rosenthal for the Public Radio Exchange. From fieldwork and recording techniques to narrative and ethics, HowSound explores the ins-and-outs of radio storytelling.
How to Start an Academic Podcast
Whether you’re a professor building your public intellectual profile, a student developing skills for diverse career paths, a librarian or research center director forging connections across institutions, or a department chair broadening your faculty’s impact, this course can help.
Starting Your Podcast: A Guide For Students
From planning to producing, a how to guide for beginners from National Public Radio.
Tips for Starting a Podcast
Tips and how to for creating a podcast related to your business from Business News Daily.
Transom
Transom channels new work, voices, and ideas into public media through the Internet and workshops. Our goal is to be useful and inspiring. Transom is a performance space, an open editorial session, an audition stage, a library, and a hangout. Our purpose is to pass the baton of mission and good practice in public media through tools, philosophy, and technique.

Loyola University Chicago Libraries

Social Work

Podcasts

Finding Podcasts

Podcasts by Topic

Resources for Creating a Podcast