At long last, I’m posting four new shows. Thanks for your patience — teaching nine credits (for a law professor, that’s a lot) on top of writing, advocacy and administrative duties = slow to post shows! The good news: I should have more time (and timeliness) to devote to the show beginning in May, which will nicely coincide with the early part of the spring quarter.
On to the new content: the first show, Show #178, January 31, is my interview with Eran Kahana of the Maslon law firm, on artificial intelligence. Eran focuses on how the law should react as artificial intelligence becomes commonplace in the everyday lives of consumers. Because this technology is awash with speculation about its potential and risks, Eran was a great guest with whom to cut through much of the debate, especially as he has the practical perspective of a practicing attorney. I enjoyed the conversation.
Next, Show #179, February 14, is my interview with Prof. Gabriella Coleman, author of Coding Freedom: The Aesthetics and the Ethics of Hacking. Biella has written a groundbreaking anthropological study of free software hackers. Immersing herself in that community over the course of several years, Biella was able to unmask many morees and practices within the community that have received scant (if any) attention. We had a wide-ranging discussion about the demographics of the community, particularly the notable absence of a significant female presence, and I greatly enjoyed our discussion. Her’s is a wonderful contribution to our understanding of anthropological study and method.
My third show, Show #180, March 7, is my interview with Dean Anne Balsamo of the New School for Public Engagement, author of Designing Culture: The Technological Imagination at Work. Focusing on culture as an iterative process, Anne has written a first-hand account of the creation of digital media through the eyes of a scholar and “maker.” Drawing on extensive experience in the field, Anne outlines how innovation occurs in a field that seems loose in organization and structure. Anne’s book dispels that notion (and others), and I greatly enjoyed the depth of our discussion and Anne’s probing insights. I look forward to her return to the show.
The last show for the winter quarter, Show #181, March 14, is my interview with Dave Seubert, head of the University of California Santa Barbara’s Cylinder Digitization and Preservation Project. I have been a fan of David’s cylinder project — the effort to digitize thousands of recordings made on cylinders between roughly 1890-1920s — since its inception several years ago (I’m not just a fan; I have cylinders on my iPod). David’s efforts, which include not just digitizing cylinders but preserving the legacy of Victor recordings, places his projects among the world’s most important recording preservation efforts. A huge fan of David and his work, we discussed these projects interspersed with recordings from UCSB’s collection. Lots of fun!
I am in the process of setting the schedule for the spring quarter, and will post it by the end of the second week in April. As always, I welcome your feedback and suggestions at dave@hearsayculture.com. Thanks, as always, for listening!
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