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How did breakdancing become an official 2018 Olympic sport? How did a plant like cannabis evolve from a centuries-old medicinal and monetary commodity into social contraband? Explore a variety of disciplines and sociopolitical phenomena with ExCollege courses in Tufts Summer Session, spanning all-time favorites, like Medicinal Plants: From the Sacred to the Scientific. Other timely topics include Comics and Graphic Novels and Hip Hop Dance: Theory, Culture, and Practice.
Among the returning favorites is Professor Raechel Tiffe’s inspiring practicum, Podcasting for Change. Designed to investigate key issues related to the role of media in social change, this course addresses the power of amplifying individual stories through podcasting. “Podcasting is a tool that can be produced by anyone with a recording device (most phones, for example),” Professor Tiffe explained. “Similar to YouTube videos, podcasts can be created by nearly anyone and then distributed through iTunes and other major platforms, allowing independent producers the chance to reach wider audiences and making this a powerful medium for ordinary people.”
From analyzing popular podcasts like Serial or Fresh Air to creating their own shows, students will gain valuable skills in media production and management including audio production, interviewing skills, story narration, and marketing and branding. With a PhD in Critical Media Studies and a minor in Feminist and Critical Sexuality Studies from the University of Minnesota, Professor Tiffe (who has also produced her own podcast, Feminist Killjoys PhD) is excited to share her wealth of academic and practical expertise with the Tufts community.
“Tufts students are some of the most thoughtful and engaged students I’ve ever worked with (and I’ve taught a lot of places!),” Professor Tiffe said. “I was blown away with the shows the students produced when I taught this last spring, and I can’t wait to see what the summer session students create!”
Her course, Podcasting for Change, will be offered during the second summer session (July 2 - Aug 9, Tuesday/Thursday 1:30-4:30 pm). Explore the world of podcasting with Professor Tiffe by signing up today!
About the Author
Emma Hodgdon is a senior studying English literature. Apart from reading Gothic fiction, she can be found practicing cello for the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, or dancing with the university’s ballroom dance team. She spends her free time experimenting with calligraphy, learning to speak Chinese, and caring for her succulents, Verotchka and Geraldine.