In October 2017, I launched a political science podcast under the auspices of the Niskanen Center, a think tank in Washington, DC. The podcast initially was titled Political Research Digest, but the name was changed to The Science of Politics based on listener feedback.
The podcast is released biweekly, with 54 episodes completed as of this writing. I interview two researchers per episode about two new articles or books that they have published on related topics. Although the tone is conversational, I edit the interviews (with the help of my assistant Alejandro Gillespie) and introduce each statement from the interviewees.
With the support of Kristie Eshelman and Louisa Tavlas at Niskanen, the podcast is widely distributed and promoted. Every episode has had more than 1,000 listeners, with recent episodes averaging more than 2,000. All episodes are transcribed, so there is a substantial readership to complement the listenership. The podcasts initially were limited to about 20 minutes but have since expanded to 40–60 minutes (based on user suggestions). Average listening time is 35 minutes. We have experimented with advertising on Twitter, Facebook, Google, and other podcasts.
The podcast is still produced for a niche audience. Although my guests and I strive to make research accessible, the content is data driven and detailed compared to other podcasts. It has been easiest to gain an audience among scholars, but we focus on targeting nonacademics working in or around American national politics and policy making as well. Distribution by Niskanen allows the podcast to reach the rare bipartisan policy-making audience. My impression from listening to many other political podcasts (and being a guest) is that most succeed by taking a clear partisan and ideological point of view and then focusing on punditry over research. The Science of Politics does not make this tradeoff.
Most of my guests have never participated in a podcast. I strive to include early-career scholars, including graduate students, to expand the number of publicly engaged scholars and diversify the public voice of political science. I also actively try to achieve gender, ethnic, institutional, and ideological diversity—but I do not always succeed. It is easiest to track gender diversity: 43% of my guests have been women. I reach out to more women than men, but women are thus far more likely to decline. Trying to match two guests who have written recently on a similar topic limits the options but also enables clear criteria.
The podcast focuses on American politics research relevant to current events. Although we use recent news as a hook for listeners, we delve into the broader research (including history). The most popular episodes so far have covered partisan cable news, public opinion on climate change, identity politics in partisanship, genetic attributions for human difference, white identity, partisan asymmetry, rural–urban divides, homeownership and segregation, polarization on Facebook, and philanthropy in social movements. Listeners relate that they are exposed to a broad range of new scholars and research areas through the podcast.
I am most proud of the podcast’s role in promoting political science to a broader audience. One of the best paths to influence has turned out to be our audience among reporters. Several new research articles and books have generated wider media interest after the authors’ appearance on the podcast. Some guests also have been invited to appear on other podcasts and media. Even reporters who do not listen to the podcast infer that the guests are experts on the topic and are willing to discuss it publicly, which leads to media interviews. The podcast itself also has been featured in The Washington Post and Vox.
Podcasting can be beneficial even for those without media savvy. I am not especially gifted as a presenter but I try to make up for it with knowledge of the guests’ research. It takes two to three hours per week of my time. I connect with many scholars that I did not previously know and generate better connections with those whom I already know. Interviewing incentivizes me to keep up on current research, including topical trends and methodological innovations. I have regularly used work highlighted on the podcast in my own research.
I also ask that professors consider assigning The Science of Politics (or specific episodes) in their courses. It is useful to read research, but students benefit by hearing directly from the researcher in an accessible format. A podcast interview can help students generate their own questions about course material and better relate to the goals that drive research. Clips also can be played in class to stimulate discussion.
I also ask that professors consider assigning The Science of Politics (or specific episodes) in their courses.
For those considering starting a podcast, you should think about audio quality. Our biggest initial challenge was that the app for recording phone calls often did not produce audio that made it easy to decipher what interviewees said. Various audio reengineering strategies created other problems. We solved the issue by moving to online recording using Zencastr, an inexpensive service. It starts a Voice Over IP call between me and the guest but also locally records the guest’s audio for uploading as a .wav file at the end of the call.
Podcasters also should consider filling audience niches. In addition to The Science of Politics, I am involved in the State of the State podcast. Associated with the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University, it covers state public-policy issues in Michigan with research-informed commentary. It is even more highly targeted to those interested in detailed discussions of politics and policy in one state; however, the format easily could be replicated at other universities. We invite faculty guests to talk about their research and the major issues being discussed in the legislature. We record the episodes, mostly unedited, in a studio on campus in cooperation with the local National Public Radio affiliate. Clips from the podcast also can be heard on a Detroit radio station as part of a university hour. Partnering with a studio and interviewing local guests improves audio quality.
The flowering of the political science podcasting community is an exciting development for the discipline. From a teaching tool to an outreach opportunity, scholars should welcome podcasting as an important outlet for research communication.
