Seeing White [Scene on Radio]

Podcast, 2017, 14 episodes

Premise - Season 2 of the podcast "Scene on Radio," focused on turning the lens towards white people. Black people have historically been lumped together by their race, while white people enjoy perhaps the largest privilege of all - being seen as an individual. So what happens when we try to define and categorize the concept of whiteness?

Review - I know this podcast series has already been given a lot of praise and hype over these past few months, finding a resurgence and a whole new audience (myself included), in wake of this new civil rights era. And yet I still find this immensely underrated. This is one of those podcasts that everyone in this entire country should have as essential listening. Even if you're deaf - they've got written transcripts on every episode. There is no reason to not listen to every single word.

The first four episodes were included in "Our Shared Podcast" which I had reviewed earlier. Those four episodes, however, were so strikingly good that I had to go back and listen to the rest of the series. And upon ending the series, I now want to go and listen to the other series created by Scene on Radio (Season 3 focuses on MEN, while Season 4 focuses on democracy. I can't wait.)

It's pallatable for everyone too. It's hosted by a white guy, to make us white folks comfortable - yet co-hosted by a black guy, to make it authentic. Many guests (i.e. women, other POC) are brought to speak on specific episodes. Of course, neither of the hosts can speak on behalf of all white or black people, as they joke about repeatedly. That's the other great thing about this podcast - they joke. They banter.

The cohost, Chenjerai Kumanyika, is SO overwhelmingly funny and brings so much light to such dark topics. John Biewen, the host and writer, is some old white dude that somehow manages to convey the perfect balance of self-deprecation, empathy, and still strength and confidence in his own experience. How he managed to do that, I don't know. I'm curious to see if my opinion still holds after hearing the MEN podcast series, where I might hold a lot more personal stake and question his authority with more scrutiny.

There's a lot that I get out of this podcast - historically, in current events, and artistically. I think the major takeaways can be summed up in how the South and the North have very, VERY different racial histories, and express racism in very, VERY different ways - but the whole country is racist. Don't pin all hatred and ignorance on the South. All that does is hide your own racial biases. (98/100)

Quote - "Northern whites love the race but hate the people. Southern whites hate the race but love the people."

What to listen for - I have nothing but immense praise for this series so I'm not even sure which episode to pick. Since there has been so much focus on black/white history lately, I think the Native American episodes were the most enlightening. For example, "Little War on the Prairie"

If you liked this podcast, I'd recommend 1619! Or check our their bibliography that goes along with the podcast online. I took a look and was overwhelmed by how many books they had recommended on the same topic.

Hosted by John Biewen

Series part of podcast "Scene on Radio"

Produced by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University