Episodes
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Under The Radar Book Club: Douglas Wolk's 'All of the Marvels: A Journey to the Ends of The Biggest Story Ever Told'
This week on Under the Radar: Mutants, monsters, monarchs — and the beloved superheroes who battle them — populate the Marvel universe. These days, that fictional comic book universe draws fans beyond the faithful comic book nerds. Millions of enthusiasts eagerly follow the creative storytelling, which often inspires more questions than answers. How did it all come to be? In his new book, “All of the Marvels: A Journey to the Ends of The Biggest Story Ever Told,” author Douglas Wolk unravels the hydra-headed history of the archival storylines and creator squabbles that have continued to shape the contemporary Marvel universe. GUEST: Douglas Wolk has written about comic books, graphic novels, pop music and technology for publications including The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, and Slate. He’s also the author of the Eisner Award-winning book, “Reading Comics.” -
Will Maine's innovative packaging law help fix America's recycling problem?
This week on Under the Radar: America has a recycling problem. Ever since China banned the United States' recyclables back in 2018, recycling centers in American towns and cities have struggled to manage the massive amount of waste. Not to mention paying for the infrastructure and processing costs of recycling. But a new law in Maine relieves municipalities’ financial burden by shifting the responsibility for the recycling costs. The law requires that producers of packaging waste, like Amazon and Maine businesses, pick up the tab for recycling costs. The move could encourage more use of reusable materials and reduce waste overall. Maine is the first state in the nation to pass this kind of law, and advocates say it will likely be a model for the rest of the county. Guests: Maine state Rep. Nicole Grohoski, who sponsored the bill Sarah Nichols, sustainable Maine director at Natural Resources Council of Maine -
Transgender authors and allies are making children's literature more inclusive
This week on Under the Radar: It’s Transgender Awareness Week, which is a time to reflect on issues facing the trans community, including representation in media. One space that is becoming more inclusive? Children’s literature. There is a growing catalog of books that center trans kids as main characters, and more stories that portray a range of experiences. Advocates want more trans authors and characters to be seen and heard. Guests: Kyle Lukoff, Stonewall-winning author of “When Aidan Became a Brother” and 2021 National Book Award finalist for the novel “Too Bright To See.” Vanessa Ford, co-author of "CALVIN," a children's book centered around a transgender boy, inspired in part by Ford's child. Ford is also a nationally known advocate for transgender youth rights. Katy Kania, head of teen services at Robbins Library in Arlington, Massachusetts. -
Mass Politics Profs: Candidates Of Color Made History In Elections Nationwide
This week on Under the Radar: Candidates of color made history nationwide this month, including right here in Boston where Michelle Wu became the first woman and person of color elected as the city's mayor. Voters also gave Boston City Council new powers to override some of the mayor’s decisions. Plus, Republicans took home some big election wins nationwide, including governor of Virginia; is that a bad omen for Democrats in 2022? Listen to a full hour with the Mass Politics Profs! Guests: Erin O’Brien, associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Luis Jimenez, associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Rob DeLeo, associate professor of public policy at Bentley University. -
Local TikTokers Find Fame By Posting About All-Things Massachusetts
This week on Under the Radar: TikTok, the Chinese-owned app known for popular dance videos and creative tips for everyday tasks, has changed the way people go viral on social media. The video-sharing platform exploded in popularity during COVID becoming the world’s most downloaded app in 2020. With school buildings shut down, a generation of young people looking for connection and entertainment found it on TikTok, as did others captivated by the clever and amusing short films. Just this month, TikTok announced that more than one billion people use the app globally. TikTok has produced thousands of social media influencers — content creators who attract large numbers of followers and views. Some of them have now joined forces to establish TikTok Houses with members living and posting content together full time. And one local Tik Tok House is getting a taste of fame by posting about all-things Massachusetts. The ultimate goal: lucrative brand deals and celebrity. Is this trend the next wave of social media? And what does it mean to be TikTok famous? Kyle Gove, the owner and manager of “The Mass House” says his collaboration started a year ago and has grown to almost 100,000 followers in just one year. "We just enjoyed making content with each other under one collective page, it’s bigger than us individually," he says. "It represents something more than our individual selves, we want to represent the state on that platform." Guests: Rebecca Jennings, senior reporter covering internet culture at The Goods by Vox. Kyle Gove, owner and manager of local TikTok group “The Mass House.” Kyle is a freshman at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. -
Is Digital Art A New Frontier For Underrepresented Artists?
This week on Under the Radar: The art world has been turned on its head this year. Visitor numbers to galleries plummeted as the pandemic forced shops to close their doors. The art world had to shift, kicking off a digital art craze. Back in March, a new record was set when a piece of digital artwork, by the artist Beeple, sold for $69 million dollars. The art was sold as a digital file, called an NFT, which stands for “nonfungible token” — a term that can apply to any digital collectible. Many underrepresented artists who haven’t been given broad access to mainstream galleries think that crypto-traded art could be a viable avenue to sell their work. But will this new frontier offer more opportunities than obstacles? Guest: Nettrice Gaskins, Afrofuturist digital artist, assistant director of the Lesley University STEAM Learning Lab, and the author of “Techno-Vernacular Creativity and Innovation: Culturally Relevant Making Inside and Outside of the Classroom.” Her artwork is part of the forthcoming “FUTURES” exhibit at the Smithsonian in November. -
Pop Culture Roundtable: Protest Over Comedian Dave Chappelle's 'Transphobic' Netflix Special
This week on Under the Radar: Netflix is reeling from backlash against comedian Dave Chappelle’s latest special, which critics say contains transphobic material. Plus, Hollywood celebrities from Adele to Jonah Hill speak up against fan obsession over their weight loss. And The Rolling Stones remove one of the most popular songs from their tour setlist over lyrics referencing slavery. Those stories and more on our Pop Culture Roundtable! GUESTS: Michael Jeffries is the dean of academic affairs and professor of American studies at Wellesley College. Rachel Rubin is a professor of American studies at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. -
The Genius Next Door: MIT Geomorphologist Taylor Perron Discusses Landscape Evolution
This week on Under the Radar: The MacArthur Foundation named its Class of 2021 “Genius Fellows" earlier this month. The recipients join an exclusive group of previous Fellows who have demonstrated outstanding talent in their fields. The award acknowledges the Fellows’ demonstrated talent and potential as leaders in their fields. MIT professor Taylor Perron is a geomorphologist who studies the evolution of landscapes on Earth and other planets. He is one of the 2021 MacArthur Fellows, and one of three based in the Boston area. We talk with professor Perron for our series, “The Genius Next Door.” -
Is Your Diamond Jewelry 'Ethical?'
This week on Under The Radar: Pop the champagne! October is the most popular month to get married, according to The Knot, the nation’s leading wedding marketplace. And the wedding industry sure is on the rebound after more than a year of postponed pandemic weddings. That includes increased consumer demand for diamond engagement rings. Diamond sales shot up 30 percent from last year. Consumer demand coupled with COVID-19 restrictions led to global diamond shortages, and something else: a more vocal movement calling for a move away from mined diamonds toward so-called ethical or conflict-free diamonds. But... it’s complicated. For example, where do lab-grown diamonds fit into the picture? And how do millennials who support sustainability navigate potential "greenwashing" in the jewelry industry? GUESTS: Raquel Alonso-Perez, curator of Harvard University’s Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Craig Rottenberg, president of Long’s Jewelers in Boston and vice chair of Jewelers of Americas Board of Directors. -
What We Can All Learn From Wedding Announcements
This week on Under The Radar: Few would dispute that The New York Times has elevated the age-old tradition of the wedding announcement to an important status symbol. Why, in these times, when many other social traditions have gone the way of the polar ice cap, do the announcements still draw enthusiastic readers? Author Cate Doty shares her insider’s view in her book, “Mergers and Acquisitions: Or Everything I Know About Love I Learned from the Wedding Pages.” Guest: Cate Doty is a writer and a former editor at The New York Times, where she worked for nearly 15 years, including as a wedding announcements writer, presidential campaign reporter and a senior staff editor on the Food desk. She teaches journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, from which she graduated, and lives in North Carolina with her family.
