Democracy Unmuted
A PODCAST FROM AA TO GEN Z
University of Michigan students spelling out what democracy looks like today.
SEASON 1 EPISODE 0
About Us
We are students at the University of Michigan doing our best to sort through the complex and often confusing times we’re experiencing right now, just like everyone else. We are a diverse group who come from different states, major in different disciplines, and express different political opinions, but we worked together this semester (over Zoom, of course) to explore how we could use our voices to make an impact on politics and culture. We spent the beginning of the semester learning the audio softwares and creative structures of the genre, gaining insights from podcast veterans and experimenting with different segments and styles ourselves.
Now, we’ve collaborated to put together and present the inaugural season of Michigan Voices, entitled Democracy Muted. We hope that while listening to our episodes, you get a better idea of the policy issues and cultural discussions prevalent in the Ann Arbor community and broader United States, as well as the perspectives and aspirations of university students from the University of Michigan and some of the voices of Gen Z.
We hope you enjoy Season One!
Michigan Voices Season One Episodes
- Episode 13: We the Teens, Tweens, and Twenty-Somethings
To end Season One, University of Michigan sophomores Gigi and Nick talk to Gen Zers across the country. What is it about Gen Z that makes us uniquely outraged and distinctively equipped to make change? Episode High Points Part One: World on Fire (2:48-18:04) “We’ve grown up with the world, kind of like, on fire.”… Read more: Episode 13: We the Teens, Tweens, and Twenty-Somethings - Episode 12: Dear Mom and Dad
There are so many kids who struggle with communicating to their parents about politics, social causes, and democracy, specifically, support for the Black Lives Matter Movement… So let’s break it down and have an open conversation about race. In this episode, you will hear a compilation of educational dialogue, personal narratives, and guided discussions with… Read more: Episode 12: Dear Mom and Dad - Episode 11: Shut Up and Dribble
Politics and sports have been intertwined in America for a long time. Recently, Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem sparked a new chapter in this intersection. The social justice movements of 2020 have also had a huge impact on sports. Athletes used their voices and resources to encourage people to get out… Read more: Episode 11: Shut Up and Dribble - Episode 10: Civic Empathy
Political polarization and interparty hostility have been pointed to as defining features of contemporary American politics, while debates about civility have erupted on college campuses. With so much political animosity, how can Americans talk to each other? To find out, I spoke with Hanna and Jasper, Co-Presidents of WeListen. WeListen is a campus organization dedicated… Read more: Episode 10: Civic Empathy - Episode 9: Opposing Opinions
Pierce interviewed people to learn about their thoughts and experiences with people who disagree with them politically. Episode High Points Do you have any relationships with people where you two have opposing political views? How do their politics affect you? Would you have a better overall experience if they shared your political views? What is… Read more: Episode 9: Opposing Opinions - Episode 8: The Memeification of Politics
On this extra special episode, the Michigan Voices’ Meme Team discusses the genesis of the meme, analyzes its importance in the United States Political landscape, and welcomes Senator Little to ultimately answer the question, “Are memes an effective vehicle for connecting with the younger electorate?” Episode High Points A crash course on the cultural theory… Read more: Episode 8: The Memeification of Politics - Episode 7: The State of Our Vote
I wanted to create something where the listener couldn’t necessarily see any party bias from any of the interviewees, but if you listened close enough as a listener you could figure it out. I interviewed two first time voters in this election and got their take on what was going on now and how they… Read more: Episode 7: The State of Our Vote - Episode 6: Making A Home Out of Ann Arbor
In this episode, I sat down with Lindsay Calka to talk about homelessness in Ann Arbor, as well as urban poverty and inequality in general. We talked about how students can get involved with the community to help alleviate this problem, classes you can take to find out more about this issue, and how she… Read more: Episode 6: Making A Home Out of Ann Arbor - Episode 5: The Covid Crises and Policies
Welcome to this week of Democracy Unmuted we are joined by Mackenzie Gilson as we talk about when the world outside of the classroom becomes your greatest learning experience. We also take a look into the public health sphere and converging pandemics. Join us as we look into pandemics and policies and learn a little… Read more: Episode 5: The Covid Crises and Policies - Episode 4: Democratic Pandemic
In this episode we talk to first time voters at the University of Michigan to hear their experience throughout the unforgettable pandemic and historical election. Our mission was to get diverse insights into how students with different backgrounds and experienceswere affected by the past six months in the U.S. . Episode High Points Dara discusses… Read more: Episode 4: Democratic Pandemic - Episode 3: What If Covid Never Happened?
The world dreams of returning back to normal: when we were drifting happily through capitalism and masks weren’t apart of everyday fashion. The coronavirus pandemic disrupted our comfortable reality and has made me want to reflect on what I used to value and what I value now. In this episode, three friends discuss the internal… Read more: Episode 3: What If Covid Never Happened? - Episode 2: The Future of American Democracy
The future of American democracy certainly has more questions than answers. After all, our country’s political landscape has undergone significant changes in the past few months in all three branches of government. This episode begins to answer just how intense and impactful these changes may be. I sit down with Trevor Daley, President of LA-based… Read more: Episode 2: The Future of American Democracy - Episode 1: Democracy 2020//What’s At Stake?
What’s at stake in the 2020 election? It’s been framed as the most important election in the history of the United States. We’ve been told that the fate of our democracy is on the ballot. On top of it all, we are in the midst of a highly polarized global pandemic. Before we can begin… Read more: Episode 1: Democracy 2020//What’s At Stake? - Episode 0: Democracy Unmuted
We, the students of University of Michigan, endeavor to make Season One, a season that will explore the current state of our democracy as well as documenting these days we are living in. Join us for thirteen episodes this season, new episodes rolling out weekly. Episode High Points Episode teasers: What’s to come in Season… Read more: Episode 0: Democracy Unmuted
