If you’ve ever been a kid you’ve heard a story. Sharing stories is something we do like no other species—it's a fundamental part of the human experience. Stories order the world and make sense of it as a coherent narrative. They entertain, instruct, move.

In this course, we’ll look at a particular form of storytelling—documentary audio—and ask why it works, and how. The recent popular success of shows like Serial, Invisibilia and Radiolab suggests that audio storytelling has entered a golden age. Together, we'll listen to and critique episodes from a range of documentary programs, whether it’s a pioneering show like This American Life or a boutique podcast produced in someone’s garage. We’ll go behind the scenes and hear about the basics of story research, production and editing from professional guests who work in radio production. And we’ll ask whether the anthropology of storytelling, and storytelling in anthropology, has anything to offer the business of radio documentary. You’ll also develop one short audio story or interview of your choice.

You don't need to have any prior experience or interest in audio editing, podcasting or ethnography to take this course, just an eagerness to hear—and tell—great stories, and a willingness to ask probing questions about why they work, and how. At the end of the semester, we’ll share a selection of your audio-shorts in a mini-exhibit.