Introduction

During the Spring 2021 semester, students graduating from California State University, Northridge with a minor in Queer Studies were tasked with completing a research project for their Senior Capstone, and were asked to convey the findings of that capstone project to the public in a podcast. Their podcasts are presented here in this digital exhibit, and cover a wide variety of topics that represent the multifaceted issues investigated within the interdisciplinary field of queer studies. Podcasts can be a research genre, and with the guidance of Professor Heidi Schumacher, students selected their own topics, conducted research using varied research methods (including textual analysis, interviews, autoethnography, and testimonio), and produced their own episodes by writing, recording, and editing their material. CSUN’s Queer Studies Program aims to support students as they contribute to scholarship and/or creative production and innovation in the interdisciplinary field of queer studies. We invite you to explore the scholarship and creative production of these outstanding graduates in their podcast episodes.

Message from the Director of Queer Studies

Welcome to this digital exhibit. We are excited to share podcasts produced by Queer Studies minors for their final capstone project with the world. These podcasts represent a varied sample of issues minors are passionate about and study in our program. The Queer Studies Program provides an academic home for students exploring the intellectual, cultural and material conditions that have shaped our current understandings of sexuality and gender, and for those who generate new, resistant theories and practices. These podcasts are a new and innovative manifestation of that tradition. We are proud of the work our students produce and congratulate them on their graduation with a minor in Queer Studies.

Sheena Malhotra
Director, Queer Studies Program