The Seminary Co-op Bookstores in Chicago recently launched Open Stacks, a podcast featuring "conversations with scholars, poets, novelists and activists on subjects as eclectic as the books on our shelves, from under-the-radar debates in the academy to pressing contemporary social issues, and from bestselling works of fiction to avant-garde poetics." The programs are recorded live at the Seminary Co-op Bookstores and partnering spaces. Open Stacks is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Stitcher and wherever podcasts are found.
The early episodes included philosophers Jonathan Lear and Martha Nussbaum discussing the role irrational minds play in the pursuit of happiness; Michael Eric Dyson discussing identity politics, the myth of whiteness, and the 2016 election; China Mieville reflecting on the continued importance of the Russian Revolution; and more. On the most recent Open Stacks episode, activist Dr. David Ansell discussed his book The Death Gap: How Inequality Kills; and New York Times health journalist Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal talked about her work An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back.
Current plans call for Open Stacks to expand its segments. While primarily highlighting visiting authors, the podcast "is adding light touches of the store and our surrounding community," the Seminary Co-op noted. "We'll also be going Off-Topic, inviting authors to talk about unexpectedly beloved reads."