June 24, 2022
Dreams of Regional Theatre
When Diane Kondrat was an aspiring actor, she didn't dream of a life in regional theater. But between working with prisoners, starting a theater company, and the teachers and collaborators she's met, it worked out pretty well.
June 10, 2022
Jack and Seigen
Jack was studying vocal performance when he met Seigen at the local Zen center. They became good friends. They took walks, stopping to look at every tree. Then Seigen asked Jack to drive him to an execution.
June 3, 2022
Trans Health Care
Sociologist stef shuster talks about how doctors’ relationships to uncertainty affects their interactions with patients who don’t fit their expectations, and other research from their book, Trans Medicine.
May 20, 2022
Festival Fest
This week, Inner States is a festival of festivals. We hear about upcoming festivals in Bloomington: Granfalloon and Bloomington Early Music. We talk about why festivals matter. We get advice on preparing for festivals. And more.
May 13, 2022
Censorship and Freedom
Three stories. One about the challenges of accessing books in prison. One about how overlooking a neighborhood’s history has affected the place. One about a comic book artist who has yet to experience writers’ block.
May 6, 2022
Mothering on Two Sides of the Atlantic
A conversation with novelist Jacinda Townsend about her new novel, which tackles the subject of motherhood from two perspectives on different sides of the world.
April 28, 2022
People from Bloomington: A Short Story Collection from Indonesia
In 1980, the Indonesian fiction writer Budi Darma published a book of short stories called People from Bloomington. The English translation came out this month. This week on Inner States, translator Tiffany Tsao on Indonesian literature, Budi Darma, and Twitter.
April 22, 2022
A Graphic Novel about the Medicalization of Death and Dying
The graphic novel Headland is about a woman in a hospital, the wilderness she visits in her mind, and the tortoise she meets there. It’s also about the medicalization of death and dying. This week, we talk with the author, Kate Schneider. Plus, Midwestern Movies, with Alicia Kozma.
April 15, 2022
Rock Opera and Other Border Crossings
Graham Reynolds has composed for film, ballet, theater. He also leads a band that puts on great live concerts. And he wrote a rock opera about Pancho Villa. This week, we talk about all that with Graham. Plus, poet Ross Gay, delighted.
April 8, 2022
Who Makes Decisions At Work
A lot of people who’ve quit jobs lately thought they were sticking it to the man. But their employers - and coworkers - apparently didn’t realize. This week, anthropologist Ilana Gershon on power in the workplace and what it means for democracy. Plus, a conversation with singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams.
April 8, 2022
A Conversation with Lucinda Williams
Yaël Ksander talks with singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams about the twists and turns of her career, the cost of sticking to your guns artistically, her evolving relationship with the dark side, and … men.
April 1, 2022
Two Rivers, One Watershed
Indiana doesn’t touch the Mississippi River, but it’s still bound up with it. This week, we talk with Monique Verdin, Liz Brownlee, and others, about those connections. Plus, a review of Ian Woollen’s Sister City.
March 18, 2022
Serious Thoughts About Laughing Matters
A while back, political scientist Christopher DeSante tried to convince his fellow grad students to watch Dave Chappelle instead of reading for their qualifying exams. It didn’t work. This week on Inner States, we talk about the politics of humor.
March 11, 2022
Henry and Alice
Henry Gray is about to turn 100. This week, he reflects on the 70 years he had with his wife, Alice, on growing up in Indiana, and on getting old. And Kaity Radde visits the Bloomington Catholic Worker.
March 4, 2022
Felt Thoughts, Paper Gestures
A conversation with fiber artist Fafnir Adamites about textiles in political movements, and making space for intergenerational trauma. Also, a review of two debut novels by women.
February 25, 2022
Southern Rock, Midwestern Soul
This week on Inner States, music critic Stephen Deusner talks about the book he wrote about the Drive-By Truckers, the South, and more. Plus, a review of a local band that made President Obama’s best-of list.
