Welcome to Banished!
Are you troubled by the rising tides of censorship and intolerance seemingly everywhere? Dismayed by the loss of complexity and nuance in discussions about, well, seemingly everything? Frustrated that we’ve somehow shorthanded all of this with an unfortunate phrase like cancel culture? Me too.
Having grown up under a military dictatorship in Pakistan, I know well what happens when freedom of expression is threatened and people are bullied into silence. It pains me deeply to see this happening in my adopted country. As a professor, attacks on open speech and academic freedom on campus are even more alarming. Hence my podcast: Banished.
Banished is a show about our reassessment of the many people, ideas, objects and even works of art that conflict with modern sensibilities. To be clear, I have no tribe and don’t feel the need for one. So join me as I look at threats to expression across the ideological spectrum — from book bans to anti-CRT bills to the increasing dogmatism of both conservative and progressive politics. Banished is where you’ll find interesting, intellectually sophisticated and thought provoking conversations about illiberal trends. But don’t take my word for it — have a look at the iTunes ratings and reviews!
I’m excited to share these conversations with you, and I hope you’ll become a subscriber. As a free subscriber, you’ll get my semi-monthly podcast delivered right to your inbox. And if you become a paying subscriber, you’ll get bonus content including written columns, extra podcast segments, and my animated explainer videos. Plus you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you are supporting all the work we do here at Booksmart Studios.
If you like what you see here, please share my posts with friends and colleagues. Rate us on iTunes. Contribute to the conversation in the comments. And tell people about Banished. We need all hands on deck as we navigate our way through the troubled waters of our time.
— Amna Khalid
Not a *person of colour.* A colourful person.
While you are here…
Here are some of my favorite columns and episodes. Have something to say? Leave me a comment — and who knows, maybe someday you’ll be a guest on Banished.
Podcast episodes:
Columns:
We are Booksmart Studios.
Banished is part of the Booksmart Studios family of podcasts. If you like Banished, you’ll love our other shows. Give them a listen, won’t you?
I subscribed, for $7/month, for three blogs, including yours. I was just notified that "Banished" charged my credit card $1.75. What is that for? I want that money back.