Outsiders within: podcasting as decolonizing methodology

Purpose We created and launched The Outsider Within: Critical Issues in Education podcast, and after three seasons, we wondered if and how this new media storytelling platform was influencing anti-public education initiatives, and whose voices were being amplified. We, the moderators, identify as a diverse group of scholars and were compelled to conduct this study as the United States public educational environment is again a target for anti-public education supporters. Design/methodology/approach We used a novel research method, podcast ethnographic methodology from an Intersectionality as Critical Social Theory standpoint. From our myriad intersectional and critical perspectives, we used the podcast episodes as the ethnographic field site for this study. We used the Outsider Within guests’ recordings to interpret and evidence the interpreted meanings. Findings We found three interrelated themes that speak to informing, empowering, and resisting – “Education for All,” “Education as Activism/Resistance” and “Challenging (Re)Public(an) Education.” These themes highlight the multifaceted role of education in addressing systemic challenges and envisioning a more equitable future. Originality/value This research and our podcast are accessible to anyone with Internet access and concerned about the US public education system. Unlike the last time, when public education attacks focused on K-12 schools, banning books and altering historical accounts, this time the targets are the education systems, policy and infrastructure. The goal is to dismantle the education system. US public education supporters must be informed to resist, and podcasts like The Outsiders Within may be on the frontlines.