Podcast Review: American Hysteria

Abstract

American Hysteria explores the impact of conspiracy theories, moral panics, crazes, and "fantastical thinking" on our cultural landscape and their role in society. The podcast puts sociology, anthropology, history, and psychology in conversation to examine how widespread fantastical thinking develops and why we might adopt beliefs that reflect a questionable reality. With 157 episodes to date and a new one released every two weeks, the podcast's host, Chelsey Weber-Smith, covers a variety of topics from toys and children's programming, to multilevel marketing schemes, to holidays, to the paranormal. Weber-Smith also discusses the cultural history of current events and phenomena such as movements against reproductive rights and health care, gender-reveal parties, the "gay agenda," influencers, terrorism, and religious extremism. Given this, American Hysteria provides excellent material for courses across the sociology curriculum and at all levels, including those that are crossdisciplinary or team-taught by faculty with different areas of expertise. Attention to inequalities and systems of oppression makes this podcast a particularly useful text for teaching sociology.The five seasons of the show each have broad themes to organize the episodes. Season one is the most general, introducing listeners to the overarching issues and narratives covered in the podcast, although there is heavy attention paid to the Satanic Panic phenomenon and hauntings. Season two focuses on the "fantastical thinking that has shaped American culture," including popular culture, politics, and religion with noted intersectional discussions (season two,