Season Two Guests

In this podcast episode, Sean O'Dwyer interviews Associate Professor Christopher Haswell about his book "Lost in Citations," which uses podcast interviews as a source of qualitative investigation. The project, which began in 2015, has amassed 208 interviews with researchers, educators, and writers from diverse fields. Haswell highlights the podcast's unique ability to humanize academic voices and provide a platform for in-depth discussions. He discusses the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the project, the use of grounded theory in qualitative analysis, and the importance of overcoming imposter syndrome in academic writing. The podcast has seen significant success, with over 65,000 downloads.

Keywords:

Podcast interviews, qualitative investigation, academic project, loss and citations, humanizing element, conference presentations, psychological impact, grounded theory, register analysis, academic communication, research and publishing, imposter syndrome, networking, international collaboration, podcast success.

Episode #202:

Edgar A. Porter (Ritsumeikan APU)

Porter, E. A. (2026). Calvin to Mao and beyond:

A memoir. Kamuela: Deuxmers.

Episode Blog

Overview:

Edgar Porter, an emeritus professor from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, discusses his memoir "Calvin to Mao and Beyond." Porter reflects on his journey from the Jim Crow South to international education, influenced by his experiences in China and his involvement in Marxist movements. He emphasizes the importance of personal history and thematic storytelling in memoirs, contrasting them with autobiographies. Porter highlights the importance of justice, equality, and how ideologies shape societal structures. He also shares insights on the evolution of his beliefs, from Calvinist theology to Marxism, and the value of self-authoring for personal growth and historical understanding.

Keywords:

memoir, Calvin to Mao, Edgar Porter, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, intercultural communication, oral history, family archives, justice, Marxism, China, Cultural Revolution, international education, globalization, self-authoring

Episode #203:

Ute Römer-Barron (Georgia State University)

Römer-Barron, U. (2024). How do constructions

with modal verbs develop in second language

learners of English? Journal of Second Language

Studies, 7(2), 198–226.

Episode Blog

Overview:

Dr. Ute Römer-Barron, a professor at Georgia State University, discusses her research on how second-language learners of English develop modal verb constructions. She explains her transition from Germany to the University of Michigan, where she managed the Michigan Corpus of Upper-level Student Papers (MICUSP). Her paper, published in the Journal of Second Language Studies, compares L1 German and Spanish learners' use of modal constructions and finds higher frequencies in German learners. She highlights the importance of transparency in terminology and the potential for pedagogical applications. Dr. Barron also mentions ongoing projects on high-frequency verbs and early language development.

Keywords:

Corpus linguistics, second language learners, modal verbs, construction grammar, Michigan Corpus, academic writing, learner data, proficiency levels, reference corpus, pedagogical materials, verb argument constructions, frequency information, research monograph, usage-based approach, language acquisition.

Episode #204:

Andrew Johnstone (University of Glasgow)

Johnstone, A. (Host). (2025, February 18).

How did Hello Kitty help fight the rise of

underage escort services? [Audio podcast episode].

https://www.patreon.com/SeeminglyUnrelated/posts/how-did-hello-of-122463678

Episode Blog

Overview:

Andrew Johnstone, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, discusses his podcast "Seemingly Unrelated," which explores connections between seemingly disparate topics. In the episode "How did Hello Kitty help fight the rise of underage escort services?" Johnstone delves into the historical and social contexts of these issues. He emphasizes the importance of grounded theory and narrative building in his research. Johnstone also highlights the practical considerations of podcast production, such as time constraints and audience engagement. He notes that while some episodes are more serious, others are designed to be engaging and thought-provoking, challenging listeners' perspectives on various social constructs.

Keywords:

Podcasting, media culture, dialectical deep dives, historical documents, research skills, grounded theory, narrative building, audience engagement, social constructs, gender norms, podcast planning, academic research.

Episode #205:

Chris Nicklin (Temple University)

Nicklin, C., McLean, S., & Vitta, J. P. (2026). Contrasting

fixed‐ and mixed‐effects modeling in vocabulary research:

Reanalyzing Laufer (2024) and McLean et al. (2020).

Language Learning, 76(1), 211–248.

https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12715

Episode Blog

Overview:

Chris Cooper interviews Dr. Christopher Nicklin, Assistant Professor at Temple University, Japan, about his new role and recent collaborations. Nicklin discusses his co-authored book on statistics in second language research, which introduces JASP and mixed-effects models. He explains the importance of mixed-effects models in vocabulary research, noting their ability to account for person and item variance and produce smaller effect sizes. Nicklin emphasizes the need for replication studies and collaboration, sharing insights on how to justify replications and the benefits of multi-site samples. He also highlights the importance of extensive reading and the challenges of securing research funding.

Keywords:

Temple University, mixed effects models, vocabulary research, fixed effects, replication studies, collaboration, second language research, statistics, R programming, JASP, AI in programming, research productivity, data analysis, linguistic distance, generalizability.

Episode #206:

Andrew Hall (Kyushu University)

Hall, A. (2026). The postwar socialist student movement

in Fukuoka: Revolutionary violence and electoral victory.

Episode Blog

Overview:

Andrew Hall, an associate professor at Kyushu University, discusses his

research on the post-war socialist student movement in Fukuoka, focusing

on the 1968 plane crash incident at Kyushu University. The crash, which involved an American Air Force plane, sparked a significant student demonstration. Hall highlights Kyushu University's unique role because of its proximity to coal mines and the influence of Marxist professor Sakisaka Itsuro. He also explores the broader context of the student movement, its connection to the labor movement, and the Vietnam War's impact. The research includes interviews with former students and faculty, providing new insights into this period of Japanese history.

Keywords:

Post-war student activism, socialist student movement, Kyushu University, American Air Force plane crash, Vietnam War protests, labor movement, Marxist professor Sakisaka, New Left, university autonomy, student-worker alliance, anti-imperialism, Japanese leftist ideology, student barricades, campus unrest, historical research.

Episode #207:

Robert Stroud (Hosei University)

Stroud, R. (2026). To bot or not: Do chatbots make better

planning partners than humans for EFL group discussions?.

System, 142, 104133.

Overview:

Robert Stroud, a professor at Hosei University, discussed his recent work using AI chatbots to help low-confidence, high-anxiety students prepare for lesson-based speaking activities.

Keywords:

Chatbots, Anxiety, Language learning, AI technology, Pedagogy, Human connection, Cognitive load, Digital transformation, Data security, Online community, Professional development, Academic ethics, Communication, Critical thinking, Social media

#201 - Haswell

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#202 - Porter

#203 - Roemer-Barron

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#204 - Johnstone

#205 - Nicklin

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#206 - Hall

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207 - Stroud

Season Two Guests

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