Speech, or voice, is a fundamental aspect of human life. It serves as an extension of the self, attached to identity. How does a rhetor or speaker identify and shape their own voice to appeal to their audience? And how does the rhetor’s chosen medium function as a sculptor of voice and identity? I will be focusing my research on a popular form of media that relies on voice as a delivery technique: podcasts. My project will take the form of a podcast that I will draft and edit myself, along with a submitted script for the instructor’s analytical purposes.
I feel as though my time at MSU has focused mainly on rhetoric in relation to writing, which is logical. However, as a writer, I am required to use my voice to communicate my ideas in personal interactions in and outside of the classroom on a daily basis. This is an essential part of life for nearly everyone; an individual’s voice is viewed as an extension of themselves. I have not personally found much explication of the relationship between the act of speech and identity.
I care about this topic because I enjoy singing, but am also a consumer of news, film, radio, and especially music— all forms of media that utilize voice as an extension of identity. As a student, and more importantly as an English major, the way I can express myself vocally is an important part of my own identity, and plays a crucial role in the way that I interact with the world. As a consumer of mediums that rely on the use of vocal expression from the rhetor, I’m curious about how voice can potentially function as a rhetorical tool. The pieces of research that I will be utilizing for this assignment are academic papers, youtube videos, and magazine articles.
Below are some of the sources I will be addressing in my podcast project:
Yannuzi, Thomas J., and Daniela Martin. “Voice, Identity and the Organizing of Student Experience: Managing Pedagogical Dilemmas in Critical Classroom Discussions” Teaching in Higher Education, 2014, Vol. 19, No. 6.
Thomas J. Yannuzi and Daniela Martin analyze the role of voice and identity in discussion based higher education classrooms, and argue that classrooms focusing on discussions should seek to develop the student’s voice. Yannuzi and Martin posit that voice serves as a vital tool to the student’s everyday life, and helps them to express and interact with their world, which contains complex situations. Through a focus on shifting classroom dynamics from passive to active, the authors create an unflattering image of the contemporary educational setting.
This paper is important to my research in that it addresses some of my primary concerns about the role of voice, how it’s used in rhetorical settings, and why the development of voice for the student is essential to real-world participation.
Schall, Sonja Kiebel, Stefan J.Maess, and Burkhard von Kriegstein, Katharina. “Voice Identity Recognition: Functional Division of the Right STS and Its Behavioral Relevance”, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2015, Vol. 27 Issue 2, p280-291.
These authors conducted a scientific study that focused on the superior temporal sulcus, or STS which is an area of the brain widely believed to be essential to the creation of identity and expression. This area of the brain was believed to have an unknown relationship to voice recognition and speech processing, but the experiment proved otherwise. Using magneto-encephalography helmets on participants, the researchers noted a spike in STS-region brain activity following the completion of a voice recognition/speech task.
This study brings hard science to the table, and adds dimension to my paper. While not directly related to podcasts, radio, film, movies, or news, the ability to incorporate scientific research that has noted increased brain activity in relationship to voice and speech related-activities is beneficial to answering my own research question.
Dean, Michelle. “Voices of America”. New Republic. Apr2017, Vol. 248 Issue 4, p56-57.
Dean Michelle’s article discusses podcasts, their effect on the host’s agency, and their cultural role in America. Michelle’s article addresses the popularity of podcasts, and how podcasts can be viewed as a form of “cultural snobbery”, due to their unorthodox delivery style and fairly new arrival as a popular form of media. Serial, a popular murder-themed podcast from 2014, created by Sarah Koenig, is used an example for Michelle to explain that podcasts are ultimately free to be composed of anything; that is, the creator has no limitations, other than the listener must be able to hear what is being presented.
Michelle’s piece strikes me as a relaxed and opinionated view on podcasts and her ability to draw in real-world impact of a successful podcast gives my argument fuel to draw upon, and gives me the opinion of someone more qualified.
Rogan, Joe. “The Joe Rogan Experience” Youtube. Joe Rogan Experience #1169 – Elon Musk, 2018.
The Joe Rogan Experience is a podcast that takes the form of a conversation, usually with Joe Rogan, The host, interviewing an expert in a certain field. This particular podcast (which includes video) was recorded in September of 2018, and is a conversation about technology that takes place between Elon Musk and Joe Rogan. This podcast is now generally infamous, with Musk losing his position at Tesla Corporation over his recorded use of cannabis.
This interview represents the growing acceptance and cultural relevancy of podcasts, and their ability to create ripple effects in other areas, such as business. It shows that podcasts are a developing mode of expression, but one that still can be censored.
Levine, Mike. “Producing Pro Podcasts”. Electronic Musician. Dec2007, Vol. 23 Issue 13, p30-39.
Levine’s essay works around a definition of what a professional podcast is. Because the medium of podcasts is so free-form, this creates a lot of artistic room for the creator to take their own angle and create a show that is unique. However, Levine argues that professionals should use high-quality audio editing software, and that the use of these programs can allow the user to create special effects that enhance the listener’s experience. These programs allow the creator edit their voice, adding new layers to the relationship between voice and identity.
I chose to consider this piece in my essay because I am concerned about form, identity, and accessibility in regards to podcasts. Levine addresses all three, and as a layperson getting involved in podcasts for the first time, I’m considering his opinion as an expert.
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