APSU’s newest podcast: “The Humanscape of Clarksville”
By: Spencer Castleberry October 2, 2023
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The Institute for the Public Humanities (IPH) at Austin Peay State University (APSU) has announced a new podcast: “The Humanscape of Clarksville.” IPH hopes to showcase Clarksville’s humanities by diving into its history and investigating its cultural impact, using APSU as a hub.
IPH is part of APSU’s College of Arts and Letters, and it focuses on bringing people in Clarksville and Middle Tennessee together for public benefit. The organization sets up engaging activities to build relationships with the community in and around APSU and hopes to foster a beneficial relationship between the University's scholarly studies and the community history.
“Our monthly podcast episodes are called The Humanscape of Clarksville, where we hear stories from community members on various topics,” Professor Kathy Lee Heuston, coordinator of IPH, said. “The importance of the humanities in our daily lives is highlighted in each episode as we get to hear their stories.”
“The Humanscape of Clarksville” is a direct continuation of IPH’s goals. The podcast will delve into the humanities and what they mean to different people concerning the city of Clarksville. The podcast's first episode will focus on Dunbar Cave, a longtime Clarksville attraction.
Clarksville’s own David Britton, manager of Dunbar Cave State Park, and APSU art professor Dr. Tamara Smithers will be featured in the episode as they discuss Dunbar Cave’s cultural significance to the city. The second episode will continue the discussion, with Britton discussing his personal narrative and how he got involved with the park.
IPH is seeking listeners' opinions on discussed topics throughout the podcast and welcomes general feedback on the podcast to improve it.
In addition to experts from Clarksville, IPH brings in speakers and guests from all over Middle Tennessee to preserve foundational knowledge of the state and its history. IPH also wishes to expand training and programming for Austin Peay students and faculty to create space for public humanities in people’s lives.
IPH was established in 2021 and has been reaching out to the community ever since. IPH’s members believe that spending time and effort building relationships with the community will benefit everyone. Knowing local history and information leads to a better sense of community that may be lacking, and the organization is trying to change that with its efforts, including the new podcast.
“The IPH is an excellent illustration of the university's role as a hub for humanistic investigation that serves the general welfare,” Heuston said.
The current IPH board members cover many topics with their expertise. The following is a list of board members who are involved with “The Humanscape of Clarksville” podcast:
- Professor Kathy Lee Heuston, Coordinator
- Dr. Tamara Smithers, Department of Art + Design
- Professor Karen Bullis, Department of Communication
- Dr. Patricia Halbeck, Department of Music
- Dr. Dzavid Dzanic, Department of History & Philosophy
- Professor David Ellison, Department of Communication
- Professor Darren Michael, Department of Theatre & Dance
- Dr. Florian Gargaillo, Department of Languages & Literature
For more information about IPH, visit https://www.apsu.edu/coal/public_humanities.php.