July 27th, 2026
Listen to the College of Social Sciences and Humanities podcast:
Episode 26: The Cultural Politics of Sleep
A conversation with political scientist and philosopher Cressida Heyes about her popular podcast “Sleep is the New Sex,” a lively and compelling exploration of research across disciplines into the significance of sleep in our lives, our cultures, and the way we understand the world.
When the sun goes down, the rules change. From who has the right to sleep and when, to why kings can’t afford to nod off, in the last episode of season 1 Joshua and Cressida talk to political and legal theorist Jon Goldberg-Hiller about his book, Law By Night.
Who is represented sleeping, where, and why? In this episode we start from the “Asians sleeping in public” memes of the 20-teens. How do these goofy Tumblrs connect to techno-orientalism, information capitalism, model minorities, and histories of anti-Asian racism? Join us with guest Danielle Wong to get the full story.
The 2024 Pelicot case in France is only one in a long string of sexual assaults against women who are unconscious. Joshua and Cressida talk with Megan Burke about why these are not isolated incidents, and how to think about the eroticization of vulnerable sleepers.
Join the Sleep is the New Sex team for a short holiday bonus episode in which we discuss winter spirits and Santa figures, invisible labour, and the night as a time of lawlessness and transformation.
The ways we talk about sleep and money invite conversations about productivity, debt, capital, and morality. Join Cressida and Joshua as they talk with Rob Aitken, scholar of global financialization, about sleep debt, debt forgiveness, and whether there is any rest for the wicked.
Cressida and Joshua talk about sleep in art with Danielle Drees. From art about sleep, to watching actors and celebrities sleep, to sleeping audiences, why does something so seemingly dull feature in so much feminist performance art of the last fifty years?
We always hear that the world is speeding up. We need Slow culture as an antidote! But these claims misrepresent the interconnectedness of “temporal infrastructures” that make some people’s time (and sleep) dependent on others. Join Joshua and Cressida in conversation with Sarah Sharma about Liquid Man, goblin mode, and selfie-care.
During the COVID-19 pandemic many people worked not only from home but from bed. In this episode Cressida and Joshua talk with guest Hannah Haugen about that experience, as well as the history of the bed, celebrities, and how the private becomes public.
For many people the first time they will experience acute sleep deprivation is when they have a baby. Can sleep coaches help? We talk with Jeanique Tucker about the first study of infant sleep coaches in Canada.
Getting your zzz’s helps you stay youthful and refreshed! Join hosts Cressida and Joshua in conversation with Meredith Jones on the politics of sleeping beauties, makeover culture, and corpse chic.
