“Public pedagogy, autotheory, and Egyptian female podcasters”

Abstract

This research examines six Egyptian female podcasters whose work sits at the theoretical intersection of public pedagogy and autotheory, loosely defined as a first-person narrative form of feminist expression used to challenge hegemonic discourses as a means of activism. The two theories supplement each other, especially since feminism aims to abolish sexism, and public pedagogy is a means to obtain that result. The researchers adopted American-Canadian cultural critic Henry Giroux’s (2004) theory of public pedagogy because it allows for critical dialogue to address discrimination and push for egalitarian transfiguration. Autotheory was chosen for its relation to the podcasters' life experiences and their perceived desire to disrupt traditional social and cultural norms in Egypt. A qualitative critical analysis of the podcast episodes investigated the utilization of public pedagogy highlighting societal issues, advocating for decolonization through social change and responsibility, and critical learning through personal experience. The results confirmed that public pedagogy and autotheory were prevalent in the podcasts and established that this medium could have a meaningful impact on the Egyptian digital public sphere.