‘Unpacking the complexities’ of authorship on This American Life

Abstract

Addressing questions about the ethics of genre and social processes of verification, this paper examines the popular radio podcast This American Life's recent, high-profile retraction of Mike Daisey's The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. In his first-person monologue, Daisey seemingly recounts his confrontation with the horrific labour conditions of Shenzhen, China's manufacturing industry. However, Ira Glass, the programme's producer and host, subsequently disclaimed that Daisey had conflated and composed the most compelling details in the story, betraying the rules of genre. In the wake of this revelation, important questions about how the monologue came to be verified as a witness testimony arise. For instance, how did Daisey create ‘the aura of authenticity’ that supported his work? Furthermore, what role did the audience and facilitating cultural institutions play in this authentication process? My paper explores this provocative case and what it reveals about the social nature of authorship in intermedial contexts.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ashley Barnwell

Ashley Barnwell teaches sociology at the University of New South Wales. Her research is about the politics of truth-telling and methodology. She has also published work on identity hoaxes and family history research.