More than Dissemination: Podcasting as a Research Method with ‘Acquisition Disorder’
At Research Podcasts, we often talk about podcasting as a powerful tool for research communication. But every so often, a project comes along that pushes the boundaries of what the medium can actually be. Acquisition Disorder, a new three-part mini-series by Izzy Bartley, is exactly that: an innovative example of podcasting functioning not just as a final output, but as a research method.
From Workshop to Production
We first met Izzy in 2023 during our “Introduction to Podcasting” workshop for the White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH) at the University of York. It has been a joy to watch her journey from that initial training session to the launch of this excellent series.
While Research Podcasts provided the foundational training, support, and publishing platform, the heavy lifting was all Izzy. She took the skills learned in our workshop to plan, record and edit these episodes herself, proving that with the right support and a bit of imagination, high-quality podcasting is an achievable method for all researchers.
Play as a Shared Method
Acquisition Disorder centres on a unique premise: inviting museum professionals, researchers, and community members to sit around a table, play board games, and think collectively about colonial histories.
Rather than analysing games from a distance, Izzy uses play as a shared method to lower barriers to engagement. The series demonstrates how knowledge is shaped through real-time interaction, disagreement, and curiosity.
Episode 1: Archaeology: The New Expedition – Izzy is joined by Archaeologists Kat Baxter and Nura Hassan to explore the impact of Indiana Jones on archaeology, the repatriation of artefacts and the importance of restoring personhood to human remains.
Episode 2: Ticket to Ride: India – John McGoldrick, Curator of Industrial History at Leeds Museums and Galleries and Poonam Sharma, a researcher at the University of Leeds and former Assistant Professor at the University of Delhi play Ticket to Ride with Izzy and in doing so revealed the importance of the railway as a tool of empire.
Episode 3: Papua – How does the game Papua reflect past museum practices and colonial violences? Clare Brown and Rathi Tamilselven from Leeds Museums and Galleries join Izzy to play and in doing so have challenging conversations about the museum sector.
In this context, play isn’t a distraction from serious scholarship – it is the very engine of the research. It allows different forms of expertise to coexist and produces knowledge through dialogue across disciplines.
Why This Matters for Researchers – Podcasting as a research method
Izzy’s work models a participatory approach where authority is shared rather than assumed. It moves away from the idea of research being “delivered from on high” and instead treats it as something created together.
If you’ve been thinking of a podcast as just a way to talk about your finished results, Acquisition Disorder is your invitation to think differently. It shows that the microphone can be a tool for gathering data, facilitating difficult conversations, and uncovering new insights in real time.
Ready to turn your research into a conversation?
If you are interested in the training that helped Izzy launch this project check out our Introduction to Podcasting for Researchers Workshop or book a free consultation with our Director of Training and Production Krissie Brighty-Glover now.
