Nationalism, Narratives, and the Inclusive Classroom | Hao Xie #Episode 12

Nationalism, Narratives, and the Inclusive Classroom | Hao Xie #Episode 12

What happens when a scholar of nationalism and media narratives spends several years teaching undergraduates in the UK? In this episode of Anything Goes, we sit down with Dr. Hao Xie — a recent PhD graduate in CCMPS from Warwick University, and a longtime instructor in the Media and Creative Industries programme. We explore how his research on nationalist storytelling informs his everyday teaching practice, and what "inclusive education" truly means in a classroom where students come from dozens of countries and political contexts. Dr. Xie shares honest moments of classroom tension, small but high-impact inclusive teaching strategies, and how he navigates the line between academic neutrality and ethical responsibility. Finally, we look ahead: what does a PhD with teaching experience and research output actually prepare you for? If you've ever wondered how to bridge critical research with compassionate teaching — or what a "successful" PhD actually looks like beyond publications — this one’s for you.

The Rules Nobody Tells You | Sophie Redden & Ruohan Guo (Judy) #Episode 11

What happens when you put a first-year and a third-year in the same room and ask them the same questions about class, creativity, and who gets to belong? In this episode of Anything Goes, we sit down with Sophie Redden and Ruohan Guo (Judy). Sophie is a first-year who came to Warwick with an A-level in Sociology and an essay question: is being working-class a hindrance or a resource in the creative industries? Judy is a third-year who has directed the Chinese New Year Gala, interned at Shanghai TV and Ogilvy, and learned to play the game from the inside. They talk about who speaks in seminars and who stays silent. About the cost of “doing what you love” when no one is paying your rent. About the invisible rules of networking, and which ones can be unlearned. A conversation between two students, two years apart, asking the same question: does this place belong to people like us?

Learning Media, Living Inclusion | Cissy Li, Yukie Hiruta & Daisy Guinness #Episode 10

What happens when you put three students from three different countries in the same room and ask them the same question: what has this degree actually taught you? In this episode of Anything Goes, we sit down with three Media and Creative Industry undergraduates, Cissy Li, Yukie Hiruta & Daisy Guinness — from China, Japan and the UK. They've studied together, interned in different industries, and compared notes on everything from classroom dynamics to workplace culture. They talk about what their internships revealed that lectures never did. About the moments they felt like insiders — and the moments they didn't. And about the one thing they would change about their own programme if someone in charge actually asked. A conversation about learning across borders, working across cultures, and why students from three different countries often want the same thing: to be taken seriously.

Inclusion in the Classroom and Beyond ｜Caroline Griffin #Episode 9

What does it really mean to make a classroom, or an arts organisation, feel like it belongs to everyone? In this episode of Anything Goes, we sit down with Caroline Griffin to talk about inclusion across education and the arts. With her experience in arts consultancy, audience development, and teaching at the University of Warwick, Caroline reflects on how inclusive thinking can shape both the classroom and the wider cultural sector. We discuss what inclusion means in practice, how universities and arts organisations can learn from each other, and why creating inclusive spaces is not just about policy or good intentions, but about listening carefully to people’s different experiences, needs, and ways of engaging.

Who Gets to Be Creative | Chris Bilton #Episode 8

What happens when the person who studies creativity is also the person who warns us about its dangers? In this episode of Anything Goes, we sit down with Professor Chris Bilton—former community arts practitioner, founder of the MA in Creative and Media Enterprises, and a man who has spent decades asking uncomfortable questions about the industries we romanticise. We talk about what “cultural democracy” really means. About the hidden costs of doing what you love—and how to teach students to chase a dream without being devoured by it. This is a conversation about uncreativity, disappearing products, and the one small thing any teacher can do next week to make room for the people who don't yet believe they belong.