Why Academic Writing Must Change: Dr. Leonard Cassuto on Readers, Jargon, and Story

In this episode of Business Talk, host Deepak Bhatt sits down with Dr. Leonard Cassuto, Professor of English at Fordham University, to explore his 2024 book Academic Writing as If Readers Matter, published by Rutgers University Press. Drawing on his training at Columbia and Harvard, authorship of more than ten books, and national leadership in graduate education reform through organizations such as the Mellon Foundation and the Modern Language Association, Dr. Cassuto reflects on why so much academic writing fails its readers and how it can be transformed. He presents writing as a human act of connection rather than mere information transfer, urging scholars to recognize their ethical responsibility to communicate clearly, honor their readers’ time and attention, and rebuild trust between universities and the wider society. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Leonard Cassuto shared key insights from his book, “Academic Writing as if Readers Matter”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.