American Prestige

Danny and Derek speak with David Halperin, retired professor of Jewish studies at UNC Chapel Hill, about his book Intimate Alien: The Hidden Story of the UFO. The group looks at the phenomenon of UFO encounters as part of a longer tradition of mythology, examining their relationship to the historical epochs in which they occur, their place in politics and culture, and what ultimately the search for aliens says about our own views of humanity.

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In the second half of a double header, Samuel Moyn, Chancellor Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale, speaks with Danny and Derek about our aged political leaders. The group touches on the history of gerontocracy in politics, what about it specifically reflects American culture around aging and mortality, why anyone would want to spend their final y…

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays Danny and Derek from the headlines. This week: Global military spending reached new heights in 2023 (0:31); a Gaza update (3:51); a major exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah (12:12); contentioius election results in Pakistan (14:38); reports of the military in disarray in Myanmar (19:08); Indonesia holds a general election (22:36); protests continue in Senegal (25:11); allegations of a massacre in Ethiopia (27:19); Russia might be planning for space nukes (29:58); Venezuela is massing troops on the Guyana border (33:17); and an update on the United States’ military supplemental (36:17).

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Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, speaks with Danny and Derek about Israel’s imminent attack on Rafah in southern Gaza, the state of the Palestinian diaspora four months into this war, the prospect of a lasting ceasefire, and more.

Mohammad’s latest for AJ+.

Recorded Wednesday, February 14, 2024

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Derek speaks with Elizabeth Shackelford, former U.S. diplomat and current foreign affairs columnist for The Chicago Tribune, about U.S. involvement across Africa. They talk about Elizabeth’s own history in Somalia and South Sudan, America’s understanding of the places in which it’s involved, the generational timeline needed to change the trajectory of foreign policy, where the securitized view of Africa began, how the U.S. has approached places like Burkina Faso and Cameroon, and what a better U.S. policy in Africa might look like.

Elizabeth’s report with Ethan Kessler and Emma Sanderson, “Less is More: A New Strategy for US Security Assistance to Africa”.

Elizabeth’s book The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age.

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Samuel Moyn, Chancellor Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale, makes his return to the pod to discuss his book Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times. The group examines the Cold War liberal intellectuals featured in the book like Isaiah Berlin, Gertrude Himmelfarb, and Karl Popper, the interwar roots of Americ…

Danny and Derek are just the messengers. This week: the U.S. hits targets in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the American troops killed in Jordan (0:30); Israel refuses Hamas’ terms for a ceasefire as IDF troops enter Rafah (6:06); in the Philippines, a feud between Sebastian Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. escalates (11:46); in Sudan, humanitarian assistance is cut off and telecom services are down as the catastrophe intensifies (15:04); President Macky Sall postpones elections in Senegal (17:47); Ukrainian president Zelensky fires top general Valerii Zaluzhnyi while a U.S. aid bill is stuck in Congress (22:23); in the Netherlands, coalition talks for the Geert Wilders-led government falter (26:38); the Colombian government extends its ceasefire with the ELN, while the latter swears off kidnapping (29:41); protests in Haiti demand the resignation of president Ariel Henry (31:22); Joe Biden's top Asia aide Kurt Campbell is confirmed as the new Deputy Secretary of State (33:21); and a new climate report says the opportunity for limiting warming to 1.5°C might be gone (34:26).

Note: Zelensky’s firing of Zaluzhnyi was officially announced after the time of recording

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Danny and Derek welcome back Ken Klippenstein, investigative reporter for The Intercept, to discuss his recent piece detailing the situation at Tower 22, a U.S. garrison in Jordan that was struck by drones last month wherein three troops were killed. They discuss the site’s purported purpse, its inadequate defenses, and service members’ frustration with…

Danny and Derek welcome back Samuel Huneke, assistant professor of history at George Mason University, to talk about his new book, A Queer Theory of the State. The group discusses the various notions of queer theory and the state, how queer politics and activism can engage in state power, the neoliberal contingent of the queer community, where thinkers from Michel Foucault to Judith Sklar fit into this, and Sam’s vision of what a queer state might look like.

Be sure to check out Sam’s past AP appearances in Queer Theory and the Queer Germany series.

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Danny and Derek are again with Djene Bajalan, associate professor of history at Missouri State University, discussing Kurdish history. This episode takes a step back to catch up on the situation for Kurdish peoples outside of Turkey after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Picking up at the end of the first World War, the conversation focuses on Kurds in t…