Conversations in World History

I speak with Robert Darnton, professor emeritus of Harvard University about his book The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789.

I speak with Andrew Porwancher, professor of history at Arizona State University about his new book American Maccabee: Theodore Roosevelt and the Jews, which is published by Princeton University Press. 

I speak with Jonathan Reynolds about African Independence Movements in Algeria, Guinea, Senegal, Kenya, and Congo. Dr. Reynolds is a professor of African and World History at Northern Kentucky University and the former president of the World History Association. He is a wealth of knowledge on all things Africa and just an overall blast to speak with. You can also check out my episode with him on Africa and the Cold War. 

I speak with Dario Montero de Caso, professor of sociology at Universidad de Chile in Santiago. Dario is an old friend of mine and the author of the recently published book La Formación de la Sociedad Moderna. Tomo I”: Nacionalismo e individualismo (Formation of Modern Society. 1st Volume: Nationalism and Individualism).

It is a fantastic conversation with a great friend and brilliant scholar. I hope you enjoy it!

I speak with Rachel Kousser, a professor of Greek and Roman Art and Architecture at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center. She is also the author of the recent book, which received widespread rave reviews, Alexander at the End of the World -- about the last seven years of the life of Alexander the Great.

In addition to this great new book, Rachel recommends:

Plutarch's Biography of Alexander the Great

Stacey Schiff's book Cleopatra

I speak with Professor Emeritus David Nasaw of the CUNY Graduate Center. We discuss his fantastic book The Last Million about the displaced persons and DP camps after WWII. I read this book to learn more about the four years my grandparents spent as refugees in Germany after the war and to learn how and why they came to the USA when they did. David Nasaw has also written award-winning biographies of Andrew Carnegie, William Randolph Hearst, and Joseph Kennedy. 

I speak with Stefanos Geroulanos, professor of history at NYU, about his new book The Invention of Prehistory and how humans have thought, written, and discussed our deepest past.

I speak with Professor Emeritus Judith Bennett about medieval women. Judith was a professor at USC-Dornsife as well as UNC Chapel Hill and she wrote the wonderful book A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock among others. 

Eugene Park is a professor of East Asian and Korean history at the University of Nevada-Reno. He earned his PhD from Harvard University in 1999 and has published numerous books and articles including the recent Korea: A History, which is the subject of our discussion.

In this episode, I speak with Karen Stohr about issues of ethics and morality involved in Hamas' terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens and Israel's retaliation. We discuss a variety of topics and questions in the abstract (or via other examples) to zoom away from the current crisis in order to discuss larger principles. Karen is a professor of metaphysics and moral philosophy at Georgetown University. Among other books, she has written Choosing Freedom: A Kantian Guide for Life, which I loved. 

Here are some websites and podcasts Karen recommends:

Elucidations podcast

Unmuted podcast

War (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Why We Argue | Humility & Conviction in Public Life (uconn.edu)