In this special celebratory episode, host Francine Barchett reunites with Michael Kirkpatrick Miller, a PhD candidate in Cornell’s Department of History, who happens to be the original creator of the Gatty Rewind podcast! Michael shares fresh insights from his dissertation on Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, focusing on how the colonial state constructed Ambonese men as a “martial race” through the unlikely lens of football. From masculinity and loyalty to colonial control, Michael unpacks how sports became a tool of empire—and how Ambonese soldiers and athletes pushed back against these narratives. The conversation then turns personal as Michael reflects on his wide-ranging academic journey at the Cornell Southeast Asia Program, where he’s explored everything from horses to food to gender.

 

Lightning round: 3:42

 

Research and Lecture Summary: 14:43

 

Advice for researchers and recommendations: 52:13 

 

Michael's Top Recommendations:

• Rasa Tanah Air: Awal Perkembangan Kuliner Indonesia di Mancanegara pada Akhir Abad ke-19 hingga 1940-an - Fadly Rahman

 

The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.

 

Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu