History Talk

In this episode of History Talk, hosts Jessica Blissit and Brenna Miller interview three experts on American politics—Kimberly Hamlin, Marc Horger, and Paula Baker—in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. Together, they reflect on the nature of political campaigns, the role of race, class, and gender in American politics, and what has caused and what can be done about the growing cultural and political divide occurring across the country. Join us as we consider the ways that the campaign and Donald Trump’s victory both fit and defy historical trends in American politics, and where we go from here.

Posted November 2016

Since the 1970s, the "War on Drugs" has absorbed billions of dollars, fueled armed interventions overseas, imprisoned millions of individuals, and stigmatized inner city communities--all without appearing to have produced a measurable impact on actual drug use. In this episode of History Talk, hosts Patrick Potyondy and Mark Sokolsky interview three experts on the history of drug and alcohol regulation in America: Scott Martin on 19th century temperance and alcohol prohibition, Steven Siff on the illegalization and legalization of marijuana, and Clay Howard on the “urban crisis” of the 1980s and drugs, race, and disparities in enforcement. In each segment, they consider why drugs were made illegal in the first place, whether the fight is worth the cost, and what insights history may have for addressing drug use in America today.

(Prohibition Image Source, Marijuana Image Source)

Posted October 2016

[A transcript of this podcast is available here.]

On this episode of History Talk, host Patrick Potyondy interviews Jefferson Cowie, the James G. Stahlman Chair in the Department of History at Vanderbilt University. Cowie has written extensively on American economic, racial, cultural, and political history, and is the author most recently of The Great Exception: The New Deal and the Limits of American Politics. In this interview, Cowie helps make sense of the 2016 presidential election by discussing the connections between the collapse of the New Deal exception, populism as the primary driving force of change in American politics, immigration as a key political pivot, the long-term movement of manufacturing jobs from place to place, and international trade like NAFTA and the TPP. He also explains why today's political climate looks a lot like the 1970s, not only in the electoral arena but in pop culture, too.

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Posted September 2016

On this episode of History Talk, guests Johanna Sellman, Gulsah Toronoglu, and Sabra Webber discuss the diverse and dynamic history of women in the Middle East and North Africa. Highlighting the region's great range of historical experiences, they question the idea that women's rights marks a divide between Islamic societies and the "West," explore the history of women's movements, and address the ways in which the flourishing of new media is transforming political and artistic expression throughout the Islamic world.

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Posted July 2016

[A transcript of this podcast is available here.]

As we near the centennial of the 19th Amendment—and with the possibility of America’s first female president on the horizon—History Talk takes a look at women’s role in American politics.  Guests Kimberly Hamlin, Susan Hartmann, and David Steigerwald discuss the impact of women’s suffrage in the twentieth century, the emergence of female political candidates, and the cultural and institutional hurdles faced by women seeking public office.

- Posted June 2016

[A transcript of this podcast is available here.]

Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the world's fastest-growing and most diverse regions—and also one of the most misunderstood. On this episode of History Talk, scholars Ousman Kobo, Amy Pate, and Amanda Robinson discuss ethnicity, nationality, and religion in contemporary African societies. Putting the emergence of religious extremism in a broader perspective, these experts highlight regional variations, historical developments, and the social and economic trends that are rapidly changing the face of the continent.

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Posted May 2016

On this episode of History Talk, Patrick and Mark sit down with Donald Hempson,  Lauren Henry, and Chris Otter to discuss the history of the European Union, an organization that has united Europeans in ways that were almost unthinkable a century ago. Today, the EU faces an unprecedented combination of challenges, including a lingering economic crisis, a massive influx of migrants, and the specter of terrorism.  But as our guests tell us, the EU has proven to be surprisingly resilient and adaptable, constantly reinventing itself in the face of sweeping historic changes.

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Posted March 2016

A highway bridge collapses in Minnesota, lead poisons the water of Flint, Michigan, and Americans are reminded of the fragile state of our basic infrastructure—the roads, pipes, power lines, and waterways that make modern life possible. On this episode of History Talk, panelists Steven Conn, Bernadette Hanlon, and Clay Howard discuss the history of public investment in American infrastructure, how it has reached such a perilous state, and what it can tell us about  changing conceptions of the common good. In addition, host Patrick Potyondy interviews the executive director of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Tom Smith, who updates us on how our infrastructure is holding up today.

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Posted February 2016

[A transcript of this podcast is available here.]

A History Talk Short:

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In this segment of our episode on infrastructure and public investment in the United States, host Patrick Potyondy interviews Tom Smith, the Executive Director of the American Society of Civil Engineers, who describes the current state of America's public infrastructure.

Posted February 2016

In this segment of our episode on infrastructure and public investment in the United States, host Patrick Potyondy interviews Tom Smith, the Executive Director of the American Society of Civil Engineers, who describes the current state of America's public infrastructure.

Posted February 2016

Reproduction: it's as essential to life as breathing (more, actually), yet the right to make decisions regarding one’s reproduction is among the most divisive issues of our time. On this episode, Patrick Potyondy and Mark Sokolsky sit down with Mytheli Sreenivas, Alison Norris, and Molly Farrell to discuss the past, present, and future of reproductive rights and reproductive justice. What are “reproductive rights,” and how have they evolved over time? When, how, and why did abortion become such a controversial topic in the United States? How have people managed their reproduction throughout history, and what makes our situation today different? Join us as we address these and other questions in this month's edition of History Talk.

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Posted January 2016