Past Present

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the historical significance of the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Capitol riots, pundits have reflected on how much of a turning point it was. Natalia referred to this Washington Post piece by Sam Tanenhaus and Kerry Howley's New York profile of three rioters. Niki wrote about the longer slide toward illiberalism that the riots represented, and Neil cited a New York piece by Rick Perlstein that considered the incident in the longer context of American authoritarianism.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia discussed Molly Young's New York Times Magazine article "How Disgust Explains Everything."
• Neil recommended Robert W. Fieseler's book, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Upstairs Lounge Fire and The Rise of Gay Liberation.
• Niki shared Max Tani's POLITICO article, "Lawrence O'Donnell Was on TV Life Support. Now He's MSNBC's Most Critical Anchor."

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the history of Christmas cards.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• Holiday cards have remained popular amid the digitization of many other print products. Neil referred to this Washington Post article by Peter Manseau about the trend of Christmas photos with guns. Natalia drew on this Atlantic piece about the popularity of holiday cards among millennials. Niki discussed the morbid imagery on nineteenth century Christmas cards explored in this History Channel post.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia shared about her first piece for CNN Opinion, " Big's Clapback Sells a Familiar Fantasy."
• Neil discussed Gabe Stutman's Jewish News article, "A Carmel School Refused to allow an inflatable menorah at a 'holiday tree' lighting. A Jewish parent filed a lawsuit."
• Niki recommended Melissa Borja's Patheos article, "Delightful Trolling and the Political Possibilities of Christmas Carols."

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss Dr. Oz running for the U.S. Senate and the history of celebrity politicians.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• Celebrity doctor-entertainer Mehmet Oz is running for Senate in Pennsylvania, as a Republican. Niki drew on historian Kathryn Brownell's book, Showbiz Politics: Hollywood in American Political Life, and Neil referred to Nicholas Kristof's gubernatorial run. Natalia referred to Olga Khazan's Atlantic article about Trump's celebrity candidacy.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia discussed the latest season of Selling Sunset, now streaming on Netflix.
• Neil recommended historian Paul Renfro's Teen Vogue article, "Ryan White, Teen Who Contracted AIDS, Shifted Narrative Around The Disease."
• Niki shared Dahlia Lithwick's Slate article, "SCOTUS Will Gaslight Us Until the End" and referred to Michele Goodwin's New York Times guest essay.

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the history of cookbooks and the question of recipes as intellectual property.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• As online recipes and cookbooks become big business, issues of plagiarism and copyright are becoming more common. Natalia referred to Helen Zoe Veit's Smithsonian article and larger body of work and, along with Niki, to this history of cookbooks in the Atlantic.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia recommended Amanda Mull's Atlantic article, "Peloton Is Stuck, Just Like the Rest of Us."
• Neil discussed Jonathan D. Sarna's Forward article, "How Hanukkah Came To The White House," and his column at The Week, "The History and Gravity of Hanukkah In The White House."
• Niki shared her latest column for CNN, "Marcus Lamb's Career and Anti-Vax Message Speak to Power of Christian Broadcasters."

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the history of #GivingTuesday.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• Giving Tuesday has become as familiar a Thanksgiving holiday ritual as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Natalia referred to political philosopher Rob Reich's book, Just Giving: Why Philanthropy Is Failing Democracy and How It Can Do Better and his Washington Post opinion piece; Niki referenced this Vox

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia shared Ed Yong's Atlantic article, "Even Health-Care Workers With Long Covid Are Being Dismissed."
• Neil discussed the ESPN.com feature, "Hello, Heisman!"
• Niki recommended Martha S. Jones' New York Times essay, "Enslaved To a Founding Father, She Sought Freedom in France."

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of gratitude.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• Thanksgiving is upon us, but gratitude is a virtue celebrated in American culture all year long. Natalia and Niki referred to Barbara Ehrenreich's book Bright-Sided: Why Positive Thinking Is Undermining America, and Natalia drew on this piece to argue why a historical perspective is illuminating, if counterintuitive, on this question. All three hosts referenced the critique of gratitude as a therapeutic practice articulated in this Baffler article.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia shared about the new co-working space in Saks Fifth Avenue, profiled in this New York Times piece by Ginia Bellafante.
• Neil discussed Ben Smith's New York Times article, "His Reasons For Opposing Trump Were Biblical. Now A Top Christian Editor Is Out."
• Niki recommended Paul Farhi's Washington Post article, "How Obituaries Got a Jolt of New Life in the Internet Era."

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the history of diversity workshops and sensitivity training.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• As conservative attacks on a supposed takeover of American institutions by proponents of critical race theory escalate, many on the political left have begun to articulate distinctions between "trainings" and education that deal with race. Natalia recommended this Inside Higher Education piece by historians Jeffrey A. Snyder and Amna Khalid and this blog post about the history of executive coaching.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia discussed Amelia Nierenberg's New York Times article, "Should California De-Track Math?"
• Neil shared his Twitter thread about Dennis Prager's comments about the history of gay men and HIV-AIDS.
• Niki recommended L.D. Burnett's Medium post, "The 'University of Austin' Grift Isn't New," and Daniel Drezner's Washington Post article, "What Is The University of Austin's Purpose?"

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the return of the New York City Marathon and the history of long-distance racing.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• The fiftieth New York City Marathon was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus, but the race has returned this year. Natalia referred to historian Dylan Gottlieb's Public Seminar article about the origins of the race and to runner Kathrine Switzer's memoir, Marathon Woman.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia shared the latest episode of Vox Media's Nice Try podcast, on which she contributes to a discussion of the history of the weight as a fitness accessory.
• Neil discussed the 2006 Chicago Tribune article, "Sushi and Rev. Moon."
• Niki recommended a new podcast, Unclear and Present Danger, from Jamelle Bouie and John Ganz.

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the Democratic Party's "Build Back Better" bill.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• The Biden administration's proposed spending package contains some potentially transformative legislation: especially around childcare. Neil referred to this New Republic essay about the extent of the proposals, and Natalia drew on this New York Times article considering how Biden measures up to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Niki referenced this CBS News poll about voters' levels of familiarity with the bill's measures.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia discussed Rebecca Traister's interview with Katie Couric in The Cut.
• Neil shared his column for The Week, "Celebrity Endorsers Don't Sell Merch Anymore. They Sell Morals."
• Niki recommended Jonathan M. Katz' article in The Racket, "Some Very Fine People Walked Into a Courthouse," and journalist Molly Conger's Twitter.

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the life and legacy of Colin Powell, the United States' first Black Secretary of State.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show:

• Colin Powell died earlier this month of complications from the coronavirus, prompting discussion of the legacy of his term as Secretary of State, and especially of the Powell Doctrine. Neil mentioned Michael Hirsh's support for the Powell Doctrine in a recent piece for Foreign Policy. Niki referred to Leah Wright Rigueur's book, The Loneliness of the Black Republican, and to historian Peniel Joseph's CNN piece about Powell's legacy.

In our regular closing feature, What's Making History:

• Natalia discussed the latest episode of the Conspirituality podcast on which she appears.
• Neil recommended the HBO Max documentary series, The Way Down.
• Niki shared Emily Nussbaum's New Yorker article, "Difficult Women: How 'Sex and the City' Lost Its Good Name."