Past Present

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the senatorial campaign of John Fetterman and his recovery from a stroke.

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

• John Fetterman is the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, and an NBC interview drew attention to his disability and media's treatment of it. Natalia referred to Rebecca Traister's profile of Fetterman for New York Neil recommended this Disability Studies Quarterly article by historians Paul Renfro and Byrd McDaniel. We drew on this HISTORY overview of disabled presidents and this POLITICO piece about politicians and mental illness.

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

• Natalia shared Constance Méheut's New York Times article, "With Leaps and Bounds, Parkour Athletes Turn Off the Lights in Paris."
• Neil commented on Nicole Laporte's Town and Country article, "Why Are So Many Northern Kids Moving South to College?"
• Niki discussed Elizabeth Becker's book You Don't Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War.

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the Senate campaign of Herschel Walker and the controversy it has created.

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

• Football star Herschel Walker is running for U.S. Senate as a conservative Republican in Georgia. Niki referred to historian Leah Wright Rigueur's book The Loneliness of the Black Republican. Niki and Neil discussed this Christian Science Monitor article they co-authored in 2009. Neil drew on this Slate article about Walker's son, an online influencer. Natalia referenced this New York Times profile about Walker's local reputation.

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

• Natalia reflected on two controversies in academia, one surrounding historian Patricia Limerick and the other chemist Maitland Jones.
• Neil discussed Eric Burkett's Bay Area Reporter story, "LGBTQ Agenda: Pentagon Office Finds Fears of Gay Service Were Unfounded, Report Says."
• Niki discussed President Biden's federal pardons of those convicted for marijuana possession.

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the political protests in Iran.

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

• The death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini at the hands of the country's "morality police" has set off protests all over the country and the world. Natalia and Niki referred to this New Yorker essay and this Los Angeles Times article.

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

• Natalia discussed historian David A. Hollinger's new book, Christianity's American Fate: How Religion Became More Conservative and Society More Secular.
• Neil recommended Leslie Jamison's New Yorker article, "The Enduring Allure of Choose Your Own Adventure Books."
• Niki shared about Nursing Clio's "Reproduction History Syllabus."

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the recent pickleball phenomenon.

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

• Pickleball is a booming recreation trend – and is inspiring controversy. Natalia referred to this leftist manifesto against pickleball and Christopher Lasch's chapter in the Culture of Narcissism on the "degradation of sport." She also talked about it on TikTok. Neil drew on this history of the pastime and this New Yorker article. We all referred to Bowling Alone, the 2000 book that prompted new conversations about civic participation. Natalia also referred to her recent Slate piece on inclusive recreation.

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

• Natalia discussed the recent announcement that all parent-teacher conferences and Back-to-School nights would be virtual for the 2022-23 year in New York City public schools.
• Neil recommended the podcast Heaven Bent.
• Niki discussed her CNN column, "Kevin McCarthy's 'Commitment' Shows How Broken-Down Trump's GOP Has Become."

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the averted railroad strike.

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

• Railway workers came close to striking last week. Niki referenced this episode of her This Day podcast. Natalia cited this New York Times article, and Niki drew on this Guardian piece about the burst of unionization.

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

• Natalia shared her latest installment of The Quick Study for Observer, "In School Battles, We're Getting the 'Parental Rights' Conversation Completely Wrong."
• Neil recommended the podcast Killed.
• Niki discussed her CNN column, "DeSantis Chose Martha's Vineyard for a Reason."

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

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

• Queen Elizabeth II has died, ending a reign that spanned seven decades. Niki referred to this New York Times essay on her unique style, and this one on the power and limitations of inspiring women. We all drew on this Guardian article about the elaborate rituals in place around the Queen's death. Natalia referenced the online pushback to grieving the Queen, given Britain's long imperial history, some examples of which are in this Slate piece. We all drew on this Atlantic essay about the decline of the British Empire under her reign, and how that shapes her legacy.

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

• Natalia shared Sally Joy Wolf's Independent opinion piece, "Immunocompromised Travellers Like Me Should Have 'masked carriages' Available to Us."
• Neil recommended Nadja Popovich and Brad Plumer's interactive New York Times feature, "As Wildfires Grow, Millions of Homes Are Being Built in Harm's Way."
• Niki discussed this New York Post piece, "Lawyer's Mission: Translate Tennessee's Bewildering Abortion Ban."

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the life and legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev.

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

• Former leader of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev has died. We reflected on the slew of essays in S. publications remembering Gorbachev through a mostly positive light. Neil mentioned Saturday Night Live's frequent send-ups of Gorbachev.

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

• Natalia discussed Sarah Mervosh's New York Times article, "The Pandemic Erased Two Decades of Progress in Math and Reading," which she also discussed on KCRW.
• Neil commented on Katrin Bennhold's New York Times article, "In Finland, a Partying Prime Minister Draws Tuts, and Cheers."
• Niki recommended Bonnie Garmus' novel Lessons in Chemistry.

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss – and celebrate! - the publication of Niki's new book, Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

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

• Partisans drops on August 30, 2022. You can order Niki's book here.

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

• Natalia shared about Emi Nietfeld's new book, Acceptance, reviewed in the New York Times.
• Neil recommended Not Just A Girl, a new Netflix documentary about Shania Twain.
• Niki discussed the topic of her latest column for CNN, "The Unlikely Team That is Trying to Make Trump Follow the Law."

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the defamation trial of right-wing conspiracist Alex Jones.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

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

• Parents of children slain in the Sandy Hook school shooting successfully brought a defamation suit against Alex Jones, who amplified conspiracy theories denying the event ever happened. Natalia referred to this New York Times magazine story, and her own Process History essay about what Phyllis Schlafly fed her children for breakfast. Niki drew on Rick Perlstein's 2012 essay for The Baffler and her CNN column on Jones' influence on the GOP. Neil recommended Kevin Roose's New York Times article on the spread of Jones-style provocateurs.

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

• Natalia commented on the "Inside the Complex 'Social Lab' of PE Class" installment of Anne-Helen Petersen's Culture Study
• Neil discussed Julia Yost's New York Times essay, "New York's Hottest Club is the Catholic Church."
• Niki recommended Mark Olalde and Maya Miller's ProPublica investigative report, "A Uranium Ghost Town in the Making."

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of third parties in American politics.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

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

• Andrew Yang, Christine Todd Whitman, and David Jolly have announced their formation of the Forward Party, the newest entry in a long history of third parties in American politics. Natalia referenced Jamelle Bouie's New York Times critique of the idea. Neil referred to this PBS piece on the prevalence of third parties even today.

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

• Natalia recommended Jessamine Chan's debut novel, The School for Good Mothers.
• Neil discussed Derek Thompson's Atlantic essay, "Why The Old Elite Spend So Much Time At Work."
• Niki shared about the Foreign Agent podcast.