Please Stay on Topic

This week we're covering an oldie but a goodie: Luis Alberto Urrea's THE DEVIL'S HIGHWAY. Originally published in the early aughts, this book tells the story of a group of Mexican migrants who attempted to cross the unforgiving Arizona desert. Spoiler: It went terribly for everyone involved.

Unfortunately, this story remains incredibly relevant at the border, and Erika and Clare discuss how not much has really changed in the 21 years since these poor men set out across the desert.

Links:

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic

https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive

Got something to say to us? Email us at [email protected]

today we're discussing Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism! Using Kendall's work, we dig deep into issues of white feminism: Namely, how centering middle class white women damages the feminist movement as a whole. We get into what "really counts" as a feminist issue--including a hard discussion about why, when most hungry Americans are WOMEN, mainstream feminism isn't doing much to combat this most basic of problem

Links:

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic

https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive

Got something to say to us? Email us at [email protected]

In this episode, our intrepid hosts discuss Amanda Montell's Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. As the title suggests, the book is about the linguistic techniques cults use to shut down critical thinking and encourage compliance. Groups as diverse as Jonestown and CrossFit are covered--and yes, Scientology and MLMs also make an appearance. You will never think of phrases like "it is what it is" in the same way again...which is good, because you were probably overusing them, anyway.

Sources:

"MLMs might not be able to get away with their shady promises much longer" by Emily Stewart for VOX.

Links:

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic

https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive

Got something to say to us? Email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Clerika discuss Susannah Cahalan's The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness. The book covers the famous Rosenhan experiment, which took place in the late sixties and early seventies and involved regular people faking their way into insane asylums. The experiment helped justify the closing of the asylums and the revamping of the DSM, so it was kind of a big deal. But wait--there's a shocking twist! Which we will annoyingly NOT reveal in the show notes!

Links:

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic

https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive

Got something to say to us? Email us at [email protected]

Please Stay on Topic kicks off its first season with Angela Chen's Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex. This is a topic near and dear to cohost Erika, because she's demisexual. If you don't know what that means, then don't worry--we've got you covered! And if you DO know what that means, then don't worry--we go deep enough that you still might learn something! Either way, it's going to be a great time.

Sources:

https://www.vox.com/23021971/florida-gay-trans-lgbtq-laws

https://www.thedailybeast.com/same-sex-marriage-foes-get-band-back-together-for-dont-say-gay-push

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/04/florida-dont-say-gay-bill-children-mental-health

https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation/

Links:

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pleasestayontopic

https://clarehwang.substack.com/archive

Got something to say to us? Email us at [email protected]

Learn all about the new series, Please Stay on Topic: A Social Justice Book Club. New episodes begin next Monday.

Hey guys, we're back--but only with a re-upload of an older episode. Sorry, sad trombone noise, etc. Anyway, here's the first part of the story of Catherine Howard--Henry VIII's fifth and most-maligned queen. We'll be back in two weeks with the follow-up.

For this week, we re-recorded our episodes on Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility. DiAngelo's work focuses on the ways in which white supremacy protects itself by encouraging white people to throw absolute fits whenever confronted about racism. Clerika discuss times when they have pulled this shit themselves. Shockingly, it is super uncomfortable.

These episodes are the end of Season 1; we'll be back February 19.

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Social Media!

@rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook

rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

For this week, we re-recorded our episodes on Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility. DiAngelo's work focuses on the ways in which white supremacy protects itself by encouraging white people to throw absolute fits whenever confronted about racism. Clerika discuss times when they have pulled this shit themselves. Shockingly, it is super uncomfortable.

These episodes are the end of Season 1; we'll be back February 19.

Got Something to Say to Us?

Social Media!

@rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook

rudehistoryeducation on tumblr

It's our second-to-last episode of the season, and it's definitely cursed! This week, Clerika takes on the life of Hatshepsut--that barrier-breaking, gender-bending female king of ancient Egypt. Unfortunately, because of the paucity of available sources, there's a lot of uncertainty in this one. But don't worry! Both Clare and Erika are going to have a FUCKING MELTDOWN about how much they hate researching antiquity!

Also, trigger warning: Apparently the ancient Egyptians were not shy about sexualizing extremely young girls. It gross. Also, definitely keep your headphones in for this one, because we wound up discussing male masturbation a whole lot. It's pertinent, we promise. But still definitely not something you want your children to overhear.

Sources:

The Woman Who Would be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney

The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw

Got Something to Say to Us?

Social Media!

@rudehistory on twitter, instagram, and facebook

rudehistoryeducation on tumblr