On the Media

The Radical Catalog


Listen Later

Another chapter in the history of American consumerism came to a close this week when the retail giant Sears announced it was filing for bankruptcy and closing 142 of its unprofitable stores. As experts sifted through the details about what doomed Sears, we found ourselves reading a Twitter thread about a little-known bit of shopping history. Louis Hyman is an economic historian and professor at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He tweeted: "In my history of consumption class, I teach about Sears, but what most people don't know is just how radical the catalogue was in the era of Jim Crow." In this week's podcast extra, Hyman talks to Brooke about what we can learn from the way Sears upended Jim Crow power dynamics, and what lessons it offers about capitalism more broadly. His latest book is Temp: How American Work, American Business, and the American Dream Became Temporary.

 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

On the MediaBy WNYC Studios

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

8,716 ratings


More shows like On the Media

View all
Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,133 Listeners

The Brian Lehrer Show by WNYC

The Brian Lehrer Show

1,548 Listeners

On Point | Podcast by WBUR

On Point | Podcast

3,900 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,967 Listeners

Political Gabfest by Slate Podcasts

Political Gabfest

8,506 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,949 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,189 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

3,954 Listeners

Death, Sex & Money by Slate Podcasts

Death, Sex & Money

7,701 Listeners

Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

Reveal

8,264 Listeners

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

3,521 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,670 Listeners

More Perfect by WNYC Studios

More Perfect

14,429 Listeners

1A by NPR

1A

4,624 Listeners

Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

Radio Atlantic

2,321 Listeners

Spooked by KQED and Snap Studios

Spooked

16,398 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,043 Listeners

Dolly Parton's America by WNYC Studios & OSM Audio

Dolly Parton's America

16,352 Listeners

Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast by WNYC Studios

Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

671 Listeners

Radiolab for Kids by WNYC

Radiolab for Kids

1,048 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

15,321 Listeners