Two professors use humor, curse words, and hopefully some insight to connect current events with American literature and history. In this ep, we look back one year into Trump's presidency. Andy sees Agrarians Everywhere! Elizabeth admits that her antebellum knowledge finally feels relevant. We also talk Confederate memorials, dying authors, and, of course, the crisis in the humanities. 

1: Trump, the Dirty South, and the Humanities

Two professors use humor, curse words, and hopefully some insight to connect today's events with American history.

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

History

Society & Culture

In which one of confesses to not having read a common, well known work--and gets ridiculed. Plus, John drives Miss Daisy, and none of us praise famous men.

3.2 Short Form & Humiliation

We're BACK. Vaccinated, Biden-ed, and with a new co-host to inject more humanities antibodies. We discuss where the humanities fits into a post-Trump world, if there's any such thing.

3.1 A New Hope

We're joined by Anthony Wilson, expert on all things swamp, to discuss the importance of swamps and wetlands. The Trump administration is rolling back protections of these important spaces, and we sink deep into why these landscapes are so captivating in American culture. Swamp Thing, Swamplandia, Peanut Butter Falcon, Harriet Jacobs, and more!

Whatever Happened to the Wetlands?

We explain why you too should be mad that Green Book won Best Picture. The film carries on a long--and ugly--history of viewing racism through white eyes, asserting that all that's needed to end it is biracial friendship. Actually just one biracial friendship. Plus the movie's not very good. Elizabeth compares this to the myth of white heroics in the Underground Railroad, while Andy breaks down other films, including 12 Years a Slave, Django Unchained, and Driving Miss Daisy. Film buffs, listen up!

Episode 15, "Green Book and the Inter-Racial Buddy Film"

We talk to Terressa Benz and Cedric Taylor about the Flint water crisis. Professors Benz and Taylor both draw on their scholarship to inform their social justice work in different ways.  Then, Andy discusses recent hurricanes in the global South and the ways that environmental racism affected Americans' political and cultural responses. Elizabeth talks about environmental injustice in relation to historic African American sites. And then we talk Weezer and tiki bars. Please check out Cedric Taylor's film Nor Any Drop to Drink.

1: Trump, the Dirty South, and the Humanities

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