This episode originally aired October 29, 2021 Danny and Derek speak with Daniel Immerwahr, professor of history at Northwestern University, about all things Dune. They discuss the importance of culture to understanding U.S. empire, the history of imperial U.S. fiction, the life and times of Frank Herbert, and how Herbert's particular vision of technology, empire, and indigenous politics informed the writing of Dune. Check out Daniel's articles on Dune, in the Los Angeles Review of Books, The New York Times, and the Journal of American Studies. 

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UNLOCKED - Duned if You Do, Duned if You Don't w/ Daniel Immerwahr

A podcast from Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison that provides listeners with everything they need to know about what’s going on in the world. 

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In a follow-up to our special on students' pro-Palestine organizing, Danny speaks with Josh Rushing, founding member of Al Jazeera English and senior correspondent for its program Fault Lines, about the crackdown on Palestine advocacy on campuses since October 7 and what it means for academic freedom. They discuss his Fault Lines documentary on the subject, post-2016 university organizing, dubious charges of “anti-Semitism”, why Israel is so focused on college demonstrations, the myriad ways that “the Palestine exception” is initiated, and more. 

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Special - The Palestine Exception w/ Josh Rushing

Antony Blinken might claim to play the blues, but Danny and Derek have to deliver…the news. This week: in Palestine/Israel, the latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks (0:42), Netanyahu panics over a potential International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant (6:54), and Blinken backs off of a threat to use the Leahy Law against IDF troops despite evidence of human rights abuses (10:39); Colombia announces that it will cut diplomatic ties with Israel (15:26); Saudi Arabia pushes for a security deal with the US (18:58); in Sudan, an imminent RSF attack on El Fasher in North Darfur (24:01); the US agrees to withdraw forces from Chad (25:26); Dutch PM Mark Rutte may be in line to become secretary general of NATO (28:33); new US sanctions will target Chinese firms supplying Russia (30:46); Ukrainian forces are falling back in Donetsk (33:10); in Haiti, a surprise PM appointment sparks dispute (35:04); and a New Cold War update featuring the potential addition of South Korea and New Zealand to AUKUS (37:09) and the Solomon Islands parliament’s election of a new PM friendly to China (39:50). Note: There will be no news next Friday, May 10, but there will be an interview episode! 

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News - Netanyahu Rejects ICC, US-Saudi Security Deal, US Sanctions Chinese Companies

Jonathan Hunt, assistant professor at the U.S. Naval War College and a fellow of the Nuclear Security Program at Yale University, joins Danny and Derek to talk about his book covering the efforts of a select few world powers to maintain exclusive access to nuclear weapons. In this first part, they discuss US efforts to maintain nuclear supremacy in the early Cold War, nuclear threshold states, nuclear propaganda, and more up until Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech.       Note: The views expressed here are those of the author alone and do not necessarily represent the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. Department of Defense or its components, to include the Department of the Navy or the U.S. Naval War College. 

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E146 - The Nuclear Club, Pt. 1 w/ Jonathan Hunt

Danny recently appeared on The Disagreement podcast with Shadi Hamid to discuss what America’s role on the global stage should be. The conversation broaches US involvement in Ukraine, Taiwan, and the Middle East, alternatives to hegemony, and whether the US is “the good guy”. Also check out Danny and Shadi’s initial debate from two years ago.      

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Danny on The Disagreement w/ Shadi Hamid

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Danny and Derek once again speak with Bryan Pitts, assistant director of the Latin American Institute at UCLA, about the history of Brazil. This episode picks up in the 17th century at the start of the sugar boom and all that comes along with it. They discuss sugar cultivation’s connection with the slave trade, the mechanics of trafficking people from A…

UNLOCKED - Duned if You Do, Duned if You Don't w/ Daniel Immerwahr

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