Posts Tagged ‘Professor Buzzkill’
The Nuremberg Trials: Background and Build Up
Professor Philip Nash explains the extremely complicated background of the Nuremberg Trials of 1945-1946. We learn how difficult it was to set up these trials, in terms of international law, the establishment of new charges (such as “crimes against humanity”), and even the logistical difficulties in setting the trial in motion. Important legal, philosophical, and…
Read MoreSaving Yellowstone: Exploration and Preservation in Reconstruction America
Dr. Megan Kate Nelson puts us in the middle of the history and context of the founding of Yellowstone National Park, one of America’s natural glories. She tells us how it was an important part of Reconstruction after the Civil War, how explorers and bureaucrats fought over how the land should be used, and how…
Read MoreTransmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic
Simon Winchester takes us on a fascinating journey through the story of how knowledge has been acquired, stored, and passed on, how that dissemination has evolved with time, and how—in an age where a world of information is just a cell phone away—the thoughtfulness and wisdom that derives from knowledge might be under threat. We…
Read MoreCulture: the Story of Us from Cave Art to K-Pop
The Essentials That Make Culture What it Is, and Has Been Dr. Martin Puchner joins us to talk about his new book, Culture: the Story of Us from Cave Art to K-Pop. It’s a very important discussion about some of the crucial elements in creating culture: “storage,” “circulation,” and “mixture.” We talk about lots of…
Read MoreRegina Twala – Woman Crush Wednesday
The life and career of a leading 20th-century southern African scholar and activist. Dr. Joel Cabrita tells us about Regina Twala, one of the most important intellectuals and activists of 20th-century South Africa and Eswatini. A leading writer, critic, and liberation leader in both countries, Twala’s life is too important to be ignored or suppressed…
Read MoreBlack Women’s Radical Activism in the Midwest during the Great Depression
The difficulties faced by African-American women from the south traveling north for work, and how they organized to push for change. Was the north the promised land for southern African-Americans during the Depression, or was it more complicated than that? Dr. Melissa Ford tells us how African American working-class women, many of whom had just…
Read MoreThe John Birch Society and Its Influence on American Politics
The John Birch Society is one of the most extreme right-wing groups in American history. It has strongly influenced libertarian and Republican politics since its founding in 1958. Dr. Matthew Dallek tells us the story of the Society’s founding, growth, and impact on American life. We discuss his new book, “Birchers: How the John Birch…
Read MoreThe “Free Market” – the Big Myth in Modern America
Professors Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway explain how and why Americans came to believe that the “free market” was not only natural, but also moral, and the highest form of human interaction. Their deep archival research shows how the rise of free market fundamentalism was artificially created by business elites, trade associations, and allies…
Read MoreInsurrection in Modern America: History and Myth
Dr. Kathleen Belew explains the history and myth behind insurrections in recent American history. She dismantles the “lone wolf” myth about political violence, as well as the myth of “it’s not who we are as Americans.” She shows us how insurrectionists have created their ideologies, promoted them through fiction and educational materials, and crafted organizational…
Read MoreRobert Smalls – Man Crush Monday!
Dr. Vernon Burton tells the many amazing stories that make up the life of Robert Smalls, a genuine Civil War hero, and a man who deserves far more fame and glory than he’s received! From piloting a Confederate States ship out of Charleston Harbor and turning it over to the United States Navy, to becoming…
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