Pete Buttigieg, Groypers, and Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary

Episode 205

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: “Mayor Pete,” once a long-shot candidate, is increasingly a serious contender for the Democratic presidential nomination. Natalia referred to Michael Kruse’s POLITICO piece about the electoral viability of a gay candidate. Neil noted Buttigieg had won the 2000 Profile in Courage Essay Contest for an ...
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The New Negro

Exiles on 12th Street, Episode Six

In April, we covered the Civil Rights movement and the fight against racism in “The Fire This Time.” This month, we explore the lasting impact of the Harlem Renaissance in “The New Negro,” as our guests take us on a journey through art, culture, and politics. Author A’Lelia Bundles shares ...
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LIVE! With Emily Bazelon, Author of Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration

Episode 204

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History: Natalia recommended the work of New York Times editor Lindsay Crouse, particularly her latest feature, “I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike,” by Mary Cain.Neil shared Rebecca Makkai’s book, The Great Believers.Niki discussed Adele Peters’ Fast Company article, “How Memphis Transformed its Parks Named for Confederate Generals into ...
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Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Rep. Katie Hill, and Booing

Episode 203

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: ISIS leader Abu al-Baghdadi has been assassinated by United States forces. Niki referred to this piece at The Daily Beast. Neil noted the emergence of viral videos showing a side-by-side comparison of Trump’s announcement of al-Baghdadi’s death and Obama’s announcement about the killing of Osama bin Laden.U.S. ...
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Elijah Cummings, Homelessness, and Amusement Parks

Episode 202

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:  U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings has died. Niki referenced this Atlantic article about Cummings’ reluctant partisanship.Homelessness is on the rise, especially visible in Los Angeles. Natalia referred to this Washington Post article about the rise of “business improvement districts” and to ...
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Automation, Male Baldness, and Paula White

Episode 201

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Automation and its effect on American jobs was a core theme at this month’s Democratic debate. Natalia referred to Rick Wartzman’s book The End of Loyalty: The Rise and Fall of Good Jobs in America, excerpted in POLITICO. Natalia also referenced this timeline chronicling fears of automation, at Medium.A ...
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What is Sex Discrimination?

That was the question before the Supreme Court on October 8

"Sex" is one of the protected categories in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in employment. The Court agreed to hear three cases on whether Title VII protects gay, lesbian and transgender employees after three Circuit Courts of Appeal made conflicting decisions. plaintiffs and their lawyers in ...
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Rudy Giuliani, Greta Thunberg, and Vaping

Episode 200

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Rudy Giuliani is most prominent today as a Trump surrogate, but after 9/11 he was known as “America’s Mayor.” Natalia recommended Ken Frydman’s New York Times op-ed about working for Giuliani and Matthew Yglesias’ Vox piece about his disregard for the rule of law.Scandinavian climate ...
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Kavanaugh Redux

Exactly one year after Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in as the newest Justice on the Supreme Court, about three hundred of his opponents rallied in front of the Supreme Court. Copyright © 2019 by Jo Freeman This time the theme was Reclaim the Court. Signs were less concerned with sexual harassment than last ...
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Whistleblowers, Church Arsons, and Co-Working Spaces

Episode 199

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: An intelligence officer has filed a complaint regarding Donald Trump’s interactions with the president of Ukraine. We discussed the history of whistleblowing and Niki noted the role of Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon papers in shaping contemporary ideas about whistleblowing. Natalia referenced the founding fathers’ ...
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Ukraine, Declining Bird Populations, and Luxury Parking

Past Present Episode 198

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Ukraine is at the center of the impeachment probe against the president. Niki referred to Peter Schweizer’s book Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich and to Zack Beauchamp’s Vox piece about how the Ukraine scandal changed his ...
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New Histories

A new three-part podcast on the histories of The New School

Episode 1: A Place to Go for Adult Values The centenary of The New School offers a chance to look at a university that began as an educational experiment and critique of higher education. Nothing has changed more than the school’s shift away from its original mission as a school devoted ...
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