The Biden-Harris Ticket

Past Present Podcast, Episode 242

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Kamala Harris is the 2020 Democratic vice-presidential candidate. Niki wrote about the significance of her candidacy for Inside Story magazine. Natalia referenced historian Martha Jones’s Washington Post essay; Niki referred to Jamelle Bouie’s New York Times op-ed on Harris’s blackness. ...
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QAnon

Past Present Podcast, Episode 241

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Spread online, QAnon is a conspiracy theory that claims “deep state” traitors, connected to a cabal of pedophiles, are plotting to undermine President Trump and the United States. Niki and Neil referred to Adrienne LaFrance’s Atlantic essay contextualizing “Q”’s prophecies. ...
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The Portland Protests

Past Present Podcast, Episode 240

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Protests continue in Portland, where President Trump has deployed federal forces. Niki discussed this episode of This Day in Esoteric Political History. Natalia recommended following the Twitter feeds of scholars of fascism Federico Finchelstein and Jason Stanley.  In our regular closing ...
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Margaret Sanger

Past Present Podcast, Episode 239

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Planned Parenthood of Greater New York announced it will remove the name of founder Margaret Sanger from its Manhattan health clinic. Neil referred to this blog post about Sanger’s ableism. Natalia referenced this Twitter thread by Imani Gandy, and this ...
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Karens

Past Present Podcast, Episode 238

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: The “Karen” meme, referring to a white woman weaponizing that privilege against people of color, has exploded on social media. Niki referred to this column at The Root and Natalia cited this article by Nina Burleigh.  In our regular closing feature, ...
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Student Visas

Past Present Podcast, Episode 237

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: President Donald Trump has threatened that international students attending American universities that are teaching entirely online must return to their home countries. Niki referred to Adam Serwer’s 2018 Atlantic article, “The Cruelty is the Point,” and to this Washington Post ...
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Social Media Deplatforming

Past Present Podcast, Episode 236

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Social media platforms like Reddit are taking a harder line on regulating extremist content. Natalia referred to this article about the undisclosed relationship between Ben Shapiro’s conservative sites and Facebook, and to this Vice piece about the effectiveness of social ...
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Defund the Police

Past Present Podcast, Episode 235

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Calls to defund or abolish the police have become a rallying cry among protestors of racial violence. Niki discussed Derek Thompson’s call to “unbundle the police.” Natalia referred to this National Review piece that argues many communities want more policing, ...
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Larry Kramer, Playwright and AIDS Activist

Past Present Podcast, Episode 233

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Pioneering AIDS activist Larry Kramer died this month. Natalia referred to this Vulture interview about Kramer’s legacy. Neil commented on Kramer’s autobiographical play, The Normal Heart.  In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History: Natalia recommended the Netflix documentary, Crip Camp: A ...
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Police Violence

Past Present Podcast, Episode 232

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: The murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has set off protests over police brutality across the country and the world. Niki referenced this Slate article, and Neil referred to historian Elizabeth Hinton’s New York Times opinion ...
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Nursing Homes During Coronavirus

Past Present Podcast, Episode 231

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Nursing home residents are especially afflicted by the coronavirus. Natalia recommended this article in Washington Monthly about the politics of elder care. Niki referred to this history of the nursing home industry. In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History: Natalia discussed ...
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