The U.S. National Parks
Past Present Podcast, Episode 337
In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the history of U.S. national parks....
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Prenuptial Agreements
Past Present Podcast, Episode 336
In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the growing popularity of prenuptial agreements....
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The Webb Telescope and the History of Space Photography
Past Present Podcast, Episode 335
In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the images from outer space captured by the Webb telescope....
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Summer Travel and European Vacations
Past Present Podcast, Episode 334
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
American travel to Europe is back with such a vengeance that some are calling it “revenge travel.” Neil referred to this history of the “Grand Tour.” Natalia and Niki drew on this Hudson Valley magazine article about midcentury Catskills resorts.
In ...
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The Monkeypox Outbreak
Past Present Podcast, Episode 333
In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the outbreak of monkeypox in the United States....
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Religious Schooling and Church-State Separation
Past Present Podcast, Episode 332
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
In a victory for proponents of school choice and a major weakening of church-state separation, Maine will now be required to provide state funding to religious schools. Neil cited this Slate article about the ruling, and Natalia drew on this ...
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The Tampon Shortage
Past Present Podcast, Episode 331
A national tampon shortage has until recently been dismissed as a minor inconvenience or even a punchline. ...
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Summer Weddings and June Brides
Past Present Podcast, Episode 330
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
June wedding season is upon us, and after two years of delayed celebrations, it is especially packed. Natalia referred to this Harper’s Bazaar photo essay about representation and same-sex marriage, and to this Buzzfeed article, which is useful despite repeating ...
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Uvalde, Texas and the Persistence of American Gun Violence
Past Present Podcast, Episode 329
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
Yet another mass shooting, this one at a Texas elementary school, highlights the unique American obsession with gun rights. Niki referred to this NPR piece on the tape recording of NRA leadership after the 1999 Columbine school shooting, and Natalia ...
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Cryptocurrency
Past Present Podcast, Episode 328
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
The crash of TerraLuna is proving “crypto” to be both more than a passing trend and less than the miracle its boosters once promised. We recommended Kevin Roose’s “Latecomer’s Guide to Crypto” in the New York Times. Niki drew on ...
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The “Great Replacement” Conspiracy Theory
Past Present Podcast, Episode 327
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
A deadly mass shooting in Buffalo, NY brought renewed attention to the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory widely circulated among white supremacists. Niki drew on this New Yorker article about the European origins of this idea and her own New York ...
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The History of Adoption
Past Present Podcast, Episode 326
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
The phrase “domestic supply of infants” in a footnote to the leaked draft Supreme Court decision regarding abortion has horrified many Americans. Niki referred to this Atlantic article about the intense process of adopting a baby. Natalia referenced this New ...
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