Episode 85: The Cosby Trial, Wonder Woman, and Fidget Spinners

In this week's episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate jury selection in the Bill Cosby trial, Wonder Woman and feminism, and the fidget spinner.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• In light of jury selection that has begun for Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial, we discussed the history of trial-by-jury. Commentators have drawn links between Cosby’s trial and the O.J. Simpson’s high-profile court case, something we discussed in Episode 25. Natalia recommended Estelle Freedman’s Redefining Rape for understanding how ideas of gender have shaped the history of sexual assault trials.

• A new Wonder Woman movie will be released on June 2. Natalia wrote a review for Public Books of several recent books on Wonder Woman, including Jill Lepore’s The Secret History of Wonder Woman and Noah Berlatsky’s Wonder Woman. Natalia also found herself agreeing with an essay in The Federalist by Leslie Loftis that argued Wonder Woman was a pop culture figure that seemed to offend everyone.

• Fidget spinners are the latest toy craze, coveted by both kids and adults. Neil compared fidget spinners to the other popular toy of the moment, the Kendama, while Niki situated them in a history of toy crazes, like the Pet Rock. Natalia commented on Rebecca Mead’s New Yorker article that deemed fidget spinners the perfect toy for the age of Trump, and recommended Gary Cross’s history of toys, Kids’ Stuff.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Molly Young’s New York Times Magazine article, “How Amanda Chantal Bacon Perfected the Celebrity Wellness Business.”

• Neil discussed the reemergence of graphology.

• Niki talked about the physical attack of the Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs by the Montana Congressional candidate Greg Gianforte. 

Episode 84: Comey's Firing, Teeth & Dentistry, and the Bachelorette

On this week's show, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate Jim Comey’s firing, teeth and dental care, and the Bachelorette’s first black star.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Donald Trump has admitted he fired FBI director Jim Comey because he was investigating Russia’s role in the 2016 election. We discussed the usefulness of comparing Comey’s firing to Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre. Natalia shared the historian Nathan Connolly’s Facebook post that Trump’s decision reflected his businessman mindset where firing someone makes a problem go away.

• The Washington Post article, “The Painful Truth About Teeth,” investigated the huge divide in dental care for America’s rich and poor. We discussed the history of teeth and dental care in America, including Natalia’s remarks on the possibility that George Washington’s dentures came from the pulled teeth of his slaves. Niki remarked on the popular imagery of the terrifying dentist, such as Steve Martin’s sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors. Natalia discussed how dentists have maintained a monopoly on dental care, something reflected in Mary Otto’s book Teeth. 

• ABC’s The Bachelorette has its first African-American star of the show. Neil observed the show would be airing during the 50th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court case that outlawed state bans on interracial marriage. Neil also noted the cast was the most diverse in the franchise’s history, although it still had a majority of white contestants. Niki drew links between the Bachelorette and season two of Lifetime’s Unreal, which featured a black bachelor in its dramatic depiction of a dating show similar to the ABC franchise. Natalia recommended the Public Books’ virtual roundtable on Unreal for more reading on that show.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the Atlantic article, “My Family’s Slave,” by Alex Tizon.

• Neil discussed his work with The OpEd Project.

• Niki talked about the death of Roger Ailes. Niki has written about Ailes for U.S. News and for Vox. She also recommended David Greenberg’s piece on Ailes in the New York Times. 

Episode 83: HBCUs, Rebecca Tuvel, and Commencement Speeches

In this week's episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the Rebecca Tuvel controversy, and commencement speeches.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Donald Trump recently suggested that a federal program that finances construction projects on historically black college and university campuses may be unconstitutional. But a few days later, he expressed “unwavering support” for HBCUs. Natalia observed Trump’s various moves to reach out to African Americans followed an Obama presidency that was often criticized for not reaching out to African Americans enough, something that the former president acknowledged in David Remnick’s New Yorker profile of him. Natalia also recommended Catharine Stimpson’s Public Books essay on how Trump looks to steer federal education funding to conservative Christian universities. Niki noted that in his book Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates discussed how attending Howard University had uniquely shaped his life, something many graduates of HBCUs have argued. Neil drew parallels between the history of HBCUs and women’s colleges, and Natalia recommended Nancy Weiss Malkiel’s book, “Keep the Damned Women Out”: The Struggle for Coeducation, which traces the history of how elite universities opened their doors to women.   

• The philosophy professor Rachel Tuvel published an article in the feminist journal Hypatia that explored how arguments about transgender and transracial identities illuminate the logics behind how we think about identity. The article provoked great controversy, including an open letter condemning the article and an apology from Hypatia’s Board of Associate Editors. Tuvel has also earned her defenders, including Kelly Oliver writing in the Los Angeles Review of Books. Natalia commented on how conservatives, including David French at National Review, have viewed the controversy as the latest excess of campus liberalism.

• It’s graduation time! We discussed the history of commencement speeches, including famous addresses by Steve Jobs and Stephen Colbert.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the organization Student Diplomacy Corps.

• Neil discussed the killing of Jordan Edwards and the history of police shooting into moving vehicles.

• Niki talked about the firing of FBI director James Comey and comparisons to Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre. 

Episode 82: Fyre Festival, the 1992 LA Uprisings, and North Korea

In this week's episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the causes of the Fyre Festival fiasco, the anniversary of the LA uprisings, and the history of US-North Korea relations.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• After the last-minute cancellation of the Fyre Festival, we discussed the history of music festivals and how they have become VIP luxury experiences. Neil noted that advertisements for Woodstock in 1969 showed it was a money-making venture.

• 2017 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Los Angeles uprising. Natalia commented on the public memory of the events, including the documentaries that have been made like A&E’s L.A. Burning. Niki observed how Spike Lee’s 1989 movie, Do the Right Thing, had reflected L.A.’s inter-ethnic tensions that were made more visible during the events of 1992.

• As Donald Trump appears to be pursuing a new course with North Korea, we discussed the history of North Korea and U.S. relations with the Korean peninsula. Neil shared his memories of visiting the Demilitarized Zone and the Joint Security Area, where North and South Koreans meet to negotiate. Niki contrasted Trump’s foreign policy approach with Ronald Reagan’s outreach to right-wing dictators, a strategy shaped by Jeane Kirkpatrick’s influential 1979 essay, “Dictatorships and Double Standards.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented the American Health Care Act passed by the House.

• Neil discussed the how Wall Street is now ignoring Donald Trump.

• Niki talked about the Heritage Foundation board’s removal of its president, Jim DeMint. We discussed this history of think tanks in Episode 47. 

Episode 81: The First 100 Days, Hawaii, and FGM

In this week's episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate Trump's first 100 days, the history of Hawaii, and the rise of female genital mutilation in the United States. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• April 29 marked the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency. Although Trump has downplayed the 100 day marker after previously vowing he’d deliver many campaign promises within such a time, Neil pointed out that the Trump White House has a website promoting his accomplishments in the first 100 days, including a rash of executive orders. (We discussed the history of executive orders on Episode 68.) Niki discussed some of the best and worst first 100 days presidents have had, something she has written about for Vox. Niki argued, however, that 100 days provided no useful metric for assessing a presidency, recommending instead we evaluate a president’s first year, something the Miller Center does with its First Year Project.

• In the wake of Jeff Sessions’s calling dismissal of Hawai’i as an “island in the Pacific,” we discuss the long history of Hawai’i and how mainland Americans have exoticized it through the years.

• Four people have bene arrested for cases of female genital mutilation in the U.S. We discussed the global history of female genital mutilation, including its past in Victorian England and twentieth-century America. Natalia commented on the controversy over the decision by a New York Times editor to use the term “genital cutting” for the procedure because “female genital mutilation” was deemed “culturally loaded.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia talked about the HBO series, Big Little Lies.

• Neil discussed the upsurge of Democrats announcing they are running for public office in response to the Trump presidency.

• Niki commented on the first round of the French presidential election.

Episode 80: Universal Basic Income, Scientific Racism, and Malls

In this week's episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the push for universal basic income, the rising visibility of scientific racism, and the disappearance of shopping malls. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The call for a Universal Basic Income has become popular again, thanks in part to attention Andy Stern has received for his recent book Raising the Floor. We discussed the unusual history of political support for guaranteed incomes, including from conservatives like Richard Nixon. Niki recommended Dissent magazine’s recent article on why liberals should be cautious about supporting a UBI. We made reference to prior Past Present episodes on healthcare and on Sweden.

• Scientific racism has reemerged in American public life, including the increased visibility of Charles Murray, author of the controversial book The Bell Curve from 1994. Writing for New York magazine, Andrew Sullivan also recently made scientific racist arguments regarding Asian overachievement. Niki has written about the history and reemergence of scientific racism for Vox and U.S. News & World Report. Natalia commented on Gizmodo’s list of the “9 Most Influential Works of Scientific Racism,” including the appearance of Amy Chua’s Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (2011).

• We discussed the decline of the indoor shopping mall.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the New York Times op-ed, “My Daughter Is Not Transgender. She’s a Tomboy.”

• Neil discussed the 2016 election storyline on the reality show Real Housewives of New York.

• Niki talked about Obscura Day.

Episode 79: The Unfriendly Skies, Trump & Syria, and the Easter Egg Roll

In this week's episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate United's rough treatment of its passengers, Trump's missile attack on Syria, and the White House Easter egg roll.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The brutal forced removal of a passenger from a recent United Airlines flight is the latest evidence of the unfriendly skies of air travel today. Natalia noted how different the contemporary flying experience is from the glamorous early days of air travel depicted in the 1967 stewardess memoir, Coffee, Tea or Me?, laying some of the blame on airline deregulation in the late 1970s. Neil pointed to 9/11 as another transformative moment for air travel, and noted that the increasing prevalence of camera phones meant airplane incidents could be easily captured, such as videos taken aboard United Flight 3411. Natalia observed how those who have defended United, such as Matt Walsh of the conservative website The Blaze, have argued that the problem was a resistance to authority rather than an example of corporate negligence or police brutality, as most others have argued.

• Donald Trump ordered a missile strike on Syria in response to a recent gas attack. Neil cited Niki’s article in The Age that argued the missile attack wasn’t a sign of Trump’s emerging foreign policy doctrine, but rather his impulsiveness. Niki mentioned Brendan Simms and Charlie Laderman’s book, Donald Trump: The Making of a World View, for a contrasting view of Trump as consistent on foreign policy. In reference to Trump’s foreign policy, Niki also noted our prior episode on the “America First” ideology, and Neil recommended our previous episodes on Aleppo and Refugees for further discussions of Syria.

• Reports are that the Trump Administration is not prepared to host the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. We discussed the history of the Easter celebration at the White House. You can view historical pictures of the event here and here. Natalia remembered a Times of India article that discussed how President Obama incorporated yoga sessions in the 2016 White House Easter celebrations.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on how the wife of Alabama’s governor, Robert Bentley, orchestrated his downfall after she caught him cheating.

• Neil discussed how Chechnya is torturing hundreds of gay men in detention facilities. Neil also recommended Jeff Sharlet’s 2014 GQ article, “Inside the Iron Closet: What It’s Like to Be Gay in Putin’s Russia.”

• Niki talked about the Slate article, “The Week the World Almost Ended.”

Episode 78: The Graham Rule, the Nuclear Option, and Pepsi Protesting

In this week's episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate Mike Pence's rules for women colleagues, the end of the Senate filibuster, and Pepsi's attempt to coopt Black Lives Matter.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• A recent profile of Mike Pence’s wife, Karen, in the Washington Post resurrected a detail Mike Pence shared in 2002 that he never dined alone with any woman who wasn’t his wife. Natalia shared Jia Tolentino’s response in the New Yorker that argued Pence’s rule treats all women as a group of temptresses rather than seeing them individually. Niki recommended an Atlantic article, “When Typists Were Feared as ‘Love Pirates’,” for understanding how working women were seen in early 20th century offices. Natalia commented on Helen Gurley Brown’s advice to working women in her 1962 book, Sex and the Single Girl. Neil recommended Ruth Graham’s Slate article that collected responses from different men and women who used rules similar to Pence’s for their marriages.

• We discussed the history of the filibuster after Senate Republicans successfully ended the 60-vote threshold needed to vote for confirmation of Supreme Court nominees.

• Pepsi found itself at the center of controversy after it released a new ad featuring Kendall Jenner giving a Pepsi to police officers at a protest. Natalia mentioned the iconic Coca-Cola ad from 1971, “Hilltop.” Niki recommended Thomas Frank’s essay “Commodify Your Dissent” and his book, The Conquest of Cool, for thinking about how corporations coopted the counterculture, and Natalia suggested Joshua Clark Davis’s book, From Head Shops to Whole Foods, for a history of activist entrepreneurs that pursued alternatives to profit-driven corporations. Neil recommended Jason Petrulis’s Twitter essay on the history of Pepsi’s targeted marketing and advertising to African-American consumers. Niki added Grace Elizabeth Hale’s essay, When Jim Crow Drank Coke, to the conversation.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on The Awl article, “The Twilight of the Indoor Mall.”

• Neil discussed Ancestry.com.

• Niki talked about the Dionne quintuplets.

Episode 77: The AHCA, Children's Sleep, and Planets

In this week's episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the fate of the American Health Care Act, the constructed nature of children's sleep, and Pluto's place among the planets.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• We discussed why Donald Trump’s plan to repeal and replace Obamacare failed and the longer history of health care reform in the U.S.

• A recent Los Angeles Times oped wondered why parents insist their children sleep alone. We discussed the history of sleep, including Natalia’s comments on how famous pediatricians like Dr. Spock and Dr. Ferber recommended children be trained to sleep. Neil mentioned the growing attention to adult sleeping, including the popularity of napping pods in Silicon Valley and the attention to sleep in Arianna Huffington’s recent books, Thrive and The Sleep Revolution. Natalia recommended Jonathan Clary’s book, 24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep, and a Public Books review essay by David Henkin for critiques on how capitalism shapes American sleep habits. 

• Planets are in the news! We discussed the FiveThirtyEight piece, “Why We Love Stories About Mars,” and a recent proposal from some scientists about redefining what qualifies as a planet. Niki introduced the work of the anthropologist Lisa Messeri who writes about how humans talk about and imagine other planets. Neil and Niki discussed the popularity of science fiction, especially about Mars, including Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles and H. G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Hanya Yanagihara’s book A Little Life.

• Neil discussed the Twitter trending #ThanksForTyping.

• Niki talked about the newly-found memoir of Richard Hickock, one of the killers from Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.

Episode 76: Intersectionality, Beauty & the Beast, and Defunding the NEH & NEA

In this week's episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate whether intersectionality is a religion, the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and Trump's plan to defund the NEA and NEH.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• In a recent piece for New York Magazine, Andrew Sullivan called intersectionality a “religion.” Sullivan’s essay was inspired by student protests at Middlebury College when Charles Murray, author of The Bell Curve, came to speak. Natalia explained how the legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw had developed the theory of intersectionality in the late 1980s as a way to understand how African-American women experienced legal discrimination. Niki pointed out that Frances Beal’s classic essay, “Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female,” had developed many of these ideas as early as 1969. Natalia noted conservative Alan Dershowitz’s critiques of intersectionality that linked disparate leftist causes such as Black Lives Matter and Palestinian liberation. Niki outlined Sullivan’s relationship with Murray, including his editing the New Republic’s symposium on The Bell Curve in 1994. Natalia recommended Prof. Kevin Gannon’s recent blogpost that outlined the Sullivan-Murray connection. Natalia also recommended Jonathan Zimmerman’s new book, Campus Politics, for a history of free speech debates on college campuses.

• Disney’s new live-action movie Beauty and the Beast is breaking box office records. Neil noted the film had already received glowing critical responses, and Natalia commented even a writer for Jezebel had praised the film.

• Donald Trump’s recently released budget included a complete defunding of the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities. Neil detailed the origin of the NEA and NEH and commented on some of its controversies through the years, including the dustup over Piss Christ, a 1987 photograph by Andres Serrano. Niki added the controversies over the Smithsonian’s Enola Gay exhibit and the National History Standards. Niki also mentioned a recent David Brooks column that lamented Americans lacked a unifying story, in part because leftist academics have focused so much on negative aspects of American history.   

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Patricia Benjamin’s book, The Emergence of the Massage Therapy Profession in North America.

• Neil discussed the Boston public school system’s decision to replace its classroom Mercator projection maps with Peters projection maps.

• Niki talked about the Racked article, “The History of Green Dye Is a History of Death.”

Episode 75: The LSAT, George W. Bush, and Corporal Punishment

In this week's episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate Harvard's decision to drop the LSAT, George W. Bush's newfound popularity, and corporal punishment.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Harvard Law School will no longer require the LSAT for admission. Natalia placed the LSAT in the history of standardized testing and recommended Harold Wechsler’s The Qualified Student and Jerome Karabel’s The Chosen for the history of selective college admissions. Neil noted recent racial tensions at Harvard Law School.

• George W. Bush’s approval ratings continue to climb since leaving office, although Natalia noted the folks at Jacobin remain critical of his presidency. Niki recommended Jim Mann’s books Rise of the Vulcans and The Obamians for thinking about continuities between the Bush and Obama presidencies.

• In a recent editorial for the New York Times, Stacey Patton asked African-American parents to “Stop Beating Black Children.” Niki noted a counterargument to Patton’s from Slate’s Jamelle Bouie. Neil discussed how James Dobson’s 1970 classic Dare to Disciple shaped evangelical parents’ ideas about spanking. Natalia mentioned that J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy and Annette Lareau’s Unequal Childhoods both comment on how economic class affects corporal punishment rates.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on American Girl’s job ad for a historical researcher.

• Neil discussed the slogan Don’t Mess with Texas.

• Niki talked about the Politico article, “The Vegetable Technology Gap.”

Episode 74: Wiretapping, Wellness Real Estate, and Late-Night TV

In this week's episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate Trump’s wiretapping allegations, “wellness real estate,” and late-night TV.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Donald Trump has accused President Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower during the election. We discussed the history of wiretapping, including the story of Richard Nixon and Anna Chennault.

• The Atlantic reported on the rise of “wellness real estate.” Niki mentioned David Brooks’ classic skewering of the affluent, Bobos in Paradise. Natalia recommended Jeffrey Kripal’s book on the history of Esalen.

• David Letterman sat down for a must-read interview with New York Magazine. We chatted about Letterman and the end of the late-night TV wars.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the twentieth anniversary of the death of Biggie Smalls.

• Neil discussed Carvel’s Fudgie the Whale ice cream cake.

• Niki talked about the reemergence of Charles Murray and scientific racism.

Episode 73: The Women's Strike, Anti-Semitism, and Robots

In this week's episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the complicated politics of the women's strike, the rise of anti-Semitism in America, and humanity's relationship to robots.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• A Women’s Strike is being organized for March 8. We discussed the strike in the context of other women’s strikes and transnational feminism.

• We discussed the rise in anti-Semitism in the U.S. and abroad. Natalia noted Matthew Frye Jacobson’s book, Whiteness of a Different Color, for thinking about the limits of Jewish assimilation in the U.S.

• A recent New York Times editorial, “No, Robots Aren’t Killing the American Dream,” argued that humans have nothing to fear from robots. We talked about the history of robotics, human fears about technology, and pop culture depictions of robots including the movies Stepford Wives, Terminator, and Her.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the podcast Missing Richard Simmons.

• Neil discussed Timothy Tyson’s book, The Blood of Emmett Till.

• Niki talked about the Smitsonian.com article, “Tattooing Was Illegal in New York City Until 1997.”

Episode 72: Milo & CPAC, Professor Politics, and Momastery

In this week's episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate CPAC’s decision to disinvite Milo Yiannopoulos, legislation to require political balance in university faculties, and Christian blogger Momastery’s announcement of her lesbian engagement.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The conservative organization CPAC disinvited Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking at its annual conference after tapes surfaced showing him celebrating sex with underage teens. Niki situated the controversy in a longer history of CPAC, an organization that she has written about for Politico and the Los Angeles Times.

• An Iowa legislator has proposed a bill that would require faculty in the state’s university system to reflect a partisan balance. Neil outlined a history of conservative responses to universities as liberal bastions, including William Buckley’s 1951 classic, God and Man at Yale. Natalia mentioned Heterodox Academy, a project that advocates for more intellectual diversity on college campuses.

• We discussed the announcement by Glennon Doyle Melton, the Christian blogger behind Momastery, of engagement to the women’s soccer star Abby Wambach. Neil commented on a 2013 Momastery blog post that went viral where Melton wrote a letter to her son about how she would respond if he told her he was gay. Neil recommended Heather White’s book, Reforming Sodom, for understanding how mainline Protestantism provided religious support for gay rights in the second half of the twentieth century. Niki shared a Christianity Today article that argued Melton peddled a “gospel of self-fulfillment.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Ross Perlin’s book Intern Nation.

• Neil discussed the Adulting School.

• Niki talked about Ibram Kendi’s essay, “A History of Race and Racism, in 24 Chapters.”

Episode 71: Paid Protestors, Secondhand Smoke, and Ivanka Trump

On this week’s Past Present podcast, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the history of “paid protestors,” the science of secondhand smoke, and the failing fortunes of Ivanka Trump’s clothing line. 

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Donald Trump and his supporters have argued “paid protestors” are rallying against him. Niki recommended a recent Jacobin article that noted the history of paid protestors in authoritarian regimes. Natalia shared an Atlantic article that profiled companies in the US that provided paid crowds to attend rallies or protests.

• We discussed a recent Slate article that argues secondhand smoke isn’t as bad as we’ve been led to believe. Niki discussed the 1976 case Shimp v. New Jersey Bell Telephone that concerned an office worker’s right to a smoke free workplace. Natalia commented on the Baffler article, “Off Our Butts.”

• Nordstrom has stopped selling Ivanka Trump’s clothing line, citing plummeting sales since her father became president. We discussed the history of fashion and politics, and Natalia recommended Sara Georgini’s article, “Crafting Protest, Fashioning Politics.” Natalia also shared Mary Davis’s Public Books essay, “Is There Really No Smart Writing on Women’s Fashion?” Neil commented on Andrew Sullivan’s essay, “The Madness of King Donald,” that argues all aspects of daily life are politicized in a Trump presidency.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the documentary “The Century of the Self.”

• Neil discussed the building of an 8-foot bulletproof wall around the Eiffel Tower.

• Niki talked about James Kirchick’s article, “Joe Alsop and America’s Forgotten Code.”

Episode 70: Valentine's Day, Obama & Black History, and Andrew Jackson

In this week's episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the bawdy history of Valentine's Day, Obama's role in elevating black history, and the parallels between Andrew Jackson and Donald Trump.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• It’s Valentine’s Day! We discussed the long history of this holiday and some of its offshoots, including Galentine’s Day. Niki recommended Annebella Pollen’s history of mocking Victorian Valentine’s Day cards.

• We discussed the historian Robert Greene II’s article in The Nation, “Barack Obama Radically Expanded Our Appreciation of African-American History.” Our conversation also touched on other recent essays about Obama as the nation’s first black president, including pieces by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Melissa Harris-Perry, and Tressie McMillan Cottom. Natalia also recommended the recent Netflix series, Barry. 

• According to White House staffers, Donald Trump’s inauguration speech was modeled on Andrew Jackson’s 1829 inaugural address. We discussed why Trump has looked to Andrew Jackson as his model for the presidency. Although Jackson has not fared well with historians of late, Niki recommended David Greenberg’s recent defense of Jackson.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the book The Goddess Pose.

• Neil discussed the history of the word “humbled.”

• Niki talked about Jamelle Bouie’s article, “Government by White Nationalism Is Upon Us.”

Episode 69: Refugees, Uber, and Dystopian Novels

In this week's episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate American policy toward refugees, the politics of Uber, and the rising sales of dystopian novels.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• We discussed Donald Trump’s executive order that severely restricts immigration from seven Muslim countries.

• The ride sharing app Uber fell into controversy when it dropped surge pricing from rides leaving JFK airport during the recent protests over Trump’s executive orders. We discussed Uber and the history of ride sharing apps and taxi cabs. Natalia recommended Graham Hodges’s work on the history of the taxi industry.

• Sales of dystopian novels including 1984, Brave New World, The Handmaid’s Tale, and It Can’t Happen Here have surged in the first weeks of the Trump administration. Natalia recommended E.D. Hirsch’s book on American Cultural Literacy and Andrew Hartman’s history of the culture wars, A War for the Soul of America. Niki noted recent films like Wall-E and Idiocracy have played with themes about America as anti-intellectual and consumerist.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the #FreeMelania hashtag trend.

• Neil discussed Cleveland, Mississippi’s recent decision to comply with Brown v. Board of Education.

• Niki talked about the Backstory podcast. 

Episode 68: Betsy DeVos, Executive Orders, and Playgrounds

In this week's episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate Betsy DeVos and school privatization, the uses of executive orders, and the growing call for more dangerous playgrounds.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Donald Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education has prompted strong opposition in large part because of her advocacy of privatizing public education. Natalia and Jonathan Kozol spoke about the privatization push and other trends in education at the Tucson Festival of Books last year. You can watch their talk here. Natalia has written about education controversies in her book Classroom Wars. Neil recommended Seth Dowland’s Family Values for understanding how conservative parents embraces “school choice” in the 1970s and 80s.

• Donald Trump began his presidency with a host of executive orders on his first day in the White House. We discussed the history of executive orders. Niki recommended Graham Dodds’ Take Up Your Pen for a history of unilateral presidential directives.

• We discussed the CityLab article that asks, “Can We Bring Back Riskier Playgrounds?”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor’s article, “Don’t Shame the First Steps of a Resistance.”

• Neil discussed the March for Life.

• Niki talked about Gene Demby’s history of “Sagging Pants.”

Episode 67: Plagiarism, Ringling Bros., and Sugar & SNAP

In this week's episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the dangers of plagiarism, the fate of the cirucs, and whether sugary drinks should be restricted for SNAP recipients.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Plagiarism is in the news after it was revealed that Monica Crowley, under consideration for a role in the Trump administration, had plagiarized work throughout her career, including her Ph.D. thesis. Niki compared the Crowley controversy to Joe Biden’s plagiarism scandal, citing David Greenberg’s argument that Biden’s plagiarism was part of a larger misrepresentation of his biography. Niki also discussed the plagiarism scandals of the historians Stephen Ambrose and Doris Kearns Goodwin. Natalia commented on the controversy over the historian Michael Bellesiles who fabricated research for his book, Arming America.   

• After nearly 150 years in business, the Ringling Bros. circus is shutting down. Neil argued the circus was closing because Americans objected to its mistreatment of animals, especially elephants, that has been well documented. Natalia observed the documentary Black Fish, which exposes Sea World’s abuse of its marine animals, had also increased Americans’ awareness. Natalia also argued that the 1966 movie Born Free had shaped Americans’ understanding of animals in the natural habitat as contrasted to zoos and circuses. Niki recommended the book True Vine which tells the story of two African-American albino brothers who were displayed as circus freaks in the late 19th century.  

• The New York Times published an article alleging that large amounts of food stamps are used to buy soda. Natalia commented on various criticisms of the story, including Jacobin’s takedown of the piece. Neil discussed recent public awareness campaigns on sugar, including New York City’s “Pouring on the Pounds” campaign. Natalia mentioned a Baffler article on the fundamental dishonesty of anti-smoking campaigns. Niki recommended David Singerman’s New York Times article, “The Shady History of Big Sugar.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on Jill Corson Lake’s article, “Simianization in the Film ‘Sing’,” and Anne Helen Peterson’s article, “Living in the Beautiful Bubble of the Not-Quite Internet.”

• Neil discussed SpaceX and Hidden Figures.

Episode 66: The Women's March, Russia, and Obama's Farewell

In this week's episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the women's march on Washington, US-Russian relations, and Obama's final speech to the nation.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• The Women’s March on Washington will take place the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration to protest the incoming administration. Natalia observed the march’s historical importance of mobilizing on a physical level in a social media age. Niki cited David Karpf’s argument in The MoveOn Effect of how slacktivism can become activism as the thin ties of social media grow into thick ties of political advocacy. Natalia lamented a recent Washington Post editorial that urged women marchers to not wear pink or sparkly items, and recommended Nan Enstad’s book, Ladies of Labor, Girls of Adventure, for understanding how the way women dress has often been used against them as political actors.

• News that the Russian government had interfered in the 2016 election on behalf of Donald Trump brought a new dimension to U.S.-Russia relations, but we debated whether it represented a return of the Cold War. Natalia mentioned the New York Times op-ed from the former deputy director of the CIA, Michael Morell last year that endorsed Hillary Clinton in part because of his concern that Trump had become an “unwitting agent of the Russian Federation.” Neil recommended Ekaterina Pravilova’s Public Books essay on how Vladimir Putin has sowed disinformation and confusion throughout Russian society by attacking journalists, scientists, and historians.

• President Barack Obama delivered his farewell address to a packed auditorium in Chicago last week. Neil noted the speech displayed Obama’s characteristic optimism, arguing that was both its strength and weakness. Niki commented on the speech’s weaknesses in a recent piece for U.S. News & World Report. Natalia recommended James Fraser’s A History of Hope for contextualizing Obama’s optimism. Neil compared Obama’s speech to the famous farewell addresses from George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia commented on the plagiarism accusations against Monica Crowley.

• Neil discussed President Obama’s designation of five new national monuments.

• Niki talked about “Nixon’s Vietnam Treachery.”