Episode 160: The Weekly Standard, Sheryl Sandberg, and "Baby, It's Cold Outside"

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the closing of the conservative magazine The Weekly Standard, changing public perceptions of Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and the controversy over the 1944 Christmas classic “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

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

•  After twenty-three years, the conservative Weekly Standard is shuttering. Natalia recommended Ed Kilgore’s Intelligencer article about the Weekly Standard’s history of partisanship. All three hosts referenced Niki’s book, Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics. Niki referred to Jeane Kirkpatrick’s 1979 Commentary essay “Dictatorship and Double Standards.”

• Silicon Valley executive and Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg has gone from superwoman to supervillain, a new Buzzfeed article reports.

• The classic winter song, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” is raising controversy this season, and it’s not the first time. Neil wrote about the controversial history of Christmas songs for The Atlantic. Niki discussed another conflict over the 1984 song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

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

• Natalia recommended Gustavo Turner’s LOGIC Magazine article, “My Stepdad’s Huge Data Set.”

• Neil discussed Michael S. Rosenwald’s Washington Post article, “The Police Officer Who Arrested a President.”

• Niki shared Charles Dunst and Krishnadev Kalamur’s Atlantic article, “Trump Moves to Deport Vietnam War Refugees.”

Episode 159: Classical Statues, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and Oklahoma Land Rights

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the disputed whiteness of classical statues, the Emmy Award-winning show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Native American claims to land rights in Oklahoma.

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

• A small cadre of archaeologists and art historians are challenging the assumption that classical statuary were always white, the New Yorker reported. Niki recommended this article from the Nation on the connection between white supremacy and mythologies of a white past.

• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is back with a second season. Niki referred to this Refinery29 article that contrasted lead character Midge Maisel with Joan Rivers. Natalia suggested Emily Nussbaum’s critique at the New Yorker and Hey Alma’s historical critique of the show.

• A murder trial in Oklahoma is raising questions about Native American land rights. Natalia recommended this Daily Beast article about how the white, libertarian land rights movement is cynically invoking the Native American example.

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

• Natalia discussed Shayla Love’s VICE article, “The Young and the Uncared For.”

• Neil commented on James Gorman’s New York Times article, “It Could Be the Age of the Chicken, Geologically.”

• Niki shared Ruth Graham’s Slate article, “How ‘Woke Ammon Bundy’ Became the World’s Most Surprising Resistance Figure.”

Episode 158: George H.W. Bush, Exorcisms, and the Squatty Potty

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the death of President George Herbert Walker Bush, the resurgence of exorcisms, and the viral popularity of the Squatty Potty.

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

• Forty-first president George H.W. Bush died recently at age 94. Niki mentioned diverging analyses of Bush’s legacy from historians Tim Naftali at Slate and David Greenberg at POLITICO. Natalia recommended historian Josh Clark Davis’ viral thread about Bush’s War on Drugs. Neil wrote about Bush’s experience with the religious right at the Washington Post.

• Catholic exorcisms are on the rise. Niki referred to this article at The Conversation about the role of Pope Francis in this rise.

• A product called the Squatty Potty is a consumer hit. Natalia referred to this Guardian article about changes in how we relate to toilets and our bodies, as well as to another product, Tushy, that illustrates a new openness to discussing once-taboo bodily functions.

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

• Natalia recommended Jaime Lauren Keiles’ Vox article, “Reconsidering the Jewish American Princess.”

• Neil commented on the controversy over every president reciting the Apostles’ Creed at George H.W. Bush’s funeral except President Trump.

• Niki discussed Sarah Zhang’s Atlantic article, “300 Million Letters Are Missing From the Human Genome.”

Episode 157: Inmate Firefighters, China's Social Credit System, and Chanukah

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss convict firefighters, China’s new social credit system, and the history of Chanukah.

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

•  California’s latest wave of forest fires is being battled in part by inmates in the state’s prisons through a program that was instated in the 1940s. Natalia cited historian Heather Ann Thompson’s book Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971.

• Since 2014, the Chinese government has been building a “social credit system” to track – and reward and punish – its citizens’ behaviors. We commented on this piece on the dystopian comparisons being made by cultural observers of these measures.

• Chanukah is upon us and the Jewish “Festival of Lights” has an oft-overlooked military history. Niki and Natalia both recommended this Forward article about the significance of rationing oil.

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

• Natalia recommended historian Matthew Pressman’s new book, On Press: The Liberal Values That Shaped the News.

• Neil shared Julia Jacobs’ New York Times article, “Bush’s Letter to Clinton Cemented a Presidential Traditions, Historians Say.”  

• Niki discussed Seyward Darby and Glenna Gordon’s Topic article, “The Secret Weapons of the Far Right.”

Episode 156: Segregation Academies, the Death of an American Missionary, and Victoria's Secret

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss segregation academies, the death of an American missionary, and the declining market share of lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret.

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

•  Mississippi Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith, who is in a runoff contest to hold on to her Senate seat, sparked backlash when she made an offhand comment about a “public hanging” that many perceived as racist. The fact that Hyde-Smith attended a “segregation academy,” as reported by this Jackson Free Press article Natalia recommended, shed important light on how she developed such a worldview.

• Last week, American missionary John Allen Chau was killed when he traveled to the remote island of North Sentinel. Niki recommended this viral thread by Twitter user @RespectableLaw on the historical context for the hostility of the Sentinelese to outsiders. Neil discussed the case of evangelical Jim Elliot, who was killed on a mission in Ecuador. Natalia recommended Sadatru Sen’s book, Disciplining Punishment: Colonialism and Convict Society in the Andaman Islands and Jonathan Zimmerman’s Innocents Abroad: American Teachers in the American Century.

• Lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret is losing market share, and CMO Ed Razek hasn’t been shy about disdaining new upstarts like Third Love. Natalia cited this Slate article about the founding of Victoria’s Secret to cater to men’s shopping needs. Natalia also recommended Elizabeth Matelski’s Reducing Bodies: Mass Culture and the Female Figure in Postwar America and this episode of the Sexing History podcast about “sweater girls.”  

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

• Natalia discussed the new movie Ralph Breaks the Internet.

• Neil recommended Natalie Escobar’s Atlantic article, “The Changing Ways Parents React to Their Kids Coming Out of the Closet.”

• Niki shared Joe Pinsker’s Atlantic article, “The 30-Year Reign of Lunchables.”

Episode 155: The 2018 Recounts, Jim Acosta, and Bedtime Stories

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the aftermath of the midterm elections with special guest, Slate senior political correspondent Jamelle Bouie, the revocation of CNN journalist Jim Acosta’s “hard pass” to the White House, and the supposed radicalization of children’s literature.

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

• Demands for recounts and accusations of voter suppression and fraud defined the immediate aftermath of the midterm elections earlier this month. We sat down with Slate senior political correspondent Jamelle Bouie to discuss his analysis of the aftermath and how it fits into histories of disenfranchisement in the United States.

• After a heated exchange between President Trump and CNN reporter Jim Acosta, the White House downgraded his White House access. Niki recommended historian Martha Jones’ Washington Post article on how women journalists of color have routinely been denied full access to the events they cover.

• Children’s books promoting progressive politics have been selling well, prompting the Atlantic to announce a “radicalization” of children’s literature. Natalia recommended this Slate piece that discussed a disproportionate emphasis on rebellious girls and pointed out a controversy over the children’s book P is for Palestine that indicated the limits of this “radicalization.” Neil recommended historian Julia Mickenberg’s book Learning from the Left: Children’s Literature, The Cold War, and Radical Politics in the United States.

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

• Natalia discussed her Washington Post article, “Why A Right-Wing Extremist Targeted a Yoga Studio.”

• Neil recommended the YouTube clip, “Comparing Every Version of A Star is Born.”

• Niki shared Tim Alberta’s Politico article, “How the GOP Gave Up on Porn.”

Episode 154: The 2018 Midterm Elections, Gab, and Movember

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the midterm elections, the alt-right social media platform Gab, and Movember.

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

• We discussed whether the midterm elections resulted in the “blue wave” Democrats anticipated.

• Gab, launched as a “free-speech Twitter,” has become a platform for the alt-Right. Niki recommended Kathleen Belew’s book Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.

• “Movember” launched in 2003 in Australia as a way to raise awareness about men’s health. Natalia recommended this Atlantic article questioning the utility of awareness campaigns.

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

• Natalia shared the ESPN 30 for 30 Podcast’s episode “The Six Who Sat.”

• Neil discussed Melissa McCarthy’s new film, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

• Niki recommended Ben H. Winters’ book, Underground Airlines.

Episode 153: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting, the Closing of Rural Hospitals, and the Political Mobilization of Orange County Women

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the massacre of Jews at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue, the closing of rural hospitals, and the political reawakening of women in Orange County, California.

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

• The largest murder of Jews in the United States took place last month at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Natalia referred to writer Yascha Mounk’s tweet about the resistance of the media to acknowledge anti-Semitism as racism. Niki referred to her discussion of anti-Semitism and the alt-Right in her podcast series A12.

• Rural hospitals are closing, depriving Americans in these regions of crucial medical services. Natalia recommended historian Gabriel Rosenberg’s book on the idealization of rural life, The 4-H Harvest: Sexuality and the State in Rural America.

• Motivated by antipathy to Trump, previously politically disengaged suburban mothers in Orange County are organizing in advance of the midterms. Natalia cited historian Lisa McGirr’s Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right as an important political history of the region. Neil mentioned his recent Atlantic article on white women’s changing political affinities in the age of Trump.

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

• Natalia recommended Jordan Smith’s Runner’s World article, “Kelly Herron After Chasing Down Alleged Attacker: We Do Not Have To ‘Let It Go’.”

• Neil shared Ruth Graham’s Slate article, “Two Shotguns: What Happened at Ruby Ridge?”

• Niki discussed Keia Mastraianni’s Bon Appetit article, “’Election Cake’ Makes a Modern Resurgence.”  

Episode 152: U.S.-Saudi Relations, Trans Americans, and Horror Movies

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of U.S.-Saudi relations in light of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Trump administration’s policies toward transgender people, and the continued popularity of horror movies.

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

• The brutal death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has turned attention to the historical relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States. Niki referred to the data in this report about journalists killed in the line of duty.

• A memo from the Health and Human Services Department reveals that the Trump administration plans to further roll back the rights of transgender people. Natalia recommended the work of historian Jen Manion on the history of trans identity.

• In an age of digital streaming, horror movies remain a sure bet for box office success. Niki recommended Netflix horror series The Haunting of Hill House.

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

• Natalia recommended Jessica M. Goldstein’s Entertainment Weekly article, “’Britney Spears wanted to be a star’: An oral history of ‘…Baby, One More Time’.”

• Neil shared Tejal Rao’s New York Times article on the history of Kit Kat in Japan, “Big in Japan.”

• Niki discussed David Robson’s Atlantic article, “Neanderthals Suffered a Lot of Traumatic Injuries. So How Did They Live So Long?”

Episode 151: Black Women's Political Power, the End of Sears, and Corporate Art Patronage

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, Niki, and guest historian Leah Wright Rigueur discuss black women and electoral politics, the closing of Sears, and corporate art patronage.

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

•  Black women voters are a crucial electoral contingent, especially in the upcoming midterm elections. We spoke with Dr. Leah Wright Rigueur, author of The Loneliness of the Black Republican: Pragmatic Politics and the Pursuit of Power, about black women’s voting power today and in the past. Niki referenced Rachel Devlin’s book A Girl Stands at the Door, and Leah recommended Brittney Cooper’s Eloquent Rage, Ashley Farmer’s Remaking Black Power, Danielle McGuire’s At the Dark End of the Street, and Keisha Blain’s Set the World on Fire, as all good books for better understanding the long history of black women’s political activism.

• Sears is closing its doors for good. Natalia mentioned historian Louis Hyman’s viral Twitter thread on how the Sears catalog created opportunities for African Americans to shop during Jim Crow. She also recommended historian Lizabeth Cohen’s book A Consumer’s Republic and historian David K. Johnson’s forthcoming book Buying Gay: How Physique Entrepreneurs Sparked A Movement.

• We discussed how although art patronage is nothing new, 2018’s unapologetically corporate branding of art feels unprecedented.

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

• Natalia recommended Jessica Wilkerson’s Longreads article, “Living With Dolly Parton.”

• Neil shared the news that Judy Blume’s book Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is being turned into a movie.

• Niki discussed W. David Marx’s Vox article, “An American campaign tee is trendy in Asia. Its popularity has nothing to do with the US.”

Episode 150: LIVE! George Soros, "Grievance Studies," and Bavarian Hipsterism

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the right’s obsession with George Soros conspiracy theories, the recent “grievance studies” hoax, and the rise of Bavarian folk dress as a form of hipsterism.

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

• Financier and philanthropist George Soros is increasingly at the center of conspiracy theories on the political right. Niki referred to this New York Times article on anti-Semitism in the Trump era.

• The Wall Street Journal broke the news of the most recent academic hoax, perpetuated to expose the outsize influence of “social justice ideology” on certain subfields of the humanities. Natalia wrote about this in a roundtable at the Chronicle of Higher Education, and she referred to Yascha Mounk’s article in the Atlantic in defense of the hoaxsters.

• Lederhosen and dirndls are all the rage among Bavarian hipsters, reported the New York Times. Natalia referred to this 2001 article about Germans’ ongoing struggle with nationalism in the decades after the fall of the Third Reich.

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

• Natalia shared recommended Karen Rain’s Medium article, “Yoga Guru Pattabhi Jois Assaulted Me for Years.”

• Neil reflected on the twentieth anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death.

• Niki discussed Leah Groth’s Prevention article, “American Cheese is Melting Away, Thanks to Millennials.”

Episode 149: Binge Drinking, McCarthyism, and Women's Rage

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the history of binge drinking, why McCarthyism is back in the news, and the political power of women’s rage.

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

•  Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination hearing has brought attention to the prevalence of binge drinking among young people. Natalia referenced Matt Damon’s Saturday Night Live portrayal of Brett Kavanaugh, and cited Sarah Hepola’s memoir of binge drinking, Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget.

• McCarthyism is back in the news as Mitch McConnell has accused Democrats of such tactics. Neil mentioned a Jonah Goldberg essay in the National Review that argued Joe McCarthy had been right.

• A series of books out this fall look at women’s rage: Rebecca Traister’s Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger; Soraya Chemaly’s Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger; and, Brittney Cooper’s Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower. Natalia added both Phyllis Schlafly’s Power of the Positive Woman and Audre Lorde’s “The Uses of Anger” as two other very different works on the politics of women’s rage.

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

• Natalia talked about her upcoming involvement in the event, “Yeah She Did: Witches Get Stuff Done” taking place in New York City on October 24.

• Neil commented on Joe Pinsker’s Atlantic article, “Why Some Parents Turn Boys’ Names Into Girls’ Names.”

• Niki discussed the expiration of the Violence Against Women Act.

Episode 148: High School Yearbooks, Trump and Immigrants, and Barstool Sports

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the history of high school yearbooks, how the Trump administration is defining immigrants as “public charges,” and the awful misogyny of Barstool Sports.

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

• High school yearbooks have been in the spotlight during the investigation of Brett Kavanaugh. Niki cited this Atlantic article that historicizes yearbooks and Natalia recommended historian Paula Fass’ book Outside In: Minorities and the Transformation of American Education for its use of yearbooks as historical sources.

• President Trump came to power promising to tighten immigration legislation, and a recent proposal promises to deny citizenship to those who make use of public services. Natalia recommended this Atlantic interview with historian Hidetaka Hirota about how today’s policies are rooted in 19th-century policies that targeted the Irish.

• If sports has always been a “boys’ club,” Barstool Sports has taken this sexism to new levels. Natalia recommended this Daily Beast article on the controversial website.

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

• Natalia shared her experience visiting the Storm King Art Center in Cornwall, NY.

• Neil commented on touring the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Abiquiú, New Mexico.

• Niki discussed historian Sarah Milov’s Washington Post piece, “Like the Tobacco Industry, E-Cigarette Manufacturers Are Targeting Children.”

Episode 147: Brett Kavanaugh, Fraternity Hazing, and the Natural Beauty Industry

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the drama surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s upcoming Supreme Court confirmation, fraternity hazing, and the booming natural beauty industry.

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

• Conservative Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s candidacy is being marred by sexual assault allegations. Natalia recommended Anita Hill’s New York Times’ op-ed about the historical echoes with her own experience.

• The hazards of fraternity hazing are back in the news after the death of a student at the Riverside campus of the University of California. Natalia recommended Nicholas Syrett’s book The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities and Paula Fass’ The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920s. She also suggested Caitlin Flanagan’s Atlantic article on the symbiotic relationship between fraternities and universities.

• “Natural beauty” is an ill-defined, but booming, segment of the beauty industry. Niki recommended Upton Sinclair’s 1906 book The Jungle and Natalia recommended Kathy Peiss’ book, Hope In a Jar: The Making of America’s Beauty Culture.

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

• Natalia discussed Dave Philipps’ New York Times article, “A Breakthrough for U.S. Troops: Combat-Ready Pizza.”

• Neil reflected on Noah Nash’s Military Times article, “These Four-Legged Military Heroes Will Soon Have An Award All Their Own.”

• Niki shared Julia Moskin’s New York Times article, “Ranch Nation.”  

Episode 146: Crafting, the 2008 Financial Crisis, and the Marshmallow Test

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the new reality show Making It, the 2008 financial collapse ten years later, and the death of Walter Mischel, the social psychologist who created the “marshmallow test.”

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

• Making It, a crafting competition show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, is widely considered a welcome break from the cutthroat culture of reality television and of politics. Natalia recommended this American Conservative article on the limits of television crafting.

• Ten years after the economic crash of 2008, its effects are still felt. Natalia cited M.H. Miller’s New York Times essay, “I Came of Age During the 2008 Financial Crisis. I’m Still Angry About It”. Neil recommended the New York Times’ entire Sunday Business section’s retrospective on this topic.

• Social psychologist Walter Mischel, best known for orchestrating the “marshmallow test” that famously connected children’s ability to delay gratification with their long-term prospects for success, has died. Natalia referred to Oscar Lewis’ 1961 book, Children of Sanchez: Autobiography of a Mexican Family.

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

• Natalia discussed Stanford University’s decision to remove the name of Junipero Serra from a major building and street.

• Neil reflected on Sigal Samuel’s Atlantic article, “The Sex-Abuse Scandal is Growing Faster Than the Church Can Contain It.”

• Niki shared Nadra Nittle’s Vox article, “Students Are Waging War On Sexist and Racist Dress Codes – And They’re Winning.”  

Episode 145: Nike's Colin Kaepernick Ad, the Anonymous New York Times Op-Ed, and Robin Leach

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss Nike’s controversial signing of Colin Kaepernick as the face of their Just Do It campaign, the anonymous New York Times op-ed written by a senior Trump administration official, and the recent death of Robin Leach.

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

• Colin Kaepernick, best known for “taking a knee” to protest racism and police brutality in America, is the face of Nike’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. Natalia wrote about the announcement in the context of Nike’s history of adventurous branding at The Washington Post and referred to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s tweets about the implications of brands capitalizing on political polarization.

• The New York Times published a rare, anonymous op-ed from a senior official in the Trump administration. Natalia referenced Dahlia Lithwick’s comments on Trumpcast and Jordan Taylor’s Washington Post essay about the role of anonymity in American political history.

• Robin Leach, best known as host of the 1980s television show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, has died. Niki referred to David Brooks’ 2000 book Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There.

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

• Natalia discussed Ted Cruz’ warning that Democrats would bring “tofu, silicon, and dyed hair” to Texas.

• Neil reflected on the gendered dynamics in the new film Crazy Rich Asians.

• Niki shared Michael Rosenwald’s Washington Post article, “Roe v. Wade’s forgotten loser: The remarkable story of Dallas prosecutor Henry Wade.”

Episode 144: John McCain, the Catholic Church Scandals, and Loneliness

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the life and legacy of Senator John McCain, the recent scandals in the Catholic Church, and the latest panic over loneliness.

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

• Senator John McCain, a leading light of the Republican Party, died last month of brain cancer. Natalia referenced this critical assessment of McCain’s career and character in Rolling Stone.
• The Catholic Church in the United States is racked with scandal as revelations of decades of abuse – and of cover-ups – are coming to light. Niki cited the Boston Globe’s 2002 reporting of the “Spotlight” series that uncovered abuses at the hands of clergy in Boston-area parishes. Natalia recommended historian William Cossen’s “Made By History” at the Washington Post piece about the increased power of the clergy in the wake of church scandals and Christine Kenneally’s Buzzfeed investigative report of abuse at a Catholic orphanage in Vermont.
• Talk of a “loneliness epidemic” has become epidemic itself. Niki referenced Robert Putnam’s landmark 2000 book, Bowling Alone. Natalia recommended the Call Your Girlfriend podcast’s episode about female friendship.

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

• Natalia discussed her “Made By History” at the Washington Post piece, “As Swimsuit Season Ends, Pursuit of the ‘Bikini Body’ Endures.”
• Neil shared Ben Zimmer’s Wall Street Journal article, “The History of the Dogcatcher Insult.”
• Niki reflected on the historical significance of TV Guide as a form of conservative media.

Bonus Episode 6: Omarosa

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the release of Unhinged: An Insider’s Account of the White House, a new book by former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman.

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

·         Former White House Staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman has released a book about her time in the Trump White House. Natalia recommended Leah Wright Rigueur’s book The Loneliness of the Black Republican: Pragmatic Politics and the Pursuit of Power and Niki suggested her review of Manigault Newman’s book in Cosmopolitan.

We will be back in September with new episodes!

Episode 143: LIVE! Latinos in the Hamptons, Grift, and Rosé Wine

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the history of Latinos in the Hamptons, the problem of grift in Washington, and the sudden popularity of rosé wine.

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

• Latino immigration has transformed Eastern Long Island. Natalia referenced this New York Times article on the political tensions caused by this demographic shift.
• Trump administration Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross is being sued for bilking millions from his business associates. Natalia recommended Emily Jane Fox’s book BORN TRUMP: Inside America’s First Family.
• Rosé wine has become the lifestyle drink of the moment. Neil referenced the rosé shortage in the Hamptons in 2014, which received national press.

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

• Natalia discussed the apology by Los Angeles County for forcibly sterilizing Latina woman from 1968-1974.
• Neil commented on how airlines are cracking down on passengers who take advantage of their policy for emotional support animals.
• Niki recommended Ann Deslandes’ JSTOR Daily article, “The Bold Future of the Outer Space Treaty.”

Episode 142: Institutionalizing Children, Referees, and Charlottesville

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the history of the institutionalization of children, the thankless job of refereeing youth sports, and the legacy of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, one year after the Unite the Right rally.

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

• Coverage of family separation is revealing many abuses visited upon children detained in state facilities. Natalia mentioned this WNYC history of immigration detainment and this PBS retrospective on deinstitutionalization. She also recommended journalist Alex Beam’s book Gracefully Insane and this ProPublica coverage of the organizations that operate shelters.
• Violence against youth sports referees has become disturbingly common. Natalia cited the work of sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman on competitive childhood, including this Atlantic article.
• One year ago, violence in Charlottesville captured national attention. Niki has released a podcast series, A12, considering these events one year out. Niki also recommended historian Kathleen Belew’s new book, Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.

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

• Natalia commented on Gustavo Arellano’s Los Angeles Times article, “Of Course Latinos Can Assimilate Into American Society. Just Look at Whittier.”
• Neil discussed the JSTOR Daily article, “The Complicated Politics Of… Refrigerators.”
• Niki shared Tyler Parry’s article for Black Perspectives, “A Brief History of the ‘Black Friend’.”