Podcast
Past Present
Hosted by Niki, Neil, and Natalia · EN
Past Present brings together three historians to discuss what's happening in American politics and culture today. Natalia, Neil, and Niki bring historical insights to the news of the day, offering listeners an alternative to the reflexive and polarized world of punditry. Interested in the world around you but exhausted by rote reactions and partisan talking points? You've come to the right place.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 406: Neil J. Young's "Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right"
Apr 2, 202400:59:50Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss – and celebrate! – Neil's new book, Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right. Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Coming Out Republican is now available for order. You can buy Neil's book here. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia shared about the Gothamist article, "Stop the Schtup: Brooklyn Orthodox Women Join Sex Strike to Pressure Husbands Over Divorce." · Neil commented on his forthcoming piece at The Revealer, "Reaching the Heartland: Gay Republicans' Message to Religious Americans." · Niki recommended Heather Radke's book, Butts: A Backstory.
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Episode 405: Controversies over Christmas "Classics"
Dec 19, 202300:40:14Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss controversies over Christmas "classics." Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Beloved Christmas songs and movies, like so many cultural products, have come under new scrutiny recently. Neil's Atlantic essay about Christmas controversies informed our whole conversation. We drew on this Atlantic essay that began the backlash against the film Love Actually, and Natalia referenced this interview with its director. Niki referred to this Variety essay about "Baby, It's Cold Outside." In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia, Neil, and Niki reflected on eight years of making the show together and announced both Niki's departure and Past Present's first hiatus. Thank you, Niki. And listeners, see you in the spring!
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Episode 404: George Santos
Dec 12, 202300:40:01Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the strange career of now ex-Republican Congressman George Santos. Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · George Santos' lies are so numerous, it is difficult to keep track of them. Niki referred to this Atlantic article about how Santos got elected, and Neil and Natalia referred to this one by Adam Serwer. We all drew on this New York Times history of expelled Congress members. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia declared her ambition to compete in the HYROX fitness competition. · Neil recommended the Slate podcast Dear Prudence and historian Julie Golia's book, Newspaper Confessions: A History of Advice Columns in a Pre-Internet Age. · Niki discussed Rivka Galchen's New Yorker article, "Inside the Illegal Cactus Trade."
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Episode 403: Nikki Haley
Dec 5, 202300:43:55Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Nikki Haley recently secured the backing of the wealthy Koch Brothers, bringing more attention to her presidential run. Natalia referred to this multi-part POLITICO series on Haley's career. Neil drew on this NPR piece, and Niki on this article from The Intercept. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia shared about her most recent MSNBC column, "How Feminists Have Failed Israeli Victims of Sexual Violence." · Neil recommended Sopan Deb's New York Times article, "Nom Nom Nom. What's the Deal With Cookie Monster's Cookies?" · Niki discussed the National Security Archive's "Henry Kissinger: The Declassified Obituary."
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Episode 402: Home Ownership and the History of Mortgages
Nov 28, 202300:40:33Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss Americans' attachment to the thirty-year mortgage. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · A thirty-year mortgage is an enticement to home ownership – if you can lock one in at a low interest rate. Niki cited this Washington Post article about the unfavorable market for millennial homebuyers, and Natalia referenced this New Yorker piece about the pitfalls of mortgages. We all drew on this Atlantic article about the resilience of the "ownership society" ideal. Natalia referred to this New York Times article about a landlord harassed by her tenant. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia shared about the paperback release of Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past and a 60% holiday discount on the audiobook of Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America's Exercise Obsession. · Neil recommended visiting the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, California. · Niki discussed the latest episode of the What Next podcast, "Moms for Liberty Tanked at the Polls. This Guy Called It."
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Episode 401: The History of Drive-Thru Dining
Nov 21, 202300:39:02Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the history of drive-thru dining. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Drive-through dining is more popular than ever since the pandemic. Neil drew on this Serious Eats history, and we all referred to this photo collection. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia recommended Eboo Patel's essay for Inside Higher Ed, "Why Campuses Need Centers for Pluralism." · Neil discussed Natasha Singer's New York Times article, "This Florida District Banned Cellphones. Here's What Happened." · Niki shared about the latest episode of Unclear and Present Danger, on which she appears.
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Episode 400: The History of U.S. Divorce Laws
Nov 14, 202300:42:00Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the history of divorce law in the United States. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is a proponent of "covenant marriage," an institutional arrangement that makes it much more difficult to get divorced. Natalia referred to this Atlantic article about the history of no-fault divorce. Niki drew on this JSTOR Daily piece on how women advocated for these changes and on this CNN piece as well. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia recommended the "Dog Eat Dog" episode of Season 4 of the History Channel's Food That Built America program. · Neil discussed Bruce Weber's New York Times obituary, "Bobby Knight, Basketball Coach Known for Trophies and Tantrums, Dies at 83." · Niki shared about a new edited collection, LBJ's America: The Life and Legacies of Lyndon Baines Johnson.
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Episode 399: Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican Chaos
Nov 7, 202300:44:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the drama around the election of the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Until this week, the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was little known beyond Louisiana and ultraconservative circles. Natalia referenced this CNN piece about Johnson's homophobic comments, and historian Matthew Dallek's article for TIME. Neil referred to Niki's latest CNN column. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia discussed Ksenia Svetlova's New Republic piece, "Why We On the Israeli Left Feel Hit on Both Sides." · Neil recommended historian Lauren Lassabe Shepherd's Daily Beast article, "Could Mississippi Actually Elect a Democratic Governor?" · Niki shared about the Radiotopia podcast, "The Unmarked Graveyard: Stories from Hart Island."
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Episode 398: The History of Restaurant Reservations
Oct 31, 202300:37:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the history of restaurant reservations. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Restaurant reservations, like so much else, are getting gamified. Neil referred to this New York Times article. We all drew on this overview of historian Paul Freedman's book and this Atlantic article. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia shared about Britney Spears' new memoir, The Woman in Me. · Neil recommended historian Daniel Immerwahr's New Yorker article, "Beyond the Myth of Rural America" and Steven Conn's book The Lies of the Land: Seeing Rural America for What It Is – And Isn't. · Niki discussed Elizabeth Williamson's New York Times article, "Judge Won't Let Alex Jones Use Bankruptcy to Avoid Sandy Hook Damages."
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Episode 397: The Beyoncé and Taylor Swift Tours
Oct 24, 202300:43:27Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the history of musical megatours and the concert movies they inspired. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week's show: · Beyoncé and Taylor Swift made concert history this summer, and are now offering feature film versions of their concerts for the masses. Niki referenced this CNN article, and Natalia cited Taffy Brodesser-Akner's New York Times Magazine analysis of Swiftiedom. In our regular closing feature, What's Making History: · Natalia shared about her upcoming events in the Center for Jewish History's "Archives to Earbuds" series. · Neil recommended the podcast series, Keys to the Kingdom. · Niki discussed the new film, One Life.
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