Podcast
Space the Nation
Hosted by Space the Nation · EN
On Space the Nation, we take our love of science fiction (and fantasy and horror) and smash it together with our professional passions: international relations (as brought to the table by Tufts University professor and Washington Post columnist Dan Drezner) and cultural criticism (as brought to the table by political columnist Ana Marie Cox). It's a highly informed but hilarious conversation that starts with an examination of a particular text (everything from Ursula K. LeGuin to the MCU, Star Trek to Colson Whitehead) and veers into current events, mental health practices and imagined conversations between Ted Cruz and the Predator. For people who like white papers and graphic novels, Chapo Trap House and what Political Science Twitter used to be.
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38episodes
Episodes
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ROBOCOP (1987)
4d ago01:14:40Tap to summarizeWell, is there a critique of capitalism in this movie? I'll buy that for a dollar!Commentary on, among other things: Corporate malfeasance, the carceral state, the market's encroachment on bodily autonomy, disability justice, and parody of ultraviolence done in service of capital? ACAB except Robocop, that's what I say. There is also IR in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ENCORE: KINDRED (1979)
6d ago01:00:27Tap to summarizeWhat better way to end our celebration of mothers with this meditation on generational trauma—as well as the grit and grace it takes to survive. This is not Octavia Butler's novel with the most transparent commentary on the Current Troubles, it goes deeper than that: It raises questions about repair from trauma, what it is possible to heal, and when wounds have to be honored rather than salved. A perfect accompaniment to preparations for our country's 250th birthday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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GRAVITY (2013)
2w ago00:50:35Tap to summarizeThe George Clooney Rule of competence porn ("If the movie contains Clooney, it contains competence.") overwhelms the argument that Gravity may not, at its core, really be competence porn so much as "barely-made-it-out-and-needed-a-male-presence-to-survive porn." Your space mileage may vary! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ENCORE: ARRIVAL (2016)
2w ago00:45:30Tap to summarizeMore moms in space for May! Arrival may be the movie that split your hosts the most deeply: Dan loves it, Ana can't forgive the movie for confusing linguists with translators, among other things. This movie has a gorgeous soundtrack, a luminous performance from Amy Adams, and a lot of international relations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ENCORE: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022)
3w ago00:53:20Tap to summarizeWe continue with encore presentations of mothers in space for May. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert use slapstick, sci-fi, and hotdog fingers in this hallucinatory exploration of agency and commitment and the everything bagel. There's IR and a critique of capitalism in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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THE MERCY OF THE GODS (2024)
3w ago01:11:08Tap to summarizeThe minds behind The Expanse are back with a novel about academic infighting and enormous space bugs. Dan identifies with one of the characters! It's a brutal look at how humanity does and doesn't survive contact with utter cruelty. There is lots of IR (and academic intrigue!) in this book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ENCORE: ALIENS (1986)
May 601:11:52Tap to summarizeMothers: Can't live with them, can't have existed without them. Science fiction is dominated my male voices, some of them have mommy issues. Here are some of our mommy issues. (Octavia Butler, author of one of encores, is the only creator to be exploring the issue from the inside.)First up is Aliens, the ultimate not-without-my-daughter text. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ENCORE: WATERWORLD (1995)
Apr 2901:03:19Tap to summarizePresenting the Schlock or Awe collection, encore presentations of the best worst movies we've seen. Patrons get episodes ad-free.Fourth wave: Urine for a treat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001)
Apr 2701:02:11Tap to summarizeWe are forced, once again, to ponder the power of charisma in creating the illusion of perfection. Of course things never go wrong for George Clooney. Unless he portraying a small-time legal fixer (see: Michael Clayton), in which case we just know we're watching a fantasy.Steven Soderberg, also at the top of his game, makes this a movie that's about criminal enterprise but goes down like a spa day at a luxury Vegas hotel.There is IR, kinda, in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ENCORE: DEMOLITION MAN (1993)
Apr 2201:05:46Tap to summarizePresenting the Schlock or Awe collection, encore presentations of the best worst movies we've seen. Patrons get episodes ad-free.Third in the roster: three shells. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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