MODERN CONTEXT with Yasmin Aliya Khan Yasmin Aliya Khan

We continue our story of the history of Ireland, exploring the Easter Rising, the Irish Free State, the Troubles, and finally, independence. But the story doesn't end with independence... is reunification possible by the end of the decade?
 

Ireland is a place that's full of lore, culture, and history, and many Americans can trace their roots back to the island. However, the island is also known for enduring centuries of political turmoil, most (or all?) of which came from their neighbors, the English. After suffering through colonization efforts, cultural erasure, exploitation, and even (debatably, but not really) an attempted genocide, the Irish lost a portion of their island to the United Kingdom. Now, Northern Ireland has, for the first time, shown signs of possibly wanting to leave the UK and reunite with the Republic of Ireland.
 
 
 

I've been reading Dune lately, and while the capitalistic undertones of the story are hardly subtle, it got me thinking about the ways stories and mythologies inform culture and society. In this episode, we'll explore the meaning of life and the way fiction can help us unravel the mysteries of our own existence.
 

Many people believe the modern holiday of Valentine's Day originated in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. That may or may not be true, but as religion, governments, and other power systems evolved across Europe and the Middle East, we also saw the roots of a few other modern phenomena emerge.
 

Ecuador was once the most peaceful country in South America even though it was bordered by two of the world's largest cocaine producers. However, despite political and economic instability throughout the years, things took a violent turn in Ecuador once a Colombian ceasefire between the government and the cocaine-peddling guerrillas left a power vacuum in the region. Suddenly, warring cartels were fighting for control of valuable trade routes and ports in Ecuador, plunging the country into chaos. Will Ecuador's newly-elected, young, and inexperienced president be able to wrangle his country back from the hands of violent gang members?
 

Happy New Year, everyone. To kick off 2024, I thought it'd be a good idea to look back at the first ten episodes of the Modern Context podcast and get some updates on the stories we covered. Before we can move forward, we have to understand where we came from. And so, onward into the future!