Critical Conversations

Beale, Baccam & Connolly
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A podcast by the English, History and Politics teams at Vyners School designed to help students understand the critical issues that underpin their A-Level subjects.

Episodes

  1. 07/10/2024

    Episode 5: The Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression

    The Critical Conversations team discuss the 1920s and early 30s in America. Did everyone benefit from the boom times of the 1920s? Why did it end? How were people affected? How did recovery begin? All will be answered in today's episode.

  2. 11/10/2021

    Episode 4: The Gilded Age

    The Gilded Age: Critical Conversations Defining the term/era Mark Twain wrote his novel, coining the phrase ‘The Gilded Age’ in 1873 - what was it about? Industrial Developments  How did the Gilded Age change all of that? Was it all about the railways? Key Figures An era of easily detestable ‘robber barons’? Elite captains of industry ready to exploit both the natural riches of North America and its inhabitants? Pick out a couple of these key figures and flesh them out for us - Carnegie, JP Morgan, Rockefeller… A Divided America? Was the ‘gild’ only surface deep, a patina? What was the reality of the era for the majority of Americans? And despite there appearing to be progressive legal developments - such as the 1883 first US Civil Rights Act - did the Gilded Age effectively pave the way for the Jim Crow laws? What about tensions between the native Americans and the growing industrialisation of the country?

  3. 11/13/2019

    Episode 3: The American Dream

    In this episode the Critical Conversation is the American Dream. It is very difficult to define but a fundamental part of life in America. In the podcast we cover a range of questions that delve into the American Dream, its history, cultural influence and wether it is a myth or reality. The discussion points are: How can we define it? There seems to be two parallel strands to it: a) the idealistic version – one of limitless possibilities where everyone has the constitutional right to pursue ‘happiness’ and be the best possible version of themselves; b) the materialistic version – a land where anyone can become a millionaire. Can you explain these two interpretations of the American Dream more fully? What are the origins of the Dream? To what extent does it owe its conception to the founding fathers? Who coined the phrase? When did it first gain common currency as a phrase? What did Horatio Alger do to popularise the ‘rags to riches’ version of the American Dream? What other writers or thinkers have been most influential in shaping our understanding of it? How does the phrase ‘conspicuous consumption’ relate to the American Dream? Why do we only have an American Dream: what’s so particular about America that has created this idea? Has the American Dream ever really been achievable or is it just a myth? A romantic idea or really achievable? Is it an out-dated concept in Trump’s America? Or more alive than ever?

  4. 09/16/2019

    Episode 2: Manifest Destiny

    Welcome to the second episode of Critical Conversations, focussed on the concept of Manifest Destiny.

  5. 09/16/2019

    Episode 1: The Beginnings of America

    Welcome to the first Critical Conversations Podcast. The History and English team at Vyners School will be talking about a topic relevant to both courses for those students studying A Level History, English and Politics. Episode 1 is focussed on the Beginnings of America, how a colony became a country and the implications that has for the American psyche.

  • 5 Episodes

About

A podcast by the English, History and Politics teams at Vyners School designed to help students understand the critical issues that underpin their A-Level subjects.

Information

  • Creator
    Beale, Baccam & Connolly
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2024
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Beale, Baccam & Connolly
  • Show Website
    Critical Conversations