Dialogues in International History

Ari Barbalat
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This podcast intends to contribute to public education by offering listeners thorough and serious conversations on topics in international history and the history of international relations. It features interviews with authors of new monographs and recent books by historians and specialists.

  1. 1d ago

    Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel Charles, *America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance: An Essay Collection from Harvard Law School Faculty*. Cambridge, MA: MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Press, 2026.

    This year commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a time when the United States is grappling with profound challenges to its legal structure, governance systems, and civic values. The foundational principles of pluralism are being questioned. The nation is witnessing deep political divides, worries that the economic framework is failing to provide equal opportunities, and a technological upheaval that could transform our understanding of what it means to be human. This anthology brings together more than 50 legal scholars from the Harvard Law School faculty to explore this crucial moment in American law and governance. Edited by Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel Charles, this collection focuses on the audacious experiment in American legal governance that began in 1776, a topic that remains hotly contested after 250 years. Some essays examine the recent surge in executive power, particularly its alarming willingness to resort to violence, both domestically and internationally. Other essays probe the persistent divides among workers, consumers, and markets, posing difficult questions about democratic accountability in our market-driven economy. Furthermore, some contributors reflect on the future of our knowledge and governance institutions as they navigate the challenges posed by technological and informational disruptions. Engaging and thought-provoking, this collection not only enriches essential discussions crucial for a thriving democracy at this pivotal moment but also for the future.

    Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel Charles, *America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance: An Essay Collection from Harvard Law School Faculty*. Cambridge, MA: MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Press, 2026.

  2. Aug 14

    Reinhold Kramer and Tom Mitchell, *"P.S. Burn After Reading": The Kellock-Taschereau Commission and Soviet Espionage in Canada*. Toronto: University of Toronto Press and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History, 2026.

    Following the defection of Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko in 1945, Canada was stunned by the alarming revelation that some of its own citizens were engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union. This research explores how the Canadian government utilized the controversial Kellock-Taschereau Commission—sometimes judiciously and at other times recklessly—to uncover and eliminate domestic spies during the early Cold War period. Drawing on a diverse range of sources, including the Commission’s comprehensive records, GRU documents supplied by Gouzenko, American Venona decryptions, Soviet KGB archives, and recently declassified files from British MI5 and MI6, authors Reinhold Kramer and Tom Mitchell offer a detailed account of the crisis. They reveal that, despite certain errors concerning civil liberties, the government's suspicions were largely justified. The book intricately weaves together the evidence against the spies, the tactics of Soviet espionage, the complex legal challenges encountered by the state, and the resulting political fallout. With access to hundreds of newly released British intelligence documents, this study provides both experts and general readers with fresh insights into the espionage crisis of 1945–46 and its significant role in exposing Canada’s postwar security and intelligence vulnerabilities.

    Reinhold Kramer and Tom Mitchell, *"P.S. Burn After Reading": The Kellock-Taschereau Commission and Soviet Espionage in Canada*. Toronto: University of Toronto Press and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History, 2026.

  3. Aug 14

    Thomas Peace, *The Slow Rush of Colonization: Spaces of Power in the Maritime Peninsula, 1680-1790.* Vancouver: UBC (University of British Columbia) Press, 2023.

    In 1760, after Montcalm's defeat at the Plains of Abraham, the French Empire was permanently ousted from the Saint Lawrence Valley. This historical event is well-known. However, it is less recognized that this pivotal victory traces back nearly a century earlier, when settler colonial systems began to take root on the edges of the Maritime Peninsula, which includes modern-day Quebec, Maritime Canada, and New England. Historian Thomas Peace employs the idea of spaces of power to demonstrate that, despite changes in imperial control and settler colonial advances into their lands, the local Mi’kmaw, Wabanaki, Peskotomuhkati, Wolastoqiyik, and Wendat nations viewed the contested Peninsula as a cohesive whole, rather than a territory divided by later colonial lines. This intriguing history illustrates how the intertwined concepts of space and power—deeply shaped by Indigenous agency and diplomacy—affected interactions in the eighteenth-century Maritime Peninsula. Additionally, it underscores how, following the end of the Seven Years’ War, this narrative was largely neglected as settlers flooded the Peninsula, laying the groundwork for the formation of Canada and the United States.

    Thomas Peace, *The Slow Rush of Colonization: Spaces of Power in the Maritime Peninsula, 1680-1790.* Vancouver: UBC (University of British Columbia) Press, 2023.

  4. Jul 31

    Alan Mikhail, *God's Shadow: Sultan Selim, His Ottoman Empire, and the Making of the Modern World*. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2020.

    Historically overlooked, the Ottoman Empire was a hub of intellectual engagement, geopolitical power, and progressive governance. At its zenith in the sixteenth century, the Ottomans demonstrated extraordinary military prowess and held exclusive control over vital trade routes, governing a territory and population larger than any other global entity, effectively driving Europeans from the Mediterranean to the New World. Yet, despite its profound influence and crucial role in shaping the contemporary world, the narrative of the Ottoman Empire has been misrepresented, distorted, and even suppressed in Western accounts for centuries. In light of this, Alan Mikhail presents a crucial reinterpretation of Ottoman history, detailing the empire's global conquests through the fascinating biography of Sultan Selim I (1470–1520). Born to a concubine and the fourth son among his father's ten children, Selim was not initially expected to ascend to the throne. However, through a blend of personal charisma, military acumen, and the backing of his exceptionally gifted mother, Gülbahar, Selim took control of the empire in 1512. His unyielding ambition led to nearly tripling the territory under Ottoman governance, establishing a political framework that endured into the twentieth century. At the same time, Selim, honored by his subjects as "God’s Shadow on Earth," fostered religious pluralism by welcoming Jews and other minority communities into the empire; he advocated for education and philosophy; and he even wrote his own poetry.

    Alan Mikhail, *God's Shadow: Sultan Selim, His Ottoman Empire, and the Making of the Modern World*. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2020.

  5. Jul 28

    Marcel Martel, Adrian Shubert and Tim Cook, *Wars of Conviction: A History of Canadian Transnational Fighters*. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2026

    In 1867, Alfred LaRocque, a young man hailing from Quebec, left his home to defend the papacy in Rome. Fast forward to 1937, when journalist and communist Jean Watts traveled to Spain to report on the civil war. In 2023, former corporal Kyle Porter took up arms in Ukraine. Despite the variations in time and purpose, these three individuals are linked to tens of thousands of Canadians who have fought, supported, or lost their lives in defense of other nations or oppressed peoples. The stories of transnational fighters complicate Canada’s established war narrative, shedding light on the motivations and passions that drove individuals to fight abroad, as well as the legal and political ramifications that followed them home. Spanning a century and a half, "Wars of Conviction" delves into who fought, their reasons for doing so, and their experiences during and after the conflict. The decisions made by Canadians to join the Papal Zouaves, the Spanish Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War, Vietnam, Syria, and Ukraine ignited both admiration and outrage, attracted state scrutiny, and initiated lasting discussions about how such fighters should be honored. This volume provides a carefully crafted portrait of the fighters who committed to making foreign wars their own, challenging traditional military history to better understand an uncertain present.

    Marcel Martel, Adrian Shubert and Tim Cook, *Wars of Conviction: A History of Canadian Transnational Fighters*. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2026

  6. Jul 19

    Witney Schneidman, *This Africa Idea: A Memoir of Discovery, Diplomacy and Opportunity.* London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2026.

    In 1971, shortly after completing his high school education, Witney Schneidman found himself at a secondary school in Mbarara, Uganda, where he listened to the radio as Idi Amin announced his takeover of the nation. He quickly recognized that Africa was experiencing a profound transformation—colonialism was waning, independence was on the rise, and liberation movements were valiantly opposing white rule in Southern Africa.  This realization motivated him to dedicate his life to enhancing the relationship between the United States and African countries. Schneidman shares the numerous risks and obstacles he encountered in his quest to influence U.S. policy regarding Africa and to support the continent's advancement. He reflects on the isolation of being the only American student at a university in Tanzania during the height of the Cold War, his journeys through 30 African nations, and the policy successes that established the groundwork for U.S.-Africa relations. His extraordinary journey serves as a compelling reminder of the importance of engaging with a continent that is shaping the future of the world.

    Witney Schneidman, *This Africa Idea: A Memoir of Discovery, Diplomacy and Opportunity.* London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2026.

  7. Jul 15

    Víctor Barros and Aurora Almada e Santos, eds., *Amílcar Cabral and the PAIGC’s Binational Struggle for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde*. New York: Routledge, 2026.

    The quest for independence in Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde was shaped by a variety of interactions and connections. The close association between the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde (PAIGC – Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde) and the leadership of Amílcar Cabral has led to contemporary scholarship focusing on the struggle of the liberation movement and the role of its Secretary-General within a unified analytical framework. Despite the wealth of documentation available, many studies fail to address the numerous historiographical gaps that still exist regarding this topic. This monograph intends to uncover various analytical pathways through which Cabral's influence can contribute to a deeper understanding of the rise to statehood of both territories and the construction of the memory of the anti-colonial struggle.

    Víctor Barros and Aurora Almada e Santos, eds., *Amílcar Cabral and the PAIGC’s Binational Struggle for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde*. New York: Routledge, 2026.

  8. Jul 14

    Carter V. Findley, *Dreams of Empire: A History of the Ottomans*. New York: Oxford University Press, 2026.

    The Ottoman Empire was one of the most dominant empires in the annals of history, governing territories across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa for more than six hundred years.  At its peak during the sixteenth century, it was unrivaled in military strength, financial stability, centralized authority, and effective governance when compared to any competing power. For centuries, the sultans were acknowledged as the most influential and esteemed "defenders of Islam." In a notable contrast to the Christian powers of Europe, this Islamic empire embraced a rich diversity of religious beliefs.  This examination encompasses the realms of politics, warfare, economics, society, culture, and religion, revealing how the Ottoman state evolved from a small principality in the northwestern part of Anatolia (the Asian section of present-day Turkey) into a vast world empire that extended from Hungary to Iraq and Algeria.  After enduring centuries of hardship, it experienced a revival, and ultimately—though reduced in size and challenged by separatist nationalism in the Balkans and European imperialism in Asia and North Africa—it witnessed a remarkable resurgence of reformist energy aimed at preserving its existence. This reformist spirit enabled the Turkish people to survive the brink of destruction during World War I and to rise again as the independent Turkish Republic.  In addition to exploring the state's crucial role in upholding the empire, Carter Findley highlights the extraordinarily diverse communities that thrived within its expansive borders, including nomadic tribes, settled agricultural populations, and a variety of religious groups, encompassing Muslims, Christians, and Jews. The pages are filled with charismatic Sufis, Islamic warriors, merchants in Cairo, enthusiastic travelers, a would-be Jewish messiah, revolutionaries, and pioneering women novelists. This study adeptly merges extensive academic research, primary documents, maps, and a multitude of illustrations in both color and monochrome, effectively illuminating the important themes and the human experiences of the women and men whose actions—both commendable and flawed—were vital in forming the illustrious history of this enduring, cosmopolitan empire.

    Carter V. Findley, *Dreams of Empire: A History of the Ottomans*. New York: Oxford University Press, 2026.
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This podcast intends to contribute to public education by offering listeners thorough and serious conversations on topics in international history and the history of international relations. It features interviews with authors of new monographs and recent books by historians and specialists.

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