History Untold Jessi Mazzoni

What happens after an Empire collapses? Who can mend the broken pieces and unite them into one nation? Once religion is ingrained into the fabric of a government, how can the two be separated? In this episode, my guest and I explore the remarkable creation of a modern, progressive nation, the Turkish Republic, in 1923, following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

The Ottoman Empire once stretched across North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, encircling most of the Mediterranean Sea; but the heart of the Empire always lay within the land now known as Türkiye (formerly spelled 'Turkey'). After the fall of the Empire, it was the leadership of one man, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, which kept European nations from claiming the land as their own.

Ataturk united Türkiye against all odds to create a nation and society ahead of its times. Modern freedoms were granted to all Turks, and women in particular enjoyed opportunities not yet established in other countries. One striking example is that Ataturk refused to force Turkish women to be identified by the titles "Mrs." and "Miss." because he believed that a woman's identity cannot be described by whether or not she is married. Turkish women thank you, Ataturk!

Between 1917 and 1948, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to leave their homeland at the threat of violence in an event called "Al Nakba", meaning "The Catastrophe" in Arabic.

In this episode, my guest and I discuss how the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the 1947 United Nations partitioning of Palestine created an environment which delegitimized Palestinian rights to their own land, and paved the way for ongoing Palestinian expulsion.

The term "Nakba" was banned from Israeli schools in 2009, illustrating the significant ongoing struggle for recognition that Palestinians face, and highlighting the exact reason why this topic should not be allowed to be erased from history.

With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 on the horizon, the Taliban has once again taken power in Afghanistan following the United States withdrawal. Why, in the midst of Afghans fleeing the country, is Afghanistan's neighbor, Pakistan, restricting refugees from entering the country?

In order to understand Pakistan's reluctance to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghans and support the U.S. withdrawal, we must look at U.S. - Pakistan relations, including both countries' involvement in Afghanistan pre-9/11 and the strain this relationship has endured post-9/11 during the 20 year "War on Terror".

Pakistan has played a pivotal role in supporting the U.S. military's attempts to turn Afghanistan into a modern, democratic state. However, as the U.S. attempts to close the chapter on its “War on Terror” in Afghanistan, Pakistan has been left to confront instability and radicalization within its own borders.

Please note that this episode's discussion reflects only the views of the guest and does not reflect the official stance of the Government of Pakistan.

How did Hong Kong, a key port in China, become a British territory and then eventually leave British control? Given the current issues in Hong Kong, this is a loaded question, and one that can only be addressed by a Hong Konger.

In this episode, my guest and I discuss how the British flooded China with opium in the 1830's, utilizing its addictive nature as fuel for the Opium Wars. This pivotal moment in Chinese history led to the fall of Hong Kong to British colonization.

We discuss the contrasting culture in mainland China versus Hong Kong over decades of British rule, and my guest shares which factors led to Hong Kong's current shift back to Chinese governance..

What is tribalism? Why is it difficult to define a singular national identity in Nigeria? What led to the creation of a new nation, Biafra, during Nigeria's Civil War?



Before colonization by the British, Nigeria as we know it today did not exist. Three major ethnic groups resided in the land we now know as Nigeria: the Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba peoples. This episode delves into the repercussions of forcing different ethnic groups into one nation, untangling the history of Nigeria's hard worn path to unity.



Rachael Afolabi joins History Untold for a deep dive into tribalism and identity politics in Nigeria. Rachael is a technology specialist, entrepreneur and world-traveller, and is actively engaged in economic development initiatives Nigeria and the United States.

Mahatma Gandhi at the charkha, the spinning wheel, is an image that has united India since its independence in 1947. Why, in 2017, was Gandhi recast in this iconic image?

Postcolonial media scholar Ishita Sinha Roy draws from her book Manufacturing Indianness to discuss how the" idea of India" has dramatically shifted as neoliberal Hindutva (Hindu-centric nationalism) has resulted in an insular definition of Indianness that is based on religious chauvinism, Islamophobia, and a populist idea of a 'pure' Hindu nation.

This podcast takes examples from history, media, and popular culture to show how the transition from Gandhi to Modi, and secularism to fundamentalism has resulted in a re-writing of history to support Hindutva ideologies and make India great again.