Past Present Niki, Neil, and Natalia

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the apparent crisis at scholar Ibram X. Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research. 
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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
 
·      After amassing tens of millions of dollars in funding, Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research abruptly laid off a third of its staff last week. Natalia referred to historian Holly Brewer’s scholarly critique of Kendi’s work in this Liberties essay, and Niki referred to extensive right-wing coverage of the issue, like this Fox News piece.
 
 
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
·      Natalia recommended Aymann Ismail’s Slate essay, “Closed Book.”
·      Neil shared about historian Benjamin E. Park’s Slate essay, “Sound of Freedom’s Tim Ballard Is a Star on the Right. Why Would His Church Denounce Him?”
·      Niki discussed her column for CNN Opinion, “Maren Morris’ Powerful Farewell to Country Music.”

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the latest “crisis of masculinity.” 
Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
 
·      Men, according to a recent New York Times report, benefit from a “thumb on the scale” when it comes to college admissions. The report belongs to a larger debate over a “crisis of masculinity” today. Niki referred to this New York magazine article about Andrew Tate, and Natalia cited right-wing documentaries The End of Men and What is a Woman? Natalia and Niki both cited Christine Emba’s interview in Vox, and Neil referred to this New Yorker article.
 
 
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
·      Natalia discussed the ProPublica investigative report, “How Columbia Ignored Women, Undermined Prosecutors and Protected a Predator for More Than 20 Years.”
·      Neil shared about Remy Tumin’s New York Times article, “The Battle to Save Marilyn Monroe’s Last Home.”
·      Niki recommended Mark Joseph Stern’s Slate article, “The Volunteer Moms Poring Over Archives to Prove Clarence Thomas Wrong.”

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the history of telemarketing. 
Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
 
·      The new HBO docuseries Telemarketers is bringing attention to a decades-old industry. Niki drew on this Atlantic article about scams in the industry and this history of the “Do Not Call” registry, and Natalia drew on this Slate piece.
 
 
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
·      Natalia discussed her latest MSNBC column, “Ramaswamy Amplifies A Strange, Outdated Myth to Back a Genuinely Good Idea.”
·      Neil shared about his most recent CNN piece, “Strays is a Raunchy, Hilarious Reminder of a Real Problem.”
·      Niki recommended Jonathan Chait’s New York magazine review, “Samuel Moyn Can’t Stop Blaming Trumpism on Liberals.”

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of the mugshot. 
Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
 
·      The release of former President Donald Trump’s mugshot was met with enthusiasm across the political spectrum. We discussed the long history of the mugshot. Niki drew on this NPR piece, and Natalia referred to this Hyperallergic post. Neil and Natalia referenced this Marshall Project report.
 
 
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
·      Natalia discussed the Independent Women’s Forum report, “Oberlin College Administrators Caught on Secret Recording Reprimanding Head Lacrosse Coach for Defending Women’s Sports.”
·      Neil recommended the podcast series, America After Roe.
·      Niki shared about her latest CNN column, “How the GOP Used Joe the Plumber to Sell a Myth.”

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the significance of major cutbacks at West Virginia University.
Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
 
·      The announcement of major cutbacks to academic programs at West Virginia University has drawn ire from students and alumni. Natalia cited this Atlantic article by Tom Nichols and this Nation essay by Lisa M. Corrigan. Niki drew on this PBS article.
 
 
 
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
·      Natalia discussed the edited collection, Who Would Believe a Prisoner?: Indiana Women’s Carceral Institutions, 1848-1920.
·      Neil recommended the Netflix film, “Red, White, and Royal Blue” and this BBC article about hate-watching.
·      Niki shared about Kathryn Cramer Brownell’s new book, 24/7 Politics, and her Los Angeles Review of Books essay, “Propaganda, Outrage, and Entertainment.”

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the current strike in Hollywood.
Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
 
·      Hollywood actors and writers have been on strike for more than one hundred days. Niki drew on this Hollywood Reporter article about Ronald Reagan’s tenure as a union leader. Natalia referred to this New Yorker story about Orange Is The New Black, and we all drew on this NPR retrospective on the history of Hollywood strikes.
 
 
 
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
·      Natalia discussed her essay “We’re All Preppy Now” for The New Republic.
·      Neil recommended historian Lauren Lassabe Shepherd’s new book, Resistance From the Right.
·      Niki shared about Ben Strauss and Molly Hensley-Clancy’s Washington Post article, “Hollywood Cashed in on ‘Blind Side’ Success.”