The Way of Improvement Leads Home: American History, Religion, Politics, and Academic life.

John Fea

4.8 (117)
SOCIETY & CULTURE

A biweekly discussion dedicated to American History, historical thinking, and the role of history in our every day lives. Hosted by historian John Fea

12/12/2023

Episode 124: Christian Capitalism in Early America

In this episode we talk with Wesleyan University historian Joseph Slaughter, author of Faith in Markets: Christian Capitalism in Early America. He offers a new account of the interplay between religion and capitalism in early American history by focusing on 19th-century Protestant entrepreneurs and how they infused faith into their business and, in turn, how those businesses shaped our capitalist economy today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

55 min
12/03/2023

Episode 123: Drew Gilpin Faust on Growing-Up at Midcentury

She was a privileged baby boomer who grew up on a horse farm in segregated Virginia. By her 21st birthday she had worked for peace in Communist Europe, traveled the country in the cause of racial justice, marched for voting rights in Selma, and led anti-Vietnam protests at Bryn Mawr College. Our guest in this episode is distinguished American historian and former Harvard University president Drew Gilpin Faust. She talks about her memoir, Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

45 min
11/07/2023

Episode 122: The Metropolitan Sound of the American Century

In his new book Bridge & Tunnel Boys, historian Jim Cullen discusses how Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen represented what he calls "the metropolitan sound of the American century." In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Cullen about how Joel and Springsteen were shaped by their lives on the periphery of New York City. Our conversation ranges across several subjects, including politics, cosmopolitanism, history, the culture of the 1980s, and even Taylor Swift! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

53 min
10/30/2023

Episode 121: Reagan's Evangelical Vision for America

How did Ronald Reagan use the media to shape his evangelical vision for America, a vision rooted in political freedom, economic freedom, and religious freedom that is still with us today and continues to define the discourse of both of our political parties? In this episode we talk to Diane Winston, the Knight Chair in Media and Religion at the University of Southern California, about her new book Righting the American Dream: How the Media Mainstreamed Reagan's Evangelical Vision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

54 min
10/16/2023

Episode 120: Popular Historians in Post-War America

Should professional historians write for the general public? If so, who is the "public" they are trying to reach? And when historians do write for the public how do they manage to make their work readable and accessible without sacrificing scholarly integrity? What role does politics, and even activism, play in popular history writing? These are questions that the historical profession, and in some respects, the nation, are currently wrestling with. Our guest today, historian Nick Witham, author of Popularizing the Past: Historians, Publishers, and Readers in Postwar America, reminds us that these questions are not new. Some of the country's most prominent writer-historians, including Richard Hofstadter, Daniel Boorstin, John Hope Franklin, Howard Zinn, and Gerda Lerner, grappled with how to reach the public with good historical scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 3m
10/09/2023

Episode 119: How the Social Gospel Undermined Social Democracy

There was a profound difference between Christian Socialism and the so-called "Social Gospel." Janine Giordano Drake explains these differences in her new book The Gospel of Church: How Mainline Protestants Vilified Christian Socialism and Fractured the Labor Movement. Drake argues that Protestant reformers associated with Mainline Protestantism and the Federal Council of Churches undermined workers' efforts to bring about social democracy in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

58 min
10/02/2023

Episode 118: Evangelicals and the Environment

Most Americans probably think of conservative evangelicals as climate change deniers who believe global warming is a hoax. If this is you, you would not be entirely wrong. But our guest today, Neill Pogue, author of The Nature of the Religious Right: The Struggle Between Conservative Evangelicals and the Environmental Movement, suggests that this story is much more complicated. We discuss how evangelicals moved from environmental stewards in the 1970s to opponents of global warming by the end of the 1990s. Pogue also talks about the current state of evangelical concerns about the environment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

58 min
09/25/2023

Episode 117: The Idea of Fraternity in America

What is fraternity? Our guest today, political scientist Susan McWilliams Barndt, discusses her father's 1973 magnum opus The Idea of Fraternity in America. We talk about the work of Wilson Carey McWilliams, the historical context in which he wrote his magisterial work of political theory and history, and why we still need his ideas today. The Idea of Fraternity was just re-released in a 50th anniversary edition with an introduction from McWilliams Barndt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

50 min

See All (127)

4.8

out of 5

117 Ratings

Perfect for my commute.

01/03/2023

gggyoung

I first heard Jon on an episode of PA books. Where he referenced this podcast, and I’m so glad I checked it out and subscribed. On my commute it is great time too as a joke get smarter. This definitely fits the bill. Through Jon’s podcast. I also found some new favorite voices in American contemporary history.
Excellent Interviews and Insights

10/10/2022

Bill Garrett

John Fea's podcasts are enjoyable to listen to and very informative. The interviews are always well prepared and gives some much needed attention to Christian political discourse on the American "left".
Wonderful

02/12/2022

NM CK

I have enjoyed every episode. I suppose I am new to the podcast and it looks like the podcast has ended - strike that last sentence, Dr Fea still releases new episodes - not as often as I’d like, but he seems to be a very busy man. The new platform is called Current and I have enjoyed the site (looks like the podcasts there are only for subscribers $), but, once I finish all of the back episodes here - well, I will have to go back and listen to them again. Well worth the time.
All

03/31/2021

Ralph McRalph

I came to the podcast through several of Dr. Fea’s books and then Twitter. I absolutely love the historical context the podcast provides for contemporary events and the blending of history, religion, and politics. Doing so provides at least a glimpse into understanding why people behave the way they do.

A biweekly discussion dedicated to American History, historical thinking, and the role of history in our every day lives. Hosted by historian John Fea