Past Present

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the drama surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s upcoming Supreme Court confirmation, fraternity hazing, and the booming natural beauty industry. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:  Conservative Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s candidacy is being marred by sexual assault allegations. Natalia recommended Anita Hill’s New York Times’ op-ed about the historical echoes with her own experience. The hazards of fraternity hazing are back in the news after the death of a student at the Riverside campus of the University of California. Natalia recommended Nicholas Syrett’s book The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities and Paula Fass’ The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920s. She also suggested Caitlin Flanagan’s Atlantic article on the symbiotic relationship between fraternities and universities. “Natural beauty” is an

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the new reality show Making It, the 2008 financial collapse ten years later, and the death of Walter Mischel, the social psychologist who created the “marshmallow test.” Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:  Making It, a crafting competition show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, is widely considered a welcome break from the cutthroat culture of reality television and of politics. Natalia recommended this American Conservative article on the limits of television crafting. Ten years after the economic crash of 2008, its effects are still felt. Natalia cited M.H. Miller’s New York Times essay, “I Came of Age During the 2008 Financial Crisis. I’m Still Angry About It”. Neil recommended the New York Times’ entire Sunday Business section’s retrospective on this topic. Social psychologist Walter Mischel, best known for orchestrating the “marshmall

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss Nike’s controversial signing of Colin Kaepernick as the face of their Just Do It campaign, the anonymous New York Times op-ed written by a senior Trump administration official, and the recent death of Robin Leach. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Colin Kaepernick, best known for “taking a knee” to protest racism and police brutality in America, is the face of Nike’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. Natalia wrote about the announcement in the context of Nike’s history of adventurous branding at The Washington Post and referred to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s tweets about the implications of brands capitalizing on political polarization. The New York Times published a rare, anonymous op-ed from a senior official in the Trump administration. Natalia referenced Dahlia Lithwick’s comments on Trumpcast and Jordan Taylor’s Washington Po

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the life and legacy of Senator John McCain, the recent scandals in the Catholic Church, and the latest panic over loneliness. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:  Senator John McCain, a leading light of the Republican Party, died last month of brain cancer. Natalia referenced this critical assessment of McCain’s career and character in Rolling Stone. The Catholic Church in the United States is racked with scandal as revelations of decades of abuse – and of cover-ups – are coming to light. Niki cited the Boston Globe’s 2002 reporting of the “Spotlight” series that uncovered abuses at the hands of clergy in Boston-area parishes. Natalia recommended historian William Cossen’s “Made By History” at the Washington Post piece about the increased power of the clergy in the wake of church scandals and Christine Kenneally’s Buzzfeed investigative report of

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the release of Unhinged: An Insider’s Account of the White House, a new book by former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Former White House Staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman has released a book about her time in the Trump White House. Natalia recommended Leah Wright Rigueur’s book The Loneliness of the Black Republican: Pragmatic Politics and the Pursuit of Power and Niki suggested her review of Manigault Newman’s book in    We will be back in September with new episodes!

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the history of Latinos in the Hamptons, the problem of grift in Washington, and the sudden popularity of rosé wine.  Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Latino immigration has transformed Eastern Long Island. Natalia referenced this New York Times article on the political tensions caused by this demographic shift. Trump administration Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross is being sued for bilking millions from his business associates. Natalia recommended Emily Jane Fox’s book BORN TRUMP: Inside America’s First Family. Rosé wine has become the lifestyle drink of the moment. Neil referenced the rosé shortage in the Hamptons in 2014, which received national press.    In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History: Natalia discussed the apology by Los Angeles County for forcibly sterilizing Latina woman from 1968-1974. Neil commented on how air

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the history of the institutionalization of children, the thankless job of refereeing youth sports, and the legacy of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, one year after the Unite the Right rally. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Coverage of family separation is revealing many abuses visited upon children detained in state facilities. Natalia mentioned this WNYC history of immigration detainment and this PBS retrospective on deinstitutionalization. She also recommended journalist Alex Beam’s book Gracefully Insane and this ProPublica coverage of the organizations that operate shelters. Violence against youth sports referees has become disturbingly common. Natalia cited the work of sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman on competitive childhood, including this Atlantic article. One year ago, violence in Charlottesville captured national attent

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate Sacha Baron Cohen’s new show, the viability of a “yoga vote,” and the demographic shift bringing about the disappearance of the middle child. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: British prankster and social critic Sacha Baron Cohen has a new show, “Who Is America?” Niki recommended this New York Times article comparing the tactics of conservative James O’Keefe to those employed by Baron Cohen. She also referred to this Smithsonian magazine article about turn-of-the-century undercover women reporters. Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio told The Intercept he would court “the yoga vote” should he run for president in 2020. Natalia referred to a conversation on the 538 Blog that dismissed “the yoga vote” as today’s “soccer mom.” Natalia also recommended Michelle Goldberg’s book The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life of Indra Devi and the “Bikram” series produce

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the definition of treason, the significance of linguistic accents, and a new practice of prescribing outdoor play. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: President Trump’s behavior at his joint press conference with Vladimir Putin has earned him the epithet of “traitor” by many critics. Niki referenced this article at the Washington Post’s “Made By History” by Gail Savage. Roberto Rey Agudo’s New York Times op-ed made the provocative case that “Everyone Has an Accent.” Natalia referred to this Bustle article about “the chameleon effect,” and Neil cited this Chicago Reader article about the Chicago accent. Natalia recommended this New York Times article about Hollywood dialect coaches and the rise of accuracy in portraying regional accents onscreen. Some doctors are writing prescriptions for children to engage in outdoor play.   In our regular closing

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the children rescued from a Thai cave, the Trump administration’s approach to breastfeeding policy, and the fleece vests that have become a staple uniform of the finance industry. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: A Thai boys’ soccer team was rescued from a flooded cave as the world watched. Niki referred to comedian Stephen Colbert linking the rescue to the Trump administration’s family separation policy. She also commented on the longstanding media fascination with stories of being trapped underground; Natalia commented on how the trope shows up in literature, such as Edgar Allan Poe’s 1846 story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” and Neil mentioned it as a theme of the Netflix show, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” a program we discussed on Episode 30. The Trump administration shocked many when it moved to weaken an international breastfeeding resolution

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the rise of Democratic Socialists, plans for packing the Supreme Court, and the increasing popularity of audiobooks. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Thanks to the recent upset victory of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez in a New York Democratic primary, socialism appears to be having a new moment in American politics. Justice Anthony Kennedy has stepped down, prompting a conversation about whether “packing” the Supreme Court is an advisable strategy for progressives. Natalia cited historian William Leuchtenberg’s Smithsonian Magazine article on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s attempt to pack the Supreme Court. The popularity of the audiobook is challenging publishers to think differently about how people consume literature. In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History: Natalia recommended Judith Newman’s New York Times essay, “He’s Going Back to

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate recent claims that the Left is destroying civility in politics, the LGBTQ+ history of American gym culture, and a half-century of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: When White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked to leave the Red Hen restaurant by its owner, many decried the incident as evidence of a decline in civility. Natalia cited historian William Chafe’s book Civilities and Civil Rights. At Vox, Niki wrote about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s own history of being called “uncivil.” An Indianapolis CrossFit location recently canceled a workout intended to celebrate Pride Month, and backlash was swift. Natalia wrote about the history of LGBTQ+ culture and American gyms for Slate and also cited historian David K. Johnson’s Journal of Social History article on male physique magazines. She talked more abou

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the legacy of Anthony Bourdain, the end of “family values” conservatism, and ageism as a form of discrimination. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: The late Anthony Bourdain helped define the now familiar figure of the “celebrity chef.” Niki referred to Bourdain’s books Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw as reshaping the genre of food writing. Natalia cited Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food as other works that helped Americans conceive of food as a lens on politics and society. “Family values,” long a familiar trope of conservative American politics, appears under threat in the Trump era. Neil wrote in Slate about how and why this era has come to an end. Neil recommended historian Seth Dowland’s book, Family Values and the Rise of the Christian Right. Natalia cited her own book, Classroom Wars: Language,

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the historical relationship between Canada and the United States, the legacy of the late designer Kate Spade, and the controversy over proposed changes to an Advanced Placement history course. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Relations between longtime allies the United States and Canada appear to be souring after the G7 summit. Natalia cited this article describing the last such tension during Richard Nixon’s presidency. Designer Kate Spade’s suicide prompted an outpouring of grief among those who remember the black bags that made her famous as a totem of life in the 1990s. Natalia cited this Racked article about the success of the brand as well as this Columbia Journalism Review article about the class myopia of the New York Times’ coverage of Spade’s life and influence. Many history teachers are angry about changes to an Advanced Placement world

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, Donald Trump’s use of the presidential pardon, and the American tradition of separating families. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case. Neil referred to Tisa Wenger’s book Religious Freedom: The Contested History of An American Ideal and Sarah Posner’s Nation article about the conservative Christian advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom. President Trump has legal scholars thinking about whether a president is legally permitted to pardon himself. Natalia cited this Washington Post article by Lawrence Tribe, Richard Painter, and Norman Eisen arguing a president cannot pardon himself. Niki cited Bob Bauer’s Lawfare article about the larger demagogic natur

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate the rise of the “twink” aesthetic, Manhattan con artist Anna Sorokin/Delvey, and the cultural endurance of the Ford Mustang. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: The New York Times has declared “the age of the twink.” Neil referred to this 2003 New York Times article on the “metrosexual.” Natalia recommended this Slate article on the continued relevance of the notion of a gay aesthetic. The long con of Anna Delvey, who duped the downtown Manhattan set, has readers rapt. Natalia referred to this Vanity Fair article by one of her dupes. Niki cited Maria Konnikova’s book The Confidence Game: Why We Fall For It Every Time and Natalia cited Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed. Ford Motors is phasing out passenger cars, save for its iconic Mustang. Natalia recommended this WIRED article on the history of America’s favorite sports car. In our reg

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the “incel” community, the role of race in Mormon history, and the thrift-shaming of millennials. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: In the wake of a Toronto terrorist attack, “incels,” or involuntary celibates, are gaining attention. Niki referred to this New York Times article about Jordan Peterson. Natalia cited Jia Tolentino’s New Yorker article on the origins of incel rage, Ross Douthat’s New York Times op-ed raising the possibility of the redistribution of sex, and this Washington Post column by historian Melissa J. Gismondi. Niki referred to this paper by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers. A hoax letter claiming the LDS Church was apologizing for its history of racism upset many. Natalia cited historian Sarah Barringer Gordon’s book The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth Century America as well as histo

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate the movement of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, the life and legacy of the late author Tom Wolfe, and the legalization of sports gambling. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: President Trump officially moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and violence in Gaza ensued. Neil wrote about Trump’s stance in his Huffington Post column this week. Natalia recommended this Tablet article breaking down the context for the violence in Gaza. “New Journalism” pioneer Tom Wolfe died this week. Natalia cited two of her favorite Wolfe works, Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers and Bonfire of the Vanities and recommended this Atlantic piece chronicling the neologisms Wolfe has coined. A Supreme Court ruling has lifted a ban on sports betting. Neil cited this NPR piece on the potential implications of the decision for co

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate Childish Gambino’s viral video “This is America,” the launching of NRATV, and how Instagram is changing museums.  Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, generated major buzz with the release of the song and video “This is America.” Natalia referred to the various articles including this Washington Post piece that attempt to decode the richly allusive video. Contextualizing this work in the recent comments by Kanye West that “slavery was a choice,” Niki recommended this Washington Post piece by historian Leah Wright Rigueur and Natalia referenced this New York Times article by activist dream hampton as well as this GQ article. The National Rifle Association now has a television presence, NRATV, which promotes a pro-Trump politics and worldview. The popularity of sites like the Museum of Ice Cream shows how Instagram

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the Golden State Killer, and the news that Americans are forgetting the Holocaust.  Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: At this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, comedian Michelle Wolf caused controversy. You can watch Wolf’s full performance here. Niki referenced Megan Garber’s Atlantic article, “The Slow, Awkward Death of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.” Natalia cited this Columbia Journalism Review article noting that some members of the WHCA are opting to bring journalism students rather than celebrities to the event. The Golden State Killer, who claimed fifty victims in the 1970s and 80s, has been apprehended thanks to DNA evidence. Neil recommended Sarah Zhang’s Atlantic article explaining how police investigators used genealogy websites to find the killer. (We discussed genetic testing