Past Present

  In this week's episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss a feud between African-American intellectuals Cornel West and Ta-Nehisi Coates, the electoral prospects for southern Democrats, and why LaCroix Sparkling Water has become an obsession.   Support Past Present at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast    Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:   Cornel West published a blistering takedown of Ta-Nehisi Coates in The Guardian. Niki referenced Michael Eric Dyson’s critique of West in The New Republic and Natalia referred to Matthew Clair’s essay in Public Books about the origins of the desire among liberal white audiences to hear “authentic” black voices, but only in certain ways. Niki referenced Tressie McMillan Cottom’s blog post where she argued that Coates and West are fundamentally different as thinkers. Doug Jones’ win against Roy Moore in Alabama was astonishing given the political leanings of the region. Neil referred to his own post in Public Seminar