American Studies Podcast Episodes

American Studies and History Podcast

Welcome to the American Studies and History Podcast. In this series I will be exploring various aspects of American history and culture in what will (hopefully) be a fun and educational way. This series will look at everything from America’s frontier past to the role played by racism in early comic books and much more. If you are interested in American history and culture then I hope that this series will introduce you to some new ideas, as well as helping you to think about areas you are already familiar with in a new way. To listen to the American Studies podcast, please use the links below to get started – remember it’s all free and I would be happy to talk with you/answer any further questions that you may have. The best way to get in touch is via my twitter account (@ThatHistorian) or via the comment section you will find at the bottom of the posts which appear throughout this website. You can download podcast episodes directly from this site or from iTunes, the links for which are here:

American Studies Podcast

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17 – Pink Floyd and the Cold War

This episode explores how the events of the Cold War changed the music of one of the biggest trans-Atlantic bands in history.

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16 – Racism and Wolrd War II

Was anti-Japanese racism during the Second World War really a product of that conflict, or was it part of a broader history of anti-Asian in America? This episode explores that question.

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15 – Captain America’s Racist Sidekick

Explore the history of Whitewash Jones, one of the most openly racist characters in the history of early superhero comics.

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14 – The Lone Ranger: Early Analysis

Following the release of the first Lone Ranger trailer, I examine the potential for this film to be a great (or terrible) vehicle for frontier history.

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13 – John Smith’s Virginia 1608

A reading of an edited version of John Smith’s account of early Virginia. A primary source for the trans-Atlantic seminar series (free online course I ran via skype and twitter in summer 2012).

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12 – The Slave Ship

A reading of an edited version of Olaudah Equiano’s account of life aboard a slave ship. A primary source for the trans-Atlantic seminar series (free online course I ran via skype and twitter in summer 2012).

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11 – Christopher Columbus and Henry the Navigator

A reading of Christopher Columbus’s account of the New World’s discovery, and a source exploring why Henry the Navigator wanted to explore Africa. These are primary sources for the trans-Atlantic seminar series (free online course I ran via skype and twitter in summer 2012).

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10 – The Man Who Laughs: A Brief History of the Joker

A history of Batman’s nemesis, the Joker, exploring how he evolved from Chicago-style gangster to 9/11 inspired terrorist.

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9 – Up, Up, and Away: Superman in 1938 and 2011

In this lecture we compare Superman’s original début in 1938 with his 2011 re-launch. Explores how gender issues from each time period are made manifest in each book.

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8 – American Studies Update

A brief episode introducing the broader American Studies content in this podcast.

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7 – The Trial of Daniel Boone

Few people realise that Daniel Boone was put on trial for treason. This episode explores why that was the case, and how he used his autobiography to vindicate himself (whilst ignoring the events of the trial!).

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6 – Daniel Boone’s Autobiography and Narrative

A complete reading of Boone’s narrative, to accompany episodes #7 and #2

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5- Daniel Boone Discussion – Part Two

Part two of my discussion on Daniel Boone with Blair Smith

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4 – Daniel Boone Discussion – Part One

Discussion with my fellow frontier scholar, Blair Smith, about the life, times, and legacy of Daniel Boone.

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3 – The Building War on the Frontier

This episode provides a history of the early years of the Kentucky frontier and the life of Daniel Boone.