Letters and Politics – February 26, 2020
A look at burning political issues and debates and their historical context within the US and worldwide, hosted by Mitch Jeserich.
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Letters and Politics
10:00 AM Pacific Time: Monday-Thursday
Letters & Politics seeks to explore the history behind today’s major global and national news stories. Hosted by Mitch Jeserich.
A conversation with archaeologist and Marxist historian Neil Faulkner about the Russian Revolution. He is the author of the book A People’s History of the Russian Revolution. About the Book Faulkner debunks the myths that continues to shroud the Russian revolution, showing how a mass movement of millions, organized in democratic assemblies, mobilized for militant … Continued
A conversation with Jack Weatherford, a renowned scholar on Genghis Khan. He argues in his book, Genghis Khan and the Quest for God, that Genghis Khan inspired Thomas Jefferson for the Freedom of Religion principle. Support KPFA!! Click Here to Donate!!! BOOK: Genghis Khan and the Quest for God $100 L&P Ancient History Pack … Continued
Robert Paxton talks about the history of fascism and why it is relevant in contemporary America. Paxton is a political scientist and historian specializing in the World War II era. He is a professor emeritus at Columbia University. Support KPFA!! Click Here to Donate!!! BOOK: Anatomy of Fascism $100 Book: Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics by … Continued
A conversation with Stephen Greenblatt talking about the psychological roots, and the twisted consequences of tyranny from the study of Shakespeare’s tyrannical leaders: Richard III, Macbeth, Lear, Coriolanus, and the societies they rule over. Guest: Stephen Greenblatt is a Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, a world-renowned Shakespeare scholar, and the author of several books … Continued
Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” by Zora Neale Hurston tells the tragic story of the last survivor of the slave trade transported from Africa to America. This important book offers insight into the pernicious legacy of slavery in the U.S. and an invaluable contribution to the history and culture of this country. … Continued
Today we are in conversation with Blair Imani. She is a writer, mental health advocate, and historian living at the intersections of Black, queer, and Muslim identity, and the author of the new book Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream. Support KPFA! Donate Today!!! BOOK Making Our Way Home: The … Continued
The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty, and power; about marriage and family; about travelers, hospitality, and the yearning for a home. It is about how we find community, how we find who gets to be in a particular community, and what does it mean that some … Continued
Today, we hear part two of Ancient Rome: From Republic to Empire series. In this episode, we continue our conversation with Edward J. Watts diving into what tore the ancient Roman Republic apart. We talk about what happened in the more than one hundred years in which the Roman republic descended into chaos caused by factional fighting … Continued
Today we offer our series Ancient Rome: From Republic to Empire, in which we explore the nature of the Roman Republic compared and contrasted to our own. We also look at how the Roman Republic evolved into an empire. Guest: Edward J. Watts holds the Alkiviadis Vassiliadis Endowed Chair and is a professor of history at … Continued
With Kyle Harper, author of The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire. Kyle Harper is a historian of the classical world and the Senior Vice President and Provost at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma.