Reflecting History
Reflecting History is an educational history podcast that explores significant historical events and themes without losing track of the ordinary people involved. Covering a wide variety of topics, it explores the connection between history, psychology, and philosophy.
Episodes
Episode 182: The Book of Genocides with Dana Walrath
In this episode I'm joined by writer, artist, and anthropologist Dana Walrath to discuss her latest book The Book of Genocides. We discuss the nature of genocide, why there are debates over the definition of genocide, Dana's family history as a descendent of the Armenian Genocide, how to appropriately compare genocides, teaching genocide and the public's general knowledge of genocide, the United N
Episode 181: Heart of Darkness Part V - The Unnamed
The final pages of Heart of Darkness ask some timeless questions about the characters in the story and human nature. How should we think about Marlow's character development or lack of it? What's the best way to understand Kurtz? What makes demagogues effective? And maybe the greatest question of all: do we finally figure out what the heart of darkness is? This is the final part in a series on Hea
Episode 180: Heart of Darkness Part IV - The Earth Seemed Unearthly
"The earth seemed unearthly." The character of Kurtz in Heart of Darkness is one of the most enigmatic depictions of villainy in modern times. By the time Marlow reaches Kurtz' compound, his reality has completely been dismantled. Nothing is stable and everything he thinks he knows is subject to deconstruction. Author Joseph Conrad uses doubles, paradoxes, and ironies to show Kurtz as both represe
Episode 179: Heart of Darkness Part III - Belief and Reality
As Marlow travels deeper into the heart of darkness, we get our first look at the enigmatic Kurtz. At first just a peripheral figure who is important to the ivory collection operation of the nameless "Company," Kurtz comes to occupy more of Marlow's thoughts the further into the Congo he goes. Marlow also meets the characters of the Manager and the Brickmaker, who put different theories of authori
Episode 178: Heart of Darkness Part II - Ideological Mimesis
As Marlow prepares for his journey to the Congo, he visits a psychiatrist who gives him his first glimpse at what he is getting himself into. His introduction into the pseudoscience of phrenology is an ideological starting point for his journey to Africa. Reader and character alike are hit with a wave of disorienting feelings as Marlow has his first interactions with the people of Congo, seeing ho
Episode 177: Heart of Darkness Part I - The Paradox of History
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1899) is both a scathing critique of European imperialism and a reminder that all humans have the capacity to succumb to the heart of darkness. It also is not without controversy, as people have been debating it's meaning and essence for over a century now. What exactly is the heart of darkness? Was the Belgian Congo a unique circumstance of imperialism or just a
Episode 176: The Young Will Remember with Eve J. Chung
In this episode I'm joined by author Eve J. Chung to discuss her latest book The Young Will Remember, a historical fiction novel set during the Korean War. We discuss her book, different historical narratives and memories of the Korean War, complex questions of identity on the Korean Peninsula, how the war affected Asian Americans back in the United States, imperialism and strategic bombing, the s
Episode 175: Congo's Nightmare Part VII - The Great Forgetting
The Congo Free State eventually dissolved, but what does it mean to us today? How did we collectively forget a tragedy on this scale? Why do some historical stories get buried in the sands of time while others don't? Historian Adam Hochschild calls our memory of the Congo Free State the "Great Forgetting." This is the final episode in the Belgian Congo series. Thanks for listening. -Consider Supp
Episode 174: Congo's Nightmare Part VI - The End of the Congo Free State
As atrocities and human rights violations continue in the Congo Free State, King Leopold II of Belgium sends out a "Commission of Inquiry" to the Congo to clear his name. Things don't go as planned. After one final hail mary attempt to sway public opinion, Leopold finally agrees to sell his colony to the state of Belgium. For many, the long nightmare was now over. For others, it was only beginning
Episode 173: Congo's Nightmare Part V - Shadow War
As the evidence of atrocities in the Congo Free State became impossible to ignore, direct African resistance developed in numerous places around the Congo. As this was happening, a large and sophisticated human rights campaign developed around some courageous informants, journalists, and human rights activists. King Leopold II of Belgium then developed a response in one of the first modern version
Episode 172: Congo's Nightmare Part IV - The Rubber Boom
As a result of a worldwide rubber boom where rubber became a highly demanded economic resource, the agents of the Congo Free State kicked off efforts to gain as much rubber and profit as possible-leading to some of the worst human rights violations in history. Forced labor, slavery, disease, and death highlight this part of the story. This episode is Part 4 in a series on the Belgian Congo. It dis
Episode 171: Congo's Nightmare Part III - Ivory Terror
With King Leopold II of Belgium now in full control of the Belgian Congo, the extraction of ivory and other resources could begin. The story of the plunder of the Congo is so brutal and unbelievable, and at times so hard to believe, that it was once said that "to tell the full story it would have to be fiction." In the early period of the Congo Free State, forced labor and resource extraction ulti
Episode 170: Congo's Nightmare Part II - A Slice of African Cake
As European imperialism heated up in Africa in the late 1800's, King Leopold II of Belgium put into motion one of the most ambitious and villainous plans in all of European history - the theft of the entire Congo. Utilizing the work of explorer Henry Morton Stanley, European animus towards the Afro-Arab Slave Trade, the creation of dubious committees and associations, international lobbying of gov
Episode 169: Congo's Nightmare Part I - An Ancient Place
From 1885 to 1908, King Leopold II of Belgium owned the Congo as his own personal colony. What transpired there over the course of his reign has credibly been called "the vilest scramble for loot that ever disfigured the history of human conscience." Forced labor, slavery, disease, destruction, and destabliziation led to millions of deaths in one of the lesser known mass trauma events in human his
Episode 168: Never Let Me Go and The Bear
One particular episode of "The Bear" inspired me to think about Kazuo Ishiguro's classic novel "Never Let Me Go"- friendship, love, memory, regret, and what it is that makes us human. This is a bonus episode I released a few years ago to my Patreon supporters. I think it fits well with the holiday season, see you in the new year! The Bear: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bear_(TV_series) Seaso
Episode 167: The Odyssey Part V - Purifying Memory (Books 21-24)
The Odyssey concludes with release, purification, and contradiction. A legendary bow and arrow contest sets the stage for Odysseus' rampage through the suitors who tormented his household for so long. The results of this explosion of violence and the conclusion of the story have been discussed and debated for millenia. This episode looks at books 21-24 of The Odyssey, analyzing themes of memory, p
Episode 166: The Odyssey Part IV - There Will Be Blood (Books 17-20)
Odysseus has finally made it home, but the Ithaca he has returned to is almost unrecognizable. "Dangerous men and fools" hold power now, and the island has fallen into disrepair. Odysseus comes up with a plan to destroy the corrupt suitors, and Penelope has her own schemes. The stage is set for The Odyssey to reach it's conclusion. This episode analyzes books 17-20 of The Odyssey, examining themes
Episode 165: The Odyssey Part III - A Touch of Evil (Books 11-16)
In books 11-16 of The Odyssey, Odysseus runs through a murderous string of mythological creatures on his long journey home. The Underworld, seductive Sirens, deadly whirlpools, and six headed monsters are menacing obstacles to overcome, but they also represent different elements of evil in Homer's Greek world. By the end of the this section, Odysseus has finally made it home and is reunited with h
Episode 164: The Odyssey Part II - The Wanderer (Books 6-10)
This episode delves into books 6-10 of The Odyssey. Odysseus has finally found a helping hand on his journey home, but before he can go, he must tell the story of where he came from. Lotus eaters, cannibals, cyclops, and the seductively terrifying Circe highlight this portion of the story. The "Homeric Question" is also examined. Who was the author of The Odyssey and how was the story originally t
Episode 163: The Odyssey Part I - A Taste of Elysium (Books 1-5)
Homer's The Odyssey is one of the oldest and most enduring stories in all of civilization. Set in the aftermath of the legendary Trojan War, the great war hero Odysseus has been lost at sea for decades. As he struggles to return home, his story asks us important questions about history, memory, choice, kindness, leadership, violence, and much more. Thousands of years later, The Odyssey still matte
Episode 162: The Orchestration of Genocide with Alexandra Birch
In this episode I'm joined by historian Alexandra Birch to talk about the role of music and sound in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. We discuss her recent book Hitler's Twilight of the God's: Music and the Orchestration of War and Genocide in Europe, how music and sound contributed to genocide and Nazi identity formation, how the Nazis used music to embed their mythology and ideology into everyday
Episode 161: Civilization and Its Discontents Part III-Before They Are Hanged
Is human morality a facade? What is human nature, when you strip away Civilization? How does "Civilization" respond to the answers to these questions? This is final part in a series on Sigmund Freud's "Civilization and Its Discontents." It discusses Freud's broader thesis about the impact of guilt and anxiety on humanity. It also takes a look at human morality, the golden rule, psychoanalytic view
Episode 160: Civilization and Its Discontents Part II-Putting Out the Fire
What is Civilization? How did it develop and what are its goals? In his book "Civilization and Its Discontents," Sigmund Freud looks at these questions from a psychoanalytic perspective. The conclusions he draws are as surprising and sometimes outrageous as they are insightful. This is part two in a series on Sigmund Freud's "Civilization and Its Discontents." It takes a look at Freud's psychoana
Episode 159: Civilization and Its Discontents Part I-Psychoanalytic Happiness
What is happiness? Why is it so hard to achieve? What is "civilization" and how did it develop? Legendary psychologist Sigmund Freud seeks to answer these questions in his book "Civilization and Its Discontents." Freud traces the development of human culture all the way from the beginning, all from the psychoanalytic perspective. While modern psychology often keeps Freud at arm's length, there may
Episode 158: Unraveling Historical Threads with Josh Johnson
In this episode I'm joined by Josh Johnson-host of Compendium: A History Collection, which is a history podcast covering a variety of topics, currently doing a fantastic series on the Vietnam War. He's also known as Joshreadsbooks on social media, where he has a devoted social media following on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc. This episode is half of a wide ranging conversation tha
Episode 157: What is Fascism?
This podcast provides an overview of fascism as both an ideology and a political tactic. In what ways was Nazi Germany a typical fascist state? This episode is one small part of my larger podcast series called "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart." How does something like the rise of Nazi Germany happen? Why? Who's responsible? What is fascism? What did it mean to be a Nazi? What role
Episode 156: The Fall of the Roman Republic
The fall of the Roman Republic is one of the great stories in all of ancient history and it can still teach lessons relevant to every element of modern life. This telling of the Roman Republic's demise blends systems-based history, trends and forces, events like the Punic Wars and Spartacus' slave rebellion, and the sheer will of legendary historical figures like the Gracchi brothers, Gaius Marius
Episode 155: Aztec Memories-The Story of the Aztec Empire
Watch with video here: https://youtu.be/PB1eoviYJ2Y?si=cVOCqmRo5C_Li93y This is all eight chapters of my Aztec Memories series, all in one place. I'm hoping this makes it easier for some folks out there to listen to the whole series, and it will allow me to release a video version of this podcast--coming very soon! Thanks for listening and for all the support over the years... The story of the Az
Episode 154: Aztec Memories Part VIII-Columbian Nightmare
The Columbian Exchange remains maybe the most significant historical development in modern history-setting the stage for the world we inhabit today. In modern day Mexico, the post-conquest colonial period led to the beginnings of many processes that would define Mexico and the Americas for years to come-the encomienda system, the racial casta system, class struggle in Mexico, tension between Spani
Episode 153: Aztec Memories Part VII-The Tickler
For many fans of history, the story of the Aztec empire ends with the Spanish conquest and the fall of Tenochtitan. But there was a post-conquest period, lasting for hundreds of years, in which the Spanish exerted authority and control over the people of the former Aztec Empire. The Mexica people had to make difficult decisions about conversion to Christianity, how much tribute to pay to the Spani
Episode 152: Aztec Memories Part VI-Mightier Than the Sword
The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire provides a great opportunity to think about many complex historical questions. How should we think about topics of colonialism and conquest from a modern lens? How are morality and historical narrative closely tied together? How did Spanish people and Mexica people think about the conquest both at the time and deep into the future? The answers to these ques
Episode 151: Aztec Memories Part V-Crimson Sky
In November of 1519, Aztec Emperor Moctezuma and Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez met on the causeway leading to Tenochtitlan in maybe the first official contact between powerful leaders of the Old and New Worlds. One of the great what if moments in world history, this was the opening act in what would eventually lead to a clash of civilizations between the two peoples. The war that followed w
Episode 150: Aztec Memories Part IV-The Chontal Gift
While the Aztec Empire peaked in central Mexico, a different empire was spreading it's tenticles across the Atlantic Ocean. The Spanish were in the early phases of setting up a global superpower powered by colonialism. In early 1519, the Spanish arrived in force on the shores of the Yucatan Peninsula. After crushing the Chontal Maya city states, Hernando Cortez and his Spanish conquistadors set th
Episode 149: Aztec Memories Part III-The City on the Lake
The Aztec Empire at its height in the 1400's was a flourishing civilization that had a rich social and cultural tradition. In addition to the political realities of statebuilding-war, tribute, human sacrifice, and slavery, the Mexica people took care of their families, tended to gardens, ate rich foods, listened to music, participated in religious ceremonies, bought and sold goods in markets, and
Episode 148: Aztec Memories Part II-A Memory Called Empire
From their new base in Tenochtitlan, the Mexica people slowly built the Aztec Empire over the course of the 1300's. While the "myth of the Aztec" ascribes this accomplishment to the barbarism of human sacrifice and brutality, the Mexica both lived in a particular context and shaped their own unique political environment. Demystifying what the Spanish referred to as superstition and barbarism, this
Episode 147: Aztec Memories Part I-A Rose Not a Rose
The story of the Aztec Empire is a story unlike any other. From it's origins as a nomadic underdog, to it's ascendance at the rich and powerful city of Tenochtitlan, to it's clash of civilizations with the mighty Spanish Empire, this is a historical story that will never happen again. If you think you know the story, think again. For hundreds of years myths and half-truths about the Spanish conque
BONUS: Arcane
This bonus episode is the first episode of a nine part podcast series on the Netflix show "Arcane." I recap season 1 of the show and delve into the history, psychology, and philosophy underpinning the story-discussing why it is relevant for the real world problems that we all face. In Episode 1, we introduce some of the characters and their overarching themes and motivations, discuss the conflict
Episode 146: Prehistory and Posthistory
Is history a cycle? How do the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shed light on the discovery of prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux Cave? What is the link between prehistory and posthistory? This episode looks into the links between the beginning and end of the human story-the human drive to preserve a legacy and pass on a message as a civilization and the dangers of Prometheus sparking
Episode 145: Daughters of Shandong with Eve Chung
In 20th century China, ordinary people had to make incredibly hard decisions every day to simply survive. One generation passed the torch of war and death to the next, and people had to live with the consequences. Families, identities, and histories hung in the balance as lives were constantly uprooted and reshuffled. In this episode I'm joined by Eve Chung to talk about her book "Daughters of Sh
Episode 144: Aftersun
What is memory? Why do we remember and forget? How does the puzzle of memory fit together or fall apart in our minds? In the 2022 film "Aftersun," written and directed by Charlotte Wells, a woman tries to look back into the foggy past of her memory, remembering a childhood vacation with her dad while trying to uncover clues about his troubled life. Delving into the psychology of memory, developmen
Episode 143: The Unseen Leader with Martin Gutmann
Leadership is one of the most interesting avenues of historical study, but also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode I'm joined by historian Martin Gutmann to talk about some of the myths and larger lessons about historical leadership. We discuss: what leadership is, why it matters, how leadership connects to the human story, some historical examples of leadership including the myth of H
Episode 142: The Road Part III
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" depicts a horrific wasteland that is the worst possible example of an existential threat coming to life. But like in his other novels, there are also moments where you wonder if the evil depicted in the book is actually just a mere shade of the real evil hiding in the abyss-just a representation of something much deeper that humans can't possibly understand. The Man an
Episode 141: The Road Part II
Philosophers and Psychologists have often imagined a "blank slate" to put different theories of human nature to the test. What would humanity be if you stripped away all the culture, all the pressures, all the social interactions that shape us on a daily basis? In Cormac McCarthy's "The Road," he takes this idea to the next level by examining characters in the ultimate stripped down universe-the p
Episode 140: The Road Part I
"You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget." Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" imagines a post-apocalyptic world that puts other dystopian atmospheres to shame with its bleak hopelessness. Staring into the darkest parts of the abyss, it asks some of the most basic yet important questions humanity can ask-What is the value of a story? What is the story of humanity, an
Episode 139: Vagabond Princess with Ruby Lal
In this episode I'm joined by historian Ruby Lal. Ruby is Professor of South Asian history at Emory University and the author of several books, including her latest: "Vagabond Princess: The Great Adventures of Gulbadan." We discuss the Mughal Empire-the descendants of the great nomadic empires of Genghis Khan, the Mongols, and Tamerlane. We talk about the cultural, economic, and military of achiev
Episode 138: The Metamorphosis Part III
Traveling salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find out he's been transformed into some sort of hideous bug. The story that follows in Franz Kafka's masterpiece "The Metamorphosis" offers insight into human nature, identity, change, the nature of kindness, and more. Does the mundane and day to day nature of life rob us of our spirituality and turn us all into monsters? What is the hideous
Episode 137: The Metamorphosis Part II
Traveling salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find out he's been transformed into some sort of hideous bug. The story that follows in Franz Kafka's masterpiece "The Metamorphosis" offers insight into human nature, identity, change, the nature of kindness, and more. Does the mundane and day to day nature of life rob us of our spirituality and turn us all into monsters? What is the hideous
Episode 136: The Metamorphosis Part I
Traveling salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find out he's been transformed into some sort of hideous bug. The story that follows in Franz Kafka's masterpiece "The Metamorphosis" offers insight into human nature, identity, change, the nature of kindness, and more. Does the mundane and day to day nature of life rob us of our spirituality and turn us all into monsters? What is the hideous
Episode 135: Fire and Blood
While not being the book many fans wanted (and still haven't gotten…), George R.R. Martin's 2018 "Fire and Blood", a fictional history prequel to "A Game of Thrones" is worthy of historical examination in its own right. Aside from being a lesson to historians in how to write entertaining, captivating history, it also offers insight into some of the bigger themes and ideas related to the study of h
BONUS: The Library of Babel
Hello everyone, here is a bonus episode from my Patreon feed. Hope you enjoy it. It's been an amazing run for a long time now, so thank you for all the support and appreciation over the years. It means a lot. Hope you have a great year. How do we find meaning in an infinite universe? Is the pursuit of meaning a meaningful pursuit? Can humanity contemplate the meaning of the infinite? How is any o
Episode 134: Roma Part II
This is Part II in a two part series on Alfonso Cuaron's 2018 masterpiece "Roma." This episode covers the second half of the movie and discusses themes of loneliness, isolation, and belonging. It also looks at struggles over land reform in the Mexican countryside, one of the primary instigators of the Dirty War. Finally it examines the 1971 Corpus Christi Massacre, a seminal moment in Mexican hist
Episode 133: Roma Part I
The story of an indigenous housekeeper in 1970's Mexico City allows us to examine themes of Mexican history-class, race, status, violence, and more. As the Dirty War rages in the Mexican countryside, that violence starts to creep into the urban world and the personal life of the main character-Cleo. Both a personal and universal journey, the film is meant to be somewhat autobiographical account of
Episode 132: The Mexican Dirty War Part VI-Spaces of Memory
For the victims of the Mexican Dirty War and their families, all that's left of it now is spaces of memory. This episode is Part VI in a series on the Mexican Dirty War and takes a final look at the ideas of historical narrative being fluid, as well as the concept of history as a memory. -Consider Supporting the Podcast!- Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify! Support the podcast
Episode 131: The Mexican Dirty War Part V-Massacres and Memories
Does it make any sense to compare individual personality and memory to historical and collective memory? Much like our own memories, the past is often remembered according to the needs of the present. The Tlatelolco Massacre of 1968 offers an opportunity to think about questions of nationalism, historical memory, and collective identity. This episode is Part V in a series on the Mexican Dirty War
Episode 130: The Mexican Dirty War Part IV-Violence and Change
Is violence necessary for change? The Mexican Dirty War provides an interesting lens through which to view this question. Leftist geurrilla movements in Mexico were made up of a diversity of disaffected and disenfranchised people who made several failed attempts to uproot corruption and authoritarianism. At what point should peace turn into violence? This episode is Part IV in a series on the Mexi
Episode 129: The Mexican Dirty War Part III-Revolution of the Mundane
What caused the Mexican Dirty War? A combination of economic, social, and political grievances built up over the course of hundreds of years to finally explode in the mid-20th century. The geurrilla warfare and the brutal counter-insurgent response from the government during the Dirty War had their roots in historical grievances and narratives that motivated ordinary people in Mexico through decad
Episode 128: The Mexican Dirty War Part II-Spectres of Revolution
How does the broader context of history affect our personal lives on a daily basis? How does historical memory and narrative storytelling change the way we view the past and the present? This episode asks these questions in the context of the Mexican Dirty War by analyzing the conflict through the lens of the broader themes of Mexican history. Although history may be in the past, it's ghost linger
Episode 127: The Mexican Dirty War Part I-The Politics of Memory
The Mexican Dirty War was fought from the 1960's into the 1980's between the Mexican government and geurrilla insurgents. Geurrilla warfare and government counter-insurgency would be a reality of life in many parts of Mexico for years-thousands would lose their lives, families and communities would be destroyed, and grief would linger for generations. This episode is Part I in a series on the Mexi
Episode 126: Reconstructing Emotion in History
"History is a dialogue between the past and the present." So how do we know anything about history? To what extent is our knowledge of history merely modern day historians projecting their own thoughts and interpretations on the past? How do we know that ancient peoples felt the same emotions we do? What role should emotion, feeling, and motivation play in the study of history? Archaelogist Guy Mi
Episode 125: Burning
"Sometimes I burn barns." Things aren't always what they seem in Haruki Murakami's surreal and incredible short story "Barn Burning." What could be read on the surface as the tale of a love triangle and a little arson actually offers insight into the banality of evil, the ambiguity of responsibility, the power of memory, the nature of disappearance, and the reality of metaphor. Much like the narra
BONUS: Staying Behind
In a dystopian future, humanity is faced with a choice: upload your consciousness into a machine and live forever in paradise, or stay behind and continue being human as we've come to know it. In his short story "Staying Behind," Ken Liu explores a possible future that feels all too real. In the process the story asks big questions about the nature of humanity: what does it mean to be human? What
Episode 124: W.E.B. Du Bois and the Wounded World with Chad Williams
In this episode I spoke with historian Chad Williams about his latest book-"The Wounded World: W.E.B. Du Bois and the First World War" We discussed the legacy of Du Bois; his views on identity and double consciousness; World War I and it's causes; the role of black americans and black soldiers in World War I; the connection between race, capitalism, socialism, and the labor movements of the early
Episode 123: Piranesi
"The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it's kindness infinite." Piranesi lives in an infinite house, with no long-term memory and only a loose sense of identity. As the secrets of the House deepen and the mystery of his life becomes more sinister, Piranesi must discover who he is and how this brings him closer to the "Great and Secret Knowledge" that the House contains. Touching on themes of me
Episode 122: Story of Your Life
What if it was possible to "remember" the future? What if our typical conceptions of cause and effect didn't tell the whole story? If the story of your life was laid out in front of you, how would that change you as a person and your relationship with the people around you? All of these questions and more are discussed in this episode that takes a look at Ted Chiang's legendary short story "Story
Episode 121: Ikiru
What is the meaning of life? What does it mean to really live? What is the nature of bureaucracy and how does this seep into our everyday lives and relationships? These questions and more are analyzed in Akira Kurosawa's 1952 masterpiece "Ikiru." Life is brief... -Consider Supporting the Podcast!- Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify! Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.pa
Episode 120: The Memory Police
Yoko Ogawa's 1994 masterpiece "The Memory Police" is much more than a dystopian novel. It delves into the ways that memory connects with everything-from our deepest sense of self, to our friendships and relationships, to our daily routines. What can memory tell us about grief, loss, and resitance to "quiet authoritarianism?" -Consider Supporting the Podcast!- Leave a rating or review on apple podc
Episode 119: The Buried Giant
It's been said that you are what you remember. What is the role and function of memory on a personal level and how does this connect to collective memory and history? Does collective memory fuel cycles of violence? What would happen if we suddenly all forgot our shared past? Would the world be more peaceful? Are some things best forgotten? In this episode I explore Kazuo Ishiguro's incredible nove
BONUS: Dreams and the Supersensorium
Why do we dream? What is the difference between dreaming and being awake? Is the modern world around us merely an "artificial dream"-with it's constant barrage of sensory input, screens to look at, and narratives to dive into? This episode is an examination of Erik Hoel's excellent article "Enter the Supersensorium." The connection between dreams and reality is fascinating, but this connection als
Episode 118: What Remains Part IV-Generational Grief
By the end of the Taiping Civil War, millions in China felt the grief of being caught in limbo between remembering and forgetting, personal and state, past and future. Ultimately the more intimate, personal grief felt by ordinary survivors of the war contrasted sharply with state sanctioned commemoration and moralistic narrative. This is the concluding episode in a series covering Tobie Meyer-Fon
Episode 117: What Remains Part III-Bodies and Burials
As the deaths piled up during the Taiping Civil War, the grim but pressing reality of how to deal with and commemorate all of the dead bodies lends insight into historical questions of identity and ritual, but also questions of power and authority. To what extent does the loss of bones lead to loss of identity? Why did civilians fear what would happen to their dead body? How did state and local of
Episode 116: What Remains Part II-Wartime Identity
To what extent do questions of who you are and how others see you relate to your personal and philosophical identity? How would this change in a time of war? During the Taiping Civil War, the process of identity formation, identity signaling, and identity assignment reveals interesting questions about the nature of identity, what it means to be physically and spiritually whole, and how we should l
Episode 115: What Remains Part I-Reward and Punishment
How did ordinary people make sense of a devastating and apocalyptic event like the Taiping Civil War? To what extent did the logic of divine reward and punishment play a role in the ordinary lives of people impacted by this conflict? How did people combat the horrors of war psychologically? This episode is part one in a series covering Tobie Meyer-Fong's excellent book "What Remains," about some o
Episode 114: The Taiping Civil War Part V-The Cost
The Taiping Civil War was an apocalyptic event for those who lived through it. For most ordinary civilians, the realties on the ground involved violence, looting, hypocrisy, and danger at all times. The chaos, death, and atrocities would force those who survived to face complicated questions of grief and loss. This is the fifth episode in a series on the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Rebellion
Episode 113: The Taiping Civil War Part IV-The Outsiders
The Taiping Civil War is often seen as a product of clashing belief systems and a testament to the power of belief. This episode provides some analysis for how the belief systems of the 3 major players in the conflict interacted and converged: the Taiping version of Christianity, the Qing appeal to Confucian tradition, and the western imperial civilizing mission. This is the fourth episode in a se
Episode 112: The Taiping Civil War Part III-The Rebel
How did Hong Xiuquan transform from ordinary school teacher into the leader of the largest rebellion in modern history and the younger brother of Jesus? What started out as one man's fever dream would slowly reveal itself to be a nightmare in reality for millions of people in China. This is the third episode in a series on the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Rebellion in China. It focuses on the
Episode 111: The Taiping Civil War Part II-The Mixing Bowl
The "Great Man" style of history is often scoffed on, but does it have a part to play in the story of the Taiping Civil War? Which plays a bigger role in history-individual choices and decisions made by powerful individuals, or the larger contextual trends acting on those individuals? Ultimately a mix of these two styles of history may help us understand how mixed cultural and religiously syncreti
Episode 110: The Taiping Civil War Part I-The Pressure Cooker
From 1850-1864, China was swallowed by a wave of chaos and destruction that was bizarre, unprecedented, and apocalyptic. Some historians estimate that the Taiping Civil War left more than 20 million dead in it's wake. The tale is often told as the strange story of the Taiping leader Hong Xiuquan, who claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus and essentially started his own version of Christianity
BONUS: The Bear
Hey everyone, this is a bonus episode from my Patreon feed. Hope you enjoy it. If you want to support the podcast, you can click the link here: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory "The Bear" by William Faulkner is one of the legendary stories in American literature. Written many decades ago, I think it still has something important to tell us about Manifest Destiny, nature, unity, truth, bea
Episode 109: On Full Automatic with William V. Taylor
In this episode, I sat down with Vietnam War veteran and now best selling author William V. Taylor to talk about his memoir "On Full Automatic: Surviving 13 Months In Vietnam." During the discussion we talked about his enlistment and training process, the types and nature of combat during his time there, the role of the environment and how factors like heat and terrain affected him, his relationsh
Episode 108: Dear John with Susan Carruthers
In this episode I sat down with historian Susan Carruthers to discuss her new book "Dear John: Love and Loyalty in Wartime America." We discuss the history of the Dear John letter in times of war, how relationships and emotional life are stressed during times of war, social norms and gender roles in regards to letter writing in times of war, the sweeping changes in the technology of communication
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