Now & Then

Latest Episodes:

The Third Party Problem Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

Heather and Joanne respond to the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy and the hype surrounding the No Labels political organization by looking at two past third-party bids that changed the nation: the 1844 presidential candidacy of James G. Birney’s anti-slavery Liberty Party and the 1912 campaign of Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party.

How can third party candidacies reflect the values of the nation? How can they backfire? And how should Americans balance their interest in presidential purity with the strategic considerations of living in a democracy?

What are Heather and Joanne’s personal feelings about Third Party bids? They share more of their thoughts in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. For a limited time, you can get 40% off the initial annual membership price with discount code JUSTICE. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-third-party-problem/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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The Titan, the Sea, and What We See Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Heather and Joanne compare the national response to the implosion of the Titan submersible to two high-profile historical sea calamities: the 1813 ocean vanishing of Theodosia Burr and the 1872 Mary Celeste “ghost ship” drama.

How do Americans react to tragedies on the high seas? What can these mysterious and painful incidents tell us about our national anxieties and values?

How have Heather and Joanne processed sea dangers in their own lives? They share their experience in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. For a limited time, you can get 40% off the initial annual membership price with discount code JUSTICE. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-titan-the-sea-and-what-we-see/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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The American Nation and Indigenous Nations: Sovereignty & Struggle Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Haaland v. Brackeen Supreme Court decision, which upholds the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act. They put the case into context with past struggles by indigenous communities to define their place in the American story, from Tenskwatawa’s 1800s quest for representation, to the consequences of the 1887 Dawes Act, to the 1960s origins of the American Indian Movement.

How is the challenge of teaching indigenous history different from teaching other historical topics? Heather and Joanne share their experience in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider for $1 for the first month and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-nation-and-indigenous-nations-sovereignty-struggle/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Presidential Lawyer Problems Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

How can personal lawyers help and hurt embattled presidents?

Heather and Joanne use the current chaos engulfing former President Trump’s legal team to explore the blurry roles of private presidential attorneys in American history. They explore conservative Unionist lawyer Reverdy Johnson’s effective role in helping President Lincoln to find legal rationale for escalations in the Civil War. And they compare Johnson’s role to the not-so-effective counsel of Nixon’s lawyer-fundraiser Herb Kalmbach.

How did the popular culture surrounding the Watergate scandal affect Heather and Joanne? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

Uncover history's impact on today's issues and get sharp insights into news at the intersection of law and politics with the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Sign up for free here: cafe.com/brief

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/presidential-lawyer-problems/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's Something in the Water Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

What can past struggles over American water access tell us about national power and politics?

Heather and Joanne place state and federal government responses to the Southwest’s current megadrought in the tangled history of water management, from Aaron Burr’s duplicitous scheme to give New York clean water, to William Mulholland’s Los Angeles “water wars,” to the proliferation of New Deal dams.

What were Heather and Joanne’s different experiences of water in the 1970s? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/theres-something-in-the-water/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas Tall-Tales, Ken Paxton…and Us Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

What can the contested and often-mythological history of Texas show us about America today?

Heather and Joanne use the current impeachment drama surrounding Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as a window into the dramatic and ever-shifting legacies of the Alamo and the Texas oil boom.

What have been Heather and Joanne's personal experiences of Texas? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/texas-tall-tales-ken-paxtonand-us/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Encore: Women Warriors: Ukraine & Beyond May 31, 2023

Show notes

Stories of remarkable heroism by women in Ukraine have captured the imagination of the world over the past 15 months. How have women warriors shaped conversations over gender, violence, and heroism over the course of United States history?

In this Memorial Day-inspired encore presentation of a March 2022 episode, Heather and Joanne discuss the Revolutionary War figures Molly Pitcher and Deborah Sampson, Harriet Tubman’s Civil War spying raids, and Ukrainian sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko’s 1942 tour of the U.S.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/encore-women-warriors-ukraine-and-beyond/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The American Wellness Continuum: Alternative Medicine May 24, 2023

Show notes

In the concluding episode of a two-part series, Heather and Joanne discuss alternative approaches to medicine throughout American history, and place them in the context of today’s non-traditional remedies, like psychedelic therapy and wellness brands.

They talk through the 19th century diet movements of Sylvester Graham and John Kellogg, the popularity of cross-cultural practices like acupuncture, yoga, and Reiki, and the 1960s rise of psychedelic drugs.

What are Heather and Joanne’s own experiences with alternative medicine? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-wellness-continuum-alternative-medicine/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The American Wellness Continuum: Traditional Medicine May 17, 2023

Show notes

In the first episode of a two-part series, Heather and Joanne look at how the traditional American medical establishment has conceived of mental health over our national history. What can these designations say about the pandemic-associated mental health crises we currently face? How have powerful Americans defined “normalcy” and “abnormalcy” at various points?

They explore the pioneering and controversial Philadelphia physician Benjamin Rush, the rise and fall of the “neurasthenia” diagnosis, and the 1950s emergence of antidepressants.

How can we be in touch with our own mental health? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-wellness-continuum-traditional-medicine/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Veep: The Real Story May 10, 2023

Show notes

What is the role of the Vice President in American political history? What is the road ahead for VP Kamala Harris? Heather and Joanne break down the evolving role of the VP, from John Adams’s frustrated tenure, to Chester A. Arthur’s transition from corruption to reform, to Walter Mondale’s close partnership with President Jimmy Carter.

Have Heather and Joanne ever felt like Vice Presidents? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

Uncover history's impact on today's issues and get sharp insights into news at the intersection of law and politics with the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Sign up for free here: cafe.com/brief

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/veep-the-real-story/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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