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Space the Nation — Arts
Space the Nation

On Space the Nation, we take our love of science fiction (and fantasy and horror) and smash it together with our professional passions: international relations (as brought to the table by Tufts University professor and Washington Post columnist Dan Drezner) and cultural criticism (as brought to the table by political columnist Ana Marie Cox). It’s a highly informed but hilarious conversation that starts with an examination of a particular text (everything from Ursula K. LeGuin to the MCU, Star Trek to Colson Whitehead) and veers into current events, mental health practices and imagined conversations between Ted Cruz and the Predator. For people who like white papers and graphic novels, Chapo Trap House and what Political Science Twitter used to be.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © Space the Nation

Latest Episodes:

S2E19: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan put on their red shirts and get ready to count the Easter Eggs in the latest entry into the Star Trek Cinematic Universe. It's both backward-looking and optimistic -- faithful to the original series right down to its updated social justice values. There is IR in this series!

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S2E18: EDGE OF TOMORROW May 30, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan can't believe you found coffee! Wait, have we had this conversation before? "Groundhog Day goes to war" turns out to be much better than any movie with seven or eight different screenwriting teams should be. What about Tom Cruise makes watching him die so delightful? Is the one kiss in this movie one kiss too many? If we designed those drop-ships, did we maybe deserve to lose? There is IR in this movie.

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S2E17: GATTACA May 23, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan get distracted by how smoking hot Jude Law is in this, his American film debut. It's also a pretty good movie! It gets so much right about the future, BUT: No internet? Why are the display screens low-red green on black? SO MUCH PAPER! There is IR in this movie and not nearly as much of a critique of capitalism as Andrew Niccols probably thinks.

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S2E16: DR. STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS May 16, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan bow to the Sorcerer Supreme and enter into Marvel's infinite IP loop. What kind of natsec clearance do you need to know about Thanos' defeat? How do you tell the difference between "witchcraft" and "sorcerery"? Is this a movie that we can recommend to Karen???? There is IR in this movie.

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S2E15: CANON FODDER: THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS May 09, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan put on their p-suits and shove "Ayn Rand in space" into the airlock, because certain kinds of political hectoring should be a capital offense among decent people. Why do people love this book? No, seriously, why? There is IR but absolutely zero critiques of capitalism in this book.

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S2E14: ROGUE ONE May 02, 2022

Show notes

Dan and Ana just have the pilot give the plans DIRECTLY TO THE REBELS, but decide to watch the movie anyway. Can you make a great movie entirely premised on a retcon? Does it take extremists to goad rebellions into action? How would Adorno feel about all this? There is IR in this movie.

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S2E13: THE CITY WE BECAME Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan don’t have white tendrils growing out of the back of their necks, what are you talking about? NK Jemisin’s first foray into the “city as a living thing” micro-genre will delight fans of New York City but is a bit rough around the edges, like some neighborhoods we could name. There is a bit of IR in this book.

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S2E12: THE VAST OF NIGHT Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan enroll in the Everett Sloan School of Broadcast Journalism and start baking biscuits. Why didn't the chipmunk make an end-credits appearance? Does Fay care more about her switchboard duties or her journalism career? How in the heck did they make this movie for less than a million dollars? There is IR in this movie.

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S2E11: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan stick googly eyes to the middle of their foreheads and verse jump into this wildly creative and simply wild family drama disguised as a many-worlds thriller. This movie has it all: Laundry! Taxes! Dildos! And, of course, IR.

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S2E10: SCHLOCK OR AWE? DEMOLITION MAN Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

Ana and Dan sit down for a nice meal at Taco Bell and discuss the much-quoted but less seen Sandy Bullock vehicle. Wow, it's dark! How did Dr. Cocteau come to power? Who was John Spartan's lawyer and can I get his number? Do you really want to know what the seashells are for? There is a surprisingly reactionary take on capitalism in this movie.

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