Talking History

Much to the annoyance of historians, public perceptions of the past are often shaped by popular culture, books, TV, films, and other cultural artifacts. However, despite their inaccuracies, the elements that make up popular culture are topics of great interest to historians. In this episode of  Talking History , we speak to Dr. Kathleen Kennedy about the ways popular culture can provide insights i...

In 2022, the painful history of Canada’s relationship with its Native American population was thrust into the limelight with the discovery of mass graves at former residential schools. For Canada’s rulers, these boarding schools were seen as a vehicle to “civilize” the country’s indigenous population; to bring them into the “modern world”. However, the reality was that such schools were often the...

In this episode of Talking History , Patrick and Djene speak to Dr. Daniel Bessner about the history of Hollywood. In 2023, the Writers Guild of America, which represents over 11,000 screenwriters, went on strike.  One of the central areas of their dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was residuals from streaming services. The work stoppage culminated, after 148 day...

The road trip is a hallowed American tradition that is really only about 100 years old. From the Beats to the Griswolds, the idea of recreationally crossing country by car is a common trope in American media. But can we learn anything from a road trip? This week, Patrick ventures out of the studio and deep into the Ozarks on farm roads, state routes and two-lane highway to bring you an audio road...

In this episode of  Talking History , Djene speaks to Dr. Sarah Panzer about the myths and realities of life as a Samurai.

In this episode of Talking History, Patrick and Djene speak to Dr. Louis Fishman about the origins of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

In this episode of Talking History, Partick and Djene speak with Anna Guenter and Dr. Sarah Panzer about Jewish revenge in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

In this episode of Talking History, Djene and Patrick speak with Missouri State University professor, Dr. John Schmalzbauer, about the role of religion in the history of the Ozarks.

In this episode of Talking History, Djen and Patrick speak with Missouri State University professors, Dr. Julia Troche and Dr. Bryan Brinkman, about the Ancient Artifacts Abroad exhibition that they organized at Springfield Art Museum.

In this episode of Talking History, Djene, and Patrick speak with geographer and international relations specialist Fabrice Balanche about the origins and development of the Syrian Civil War. 

The Ozarks as a region are often overlooked. The difficult terrain and relative dearth of arable soil have left the plateau sparsely populated for time immemorial. Rarely registered on maps and ignored by American historians for generations, the Ozark Plateau lived in the popular imagination as a land of backward people and night-riding vigilantes for many decades. In recent years, however, schola...

In this episode of Talking History, Djene and Patrick speak with Dr. Ozan Ozavci about the history of European intervention in the Middle East.

In this episode of Talking History , Patrick and Djene journey back to antiquity to discuss the role of “mass communications” in the politics of ancient Rome with Dr. Bryan Brinkman. Learn more at https://www.ksmu.org/podcast/talking-history  

In this episode of Talking History, Djene and Patrick speak with anthropologist Dr. Liz Sobel about the myths and realities of Hunter-Gatherer societies.

In recent decades, China’s rapid economic growth has made headlines around the world. However, one area in which China’s growth has been less prodigious has been in terms of its population. This was starkly demonstrated in May 2023 when India surpassed China as the world’s most populous country. Part of the reason for this shift in global demographics can be found in a series of policy measures ad...

In this episode of Talking History, Djene and Patrick speak to Civil War historian, Dr. Jeremy Neely, about his forthcoming book, A Union Tested , which examines a collection of letters between Cimbaline Fike, a homemaker from Illinois, and her husband, Henry, who served as an officer in the Union Army. What hardships did Cimbaline face when her husband departed for the front? How did this experie...