Deep Dive with Shawn

Send us Fan Mail Discover the courageous origins and transformative journey of queer rights as we trace the historical tapestry of Berlin's LGBTQ+ community with the guidance of Dr. Robert Beachy, author of "Gay Berlin: Birthplace of a Modern Identity." This episode promises to unravel the complex evolution of queer identity, from the pioneering efforts of 19th-century activists lik...

Send us Fan Mail Join this conversation with Ron Goldberg , the "chant queen" that inspired a movement, as we share the untold stories from the frontlines of AIDS activism. "Boy with the Bullhorn" isn't just a title; it's a testament to the relentless spirit of a community that refused to be silenced. From the origins of ACT UP's stirring chants to the raw emotio...

Send us Fan Mail Excited to share with you my new podcast project dropping this Spring - After America (a Sea Tree Media production). Check back soon! ------------------------- Follow Deep Dive: Bluesky YouTube Email : deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music:  Majestic Earth - Joystock  

Send us Fan Mail Embark on a critical journey through the shifting political landscape of America as I host a powerhouse trio of experts to help us understand the most pressing issues facing the nation. Dr. Sarah Benesh examines the Supreme Court's recent decisions, Dr. James Hawdon dissects the undercurrents of political unrest, and Dr. David Faris unpacks the Democratic Party's interna...

Send us Fan Mail As an inflatable snowman towers over the neighborhood, marking the commencement of holiday festivities, friend of the pod Justin Hentges and I cozy up to reminisce about the year's gems and share our yuletide reflections. Our chat meanders from the screen to the soundwaves, where the siren songs of the year tug at our heartstrings. We also share our excitement for the new mel...

Send us Fan Mail As Donald Trump solidifies his grip on the evangelical right in the United States, we are left to wonder: How is it conceivable that a faith predicated on love and compassion could veer towards authoritarianism? We're grappling with this disquieting reality as we delve into the substantive connection between Christianity, especially American evangelical Christianity, and the...

Send us Fan Mail Do you ever ponder over the evolution and multifaceted nature of camping, its sociopolitical significance, and how it mirrors societal inequalities? Join us and our esteemed guest, Dr. Phoebe Young , professor of History at the University of Colorado, Boulder and author of the book Camping Grounds: Public Nation in American Life from the Civil to the Occupy Movement , as we embark...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we welcome Stephen Long, the brain behind Sacred Tension Substack and its podcast . We're in for a deep, meaningful discussion about internalized homophobia and how it affects the LGBTQ+ community. But, we're not stopping there, we're delving into the nitty-gritty; the politics of relationships, religion's role in society, and the evolution of identity l...

Send us Fan Mail **After a two month hiatus, Deep Dive returns next week (Sunday, Nov 26th) with a slew of new episodes with exciting, entertaining, and interesting guests.   In the meantime, in light of the recent polling suggesting that voters may return Donald Trump to the White House in next year’s presidential election, check out this Greatest Hit of Deep Dive, in advance of the 2022 midterm...

Send us Fan Mail **Originally released October 21, 2021** Could a spark of liberation emerge in a world of oppressive leaders? Join me, your host, and Alex Vatanka, the founding director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute, as we examine the recent upheaval in Iran triggered by the tragic death of a 22-year-old woman arrested for a 'bad hijab'. Together, we peel back the lay...

Send us Fan Mail **Originally released April 27, 2022** Get ready for a journey into understanding the evolution of public opinion on the queer and trans communities post the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling. My guest, Dr. Andrew Flores - an Assistant Professor in the Department of Government at American University and a visiting scholar at the Williams Institute at UCLA - lends...

Send us Fan Mail **Originally released Dec 9, 2022** Have you ever pondered the courage it takes to truly embrace your identity, despite society's norms? Do you ever wonder what it feels like to experience the world through the lens of a queer individual? Join me for a heartfelt conversation with guests, Soda Canter and Justin Hentges, as we navigate through the intricacies of our queer lives...

Send us Fan Mail Promising an enlightening journey through the historical and contemporary significance of the U.S. Census, I'm joined by esteemed scholar Dr. Dan Bouk - professor of History at Colgate University and author of the book Democracy's Data: The Hidden Stories in the U.S. Census and How to Read Them . This episode unearths the nuanced power dynamics and biases inherent in the...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine navigating the intricate pathways of immigration and citizenship in the United States, only to find yourself in uncharted territory. Join me and esteemed legal scholar, Amanda Frost, as we embark on this journey through the complexities of these policies. We uncover the historical evolution of immigration and citizenship, shedding light on the legal and political perspecti...

Send us Fan Mail How often do we pause and think about the multiple layers of our identities and how they intersect with our experiences? What's the role of our race, gender, sexuality, religion and more in shaping our perception of societal issues? With Dr. E. Patrick Johnson, a renowned scholar, artist, and activist, we navigate the complex course of intersectionality, focusing on the uniqu...

Send us Fan Mail Is the spirit of bipartisanship gasping its last breath? Today's conversation with Dr. Laurel Harbridge-Yong , Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University and an authority on the subject, might just surprise you. We’ll journey into the heart of American politics, exploring the ramifications of polarization, the push and pull of primary voters, and the strategic...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever felt the weight of fear when your spirituality seems to contradict your identity? This episode addresses the intricate relationship between faith and queerness, as we delve into the profound emotions and experiences that come with growing up queer in the church. Dr. Bernard Schlager , associate professor of Historical and Cultural Studies and Executive Director of th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I’m talking to Dominic Arnall , CEO of Open for Business, an international coalition dedicated to working with the business community to advance LGBT+ rights globally. Open for Business advances LGBT+ inclusion and creates change in three ways – by constructing and promoting the economic business case, by catalyzing a global business voice on LGBT+ inclusion, and b...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I talk to  Dr. Javier Corrales , professor of Political Science at Amherst College . Dr. Corrales' research focuses on democratization, democratic backsliding, populism, foreign policies, and sexuality. He has also published extensively on Latin America and the Caribbean. We talk about all of these things – advancement of queer rights in Latin America, why th...

Send us Fan Mail Increasingly, Russian citizens opposed to the war are fleeing their country, taking asylum in other places – around the world. A significant number of these folks are queer – leaving not just because of their opposition to the war, but fleeing severe persecution in Russia, as the country cracks down on the LGBTQ community. And, they’re landing in places that are skeptical of them...

Send us Fan Mail **This episode was recorded on July 7, 2023, one week after the Supreme Court issued its ruling in 303 Creative allowing some private businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people. If you’ve been listening to the podcast over the past few months, you know that I’ve been worried about the safety and mental health of the queer community, especially queer kids, as they sustain broa...

Send us Fan Mail The Supreme Court ended its most recent term on June 30th and it was another blockbuster term. The Court made some surprising and some not-so surprising decisions. It upheld precedent in some places and smashed it in others. While this new Court is still trying to figure out its  character, the past two terms have made it pretty clear that this is a conservative majority that inte...

Send us Fan Mail 2022 marked the fourth year in a row that hate crimes – offenses against a person or property motivated by bias - had increased in the United States. According to the FBI’s annual hate crime report , most of these crimes have targeted Black folks, jewish folks, sexual minorities and latinos.  According to the Human Rights Campaign , 42% of queer youth say the community in which th...

Send us Fan Mail According to SAGE USA, a national LGBTQ advocacy and services organization for older adults, LGBTQ elders are 2 times as likely to be single and live alone than straight elders. 59% of LGBTQ elders report feeling a lack of companionship and 53% report being isolated. 23% of trans folks have reported avoiding going to a doctor when they needed to, because they were fearful of mistr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Deep Dive is partnering with National Queer Theater to bring you a conversation with the three playwrights whose projects are being showcased at this year's Criminal Queerness Festival at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts in New York City beginning Wednesday, June 21st, and running through Friday, June 23rd.   Acclaimed by the New York Times , the Advoca...