KALA-FM

Relevant or Irrelevant

History EN ↓ 630 episodes

In this weekly show, hosts John Kealey and Jay Swords examine events of history through the discussion of books, journal articles, papers, and presentations, then historians and history buffs ask the question, what is relevant or irrelevant in today’s world. For more than a decade, this show has aired over-the-air on KALA-FM in the Quad Cities. Now, we're bringing it here to make listening easier than ever!

Author

KALA-FM

Category

History

Podcast website

kalafm885.com

Latest episode

Jul 11, 2026

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Episodes

BONUS: Girls Coming to Tech! 02.01.2021

BONUS questions from the 388th episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

Girls Coming to Tech! 02.01.2021

Dr. Amy Bix, Professor Of History at Iowa State University, joins the ROI team to talk about her book Girls Coming to Tech!: A History of American Engineering Education for Women (MIT Press, 2013). Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: The Looming Collapse of American Farming 26.12.2020

BONUS questions from the 387th episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

The Looming Collapse of American Farming 26.12.2020

Relevant or Irrelevant is honored to have journalist Tom Philpott as our guest for the 387th edition of this series. This week, the panel discusses Philpott's book, Perilous Bounty: The Looming Collapse of American Farming and How We Can Prevent It. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: 500th Anniversary of the Death of Raphael 19.12.2020

BONUS questions from the 386th episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

500th Anniversary of the Death of Raphael 19.12.2020

Dr. Margaret Morse, Associate Professor of Art History and Fine Arts Division Chair at Augustana College (Rock Island, Illinois, USA) joins the ROI group to discuss the 500th anniversary of the death of Italian Renaissance painter Raphael. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: National Pearl Button Museum 12.12.2020

BONUS questions from the 385th episode of ROI . Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

National Pearl Button Museum 12.12.2020

Angie Weikert, Manager of Artifact Acquisitions at The National Pearl Button Museum, is the guest for 385th episode of ROI . She joins the group to talk about the museum and saving the Fairport (Iowa) Fish Hatchery. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: Prairie Fire: A Great Plains History 05.12.2020

BONUS questions from the 384th edition of 𝘙𝘖𝘐. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

Prairie Fire: A Great Plains History 05.12.2020

Dr. Julie Courtwright, Associate Professor of History at Iowa State University, joins the ROI history buffs to discuss her book, Prairie Fire: A Great Plains History , published by the University Press of Kansas in 2011. Prairie Fire won the Kansas Notable Book Award, given by the State Library, and was a Caroline Bancroft Honor Book Selection, designated by the Denver Public Library, Western Hist...

BONUS: History of Social Distancing 28.11.2020

BONUS questions from the 383rd episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

History of Social Distancing 28.11.2020

Dr. Kristy Wilson Bowers, Assistant Professor of History at The University Of Missouri, discusses the history of social distancing with the ROI team on the 383rd edition of the series. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower Landing 21.11.2020

BONUS questions from the 382nd episode of ROI

400th Anniversary of the Mayflower Landing 21.11.2020

Former Governor-General Dr. George Garmany, of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, joins the Relevant or Irrelevant panel to discuss the 400th anniversary of the landing of The Mayflower on the 382nd edition of this series. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: Election 2020 14.11.2020

BONUS questions from the 389th episode of ROI . Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

Election 2020 14.11.2020

Dr. Justin Holmes, Associate Professor of Political Science, is the guest for the 389th edition of ROI. Dr. Holmes discusses the 2020 Election with the group. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: The Black Experience in Davenport, Iowa 07.11.2020

BONUS questions from the 381st episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

The Black Experience in Davenport, Iowa 07.11.2020

Ryan Saddler, Associate Vice President For Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, joins the ROI panelists to talk about "The Black Experience In Davenport, Iowa." Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: Race, Reform & Identity in Pop Music, 1812-1925 31.10.2020

BONUS questions from the 380th episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

Race, Reform & Identity in Pop Music, 1812-1925 31.10.2020

Dr. Brian Roberts, Professor of History at the University of Northern Iowa, joins the Relevant or Irrelevant discussion to help us learn more about his 2017 book Blackface Nation: Race, Reform, and Identity in American Popular Music, 1812-1925 . Relevant or Irrelevant  is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: The History of WOC Radio 24.10.2020

BONUS questions from the 379th episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

The History of WOC Radio 24.10.2020

Author Dave Coopman is the guest for the 379th program in the ROI series. In this edition, we explore the history of WOC Radio, Davenport, IA, USA. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: The American Civil War: A Molecular Study of Smallpox 17.10.2020

BONUS questions from the 378th episode of ROI. Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

The American Civil War: A Molecular Study of Smallpox 17.10.2020

Ana Duggan, an adjunct faculty member at McMaster University in Canada, joins the Relevant or Irrelevant panelists to discuss "T he American Civil War: A Molecular Study Of Smallpox . Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

BONUS: Ernest Hemingway: A New Life 10.10.2020

BONUS questions from the 377th episode of ROI Relevant or Irrelevant is recorded at the studios of KALA-FM, Davenport, IA-Quad Cities.

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