The Way of Improvement Leads Home: American History, Religion, Politics, and Academic life.

Episode 136: America's Greatest Post-President

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:59:00 -0000

After an uneventful one-term presidency, John Quincy Adams was elected to the House of Representatives and fought against the institution of slavery. Our guest is Bob Crawford, bass player for the Avett Brothers and author of America's Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick. We talk about Adams's moral convictions, his relationship with abolitionists, and his distrust of democracy.

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Episode 135: The Suburbanization of American Catholicism

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0000

How did the suburbs shape American Catholicism? Today's guest on the podcast is historian Stephen M. Koeth, author of Crabgrass Catholicism: How Suburbanization Transformed Faith and Politics in Postwar America. Koeth argues that postwar suburbanization revolutionized the Catholic parish, the relationship between clergy and laity, conceptions of parochial education, and Catholic participation in US politics, and thereby was a significant factor in the religious disaffiliation that only accelerated in subsequent decades.

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Episode 134: Non-Boring History

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0000

Annette Laing, a "proper historian" with a Ph.D. in the field, wants to dispel the myth that history education occurs only in the classroom. She is the chief proprietor of "Non-Boring History,"a Substack devoted to bringing the past to bear on the present in a way accessible to history buffs of all ages. If you are a public historian, you do not want to miss this episode.

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Episode 133: Thinking as Pilgrimage

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:59:00 -0000

What is the difference between "fortress thinking" and "pilgrimage thinking"? How do these modes of thinking shape the academy today? In this episode, Rhonda and Douglas Jacobsen present a new approach to the Christian intellectual life. They are the authors of Christianity and Intellectual Inquiry: Thinking as Pilgrimage.

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Episode 132: Why Do People Hate White Liberals?

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 04:59:00 -0000

What is a “white liberal” and why do people hate them so much? Conservatives hate them for being so tolerant. Libertarians hate them for believing that the government might have a role to play in advancing a good society. Socialists and others on the left blame white liberalism for promoting capitalism. Our guest on this episode is Kevin Schultz, author of Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History.

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Episode 131: Karl Marx in America

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:59:00 -0000

Our guest in this episode, historian Andrew Hartman, writes, "Americans are thinking about [Karl] Marx to a degree not matched since the 1960s, or perhaps even the 1930s." Join us for a discussion of Hartman's new book, Karl Marx in America.

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Episode 130: Hamilton vs. Jefferson in History and Memory

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:28:00 -0000

Our guest on this episode of the podcast is Jeffrey Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. He is with us to talk about his more recent book, The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America. In the wake of the American Revolution, Hamilton and Jefferson developed contrasting, often clashing visions for balancing liberty and power in the new republic. It is a debate that continues to define–and divide–our country.

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Episode 129: The American Revolution as a World War

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0000

Most of the stories we will tell about the American Revolution during the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026 will take on a feel of American exceptionalism. They will come mostly from within the geographical bounds of what today is the United States, and most of those stories will concentrate on the eastern seaboard—the so-called "13 colonies." Our guest in this episode, University of Maryland historian Richard Bell, encourages us to take a broader view. He is the author of The American Revolution and the Fate of the World.

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Episode 128: Beecherism

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:07:00 -0000

Many Americans have heard of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. But did you know that her father was a famous evangelist, her brother was "the most famous man in America," and her sister founded the home economics movement? In this episode, we talk with author Obbie Tyler Todd about the Beecher family, one of the most important families in 19th-century America. Todd is the author of The Beechers: America's Most Influential Family.

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Episode 127: Phillis Wheatley: A Black Evangelical Poet in Revolutionary America

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 04:59:00 -0000

In this episode, we talk with David Waldstreicher, author of the George Washington Prize-winning The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence. We discuss early American poetry as the eighteenth-century equivalent of pop music and tweeting, the influence of evangelical Christianity on Wheatley's poetry, and the tension between slavery and the American Revolution in colonial Boston.

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Episode 126: Christianity and Big Time Sports in Modern America

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 03:59:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with historian Paul Putz about the history of Christianity and sports in America. This episode is for sports fans, history buffs, and anyone interested in how sports ministries like Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action navigated some of the major social, cultural, and political events of post-World War II America.

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Episode 125: Black Evangelicals in American History

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0000

What does it mean to be Black and evangelical—and why has that story been so often overlooked?

In this episode, John Fea sits down with Vincent Bacote, co-creator and host of the new documentary Black and Evangelical. They explore the history of Black evangelicals in America, from the Nottage Brothers and the Great Migration to the founding of the National Black Evangelical Association and the unforgettable moment Tom Skinner took the stage at Urbana ‘70.

Bacote discusses why this documentary matters today, how white evangelical institutions shaped (and sometimes constrained) Black evangelical life, and the enduring tension between gospel proclamation and confronting systemic racism.

Watch the documentary for free at blackevangelicals.com

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Episode 124: Christian Capitalism in Early America

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with Wesleyan University historian Joseph Slaughter, author of Faith in Markets: Christian Capitalism in Early America. He offers a new account of the interplay between religion and capitalism in early American history by focusing on 19th-century Protestant entrepreneurs and how they infused faith into their business and, in turn, how those businesses shaped our capitalist economy today.

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Episode 123: Drew Gilpin Faust on Growing-Up at Midcentury

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 19:19:49 -0000

She was a privileged baby boomer who grew up on a horse farm in segregated Virginia. By her 21st birthday she had worked for peace in Communist Europe, traveled the country in the cause of racial justice, marched for voting rights in Selma, and led anti-Vietnam protests at Bryn Mawr College. Our guest in this episode is distinguished American historian and former Harvard University president Drew Gilpin Faust. She talks about her memoir, Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury.

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Episode 122: The Metropolitan Sound of the American Century

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0000

In his new book Bridge & Tunnel Boys, historian Jim Cullen discusses how Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen represented what he calls "the metropolitan sound of the American century." In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Cullen about how Joel and Springsteen were shaped by their lives on the periphery of New York City. Our conversation ranges across several subjects, including politics, cosmopolitanism, history, the culture of the 1980s, and even Taylor Swift!

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Episode 121: Reagan's Evangelical Vision for America

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0000

How did Ronald Reagan use the media to shape his evangelical vision for America, a vision rooted in political freedom, economic freedom, and religious freedom that is still with us today and continues to define the discourse of both of our political parties? In this episode we talk to Diane Winston, the Knight Chair in Media and Religion at the University of Southern California, about her new book Righting the American Dream: How the Media Mainstreamed Reagan's Evangelical Vision.

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Episode 120: Popular Historians in Post-War America

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 04:00:42 -0000

Should professional historians write for the general public? If so, who is the "public" they are trying to reach? And when historians do write for the public how do they manage to make their work readable and accessible without sacrificing scholarly integrity? What role does politics, and even activism, play in popular history writing? These are questions that the historical profession, and in some respects, the nation, are currently wrestling with. Our guest today, historian Nick Witham, author of Popularizing the Past: Historians, Publishers, and Readers in Postwar America, reminds us that these questions are not new. Some of the country's most prominent writer-historians, including Richard Hofstadter, Daniel Boorstin, John Hope Franklin, Howard Zinn, and Gerda Lerner, grappled with how to reach the public with good historical scholarship.

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Episode 119: How the Social Gospel Undermined Social Democracy

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0000

There was a profound difference between Christian Socialism and the so-called "Social Gospel." Janine Giordano Drake explains these differences in her new book The Gospel of Church: How Mainline Protestants Vilified Christian Socialism and Fractured the Labor Movement. Drake argues that Protestant reformers associated with Mainline Protestantism and the Federal Council of Churches undermined workers' efforts to bring about social democracy in the United States.

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Episode 118: Evangelicals and the Environment

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0000

Most Americans probably think of conservative evangelicals as climate change deniers who believe global warming is a hoax. If this is you, you would not be entirely wrong. But our guest today, Neill Pogue, author of The Nature of the Religious Right: The Struggle Between Conservative Evangelicals and the Environmental Movement, suggests that this story is much more complicated. We discuss how evangelicals moved from environmental stewards in the 1970s to opponents of global warming by the end of the 1990s. Pogue also talks about the current state of evangelical concerns about the environment.

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Episode 117: The Idea of Fraternity in America

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:00:00 -0000

What is fraternity? Our guest today, political scientist Susan McWilliams Barndt, discusses her father's 1973 magnum opus The Idea of Fraternity in America. We talk about the work of Wilson Carey McWilliams, the historical context in which he wrote his magisterial work of political theory and history, and why we still need his ideas today. The Idea of Fraternity was just re-released in a 50th anniversary edition with an introduction from McWilliams Barndt.

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Episode 116: Historical Thinking for a Democracy

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 02:07:10 -0000

If you've listened to this podcast over the years you know that we champion "historical thinking" as one of our best hopes for sustaining and preserving American democratic life. In this episode we talk with Zachary Cote, the Executive Director of THINKING NATION, a non-profit organization devoted to helping K-12 social studies students mature into citizens who are empowered to analyze information effectively, think historically, and write persuasively in order to build a better democratic future. If you are a school superintendent, principal, or history teacher you are not going to miss this episode!

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Episode 115: Evangelicalism: Its Metaphors and Stories

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 04:00:00 -0000

What is American evangelicalism? In her new book The Evangelical Imagination, Karen Swallow Prior, one of the most careful observers of, and participants in, evangelical life, analyses the literature, art, and popular culture that has surrounded the movement and unpacks some of its most deeply held concepts, ideas, values, and practices. Our conversation revolves around topics such as revivalism, wokeness, self-improvement, domesticity, consumerism, empire-building, and the Bible's metaphorical language.

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Episode 114: How Slavery Helped Grow the American Catholic Church

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 04:00:00 -0000

Did you know the Jesuits were some of the largest slaveholders in colonial America? Our guest in this episode is Rachel L. Swarns, author of The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved And Sold to Build the American Catholic Church. We discuss the Jesuit's 1838 sale of 272 men, women and children for the purpose of saving Georgetown University and the implications of this sale for one enslaved family.

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Episode 113: The "Jesus Revolution"

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 04:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk to historian Larry Eskridge about the film "Jesus Revolution." Eskridge, the author of God's Forever Family: The Jesus People Movement in America, places the film in context, discusses the legacy of the Jesus People Movement for contemporary evangelicalism, and tells us a bit about his own experience with the movement. If you have seen "Jesus Revolution" and want to learn more, this episode is a must listen.

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Episode 112: The Search for God in a New York Publishing House

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 04:00:00 -0000

Have you ever heard someone say that they were "spiritual," but not "religious?" Our guest in this episode, Stephen Prothero, offers a "pre-history" of this idea. According to Prothero, the move from traditional/institutional/confessional "religion" to seeker "spirituality" runs through the Eugene Exman, the religion editor at Harper Brothers from 1928-1965. Throughout his long career, Exman published Harry Emerson Fosdick, Howard Thurman, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr., and others. Join us for a discussion of Prothero's recent book God the Bestseller: How One Editor Transformed American Religion a Book at a Time.

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Episode 111: The Evangelical Battle Over the End Times

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 04:00:00 -0000

If you want to learn more about the evangelical fascination with the rapture, Israel, the antichrist, and the prophetic books of the Bible you will enjoy this episode. Our guest is Daniel Hummel, author of The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation. We talk with Dan about John Nelson Darby, Plymouth Brethren, Dwight L. Moody, Dallas Theological Seminary, Tim LaHaye, Hal Lindsey. John Hagee, and much more!

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Episode 110: "How Black Ball Saved the Soul of the NBA"

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 03:59:00 -0000

The National Basketball Association is a multi-billion-dollar industry driven by Black athletes with global influence. But as our guest Theresa Runstedtler argues, the success of today's NBA players rests on the labor activism of 1970s NBA stars who fought with owners for economic control over their labor and a Black style of hoops born in the playgrounds of urban America. Runstedtler is the author of Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood, and the Generation That Saved the Soul of the NBA.

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Episode 109: The Voice and Faith of Sojourner Truth

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with historian and biographer Nancy Koester about her new book on nineteenth-century abolitionist and women's rights advocate Sojourner Truth. Our discussion focuses on Truth's lifelong pursuit of a just society, a deeper knowledge of God, and a sense of community for her and her family. Koester's book is titled We Will Be Free: The Life and Faith of Sojourner Truth.

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Episode 108: The Life and Legacy of C. Vann Woodward

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we explore the life, ideas, and writings of one of the 20th-century most influential American historians--C. Vann Woodward, author of The Strange Career of Jim Crow. Our guest is James Cobb, author if C. Vann Woodward: America's Historian. In our conversation we discuss Woodward's liberalism and how he balanced historical writing with social activism over a career that spanned nearly five decades.

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Episode 107: The Politics of Smallpox in Revolutionary America

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0000

The American revolution happened in the midst of a smallpox epidemic. In one of the timeliest history books of the publishing season, historian Andrew Wehrman visits the podcast to talk about what the patriots of the American Revolution and the founding fathers thought about public health. His book Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution is a must read for anyone who cares about the relationship between political liberty and the government's role in preventing disease in eighteenth-century America.

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Episode 106: Bruce Springsteen's "Long Walk Home"

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we chat with historian Jonathan Cohen about his edited collection Long Walk Home: Reflections on Bruce Springsteen and the current state of "Springsteen Studies." Is there any connection between Cohen's current book, For a Dollar and A Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America, and his work on Springsteen?

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Episode 105: "Heathenism" in America

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 04:00:00 -0000

According to historian Kathryn Gin Lum, Americans have long viewed the world as a realm of suffering heathens whose lands and lives needed their intervention to flourish. The term "heathen" fell out of common use by the early 1900s, but the ideas underlying the figure of the heathen did not disappear. Americans still treat large swaths of the world as 'other' due to their assumed need for conversion to American ways. Lum is the author of Heathen: Religion and Race in American History and she is our guest in this episode.

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Episode 104: The Roots of American Public Education

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 04:00:00 -0000

Are you an educator? An administrator? A school board member? Does your life intersect in some way with a public school? If so, this episode is for you. We talk about the religion and transatlantic roots of American public education with historian David Komline, author of The Common School Awakening: Religion and the Transatlantic Roots of American Public Education.

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Episode 103: Spiritual Socialists

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 04:00:00 -0000

Does the American Left have religion problem? What can progressives learn from people like Dorothy Day, Ignazio Silone, Henry Wallace, Staughton Lynd, and Cornell West? Many of these thinkers and activists offered a powerful vision for a moral and just society--challenging conservatives, liberals, and Marxists to think differently about the world. In this episode we talk to Vaneesa Cook, author of Spiritual Socialists: Religion and the American Left.

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Episode 102: The Ghosts of Colonial Williamsburg

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Our guest on this episode, public historian Alena Pirok, explains how John D. Rockefeller's vision of Colonial Williamsburg eventually gave way to a vision of the site championed by an early 20th century clergyman who saw ghosts. Join us for a conversion on Pirok's new book, The Spirit of Colonial Williamsburg: Ghosts and Interpreting the Recreated Past.

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Episode 101: "Exhibiting Evangelicalism"

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 03:59:00 -0000

Have you visited the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C.? How about the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina? In this episode, historian Devin Manzullo-Thomas, author of Exhibiting Evangelicalism: Commemoration and Religion's Presence of the Past, helps us make sense of these sites of evangelical heritage.

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Episode 100: Christian Historians as Activists?

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 04:00:00 -0000

In this episode, our 100th, host John Fea delivers his 2022 Conference on Faith and History presidential address.

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Episode 99: Historicizing the Search for Roots

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 04:00:00 -0000

Do you do genealogical research? In this episode, historian Francesca Morgan talks about her new book A Nation of Descendants: Politics and the Practice of Genealogy in U.S. History. She discusses Americans' fascination with tracking family lineage through three centuries and how the practice has intersected with race, class, religion, and commercialism.

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Episode 98: Conversions: Spiritual and Political

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0000

What do Sammy Davis Jr., Muhammad Ali, Clare Booth Luce, Whitaker Chambers, and Charles Colson all have in common? They all had very public religious conversions. In this episode, historian Rebecca Davis joins us to talk about her new book Public Confessions: The Religious Conversions That Changed Politics.

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Episode 97: In Search of George Washington's Hair

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Using America's obsession with Washington's hair as his window, historian Keith Beutler examines how "physicality," or the use of the material objects, was the most important way early Americans (1790-1840)--museum founders, African Amerians, evangelicals, and school teachers-- remembered the nation's founding. Beutler is the author of George Washington's Hair: How Early Americans Remembered the Founders (University of Virginia Press, 2021).

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Episode 96: Thinking Historically about the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with historian Bruce Berglund about Vladmir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Our conversation focuses on Putin's use of history to justify the invasion, the insufficiency of the Russian military, the international ban on Russian athletics, and the role that race has played in the invasion.

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Episode 95: The Lost Promise of American Universities

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0000

American universities entered the 1960s with the hope of bringing a high-quality system of universal higher education to all comers. But by the early 1970s hope turned to despair as universities gave way to neoliberalism, corporatism, and a powerful conservative backlash. In this episode we talk with historian Ellen Schrecker about her new book The Lost Promise: American Universities in the 1960s.

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Episode 94: Gettysburg, 1963

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0000

Our guest in this episode is Gettysburg College historian Jill Ogline Titus. Her new book, Gettysburg 1963, tells the story of the centennial celebration of the Civil War in the Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. Through an examination of the experiences of political leaders, civil rights activists, preservation-minded Civil War enthusiasts, and residents, Titus shows how this town continues to serve as a place where Americans work-out their understanding of national identity.

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Episode 93: A Story of Faith and Conspiracy in Revolutionary America

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 04:00:00 -0000

Less than a year after the American Revolution, a group of North Carolina farmers hatched a plot to assassinate the colony's leading patriots, including the governor. In this episode, Boston University historian Brendan McConville talks about the Gourd Patch Conspiracy. The catalysts of this movement were "The Brethren," a group of Protestants who were angry about Catholic and deists influences in the revolutionary North Carolina government.

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Episode 92: Original Sin and the History of American Democracy

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 04:00:00 -0000

Our guest in this episode is historian Robert Tracy McKenzie, author of We the Fallen the People: The Founders and the Future of American Democracy. In the spirit of the 20th-century theologian and ethicist Reinhold Niebuhr, McKenzie places the Christian doctrine of original sin at the center of early American political history. He believes that we must come to grips with the fact that America has not always been great or even good. His work forces us to rethink just about everything we thought we knew about democratic life in the United States.

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Episode 91: Providential History and the Pacific Northwest

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 04:00:00 -0000

Did Marcus Whitman "save" Oregon? In this episode we talk with Sarah Koenig, author ofProvidence and the Invention of American History. She tells the story of a Protestant missionary to the Pacific Northwest and how his story provides a window into debates over the meaning of the past in both the 19th-century and today.

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Episode 90: "The Gospel According to Charles Lindbergh"

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 20:44:00 -0000

Charles Lindbergh was a celebrated aviator, the father of the baby abducted in the "crime of the century," a Nazi sympathizer, and a believer in eugenics. He also carried a small New Testament with him as he entered the South Pacific theatre of World War II and offered a spiritual critique of technological progress. Our guest in this episode is Christopher Gehrz, author of Charles Lindbergh: A Religious Biography of America's Most Infamous Pilot. Gerhz helps us make sense of these contradictory impulses in the life of one of the 20th-centuries most famous men.

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Episode 89: The Heretical John C. Calhoun

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 16:30:25 -0000

John C. Calhoun is among the most notorious and enigmatic figures in American political history. In this episode we talk with Robert Elder, author of Calhoun: American Heretic. Elder shows that Calhoun's story is crucial for understanding the political climate in which we find ourselves today. If we excise him from the mainstream of American history, he argues, we are left with a distorted understanding of our past and no way to explain our present.

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Episode 88: History Education on the Great Plains

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with Nathan McAlister, Humanities Program Manager at the Kansas State Department of Education in Topeka. When it comes to history education, Kansas is doing it the right way. Join us for a wide-ranging discussion on civics, historical thinking, social studies standards, and the controversial debates over race in the American history classroom.

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Episode 87: Religion and the American Revolution

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000

In her new book Religion and the American Revolution: An Imperial History, historian Katherine Carte offers a major reassessment of the relationship between Christianity and the American Revolution. She argues that religion helped set the terms by which Anglo-Americans encountered the imperial crisis and the war and how Protestants on both sides of the Atlantic imagined the possibilities of a post-revolutionary world.

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Episode 86: A Conversation with Eric Miller, Editor of Current

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000

In this episode we introduce Current, a new online platform of commentary and opinion that provides daily reflection on contemporary culture, politics, and ideas. Editor Eric Miller talks aboutCurrent's vision, some of his favorite articles, and the history of the "little magazine" in American literary culture.

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Episode 85: Reckoning with Confederate Monuments

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0000

Historian Karen Cox argues that "when it comes to Confederate monuments, there is no common ground." In this episode, we talk with Cox about the history of Confederate monuments and how the recent racial unrest in the United States have made these monuments a subject of national conversation. Her book is titled No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice.

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Episode 84: "How 'Biblical Womanhood' Became Gospel Truth'"

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0000

What can a medieval historian teach us about the role of women in twenty-first century evangelicalism? A lot! In this episode we talk to historian Beth Allison Barr about her book The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation on historical thinking, biblical interpretation, the Protestant Reformation, the Southern Baptist Church, and the English Standard Version of the Bible.

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Episode 83: Celebrity in the Early American Republic

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with Carolyn Eastman, author of The Strange Genius of Mr. O: The World of the United States' First Forgotten Celebrity. Eastman chronicles the life of James Ogilvie, an itinerant orator who became one of the most famous men in America in the years between 1809 and 1817. Ogilvie's career features many of the hallmarks of celebrity we recognize from later eras: glamorous friends, eccentric clothing, scandalous religious views, narcissism, and even an alarming drug habit. Yet he captivated audiences with his eloquence and inaugurated a golden age of American oratory.

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Episode 82: The Fastest Game in the World

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0000

Ice hockey is now a global sport. Even Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica, and Australia have national teams. The National Hockey League has teams in Miami, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Nashville, and Phoenix. Junior league hockey is played in Shreveport and Amarillo. Anyone who wants to understand hockey today must not only tell a story about skates, rinks, sticks and goals, but must also tell a story about television, marketing, suburbia, social welfare, politics, class, climate change, and youth culture. Our guest in this episode, Bruce Berglund, helps us make sense of it all. He is the author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020).

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Episode 81: God's Law and Order

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0000

On June 1, 2020, Donald Trump declared himself a "law and order" president and marched to historic St. John's Church for a photo-op with a Bible. Our guest in this episode, historian Aaron Griffith, helps us understand why evangelicals cheered this moment. Join us for a conversation on evangelicalism, crime, and mass incarceration with the author of the fascinating new book, God's Law and Order: The Politics of Punishment in Evangelical America.

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Episode 80: How Alternative Media Broke Our Democracy

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0000

Our guest in this episode is historian and public intellectual Claire Potter, author of Political Junkies: From Talk Radio to Twitter How Alternative Media Hooked Us on Politics and Broke Our Democracy. She helps us make sense of the current state of alternative media and how it has hooked Americans on politics.

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Episode 79: John Foster Dulles and the Cold War Protestant Left

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk about the connections between liberal Protestantism, American foreign policy, and the Cold War in mid-20th-century America. We discuss these themes through an examination of the life of former U.S. Secretary of State (1953-1959) John Foster Dulles. Our guest is John Wilsey, author of God' Cold Warrior: The Life and Faith of John Foster Dulles.

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Episode 78: "How a 1630 Sermon Shaped American Exceptionalism"

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Our guest in this episode is Abram Van Engen, author of City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism. He helps us make sense of the phrase "city on a hill" in John Winthrop's famous 1630 sermon, both in its 17th-century context and today.

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Episode 77: The Art of Living

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

How shall we live? Where do we find the resources for living well? In this episode, historian Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn examines the reappearance of ancient philosophical thought in contemporary American culture. She argues that we need to take back philosophy as part of our everyday lives as a means for piecing together a coherent moral framework for democratic life.

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Episode 76: Howard Thurman: Theologian, Mystic, Activist

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Howard Thurman was a mid-20th century theologian, writer, activist, and mystic who had a profound influence on the leaders of the Civil Rights movement. Thurman's writings--especially his 1949 work Jesus and the Disinherited--provided an intellectual and spiritual guide to those trying to make sense of an era of racial and social unrest. Our guest in this episode is historian Paul Harvey, the author of Howard Thurman & The Disinherited: A Religious Biography (Eerdmans, 2020).

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Episode 75: The Jefferson Bible

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Did you know that Thomas Jefferson edited a copy of the Christian gospels? In this episode, Smithsonian curator and author Peter Manseau joins us to talk about the so-called "Jefferson Bible" or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth. We explore Jefferson's religious beliefs and how his "Bible" was appropriated by later generations.

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Episode 74: An Independent Woman in Revolutionary America

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with historian Lorri Glover about Eliza Lucas Pinckney, a South Carolina woman who lived through the American Revolution in South Carolina. Pinckney's story sheds light on gender, agriculture, politics, and slavery in this era and unsettles many common assumptions regarding the place and power of women in the eighteenth century.

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Episode 73: Cowboy Evangelicalism

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 04:00:00 -0000

What does it mean to be a man in white evangelical Christianity? In this episode we talk with historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. We discuss definitions of masculinity, the Gospel Coalition, Beth Moore, Donald Trump, the 2016 election, the differences between White and Black views of Christian manhood, and how the thesis of her book might be applied to American evangelical culture during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Episode 72: Andrew Jackson, Donald Trump, and the Upending of SHEAR

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 04:00:00 -0000

In this episode we talk with Daniel Feller, the editor of The Papers of Andrew Jackson at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. We discuss his work as a documentary editor, the uses of Andrew Jackson in the age of Trump, and a controversial paper he recently delivered at the annual meeting of the Society for the Historians of the Early American Republic (SHEAR).

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Episode 71: Writing History for Young Readers

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 04:00:00 -0000

Have you ever wanted to write a children's, middle-grade, or young adult history book? How do you get started? What is the process like? Do I need an agent? In this episode, we talk about writing history for young readers with former Smithsonian educator and author Tim Grove. Tim is the author, most recently, of Star Spangled: The Story of a Flag, a Battle, and the American Anthem. Learn more about his work at TimGrove.Net

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Episode 70: Systemic Racism

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 04:00:00 -0000

If our mailbox in the wake of the death of George Floyd is any indication, many listeners of this podcast and readers of The Way of Improvement Leads Home blog are making honest efforts to understand the meaning of phrases like “systemic racism” and “white privilege.” Can racism in America be solved by a simple change of individual character? Or does it require much deeper shifts in the ways we order our collective lives? In this episode, we will think through these issues with Dr. Scott Hancock, a professor of African-American history and Africana Studies at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

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Episode 69: Be Like Mike?

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 04:00:00 -0000

Did you watch "The Last Dance," the ESPN documentary on Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls? In this episode of the podcast, Baylor University sports historian Paul Putz helps us make sense of it. Join us for a conversation about Jordan's place in NBA history, the role of the black athlete in American culture, and some thoughts on how the stories of athletes like Jordan provide a window into our own identities as human beings.

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Episode 68: The History of the Presidential Cabinet

Sun, 31 May 2020 04:00:00 -0000

The members of Donald Trump's controversial cabinet are regular features of the 24-hour news cycle. He has fired members of his cabinet who challenge his thinking on a host of foreign and domestic issues. Just ask Rex Tillerson, James Mattis, and Jeff Sessions. But how did our first president, George Washington, imagine the role of the cabinet? In this episode, we think historically about this important part of the executive branch with historian Lindsay Chervinsky, author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution.

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Episode 67: Exploring the History of Childhood and Play Through 50 Historic Treasures

Sat, 23 May 2020 04:00:00 -0000

We are back! COVID-19 forced us to make some changes to our production, but the podcast is ready to forge ahead into the Summer. Since many Americans are still stuck at home playing games with their families to bide the time, we thought it would be fun to devote an entire episode to your favorite childhood toys and playthings. Public historian Susan Fletcher, author of the recently released Exploring the History of Childhood and Play Through 50 Historic Treasures, joins us.

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Episode 66: The Boston Massacre

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 03:58:00 -0000

What happened when British soldiers and their families arrived in Boston in 1768? In Episode 66, we talk with Carleton College history professor Serena Zabin about her new book, The Boston Massacre: A Family History. Zabin's close reading of everyday life in revolutionary Boston will forever shape how we understand this important moment in our shared past.

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Episode 65: "What Would Lasch Say?"

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 04:00:00 -0000

The American historian and cultural critic Christopher Lasch (1932-1994) had a powerful influence on the world of ideas. What would the author of the best-selling Culture of Narcissism (1979) have to say about Donald Trump and his particular brand of populism? In this episode we talk about Lasch, Trump, populism, progress, and "evangelical elitism" with intellectual historian Eric Miller, author of the award-winning Hope in a Scattering Time: A Life of Christopher Lasch (2010).

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Episode 64: Protestants and American Conservatism

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Is the Christian Right conservative? In this episode we talk with Grove City College history professor Gillis Harp about the relationship between Protestantism and American conservatism. Harp puts conservatism in the context of American history from the colonial period to the present and offers a sympathetic, if sharply critical, view of religious conservatives. Harp is the author of Protestants and American Conservatism: A Short History (Oxford University Press, 2019).

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Episode 63: The 1619 Project

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0000

In August 2019, The New York Times Magazine published The 1619 Project, an attempt to reframe American history by "placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative." American historians have praised and criticized the project. In this episode we talk with Thomas Mackaman, a history professor at Kings University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and a writer for World Socialist Web Site. Mackaman has not only criticized The 1619 Project, but has interviewed other critics of the project, including several award-winning historians. Why are socialists so upset about this project? What is the backstory behind Mackaman's interviews with Gordon Wood, James McPherson, Clayborne Carson, and other 1619 Project critics? Anyone interested in debates over how historians do history and connect the past to present political and social issues will learn something from this episode.

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Episode 62: Drew's Farewell

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 17:00:00 -0000

For four years Drew Dyrli Hermeling has been the heart and soul of The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast. We are saddened that he has decided to step away from his work here, but excited that he will have more time to devote to his history students at The Stone School, an independent college-prep school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Drew joins us for one final episode to reminisce with John about their work together on this project.

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Episode 61 - Impeachment 101

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 22:04:56 -0000

Are you watching Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial? Are you trying to make sense of it all? We want to help. In this episode we talk with CNN presidential historian and Southern Methodist University professor Jeffrey Engel on the history of impeachment. Engel sheds light on the debates over impeachment in the Constitutional Convention, the historic meaning of "bribery" and "high crimes and misdemeanors," and the inevitable political and partisan nature of American impeachments.

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Episode 60 - Springsteen's Hometown

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

If you know anything about John Fea, it's that when it comes to rock and roll, his tastes begin and end with the Boss. So when he heard that a new Springsteen exhibit was opening in his hometown of Freehold, New Jersey, John couldn't help but give himself a Christmas present and dedicate an episode to the exhibit. He is joined by the museum's curator and Monmouth University historian, Melissa Ziobro.

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Episode 59: Miss America's God

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Throughout the history of the Miss America Pageant, there has been a complicated relationship between sexuality and religion. The goal of the pageant is to crown the ideal American woman, but judge these women simultaneously based on their so-called purity as well as their sex appeal. Host John Fea explores his own relationship with the pageant and its roots in the New Jersey boardwalk culture. He is joined by Baylor's Mandy McMichael (@mandyemcmichael), author of Miss America's God: Faith and Identity in America's Oldest Pageant.

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Episode 58: The Reverse Underground Railroad

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Americans are undoubtedly familiar with the harrowing journey made by freedom seekers escaping enslavement that we have termed the "Underground Railroad." Sadly, historians are only now becoming equally aware of a "Reverse Underground Railroad," in which free black people from the North were kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. Historian Richard Bell tells the story of one such kidnapping in his new book Stolen, and joins John Fea to talk about it on this week's podcast.

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Episode 57: Not Your Father's Military History

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 12:27:31 -0000

Military history is changing. While Father's Day gifts still tend to focus on troop movements and great generals, military historians in the academy are instead turning to subjects like the lives of veterans, the effects of war on the home front, and minorities in the military. One such military historian is John Fea's newest colleague at Messiah College, Dr. Sarah Myers (@DrSarahMyers), who researches the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP.

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Episode 56: Evangelicals and Oil

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Who knew that evangelical Christianity and the emergence of the American oil industry were so intimately linked? In this episode, host John Fea explores what it means to be an evangelical and whether scholarly debates over the term help us to better understand the role played by evangelicals throughout American history. He is joined by Notre Dame historian Darren Dochuk, who discusses his new book, Anointed with Oil: How Christianity and Crude Made Modern America.

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Episode 55: The History of "Free Enterprise"

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

In conservative political circles, the idea of "free enterprise" is revered with a religious zeal. This is especially interesting as these political ideals are often held by Evangelical Christians. Host John Fea explores what historians of termed the "business turn" of American Chrisitan history. They are joined by Cornell historian Lawrence Glickman (@LarryGlickman), the author of Free Enterprise: An American History.

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Episode 54: Why College?

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Increasingly, college campuses have transformed from places of rigorous scholarly pursuits into glorified centers for job training. But is this what college is really for? Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling sit down and discuss the need for aspirational hope in an increasingly pessimistic world. They are joined by Dr. Johann Neem (@JohannNeem), author of the recent book, What's the Point of College?

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Episode 53: When Musicians Study American History

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 16:43:00 -0000

Here at the podcast, we have often engaged with our collective love of popular music and the history embedded within that love. Host John Fea regularly cites New Jersey state treasure Bruce Springsteen and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling channels his experience in garage bands every time he produces an episode. It is therefore fitting that they close out the season with guest Bob Crawford (@BobCrawfordBass) of the wildly popular The Avett Brothers (@TheAvettBros).

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 52: History for the iPhone Generation

Sun, 26 May 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Now that most everyone carries a search engine in their pocket, why do we still need to study history? Our present age demonstrates just how deceiving the internet can truly be. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling make the case that historical thinking is a critical tool for surviving this "post-truth" era while also warning against the dangers of leaning too heavily into presentism. They are joined by Sam Wineburg (@samwineburg), the author of Why Learn History (When It’s Already on Your Phone).

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 51: Temples of the Marketplace

Sun, 12 May 2019 04:00:00 -0000

When people think of the melding of faith and business, companies like Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A usually come to mind. However, like all things, the history of this type of partnership has a deeper history. Host John Fea reaches into early America to discuss the complicated integration of faith and business among Philadelphia's Quakers. They are joined by historian Nicole Kirk, author of Wanamaker's Temple: The Business of Religion in an Iconic Department Store.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 50: The Religious Beliefs of the Adams Family

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Don't be confused by the title, we are not talking about the spooky family from the 1960s. Rather, in this episode, we turn to the religious history of one of America's founding families. By focusing on the Adams family, one can trace the evolution of American religion as John, Abigail, JQA, and others wrestle with Providence, the Enlightenment, and a changing political landscape. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling are joined by Sara Georgini (@sarageorgini), the author of Household Gods: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 49: Why is America So Divided?

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 17:18:00 -0000

Whether you ask a young college student or a baby boomer, the only thing people seem to agree on these days is that we are more politically divided than ever. But is this true, and if so, how did we get this way? Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling try to tackle this question. They are joined by Princeton historian and CNN commentator Julian Zelizer (@julianzelizer), the co-author of the recent book, Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 48: The Color of Compromise

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0000

With so many contemporary examples of racism in American society, it is tempting to see these as the actions of racist individuals. However, many social critics have increasingly pointed to the structure and system of racism as an active part of American society today, and the Church is no different. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling are joined by Jemar Tisby (@JemarTisby), the president of the The Witness, a Black Christian Collective, host of the podcast Pass the Mic, and the author of the new book, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 47: Reacting to the Past

Sun, 10 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Here on the podcast, we love pedagogy. We've dedicated a number of episodes to the ways different historians and instructors are innovating in the classroom. Today we're turning our attention to one such approach: Reacting to the Past. These large-scale role-playing games allow students to fully appreciate the context and contingency of history by simulating historical events. We are joined by Nicolas Proctor, one of the architects of the Reacting to the Past (@ReactingTTPast) methodology,

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 46: Elizabeth Warren and American Indian Identity

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Her entire political career, Senator Elizabeth Warren has defended her claims to being descendent from American Indians. To prove her point, she recently released the results from a DNA test. However, this is not how American Indian communities determine who is a member and who isn't. Producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling takes over commentary duties to discuss the complicated history of American Indian identity and its appropriation. They are joined by Dr. Julie L. Reed, historian and citizen of the Cherokee Nation and author of Serving the Nation: Cherokee Sovereignty and Social Welfare, 1800-1907.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 45: A City Upon a Hill

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0000

One of the most enduring phrases at the heart of American exceptionalism is John Winthrop's famous proclamation that the Puritan colonists were establishing a "city upon a hill." But the story of this lay sermon is much more complicated, and, according to Bancroft-winning historian Daniel Rogers, Winthrop was not being triumphalist, but instead a statement of anxiety. Dr. Rogers joins us to discuss his new book on the sermon and its endurance, As a City on a Hill.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 44: History for Gamers

Sun, 23 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0000

For those of us who teach history, we often worry that video games are just a distraction that our students play instead of doing their homework. However, history and historical thinking have long been tied to video games, from Oregon Trail through present-day titles such as Civilization and Assassin's Creed. Host John Fea reflects on his experience playing Assassin's Creed III. They are joined by historian and host of the podcast History Respawned, Bob Whitaker.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 43: Reconciling the Church and Slavery

Sun, 02 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0000

Sadly, the Church, both in America and abroad, has a long history of supporting the institution of slavery. So what can a single congregation do to reconcile their past with a contemporary commitment to social justice? In today's episode, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss truth and reconciliation within the Church. They are joined by public historian Chris Graham, who serves as the chair of the History and Reconciliation Initiative at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 42: An American Saint

Sun, 04 Nov 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Despite often being cast as the religion of immigrants, Catholicism has a long history here in the United States. Unfortunately, so does anti-Catholicism. In this episode, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss American Catholicism. John looks at the roots and utility of political anti-Catholicism. They are joined by historian Catherine O'Donnell who discusses her new biography, Elizabeth Seton: American Saint.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 41: Populism

Sun, 21 Oct 2018 04:00:00 -0000

With the election of Donald Trump, the term populism has returned to the political lexicon. However, while many people may use the term, fewer people truly understand its meaning and history. On today's episode, we try to unpack the idea of populism in the American context. John Fea discusses the history of his favorite populist, William Jennings Bryan. They are joined by the foremost historian on the subject, Michael Kazin.

Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com).

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Episode 40: Sportianity

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 04:00:00 -0000

What do Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick have in common? Besides being NFL quarterbacks, they're both famous kneelers. Yet their actions have been interpreted by sports fans and American Christians in very different ways. In today's episode, we explore the deep historical connections between sports and Christianity. Host John Fea looks into what colonial New England's Puritans thought about sports. They are joined by Messiah historian Paul Putz, who discusses his work on the unique melding of sports and religion, "sportianity."

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Episode 39: Returning to Charlottesville

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 04:00:00 -0000

The legacy of August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville haunts America. The precipitating event, the removal of Confederate monuments, continues to be debated in southern cities and on college campuses. This is a conversation that warrants sustained historicization. Host John Fea lends his thoughts to the recent toppling of "Silent Sam" at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. They are joined by University of Virginia-based historian and podcaster Nicole Hemmer (@pastpunditry) who recently dropped her own serial podcast, A12, in response to her experiences during the violence of the "Summer of Hate."

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Bonus Episode: Believe Me Book Launch

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 04:00:00 -0000

On June 28, John Fea will release his new book, Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump with Eerdman's. As a bonus episode, producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling sat down with Fea to discuss the deep history that led 81% of white evangelicals to vote for Trump in the 2016 election.

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Bonus Episode: Live at Messiah College Educator's Day

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 04:00:00 -0000

On May 21, 2018, the Office of the Provost at Messiah College surprised the faculty at their annual Educator's Day with a live recording of our podcast. Under the theme "Flourishing in a Digital World," the goal was to highlight the ways in which Messiah faculty have been using digital tools within their own scholarship. In that spirit, we interviewed history professor and lead architect of the Digital Harrisburg project, David Pettegrew; English professor and director of the Center for Public Humanities, Jean Corey; and film and digital media professor, Nathan Skulstad. The episode also features an interview of our regular host, John Fea, conducted by the director of the Agape Center, Ashley Sheaffer. Finally, special thanks also go out to the director of the Ernest L. Boyer Center, Cynthia Wells for organizing and co-producing the event.

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Episode 38: Jesus Is the Rock That Rolls My Blues Away

Sun, 20 May 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Christianity has had a complicated relationship with rock and roll music. For some, this style is the "devil's music," arguing that even Christian rock music is evil. For others, rock and roll is just an art form like any other, whether the lyrics are "secular" or faith inspired. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling both discuss their experiences with rock music and the Christian faith. They are joined by Randall Stephens, author of The Devil’s Music: How Christians Inspired, Condemned, and Embraced Rock ’n’ Roll.

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Episode 37: Should You Go to Grad School?

Sun, 06 May 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Anyone who has been paying attention to higher ed and the humanities knows that job prospects for recently minted Ph.Ds are abysmal. So why do people keep choosing to engage in such a difficult process that by many measures is unlikely to pay off? John Fea adds his thoughts to this question and they are joined by Erin Bartram, the author of the viral blog post, "The Sublimated Grief of the Left Behind."

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Episode 36: The 18th-Century Atlantic World

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Those of us who consider ourselves to be early American historians have been engaging with "the Atlantic World" paradigm for some time now. But what is the Atlantic World and why do so many historians find it compelling? Host John Fea explores the Atlantic life of William Moraley. They are joined by historian Timothy Shannon, whose recent work, Indian Captive, Indian King: Peter Williamson in American and Britain, explores yet another 18th-century life that spans either side of the Atlantic.

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Episode 35: Global Hockey

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 23:37:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling return to a beloved subject, sports culture. While they have previously discussed baseball, the Olympics, and soccer, in this episode they turn their attention to global hockey. John discusses his short history as an aspiring goalie. They are joined by Bruce Berglund, who offers a peek into his new project on the spread and evolution of global hockey cultures.

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Episode 34: Twitterstorians

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Although many assume that historians are stuck in the past, social media has revolutionized the ways in which historians engage with the public. Twitter has become an especially powerful platform, causing #twitterstorians, #vastearlyamerica, #everythinghasahistory as well as countless other subfield-specific hashtags to go viral among history lovers. Host John Fea shares his own experience with being a historian on twitter. They are joined by Princeton professor and popular twitterstorian, Kevin Kruse (@KevinMKruse).

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Episode 33: The Power of Sport

Sun, 04 Mar 2018 05:00:00 -0000

As we wrap up the Winter Olympic season, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling return to a favorite subject, the power of sport. In this episode, John discusses the social good to be found in the history of athletic competition. They are joined by Emmy-winner Amy Bass, the author of the new book One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together, which explores the power of a high school soccer team made up of predominately Somali refugees as they quest for a Maine state championship.

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Episode 32: The Politics of Sex

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 05:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling continue to explore the many facets of the Culture Wars. Today, they tackle the often taboo subject of sex and politics. John discusses how sex was politicized in colonial America. They are joined by R. Marie Griffith, author of Moral Combat: How Sex Divided American Christians and Fractured American Politics.

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Episode 31: Searching for Christian America in a Boston High School

Sun, 04 Feb 2018 05:00:00 -0000

The practice of historical thinking requires training. In this episode, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss this crucial habit of the mind, especially within a political climate where historical claims run rampant regardless of whether there is evidence to back them up or not. They are joined by high school teacher Mike Milway, who teaches at the prestigious and socio-economically diverse Boston Trinity Academy in Boston, Massachusetts, as well as three of Dr. Milway's students, to discuss how they cultivate historical thinking in their classrooms.

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Episode 30: The Evangelicals

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 05:00:00 -0000

The word “evangelical” has a number of meanings and connotations. However, in the current political and social climate, people are most likely to hear the word in association with politics. In this context, it is often synonymous with the Christian Right. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling unpack this term further, especially as it pertains to the “Age of Trump.” They are joined by Pulitzer, Bancroft, and National Book Award-winner Frances FitzGerald, who discusses her newest National Book Award-nominated book, The Evangelicals.

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Episode 29: Libertarianism and Democracy

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 05:00:00 -0000

Many voices in American politics have been sounding the alarm about the influence of the Koch brothers as a threat to voting rights, the direction of American conservatism, and the very sanctity of American democracy. But like all things, the Koch brothers have a history. In this episode, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss the rise and influence of American libertarianism within the conservative movement. They are joined by Nancy MacLean who discusses her book, Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America, which was just nominated for the National Book Award.

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Episode 28: That Memphis Sound

Sun, 29 Oct 2017 04:00:00 -0000

Otis Redding. Booker T and the M.G.s. Eddie Floyd. Isaac Hayes. The Staples Sisters. What do all of these classic soul and R&B artists have in common? Stax Records. As he toured the history of the Civil Rights Movement this summer, host John Fea included a stop at the Stax Museum (@StaxMemphis) in Memphis, Tennessee. Eager to relive the experience and share such attractions as a floor-to-ceiling record room and Isaac Hayes’s gold-plated Cadillac, Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling are joined by the museum’s executive director, Jeff Kollath. They discuss the importance of that “Memphis Sound” for the city as well as creating a “usable past” with popular music history.

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Episode 27: From Mount Vernon to Mar-a-Lago

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 04:00:00 -0000

Here at The Way of Improvement Leads Home, we have traveled to both Mount Vernon and Monticello in our explorations of presidential history. Today, we explore a much more recent addition to the world of presidential real estate, Mar-a-Lago. While host John Fea explores the history of presidential vacations, guest Julian Chambliss (@JulianChambliss), historian and author of the Boston Review article “Draining the Swamp,” dives deeper into Mar-a-Lago as a lens for understanding Florida’s unique history, the disproportionate effects of climate change, and the origin of Trump’s unique and at times inscrutable blend of everyman populism and billionaire branding.

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Episode 26: The Way of Improvement Returns to the Classroom

Sun, 01 Oct 2017 04:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling have returned to their classrooms for another semester of college teaching. What better time to once again explore the importance of pedagogy? John discusses issues surrounding secondary history standards and the way we train our teachers. They are joined by “The Tattooed Prof” Kevin Gannon (@TheTattooedProf) who unpacks his own “Teaching Manifesto.”

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Episode 25: Thinking Historically About Charlottesville

Sun, 17 Sep 2017 14:57:00 -0000

In our opening episode of Season 4, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling catch up on some of the important historical work that still needs to be done in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville. John shares his thoughts on “Make American Great Again” as a historical statement. They are joined by historian Kelly J. Baker (@kelly_j_baker) who discusses the connections between her work Gospel According to the Klan: The KKK’s Appeal to Protestant America, 1915-1930and the emergence of an increasingly vocal white supremacy movement in America today.

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Episode 24: The Way of Improvement Leads to Ben Franklin’s World

Sun, 18 Jun 2017 04:00:00 -0000

To close out Season 3, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling turn to a fellow podcaster and early American scholar, Liz Covart (@lizcovart), the host of the wildly successful Ben Franklin’s World. They discuss how podcasting has emerged as a new form of scholarship, with John offering additional comments on the increased importance of this kind of public historical thinking within our particular political moment.

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Episode 23: Giving in America

Sun, 21 May 2017 04:00:00 -0000

When we historians say, “everything has a history,” we mean it. Even charity and philanthropy have rich histories and have changed over time. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling explore this history in an American context, touching on everything from robber-baron philanthropy to more recent trends like all-night college dance marathons and the ALS “Ice Bucket Challenge.” They are joined by the David M. Rubenstein Curator of Philanthropy at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Amanda Moniz (@AmandaMoniz1).

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Episode 22: The History of American Healthcare

Sun, 07 May 2017 04:00:00 -0000

On May 4, 2017, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act, the first step towards fulfilling the GOP’s promise of “repealing and replacing” the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. But already what used to be a winning issue for Republicans appears to be turning against them. This is but the latest shift in a rich history of healthcare in America. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling tackle this politically-charged issue. They are joined by historian Nancy Tomes who just collected one of historical scholarship’s highest honors, the Bancroft Prize, for her book Remaking the American Patient: How Madison Avenue and Modern Medicine Turned Patients into Consumers, out now with the University of North Carolina Press.

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Episode 21: Why We Need More Historians in the Silicon Valley

Sun, 23 Apr 2017 04:00:00 -0000

The liberal arts vs. STEM. A degree in the humanities vs. a degree in business. The current conversation around higher education consistently pits the study of history, philosophy, or English against more “practical” pursuits like engineering or computer science. But both data and the insights of business leaders tell us that this is a false dichotomy. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss the value of the liberal arts within both the current economic and political climate. They are joined by venture capitalist Scott Hartley (@scottehartley), author of The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts will Rule the Digital World.

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Episode 20: La Vida Baseball

Sun, 09 Apr 2017 04:00:00 -0000

It’s that time of year again—Opening Day. Once again, host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling make their way to the ballpark and get ready to discuss Americas’* pastime. This time around, they tackle race and ethnicity in baseball while also discussing this year’s prospects for their favorite teams. They are joined by University of Illinois historian and La Vida Baseball(@lavidabaseball) editor-in-chief Adrian Burgos, Jr. (@adburgosjr).

*No, that is not a typo. For an explanation, listen to the episode!

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Episode 19: American Prophets

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 04:00:00 -0000

America has long been a home to prophets. Tenskwatawa, Joseph Smith, Anne Hutchinson, and Martin Luther King, Jr. have all spoken truth to power. In today’s episode, John Fea and Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss America’s prophetic tradition. They are joined by documentary filmmaker Martin Doblmeier whose film, An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story, documents the life and theology of one of America’s most outspoken and revered prophets.

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Episode 18: The Way of Improvement Leads Abroad?

Sun, 12 Mar 2017 05:00:00 -0000

Of all the places for a couple of American historians, why are John Fea and Drew Dyrli Hermeling going to 1930s Czechoslovakia? In this episode, the team tries their hands at some comparative history while John discusses the internationalization of the study of the American past. They are joined by Bruce Berglund, who explores the search for meaning in one of Europe’s most secular societies with an added dose of international sports history for good measure.

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Episode 17: The Way of Improvement Leads to Mount Vernon

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 05:00:00 -0000

History always matters, but in times of great political change, good historical thinking is especially important. And since it’s Presidents’ Day, we thought the best place to start Season 3 is at historic Mount Vernon. In this episode we discuss George Washington’s leadership, paying special attention to his 1796 Farewell Address. We are joined by Douglas Bradburn (@douglasbradburn), the founding director of the Fred W. Smith National Library for the study of George Washington (@gwbooks) at Mount Vernon.

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Episode 16: Abolitionism

Sun, 18 Dec 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Two weeks ago, we discussed the Civil War. But the Civil War didn’t just occur spontaneously. Instead, it was a reaction to many larger political currents that had their roots in the very foundation of the United States. One such current was abolitionism. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss this issue and connect it to John’s own work on the American Bible Society. They are joined by the highly decorated historian Manisha Sinha (@ProfMSinha), who has just released The Slave’s Cause: A History of Abolition.

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Episode 15: The Civil War

Sun, 04 Dec 2016 13:08:00 -0000

Perhaps there is no story more important to the United States than that of our Civil War. It is no surprise then that historians continue to find new things to say about the conflict. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss such things as living in the shadow of Gettysburg, the war’s most famous battle, teaching the Civil War, and the continued applicability of Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address. They are joined by the graphic historian Jonathan Fetter-Vorm (@fetter_vorm) who illustrated and co-wrote Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War.

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Episode 14: 107 Years in the Making

Sun, 20 Nov 2016 05:00:00 -0000

When the Chicago Cubs finally ended the “Curse of the Billy Goat,” they demonstrated just how historic “America’s Pastime” truly is. When Michael Phelps won his 28th Olympic medal in Rio de Janeiro, he furthered his case for being known as the greatest Olympian history has ever known. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling once again tackle the history of sports, and are joined by Emmy award-winning sports historian, Amy Bass (@bassab1).

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Episode 13: Finally, it’s Election Day

Sun, 06 Nov 2016 04:00:00 -0000

Well, we have finally arrived at Election Day. After a long and grueling campaign, we are about to find out who will serve as the president of the United States for the next four years.

Over the course of the campaign, there has been a lot of talk about whether we are witnessing the undermining of democracy. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling tackle this question historically. They are joined by NPR correspondent Sarah McCammon (@sarahmccammon), who discusses her time spent covering the Donald Trump campaign.

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Episode 12: How to be a Historian in Public

Sun, 23 Oct 2016 04:00:00 -0000

Is it truly possible for academic historians to climb down from the ivory tower and connect with the public? Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss the ways in which historians can engage with people outside of the academy, whether that be on Twitter or at the invitation of a mega-church. They are joined by Slate historian Rebecca Onion, whose own work on the Vault invites readers to engage with intriguing documents and artifacts.

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Episode 11: Biography: an Appraisal

Sun, 09 Oct 2016 04:00:00 -0000

Perusing the shelves of your local bookstore, it’d be easy to assume that historians love biographies. However, historians have long wrestled with the problems of hero worship that are so often present within biographical literature. Join host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling as they discuss this genre of historical writing. They are joined by historian Ann Little, who discusses her latest work on the eighteenth-century life of Esther Wheelwright.

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Episode 10: On Historical Reenacting

Sun, 18 Sep 2016 04:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling are back and ready for season 2. In this episode, they tackle the issue of historical reenacting. Is it just another kind of historical thinking? Or is it something different? They are joined first by “Thomas Jefferson” who discusses the current state of his 1800 campaign for the presidency. He is followed by Steve Edenbo, a professional “actor-historian” who portrays Thomas Jefferson. Edenbo discusses the process of researching and embodying such a famous historical figure along with the state of his profession in a post-“Hamiltonian” world.

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Episode 9: Baby, We Were Born to Run (Home)

Sun, 08 May 2016 12:17:00 -0000

The long-awaited Bruce Springsteen episode has arrived! Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling address the historical, political, and even spiritual significance of the Boss. They are joined by Marc Dolan, author of Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock N’ Roll, who discusses how Springsteen has changed over time with an emphasis on his live performances.

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Episode 8: All Things Jefferson

Sun, 24 Apr 2016 04:00:00 -0000

In Episode 8 of The Way of Improvement Leads Home podcast John Fea and Drew Dyrli Hermeling talk about the complex life and legacy of Thomas Jefferson. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed and Jefferson scholar Peter Onuf talk with John about their new book, The Most Blessed of Patriarchs: Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination.

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Episode 7: The Way of Improvement Leads to the Ballpark

Sun, 10 Apr 2016 04:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss America’s national pastime. That’s right–it’s The Way of Improvement Leads Home podcast’s first annual baseball episode! John and Drew talk about the marketability of nostalgia, the youthful dreams of a World Series for the home team, and the way sports turn even the most critical historian into an uncritical fan. They are joined by espn.com uniform expert, Paul Lukas.

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Episode 6: Narrating the Past

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 12:52:00 -0000

Historians often wrestle over how to tell their stories of the past. Complex jargon can make their work inaccessible to non-academics while readable narratives can draw the ire of the academy. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling address this tension while discussing dissertation research and Fea’s new book, The Bible Cause: History of the American Bible Society. They are joined by Nate DiMeo, author, producer, and host of the popular historical podcast, the memory palace.

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Episode 5: Encountering the Past

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling discuss the many ways in which they have encountered the past, especially within the realm of public history and historical preservation. They are joined by the Director of Education at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum, Tim Grove, who shares his experiences with mail order grizzly bears and Chinese restrictions on printing historical maps.

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Episode 4: Teaching History (K-12 Edition)

Sun, 28 Feb 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling talk about teaching historical thinking to K-12 students. They discuss pedagogy, the Common Core, and the role of history in a STEM-focused educational climate. Their guest is Sam Wineburg, professor of education at Stanford University and author of Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts. Wineburg shares his impassioned opinions on history education.

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Episode 3: Thinking Politically Historically

Sun, 14 Feb 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling tackle presidential politics in this, their third episode. John discusses the “usable pasts” employed by candidates on both sides of the aisle. Later Fea and Hermeling are joined by Yoni Appelbaum, the Washington Bureau Chief for the Atlantic, to further discuss the role of historical thinking within politics.

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Episode 2: The Culture Wars

Sun, 31 Jan 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling dig into the complicated history of the Culture Wars. They are joined by Daniel K. Williams who discusses his latest book, Defenders of the Unborn: the Pro-Life Movement before Roe v. Wade.

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Episode 1: Everything has a History

Sat, 16 Jan 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling explore the ways historical thinking permeates all things and contributes to a democratic society. They are joined by James Grossman, the Executive Director of the American Historical Association. During the interview, James talks about the role of history in American society and the meaning behind #everythinghasahistory.

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Episode 0: An Introduction

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 15:20:00 -0000

Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling sit down and discuss the launch of The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast, including expectations for the venture and a brief explanation of what the phrase “The Way of Improvement Leads Home” actually means.

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