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In this episode, we navigate the contemporary debates around colonialism, empire and slavery and its resonating echoes in modern culture wars with the guidance of Professor Alan Lester. As an eminent historian, Alan brings profound insight into the intricate relationship between colonial legacies and the contemporary debates surrounding them.Together, we journey into the heart of the British Empire, examining its impact on the world and, more importantly, how it’s remembered and debated today. W
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In the first episode of our exploration into “Roots and Culture” by Eddie Chambers, we delve into the history of Black Britain from 1948 to 1989. This period witnessed a profound shift in Britain’s cultural, social, and racial landscape, marked by the arrival of the Windrush Generation in 1948 and culminating with the end of the 1980s.In this episode, we navigate the complex tapestry of Black British history, charting the experiences, struggles, and triumphs of Black communities within Britain.
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In this compelling episode of Explaining History, we delve deep into the ideological and historical currents that gave rise to Maoism, the influential doctrine of China’s revolutionary leader, Mao Zedong. Drawing from Julia Lovell’s profound work, “Maoism: A Global History,” we aim to demystify Mao’s philosophy and its global impact.Our exploration takes us from the early seeds of Mao’s political thought, encapsulated in his infamous aphorism “Power comes from the barrel of a gun,” to its implem
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In this episode of Explaining History, we turn our focus from world events to a pivotal moment in pop culture history: the infamous legal battle between music superstar Elton John and the British tabloid, The Sun. Based on John Sweeney’s insightful feature, “The Sun and the Star,” from the “Faber Book of Pop” anthology, we unravel the intricate story behind one of the most high-profile libel cases of the 1980s.Our exploration takes us through the tumultuous relationship between the media and cel
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In this episode, we delve deep into the dynamic period in British history spanning 1945 to 1990. Our exploration is based on “The People’s Peace” by esteemed historian Kenneth O. Morgan, who masterfully encapsulates the cultural, social, and political transformation of post-war Britain.We open with the euphoria of victory in 1945 and the advent of the welfare state under the Labour government. Drawing on Morgan’s in-depth research, we trace the rise of collectivism, the spirit of cooperation, an
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Welcome to a captivating episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we take an insightful journey into the legacy of Mussolini’s historical memory in Italy. In this episode, titled “Mussolini’s Mausoleum,” our focus centers on the site where his remains are interred, located in Predappio, Italy.We delve into the fascinating history surrounding the mausoleum and its significance as a symbol of Mussolini’s enduring impact on Italian society. Join us as we navigate the complex emotions, controversi
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Welcome to the Explaining History Podcast. In this episode, we dive into the American neoliberal counter revolution of the 1970s, a period of profound political and economic change that continues to shape the world we live in today.During this decade, a new political and economic philosophy emerged, driven by figures like Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics, that sought to roll back the gains of the New Deal and reassert the power of the free market. This movement, called neolibe
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During the 1930s, the Soviet Union, under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, experienced a wave of repression and terror that came to be known as the Great Terror. This period saw the widespread use of secret police, forced labor camps, and executions to suppress perceived threats to the regime.We’ll be examining the causes and consequences of the Great Terror, and exploring how it impacted Soviet society and the lives of ordinary people.Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century thr
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When Leon Trotsky was murdered by NKVD agent Ramon Mercader in 1940, his ideas lived on. The Trotskyist Fourth International and the American Socialist Workers Party in particular claimed (though this was disputed by his widow Natalia) to be the inheritors of his beliefs. Trotsky’s critique of the USSR and its capitalist enemies stated that the Russian Revolution had effectively been killed in its infancy, and that instead a bureacratic state had replaced a revolutionary society. Some of Trotsky
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By the late 1960s there were huge opportunities for Richard Nixon to capitalise on the growing discontent across America towards the counter culture. Millions of Americans looked on with disdain at a generation of anti war protesters and young men and women who actively rejected the lifestyles of their parents generation. Nixon, and every Republican president and presidential candidate since has tried to tap into the social conservatism of small town and rural America. In the late 1960s Woodstoc