#334 Eurovision Past & Present w/ Paul Jordan
The Road to Now
A lot of Americans only know Eurovision via Will Farrell’s film, “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” which capture some of Eurovision’s over-the-top aspects, but the history of the annual event actually shines light on some of the biggest cultural, social and political developments in post-World War II European history. In this episode, , aka Dr. Eurovision, joins Ben and special guest cohost/his wife for a conversation about Eurovision’s origins, how it’s been shaped by geopolitics, and, of course, who their favorites are in this year’s contest, which airs...
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Charisma and American Politics– Live at Cat’s Cradle w/ Molly Worthen, Doug Heye & Rufus Edmisten
The Road to Now
With our live show in Washington, DC coming up on May 29, we thought it’d be fun to share one of our previous live recordings from Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC w/ guests Molly Worthen, Doug Heye & Rufus Edmisten! (Department of History at UNC-Chapel Hill), (CNN/former RNC Communication Director) & (Deputy Chief Council, Senate Watergate Committee/ former NC Secretary of State & Attorney General) join Bob & Ben for a conversation about charisma in American politics and society. Recorded live at the legendary Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC on January 25, 2020....
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#333 John Cale’s Paris 1919 w/ Mark Doyle
The Road to Now
John Cale is probably best known as a founding member of Velvet underground, but the four years he spent alongside Lou Reed represent a small fraction of the influence Cale has had on modern music. In this episode, recorded live at , Ben talks to his friend and colleague about his new book in , which explores John Cale’s 1973 album Paris 1919 and where it (may) fit within the greater context of his career, the evolution of rock music, and world history. Mark Doyle is a Professor of History at Middle Tennessee State University and His new book is John Cale’s Paris 1919 and A special...
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#332 The American Historical Association w/ Sarah Weicksel & Ed Ayers
The Road to Now
The American Historical Association was chartered by Congress in 1884 and has played an essential role in helping foster and spread great historical research. AHA incoming Executive Director Sarah Weicksel and pioneering public historian Ed Ayers join us for a discussion of AHA’s history, its current projects and the damage that recent government policy has done to historians’ ability to create and share an honest history of the United States. Learn more by visiting the American Historical Association’s website at The report discussed in this episode is is Director of Research and...
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#331 The Global Economy Past & Present w/ Jari Eloranta
The Road to Now
America’s role in the world is ‘changing’ and as much as things look new, we’ve seen a lot of this before. Economic Historian joins us to put NATO military spending, the looming trade war and other recent global developments in historical context. As always, there’s a lot that history can teach us when we pay attention to those who know it best. Dr. Jari Eloranta is a Professor of History at the University of Helsinki where he specializes in Economic History. He has published extensively on the history of military spending and trade. Before moving back to his home country of...
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National History Day w/ Cathy Gorn & Don Wildman
The Road to Now
Last week the Trump Administration announced it would be cutting more than a thousand grants to the National Endowment for the Humanities, including grants for every state humanities council. In a letter the administration stated that the NEH would be “repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of President Trump’s agenda.” One major organization suffering from these cuts is National History Day, a brilliant program that has inspired young Americans for decades. To remind folks what we stand to lose, we’re sharing our 2024 conversation on National History Day...
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Country Capitalism w/ Bartow Elmore
The Road to Now
RTN is coming to Washington DC on May 29! Join us for a night of stories of murder and mayhem with guests Major Garrett, Margaret Talev, and Doug Heye at the Hamilton Live! You can get tickets and details at – hope to see you there! The “Amazon economy” seems like something new, but it rests on the physical and intellectual infrastructure built by those who came long before the age of the internet and leaves many of the same marks on the environment. Prominent in this story are five companies- Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Walmart, Bank of America, and FexEx- all of which have...
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#330 Blank Checks w/ Ben & Bob
The Road to Now
With tariffs, the Enemy Alien Act, and politically driven calls for judicial impeachment in the headlines, Ben & Bob decided to sit down and put these developments in historic context. We’ve never been so disappointed to have such a great reason to discuss the history we love! Some recommended readings: This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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The Corruption of Libertarian Philosophy w/ Andrew Koppelman
The Road to Now
Libertarianism has had a tremendous influence on American politics, but according to Andrew Koppelman, its most prominent adherents have stripped libertarian philosophy of its more humane intentions. In this episode, Andrew joins Bob and Ben for a discussion about his book, and why he contends that libertarian philosophers such as Friedrich Hayek have been stripped of their original intent by those who have ulterior motives. Dr. Andrew Koppelman is John Paul Stevens Professor of Law and Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University. You can learn more about his work at ...
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#329 Necropolis: Disease, Power & Capitalism in 19th Century New Orleans w/ Kathryn Olivarius
The Road to Now
Come see us May 29th at the Hamilton Live in DC! joins Bob & Ben to explain the powerful role that Yellow Fever played in shaping all aspects of life in New Orleans during the 19th century. Kathryn is Associate Professor of History at Stanford University and the author This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
info_outlineMost Americans are aware of Colombia’s role in the international drug trade, but we know less about the role that Americans played in the story as consumers, smuggling pioneers, and practitioners of a foreign policy that facilitated the rise of Colombian drug production.
In this episode, journalist and historian Lina Britto shares the fascinating story of how Colombia emerged as a major supplier of drugs to American consumers and how this relationship affected people in both countries. She also explains the origins of the “War on Drugs” in the US and tells the story of how Americans hippies in search of marijuana laid the groundwork for the distribution techniques later used by Pablo Escobar’s cocaine cartel.
Dr. Lina Britto is Associate Professor of History at Northwestern University where she specializes in Colombian history and the history of the international drug trade. She is the author of Marijuana Boom: The Rise and Fall of Colombia's First Drug Paradise (University of California Press, 2020)
This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.