The Shadow of Ideas - History, Politics, and Current Events on the Edge

The Shadow of Ideas is a journey into the world of current events, politics, and social justice through the lens of a historian.

New Series Announcement - Retrophilia! 12/03/2021

New Series Announcement - Retrophilia! After years away from the mic, Raymond drops by to talk about his new podcast series..... Retrophilia! /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/21369257

Ep. 34 - Defending the Social Contract 03/31/2017

Ep. 34 - Defending the Social Contract This episode features an interview with writer and political pundit . We discuss the need to defend the Enlightenment idea of the Social Contract, as well as political strategy in 2017 and beyond. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/5222189

Ep. 33 - Blood at the Root 11/04/2016

Ep. 33 - Blood at the Root This episode features an interview with , author of . We explore the legacy of racial violence in Forsyth County, Georgia. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4805961

Ep. 32 - The Stalin Problem 08/25/2016

Ep. 32 - The Stalin Problem This episode explores the legacy of Stalin and Soviet policies of the 1930's. Did Stalin's brutal approach to statecraft help or hinder the USSR in World War II? /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4618233

Ep. 31 - History of Console Games 06/02/2016

Ep. 31 - History of Console Games This episode explores the history of console games. Raymond is joined by guest co-host and video game expert Ken Eakins. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4415547

Ep. 30 - History of Arcade Games 05/19/2016

Ep. 30 - History of Arcade Games An in-depth look at the history of arcade games. This episode features guest co-host Ken Eakins. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4380942

Ep. 29 - Trump and the Know-Nothings 04/14/2016

Ep. 29 - Trump and the Know-Nothings Explore the connections between the Know-Nothings, a nativist political party from the 1850s, and the rise of Donald Trump in the 2016 primaries. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4295764

Ep. 28 - Tales of the Pacific War 02/27/2016

Ep. 28 - Tales of the Pacific War Raymond recounts little-known stories of the Pacific War, including his close encounter with a B-17 bomber, and the truly filthy job of salvaging sunken battleships. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4179672

Ep. 27 - Race to the South Pole 02/12/2016

Ep. 27 - Race to the South Pole Three brief tales about the race to the South Pole, the last great prize in the Age of Exploration. This episode covers the Antarctic expeditions of Amundsen, Scott, and Shackleton. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4144544

Ep. 26 - Election 2016 01/25/2016

Ep. 26 - Election 2016 Raymond gives a preview and analysis of candidates and issues in the upcoming primaries and 2016 general election. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4102509

Ep. 25 - Race to the North Pole 12/07/2015

Ep. 25 - Race to the North Pole This episode explores tales of Arctic exploration, including Amundsen's discovery of the Northwest Passage, and the race to the North Pole. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/4002082

Ep. 24 - Suburban Sprawl with David Cook 11/11/2015

Ep. 24 - Suburban Sprawl with David Cook This episode covers the environmental consequences of suburban sprawl, and discusses the odd history of metro Atlanta. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3942857

Ep. 23 - Environmental History with David Cook 11/02/2015

Ep. 23 - Environmental History with David Cook This episode explores the environmental history of Georgia and the southeastern U.S., along with the long-term effects of human settlement in the region. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3917077

Ep. 22 - World War II Clean-Up Crew 10/24/2015

Ep. 22 - World War II Clean-Up Crew This episode explores how the world is still cleaning up 70 years after the greatest war in its history. Additionally, we cover the results to the 2015 Canadian election. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3885874

Ep. 21 - Nazi Gun Control 10/13/2015

Ep. 21 - Nazi Gun Control In this episode, Raymond explores the history of gun control in Germany in the 1930's. Was gun control responsible for the Nazis' rise to power and the atrocities of the Holocaust? /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3860672

Ep. 20 - Primary Politics - Part 2 10/05/2015

Ep. 20 - Primary Politics - Part 2 The second of two episodes about the early phase of the 2016 presidential primaries. Part two covers the top Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3842961

Ep. 19 - Primary Politics - Part 1 09/27/2015

Ep. 19 - Primary Politics - Part 1 The first of two episodes about the politics of the early phase of the 2016 presidential primaries. Part one covers the top Republican candidates, starting with the ascendance of Donald Trump. His overt is reminiscent of the pre-Civil War . As the former Governor of Florida, the importance of Jeb Bush's ability to win that key should not be underestimated. Marco Rubio, one of the GOP's stronger Latino candidates, is up in the polls lately. The champions of the , Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee, were recently endorsed during the . /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3825042

Ep. 18 - The History of Middle Earth 09/16/2015

Ep. 18 - The History of Middle Earth To commemorate the recent release of the new book, , Raymond will take a brief look into the history of Tolkien's life and writings. He highlights, a 12-book series that collects and analyzes material relating to Tolkien's work. The series shows the development over time of his concept, philosophy, and theology of the fictional . Raymond points out how this collection of books relates to and supplements information in and . /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3804165

Ep. 17 - Southern Baptist Convention: The New Orthodoxy - Part 2 08/16/2015

Ep. 17 - Southern Baptist Convention: The New Orthodoxy - Part 2 As Raymond continues his look at the , he is joined by Russell Miles a.k.a. Brother Russell. Starting with a discussing the influence of tactics used by the in the 1980's on the increasingly vitriolic attacks on social issues. They then examine the basic theological tenets of the Southern Baptist Convention and the impact on the mindset of political/social conservatives. Russell explains the catalyst the began his exit from the Southern Baptist Church. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3739486

Ep. 16 - Southern Baptist Convention: The New Orthodoxy - Part 1 08/08/2015

Ep. 16 - Southern Baptist Convention: The New Orthodoxy - Part 1 In this episode, Raymond explores the and the political, cultural, and demographic influence of the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Of interest in the , is the largest decline in membership ever recorded in the history of the Church. Next he discusses the and the rise to power of the President, Finally, he ponders the Religious Right's implications for the Republican presidential candidates. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3722726

Ep. 15 - Russian Foreign Policy and the Syria Conflict 07/27/2015

Ep. 15 - Russian Foreign Policy and the Syria Conflict In this episode, Raymond is joined again by John Dolan a.k.a. a.k.a. to discuss modern foreign policy and the conflict in . Starting with the collapse of the without any hostilities, and rise to power. They discuss the increasingly aggressive foreign policy of the , highlighting the from . Moving on to Syria, John explains that the is a response to the historic changes of the 70s and 80s, when , the triumphed, and was established. They conclude by exploring the complex and confusing United States foreign policy in the Middle East region. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3699673

Ep. 14 - Confederate Collapse with The War Nerd 07/13/2015

Ep. 14 - Confederate Collapse with The War Nerd Raymond is joined by John Dolan a.k.a. a.k.a. for the last of three episodes about the origins and legacies of the . The nasty business of war is juxtaposed with the magnificence of artful warfare. Followed by an interesting compare and contrast of with . John talks about some of the major figures in his article, This episode wraps up with a discussion on the effects of the revisionist version of the Civil War had on , , and even into today. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3672082

Ep. 13 - Origins of the Civil War - Part 2 07/07/2015

Ep. 13 - Origins of the Civil War - Part 2 In the last episode, Raymond discussed the major political events of the 19th Century, ending with the . Continuing on, he begins with the , which became the most important event leading to the American Civil War. With the resulting destruction of the , an immediate backlash causes the . As Conservative tempers flair, on the floor of the U.S. Senate. The uses the provisions of the to allow slave owners to take their "property" anywhere in the United States. The results in the balance of power in the Federal Government shifts decidedly to the North. South Carolina secedes, along with other Southern states and they form the . /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3661871

Ep. 12 - Origins of the Civil War - Part 1 07/03/2015

Ep. 12 - Origins of the Civil War - Part 1 With all of the recent controversy surrounding the Confederate flag, Raymond explores the causes of the American Civil War. Starting in the early part of the 19th Century with the , the ban on the importation of slaves, and the . Moving forward to the and the shifting balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Tensions in the South rise with talk of rebellion and succession as a result of the following the . Finishing with a survey of the provisions and ramifications of the . /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3654413

Ep. 11 - A Brief History of Gay Marriage 06/29/2015

Ep. 11 - A Brief History of Gay Marriage Raymond is joined by of to discuss the recent legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. They begin with the emergence of the gay rights movement in the 1960s and move forward decade by decade. Touching on many of the major events and key figures that have helped push marriage equality to the forefront of national discourse. Followed by a brief analysis of the reactions to the throughout the LGBT community. With such a momentous victory, Matt explains where the battle for gay rights will go from here. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3644568

Ep. 10 - Obamacare and the Supreme Court 06/26/2015

Ep. 10 - Obamacare and the Supreme Court In this episode, Raymond discusses the Supreme Court decision in the case that upheld government subsidies. A brief history of the , is followed by a review the basic provisions of the law. He then talks about what has happened since the implementation of the and explains how it is funded. Finally, Raymond shares his own personal healthcare experiences and how the Obamacare legislation has impacted his life. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3638918

Ep. 9 - Charleston Church Shooting and the Vesey Rebellion 06/18/2015

Ep. 9 - Charleston Church Shooting and the Vesey Rebellion Raymond explores the connections between a 21st Century mass shooting and a 19th century slave rebellion that both took place in the same church in . He probes into the possible motives which may have been the catalysts for Dylann Storm Roof to open fire on the congregation at the historic on June 17, 2015. Raymond ponders the significance of one of the victims, and, who was an up and coming figure in the . This recent mass shooting has a historical correlation to one of the founders of the Emanuel AME Church, . The subsequent kangaroo trial and executions were criticized by for the lack of due process and damaging South Carolina's reputation. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3624415

Ep. 8 - Podcasting and Politics 06/09/2015

Ep. 8 - Podcasting and Politics In this episode, Raymond continues the discussion with , of . The focus shifts from the history of podcasting to the influence of podcasts in the realm of politics. Rob talks about his involvement with Senator John Edwards' podcast following the 2004 presidential election. They analyze the many benefits and pitfalls politicians experience when employing the podcast medium in their campaigns. Podcasts can become a powerful sounding board, not only for politics, but also non-profit organizations and unions. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3605977

Ep. 7 - A Brief History of Podcasting 06/07/2015

Ep. 7 - A Brief History of Podcasting Raymond speaks with Podcasting Guru, , of the podcast hosting giant, The discussion begins with the early days of podcasting when it was very difficult to discover and subscribe to the relatively few podcasts that were available in 2004. They then recap how podcasting has evolved and been influenced by major technological advances in the years since its inception. An interesting comparison sheds some light on the differences between Apple and Android in the world of podcasts. Wrapping up the episode, they ponder the future of podcasting and the significance of the smartphone emerging as the hub of consumption for this dynamic broadcasting medium. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3601309

Ep. 6 - Klandestine: The Trials of James Earl Ray 05/27/2015

Ep. 6 - Klandestine: The Trials of James Earl Ray The second episode of a two-part series, Raymond continues the conversation with , author of. Picking up from Episode 5, they discuss the curious connections, movements, and activities of James Earl Ray surrounding the assassination of Martin Luther King. Following the capture of Ray in London, racism and the KKK are heavily involved in his trial. Raymond and Pate explore the the power of conspiracy and the power of hate in the 1960's as they relate to similar racial propaganda machines in use today. /episode/index/show/shadowofideas/id/3578798

The Shadow of Ideas - History, Politics, and Current Events on the Edge

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