Reflecting History

In this episode, I had a chance to sit down with Lan Cao and Harlan Van Cao. We discussed a number of topics, including:  Lan's experience and life as a refugee of the Vietnam War and how that experience reverberates in Harlan's life, immigration and assimilation, discrimination, identity and the importance of finding equilibrium and balance in life, memory, letting go vs. remembering, the bystander effect as it relates to relationships and conversations, social media and it's drawbacks, modern day high school culture and experience, and the concept of the American Dream. I really enjoyed this one, hope you do too.    Lan Cao and Harlan Margaret Van Cao are the authors of Family in Six Tones: A Refugee Mother, an American Daughter (Viking; September 2020).    Lan Cao is the author of Monkey Bridge and The Lotus and the Storm, and most recently of the scholarly work Culture in Law and Development: Nurturing Positive Change. She is a professor of law at the Chapman University School of Law, and an international

Slavery is a difficult topic to learn and teach about. Combine this with some of the big picture problems inherent in most education systems and there is bound to be misconceptions and confusion abound. This episode tackles just a few of these myths and misconceptions through the work of a few notable historians.        Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times.

A team of scientists returns home from a journey to investigate the causes of a massive supernova. What they discover in the remnants of the cloudy nebula will change humanity forever. The chief astrophysicist of the mission must wrestle with questions of science, faith, and senseless evil. Arthur C. Clarke's award winning science fiction short story "The Star" provides an opportunity to examine questions on the history of science and faith, the problem of evil, and collapsing civilizations.  Read the story here! (It's only 4 pages!): https://sites.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/TheStar.pdf Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio co

What do we mean when we say that a civilization collapsed? This is an extremely common way to speak about ancient societies and governmental systems. It typically carries a negative connotation, but did these "collapses" actually represent decreases in the well being of the human beings who fell victim to them? A similar series of ponderings can apply to the term "Dark Ages." Dark for who? Why? In what context? In his analysis of collapse, dark ages, and the dichotomy between barbarians and "civilization," historian James C. Scott shows once again that sometimes asking the right questions is more important than getting the right answers. This is the final part in a series on James C. Scott's recent book "Against the Grain." The book provides a new and contrarian perspective on the origins of humanity, what the earliest states were really up to, and how the environment and "civilization" around us has fundamentally changed us as human beings.   Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Ref

Personal identity and the self are major concepts of historical and philosophical study. But applying these concepts to others IS history. It's a major purpose of what we do. This episode discusses the famous thought experiment "the Ship of Theseus," and Greg Egan's excellent short story "Learning to Be Me." The lessons learned from these sources can help us think about our current crisis by remembering to listen, understand others, and put yourself in someone else's shoes.  P.S. Against the Grain Part IV will be out in a few weeks if anyone is wondering. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Underst

If the civilizational narrative of progress as a result of human use of agriculture is flawed, then why did states and civilizations develop? How do we define a state? Were the earliest states single entities that magically appeared when enough people congregated in one area, or is it again better to think of states as one method of organization on a carousel of early human organization and activity? We tend to think of states and governments as positive developments for the well being of humanity, but do we think early humans felt the same way? It's possible that the well being of early humans actually declined as the earliest states developed, due to early states contributing to mass mortality by way of disease, slavery, and war.  This is part three in a four part series on James C. Scott's recent book "Against the Grain." The book provides a new and contrarian perspective on the origins of humanity, what the earliest states were really up to, and how the environment and "civilization" around us has fundame

In what ways did early humans landscape and change the environment over time? How did early humans develop agriculture? Why was grain such a staple crop for early humans? While the standard historical narrative seems to depict the discovery of agriculture as a single watershed moment that humanity never looked back from, it might be more useful to think of agriculture as one technique in a carousel of human ingenuity and environmental landscaping that early humans continuously spun and adjusted on. Although early humans adapted to their survival needs on this carousel for a long time, ultimately the coevolution of humans and the environment around them led to the development of a "domus complex" that fundamentally changed us as humans.  This is part two in a four part series on James C. Scott's recent book "Against the Grain." The book provides a new and contrarian perspective on the origins of humanity, what the earliest states were really up to, and how the environment and "civilization" around us has funda

In some ways, common historical narratives form the backbone of our study of history. There are certain historical stories that are as old as history itself, and are thus taken for granted by the historical layman. One of the most common historical narratives is a narrative of progress: human beings lived as hunters and gatherers, until eventually learning how to farm-the development of agriculture led to permanent settlements, specialization of labor, domestication of plants and animals, a need for states, and finally the "civilization" that we all know and love. But how do we know this narrative is true? What if it turned out there are some serious holes in the idea of the civilizational narrative? What if the causality is reversed? Perhaps it wasn't humans domesticating plants which led to civilization, but rather civilization, states, and environmental changes which domesticated humans. This is part one in a four part series on James C. Scott's recent book "Against the Grain." The book provides a new and

As David Foster Wallace points out in his famous commencement address "This is Water," life is filled with simple realities that are difficult to talk about or even comprehend. Upon close examination, sometimes these simple and boring platitudes can have deeper meanings that change the way we look at the world. From the purpose of education, to exercising control over what we think about, to the truths that hide in plain sight, David Foster Wallace makes an argument for living an examined life that could change the way we look at the world around us, and the world that came before us.  Check out the speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrOL-ydFMI  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular supp

The Allegory of the Cave from the ancient Greek philosopher Plato is one of the oldest and most discussed philosophical works in history. Prisoners are chained up in a cave, thinking the shadows they see on the wall in front of them represent all that reality has to offer. Plato's cave has obvious parallels to a modern world in which people seemingly live in the same world, but a different reality. The Cave also has much to tell us about truth, knowledge, and what it means to live a good life. But it also asks an ancient philosophical question: how do we know we aren't living in a simulation? If we are living in a simulation version of Plato's cave, how do we escape? What if we can't? What would that mean for the way we live life and the way we view the world? Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why d

Economic history is notoriously complex and difficult to gain insight from. Nazi history is notoriously complex and strangely enough it seems many ignore the lessons that should be gleaned. Combine these two realities and the result is a Nazi economic history that is controversial and potentially misleading. Some have claimed in recent years that while not wanting to condone Hitler's atrocities, he did help to fix the German economy after the Depression. Does this claim that Hitler "fixed" the German economy hold any water? Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism:

In the aftermath of the Bosnian Genocide, oral historian Selma Leydesdorff interviewed the female survivors of the tragedy. She was able to discover and document the strength and determination that each survivor of catastrophe possesses. The women of Srebrenica tell incredible tales of life before the war, life as a refugee, the experience of being part of an ethnic cleansing campaign, and of course the psychological burdens of surviving genocide. But hidden inside the deep memories is an important historical principle: the importance of remembering.  This is the final episode in a series on the Bosnian War. Thanks for listening.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can

The town of Gorazde in eastern Bosnia was promised protection from ethnic cleansing. In the midst of mass murder, violence, and chaos, the United Nations designated Gorazde, Srebrenica, and other locations as "safe areas." Refugees and victims of ethnic cleansing flocked to these areas for safety and protection. The people of these towns celebrated, thinking their suffering was finally over. But words are wind. When the time came for victims to call for help, they were answered with the worst reply of all: silence.   This is part six in a series on the Bosnian War. The final episode will focus on the survivors of the Bosnian Genocide. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons

The Bosnian War is known historically for it's vicious cruelty. Ancient hatreds and the impact they had on the people of Bosnia are often used as a primary explanation for the conflict. Kenan Trebincevic was a survivor of the war, wracked by hatred and anger. After escaping his homeland to America, he made a visit to Bosnia years later to face down his past and get vengeance for what he and his family were made to go through. On his journey home, he discovered perhaps a more powerful force than vengeance: forgiveness. Why is forgiveness important? Why is the process of forgiveness so difficult? Is it worthwhile? This is part five in a series on the Bosnian War. Future episodes will cover different aspects of the conflict, including the the role of journalism in the war, the role of United States foreign policy and the United Nations in the conflict, ethnic cleansing, and the Bosnian Genocide. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you l

As Bosnia was torn asunder by war and destruction, a newspaper known as Oslobodjenje endured the heat of the Siege of Sarajevo and gained worldwide recognition for it's reporting and it's ability to continue publishing papers in a war zone. Their building was destroyed, their supplies were minimal, and their people were killed, but somehow the paper endured. The reporters at Oslobodjenje provided a valuable service to the community by keeping the people informed of big picture events in the war, but also keeping up with the daily tragedy that was life in Sarajevo. In addition to struggling for their lives, editors and reporters struggled with journalistic questions of objectivity, bias, and emphasis. Should you report everything that comes across your desk during a war? What if it gives the other side an advantage? Should you make an extra effort to be fair in your reporting to people who are actively trying to kill you? What's more important: journalistic integrity or survival? The experience of Oslobodjenje

For this episode, I sat down with author and historian S.C. Gwynne to discuss the American Civil War and his latest book, "Hymns of the Republic." We talked about Lincoln's opinions on slavery, the causes of the Civil War, why many refuse to see slavery as the primary cause of the war, the African-American experience during the war, medical disasters during the war and the role of Clara Barton, the brutality of the war for the common soldier, the critical election of 1864, how we should think about the morality of the war, the legacy of the Civil War and modern day parallels, among other topics.  S.C. Gwynne is a best selling author of numerous history books, including his biography of Stonewall Jackson "Rebel Yell" and his look at the Comanche Indians and the American West in "Empire of the Summer Moon." He was won numerous awards and been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his writing.  If you are wondering about Part IV of the Bosnian War series, it's coming next week! Support the podcast: https://www.patr

Hatred is often given as the historical reason for wars and other nasty events throughout history. There was certainly plenty of it to go around in Bosnia during the 1990's, but how have historians been able to make sense of it? Why did neighbors, friends, and countrymen begin to turn on each other and do horrible things to each other? Is the best answer simply hatred? Or is there something deeper at play? It turns out psychological forces like cognitive dissonance may be able to explain some of these questions. This is part three in a series on the Bosnian War. Future episodes will cover different aspects of the conflict, including the the role of journalism in the war, the role of United States foreign policy and the United Nations in the conflict, ethnic cleansing, and the Bosnian Genocide.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...I

For well over two years, Bosnian Serb forces bombarded Sarajevo in an attempt to destroy the city and break the spirit of the people who lived there. Thousands of civilians (including children) were killed in an attempt by Bosnian Serb forces to divide the city and stir ethnic hatred. People lived without food, running water, electricity, or heat. While survival became the priority for most ordinary people, their collective experience of surviving against the odds and standing up to a bully coalesced into something that will always be remembered.  This is part two in a series on the Bosnian War. Future episodes will cover different aspects of the conflict, including the role of journalism in the war, the role of United States foreign policy and the United Nations in the conflict, ethnic cleansing, and the Bosnian Genocide.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a revie

No one who lived through it will ever forget what happened in Bosnia during the 1990's. What had been a unified and (mostly) peaceful region only a few years before melted down into war, chaos, and genocide. The causes of the war are hotly debated, probably due to the complexity of the conflict. Ultimately it was ethnic, political, and religious differences that merged with nationalism to give the 20th century one last European war to be haunted by. This is part one in a series on the Bosnian War. It gives an overview of some of the themes of the conflict and goes over the origins of the war. Future episodes will cover different aspects of the conflict, including the Siege of Sarajevo, the role of journalism in the war, the role of United States foreign policy and the United Nations in the conflict, ethnic cleansing, and the Bosnian Genocide.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, cons

Historians, philosophers, and armchair historians have often pondered the role of chance in history. To what extent does randomness or luck dictate what happens to us? Are the events of history just a random spin on the wheel of fate, or is there a more determined explanation of historical events? Bringing up questions about historical free will, determinism, and cause-effect relationships, this episode goes through some of the history of people thinking about these types of questions. It also discusses some historical examples of "chance" in action, and the implications that asking these questions has for the study of history-particularly as it relates to the recent rise of "counterfactual" history.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fasci