On today's episode, we followup on the Boer Wars, focusing on Afrikaner identity and their conflicts with the British Empire.
We explore the Cape Colony, the Great Trek, and early encounters with the Zulu nation, highlighting Zulu military tactics under Shaka Zulu, highlighting significant battles like Blood River, and how these events shaped their nationa ... Show More
Aug 1
Hitler Pond - How Germans Became Americas Largest Ethnic Group
Yes, there’s a real place in Ohio called Hitler Pond — and no, it’s not what you think. On today's episode, we dive deep into the strange but true story of the Ohio Hitlers — a German-American pioneer family with zero connection to the Nazis — and how World War I triggered one of ... Show More
1h 12m
Jun 14
Greek-Turkish Population Swap
On today's episode, we discuss one of the most overlooked turning points of the 20th century, Greece and Turkey agreed to swap over 1.5 million people—Christians for Muslims—in what became the first large-scale, state-sanctioned population exchange. Also, marble skulls, Balkan gi ... Show More
1h 26m
Apr 2025
Season 4, Episode 8: Prof. Lauren Benton, They Called it Peace: Worlds of Imperial Violence
Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and American historian Lauren Benton for a discussion on the hidden histories of empires and the lasting impact of imperial violence. In her book, They Called It Peace: Worlds of Imperial Violence Benton uncovers how European powers buil ... Show More
46m 17s
Jul 2024
The Mighty Ashanti: Rival to the British Empire
At the end of the 17th century, a small clan - the Akan - in West Africa began growing into what would later become the powerful Ashanti Empire. The state grew rapidly in both wealth and land until it spanned most of modern day Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Togo.
Luke Pepera join ... Show More
29m 42s
Aug 2024
Season 6 Episode 1: The Swahili Coast
Despite being the most widely spoken African language on Earth, KiSwahili originates from a people who are shockingly small in number. However, what the Swahili lacked in numbers, they made up for in influence and fascination. Join us for our sixth season, as we dive into the his ... Show More
21m 49s
Dec 2024
The 12 Books of Christmas | Zeinab Badawi on an African History of Africa
To celebrate 2024, we’re taking a look backwards, and diving into the standout thinkers who have taken to the Intelligence Squared stage in the past 12 months. You might still be on the hunt for that perfect gift for the avid reader in your life, or perhaps you’re after some food ... Show More
1h 5m
Oct 2024
Sharad Chari, "Apartheid Remains" (Duke UP, 2024)
Over the course of the 20th century, the South African state attempted to construct a “White Man’s Country” on the African continent using the biopolitical tools and spatial and economic planning strategies that characterized modern statecraft. My guest today, the geographer Shar ... Show More
1h 20m