American Prestige
528 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 578 ratingsA podcast from Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison that provides listeners with everything they need to know about what’s going on in the world.
www.americanprestigepod.com
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Episodes
E15 - Illiberal Internationalism w/ Anatol Lieven
October 15, 2021 13:40 - 1 hourDanny and Derek talk about Nick Kristof's resignation from the NYT, developments in ME diplomacy, the Norwegian elections, and Democratic hawkishness on Taiwan. They then speak with Anatol Lieven, senior research fellow on Russia and Europe at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, about his recent article on liberal internationalism as well as his realist approach to foreign affairs. Check out Anatol's article: https://bit.ly/3DPBdGp Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/ame...
Bonus - Vietnam from the Vietnamese Perspective, Ep. 2 w/ Sean Fear (PREVIEW)
October 09, 2021 13:00 - 3 minutes - 4.73 MBDanny and Derek welcome back Sean Fear, lecturer in international history at the University of Leeds, to continue their series on Vietnam. They discuss the history of South Vietnam, focusing in particular on the life and times of Ngô Đình Diệm, the first president of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and U.S. foreign policy in the 1950s and early 1960s. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige
Bonus - The History of Vietnam, Ep. 2 w/ Sean Fear (PREVIEW)
October 09, 2021 13:00 - 3 minutesDanny and Derek welcome back Sean Fear, lecturer in international history at the University of Leeds, to continue their series on Vietnam. They discuss the history of South Vietnam, focusing in particular on the life and times of Ngô Đình Diệm, the first president of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and U.S. foreign policy in the 1950s and early 1960s. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at www.americanpr...
E14 - All Your Bases Are Belong To Us w/ Leah Bolger, Patterson Deppen, and David Vine
October 08, 2021 13:23 - 1 hourDanny and Derek discuss the Pandora Papers; the recent EU summit on whether six Western Balkan states will enter that org; and developments in intra-Middle East diplomacy. They then speak with Leah Bolger, president of World BEYOND War, Patterson Deppen, researcher for WBW, and David Vine, prof of anthropology at American University in DC, about their Quincy Institute report (https://bit.ly/3FugUjd) about the U.S.' global basing structure. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanpr...
Bonus - The History of Vietnam, Ep. 1 w/ Sean Fear
October 02, 2021 13:01 - 52 minutesDanny and Derek speak with Sean Fear, lecturer in international history at the University of Leeds, about the history of Vietnam. They discuss the life and times of Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnamese nationalism and communism, the French and Japanese occupations of Vietnam, and much more. This is the first in a series on the history of Vietnam from the perspective of the Vietnamese. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ww...
Bonus - Vietnam from the Vietnamese Perspective, Ep. 1 w/ Sean Fear (PREVIEW)
October 02, 2021 13:00 - 2 minutes - 3.79 MBDanny and Derek speak with Sean Fear, lecturer in international history at the University of Leeds, about the history of Vietnam. They discuss the life and times of Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnamese nationalism and communism, the French and Japanese occupations of Vietnam, and much more. This is the first in a series on the history of Vietnam from the perspective of the Vietnamese. Become a patron to hear the full episode! www.patreon.com/americanprestige
Bonus - The History of Vietnam, Ep. 1 w/ Sean Fear (PREVIEW)
October 02, 2021 13:00 - 2 minutesDanny and Derek speak with Sean Fear, lecturer in international history at the University of Leeds, about the history of Vietnam. They discuss the life and times of Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnamese nationalism and communism, the French and Japanese occupations of Vietnam, and much more. This is the first in a series on the history of Vietnam from the perspective of the Vietnamese. Become a patron to hear the full episode! www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a public episode. Get access to pr...
E13 - Unsustainable Development w/ Christy Thornton
October 01, 2021 14:24 - 1 hourDanny and Derek begin the show with the UK and Brexit woes; the meeting between Jake Sullivan and MBS at Neom; Canada-China relations; and more. Danny then interviews Christy Thornton, assistant professor of sociology and Latin American studies at Johns Hopkins University, about her book Revolution in Development, which explores the role Mexico played in shaping approaches to international development. Become a patron! www.patreon.com/americanprestige Christy's book: https://bit.ly/2ZPu...
Special - Auf Wiedersehen, Merkel
September 27, 2021 17:11 - 29 minutesDanny and Derek speak with Tim Nunan, lecturer in global history at the Free University of Berlin, about the recent German elections. They discuss the origins and legacy of Angela Merkel, what the election results say about German politics, and what we may expect in the future. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe
E12 - Inside the Belly of the Beast w/ Kate Kizer
September 24, 2021 13:02 - 1 hourDanny and Derek talk about this week’s UN General Assembly session, AUKUS and the New Cold War, and Boris Johnson’s diminished hopes for a better commercial relationship with the United States. They’re then joined by Kate Kizer, policy director at Win Without War, to discuss the state of the DC foreign policy establishment, the Biden administration’s failures to live up to its rhetoric, and making a career in foreign policy. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is...
Bonus - Coffee Counter Culture w/ David Parsons (PREVIEW)
September 18, 2021 13:00 - 3 minutesDanny is joined by David Parsons of Nostalgia Trap to discuss the GI coffee houses that emerged during the Vietnam War and served as important sites of debate about the war and US empire. Danny and David discuss a variety of issues, from culture's role in shaping history to the failures and successes of the coffee house movement and what these might teach us today. Grab a copy of David's book here: https://bit.ly/2Xs9cEE Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a...
E11 - Oh, the Humanity w/ Samuel Moyn
September 17, 2021 13:00 - 1 hourDanny and Derek talk about North Korea's new weapons developments, the chaos going on in Haiti, the announcement of a new US-UK-Australian military pact (and France's response), and recent revelations about how General Mark Milley responded to Donald Trump's post-election breakdown. The boys then speak with Samuel Moyn, Luce Professor of Jurisprudence and Professor of History at Yale University, about his new book Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War and Danny's...
Bonus - Tony Stark in Afghanistan w/ Leslie Lee III (PREVIEW)
September 11, 2021 13:00 - 2 minutesDanny and Derek speak with Leslie Lee III, the host of Struggle Session, about post-9/11 culture and how the United States' imperial adventures influenced movies, TV, and video. They discuss a number of cultural products, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC universe, 24, The Shield, and much more, to explore how Americans used culture to work through their anxieties and anger about the attacks. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a public episode. ...
E10 - So Far from God, So Close to the United States w/ Alexander Aviña
September 10, 2021 00:07 - 1 hourDanny and Derek discuss COVID-19 and how vaccine colonialism reflects longer-term trends in U.S. history, the recent coup in Guinea, the formation of the new Afghanistan government, and the upcoming German elections. The boys then speak with Alexander Aviña, an assistant professor of history at Arizona State University, about the history of Mexico and U.S.-Mexican Relations from the 1810 Mexican War of Independence to the "drug war" of today. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/america...
E10 - So Far from God, So Close to the United States w/ Alexander Aviña
September 10, 2021 00:07 - 1 hourDanny and Derek discuss COVID-19 and how vaccine colonialism reflects longer-term trends in U.S. history, the recent coup in Guinea, the formation of the new Afghanistan government, and the upcoming German elections. The boys then speak with Alexander Aviña, an assistant professor of history at Arizona State University, about the history of Mexico and U.S.-Mexican Relations from the 1810 Mexican War of Independence to the "drug war" of today. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/america...
Bonus - I Love the Smell of Gaming in the Morning (PREVIEW)
September 08, 2021 02:40 - 4 minutesDanny speaks with Clayton Kozan, a graduate student at Texas Tech University who analyzes how the Vietnam War is portrayed in video games. From 80s games that have you play the lone wolf; to Call of Duty: Black Ops, where the War is about Nazis (??) and Soviets; to When I Was Young, which focuses not only on combat but the social experience of being a soldier, Danny and Clayton discuss how and why games' portrayal of Vietnam changed over time. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americ...
E9 - Everything You Wanted to Know About Climate Change but Were Too Afraid to Ask w/ Keith Pluymers
September 03, 2021 13:00 - 1 hourDanny and Derek begin the show with an update on Afghanistan before turning to Biden's speech on the withdrawal and the status of the U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement. The boys then speak with Keith Pluymers, an Assistant Professor of History at Illinois State University, about the deep history of climate change, starting with human settlement about 12,000 years ago and continuing up to today. Turns out that capitalism might be a problem. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige...
E8 - Living on the Edge w/ Emily Atkin
August 27, 2021 15:04 - 1 hourDanny and Derek give an update on Afghanistan, discuss Based Biden's rejection of European complaining, do a reading series on Obamanaut Ben Rhodes' recent article in Foreign Affairs, and address some dubious ambassador appointments. They then talk to Emily Atkin, who founded the essential newsletter Heated (https://heated.world), about climate change (it's real bad, folks) and what we need to do to make sure humanity makes it past the year 2100. Thank you to Courtney Rawlings and Don Hugh...
Bonus - Stop the Suicide Squad, I Want to Get Off w/ Matt Christman (PREVIEW)
August 21, 2021 23:00 - 4 minutesDanny and Matt Christman from Chapo Trap House talk about “The Suicide Squad,” the latest cinematic masterpiece from the DC Universe. They go into director James Gunn’s fetish for subversion, the exhaustion of liberal culture, and how the film reflects the United States’ long-standing and brutal relationship with Latin America. Become a patron today! http://www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe
E7 - Indecent Interval w/ Spencer Ackerman
August 20, 2021 16:01 - 1 hourDanny and Derek give an update on Afghanistan before turning to Lebanon, which is presently in chaos, and Cameroon, where climate change has engendered new conflicts. They are then joined by Spencer Ackerman, whose new book "Reign of Terror" charts the many failures that have defined the "War on Terror" for the past twenty years. Grab a copy of Spencer's book! https://bit.ly/3B34USV Become an AP patron today! http://www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a public episode. If you’d l...
Special: Afghanistan Falls
August 16, 2021 01:41 - 20 minutesDanny and Derek do a quick breakdown of what's been going on in Afghanistan, who the major players are, and what's likely to happen in the coming days, weeks, and months. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe
E6 - From BS to MBS w/ Annelle Sheline
August 13, 2021 15:53 - 1 hourThe boys spend the episode's first part discussing the recent report by the IPCC on climate change, the fate of the Afghan government against the Taliban, and Mauritius' inability to get the United States to play by the rules of Joe Biden’s “rules-based order." In the episode's second half, the boys talk with the Quincy Institute's Annelle Sheline about the United States' best friend Saudi Arabia and its role in broader Middle Eastern politics. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/ameri...
Bonus - Four Kings on Three Kings w/ Will Menaker and Matt Christman (PREVIEW)
August 08, 2021 20:42 - 3 minutesDanny and Derek are joined by Will Menaker and Matt Christman of Chapo Trap House to talk about one of the great 90s war movies: Three Kings. The gang discusses how the film relates to the "end of history" moment in which it was made, what the film says about the American approach to war, how it fits into the larger history of war films, and much more. Become a patron today! www.patreon.com/americanprestige This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at www.americanprestigep...
E5 - Blues Coups w/ Assal Rad
August 06, 2021 16:00 - 1 hourDanny and Derek spend the first part of the episode talking about Libya from its independence through the rise and fall of Muammar Gaddafi, the civil war, and its faltering peace process. Then, Derek is joined by Assal Rad, senior research fellow at the National Iranian-American Council, to discuss her recent piece on the role economic warfare plays in extending the US empire and on the state of American-Iranian relations. Check out Assal's article here: https://bit.ly/2TZR8AD Become a ...
E4 - Consensus and Sensibility w/ Matt Duss
July 30, 2021 15:30 - 1 hourThis week, Danny and Derek take you from Iran, to China, to Iraq, to Tunisia, before speaking with Matt Duss, the chief foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders. They talk with Matt about the Olde Blogosphere, how he got to work for Bernie, and interrogating the foreign policy “consensus” from inside the belly of the beast. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe
E3 - Some Like it Cold (War) w/ Aziz Rana
July 23, 2021 09:00 - 1 hourThe boys talk with Aziz Rana, professor of law at Cornell University and the author of the book The Two Faces of American Freedom, about the Cold War and why so many of our leaders act like they are living in a different era. They address everything from the insular cases of the early 20th century to why Biden and his team do the things they do. Surprise, surprise, it’s not great folks! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus epi...
E2 - To Hell and Back w/ Matt Christman
July 16, 2021 04:00 - 54 minutesIn this episode, Danny and Derek talk with Matt Christman, co-host of Chapo Trap House and the new podcast Hell of Presidents. The gang explores the institution of the presidency and how it changed over time, asking the age-old question: “Presidents: good or bad?” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe
E1 - Ghosting Afghanistan w/ Stephen Wertheim
July 09, 2021 20:25 - 1 hourIn the premiere episode of American Prestige, Danny and Derek get into the nitty gritty of the US's withdrawal from Afghanistan. Did the military intentionally botch the withdrawal? Has the imperial frontier contracted in any meaningful way? Will the Taliban gain legitimacy with the Afghan people? Plus, an in-depth interview with Stephen Wertheim, discussing his new book “Tomorrow, the World”, which explores how and why during World War II U.S. elites decided that their nation should, inde...