American Musecast
Susan Travis
Drawing from the archetypes of the hero’s journey found in narratives of myth, religion, culture, and politics, Susan Travis presents American democracy and its citizens as flawed heroes on an aspirational expedition of hope and determination.
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Top 10 American Musecast Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best American Musecast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to American Musecast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite American Musecast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
EP5B | Sorting the Language of Dynamic Citizenry
American Musecast
08/13/24 • 46 min
America needs an engaged and informed citizenry capable of defending democracy, but what if they aren't sure what democracy means? Too many Americans have become disillusioned or disengaged when they encounter confusing concepts amid a fire hose of misguided conspiracies, fact-free opinions and disinformation. In order to grasp the complexities of our political system, it's time to embark on a little “refresher course” of civic vocabulary needed to navigate today’s complex political landscape.
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
- [06:56] ideology
- [08:43] democracy
- [09:27] oligarchies
- [09:50] autocracies
- [13:46] liberals
- [21:46] the Great Switch
- [22:20] progressives
- [23:30] communism
- [25:10] socialism
- [27:30] conservatives
- [33:20] independents
- [35:40] Libertarians
- [35:10] anarchy
- [36:58] dystopia
- [39:30] fascism
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP02 | American Mayday - Ziblatt & Levitsky's: "How Democracies Die"
American Musecast
05/24/24 • 36 min
As those with authoritarian tendencies escalate their rhetoric and show their intentions, the work, How Democracies Die, by Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky offers a guide for identifying the markers we're seeing around us. For citizens unconvinced that democracy is at stake, this episode makes clear that the fate of America lies in the hands of a new dynamic citizenry.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- [9:29] Rejecting or holding weak commitment to democratic rules
- [14:30] Authoritarian tendencies - denial of legitimacy of political opponents
- {18:05] Toleration or encouragement of violence
- [22:40] Readiness to curtail civil liberties of opponents or media
- [24:40] Additional curtailing of citizen rights
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Levitsky, Steven, and Daniel Ziblatt. How Democracies Die. Broadway Books, an Imprint of Crown Publishing, a Division of Penguin Random House, 2019.
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Audio clips used in this episode:
“Trump Reveals How He Would Govern If Reelected to Another Term in the White House.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 May 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBCevsqSKZw&t=3s.
“What Is Christian Nationalism and Why It Raises Concerns about Threats to Democracy.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 Feb. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgC7YQAtGOw.
Nawaz, Amna, and Saher Khan. “Trump’s Ramped-up Rhetoric Raises New Concerns about Violence and Authoritarianism.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 13 Nov. 2023, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trumps-ramped-up-rhetoric-raises-new-concerns-about-violence-and-authoritarianism#audio.
“Sheriffs in Texas, Elsewhere Seek Validation as New Election Police.” Public News Service, www.publicnewsservice.org/2023-04-05/civil-rights/sheriffs-in-texas-elsewhere-seek-validation-as-new-election-police/a83834-1# . Accessed 17 May 2024.
“Trump: ‘We Will Never Concede.’” YouTube, YouTube, 6 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCdpGeA6g3Q.
McCammon, Sarah. “Donald Trump Delivers Speech Attacking Hillary Clinton as Corrupt.” NPR, NPR, 22 June 2016, www.npr.org/2016/06/22/483129527/donald-trump-delivers-speech-attacking-crooked-hillary.
“PBS NewsHour.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 16 Sept. 2016, www.pbs.org/video/trump-ends-one-obama-birther-rumor-by-starting-another-1481243551/.
Yousef, Odette. “Trump Has Embraced Jan. 6. the Extremist Message May Alienate - or Resonate.” NPR, NPR, 26 Mar. 2024,
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP6A | Timothy Snyder's "On Tyranny" - The Big Picture
American Musecast
09/20/24 • 40 min
Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century offers important reflections on the fragility of democratic systems and the rising momentum toward authoritarianism in contemporary politics. Most importantly, it offers citizen tools aimed at fortifying vulnerabilities characteristically targeted by autocrats, dictators, despots, and tyrants, each of whom aim at consolidating power for their own ends.
This week, we look at the broader socio-political journey of the first of Snyder's lessons, specifically related to vigilance, the belief in truth, the value of the media, language, ethics, and the defense of institutions.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Snyder, Timothy. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century Timothy Snyder. Thorndike Press, 2021.
“United States (Ranked 19th).” Legatum Prosperity Index 2023, 27 Feb. 2023, www.prosperity.com/globe/united-states.
Interview Clips Used
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP6B | Timothy Snyder's "On Tyranny" - Daily Life
American Musecast
10/10/24 • 55 min
Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, offers important reflections on the fragility of democratic systems and the rising momentum toward authoritarianism in contemporary politics. Most importantly, it offers citizen tools aimed at fortifying vulnerabilities characteristically targeted by autocrats, dictators, despots and tyrants, each of whom aim at consolidating power for their own ends.
This week looks at the distinction between those terms related to fascism and tyranny. We also look at those elements of the socio-political journey which, among Snyder's lessons lie closer to home, as new habits that we can integrate into our daily lives. In particular, we look at the distinction between public and private lives, at remaining calm when the unthinkable arrives, and being reflective if we must be armed.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Snyder, Timothy. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century Timothy Snyder. Thorndike Press, 2021.
Interview Clips Used
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP03 | American Democracy Relies on an Engaged Citizenry
American Musecast
05/25/24 • 32 min
Throughout history and culture, throughout our personal and collective lives, we are at times “called,” to a task, epic to the moment. Yet, the scope of such a calling can seem overwhelming, and for a number of reasons, many never get past an initial resistance to be more, be better, solve the problem, or to heed the call. This episode explores American resistance to political engagement, despite alarming threats to democracy.
Right wing extremism, white nationalism, and the rise of authoritarian tendencies are misunderstood, and fail to spark the engagement needed to strengthen and preserve democracy. Facing the greatest threat of our nation’s history since the Civil Wars, Americans sleepwalk their way forward with a lackluster response. Right wing extremism, white nationalism, and the rise of authoritarian tendencies are misunderstood, and fail to spark the engagement needed to strengthen and preserve democracy. What holds us back a full-throated “Hell NO!” when faced with this kind of “mayday?” How can we overcome our own resistance to responding? And how can we competently engage as dynamic citizens?
Topics discussed in this episode:
20:00 Complacency
23:15 Cynicism
Episode Audio: <div id="buzzsprout-player-15133734"></div><script src="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318949/episodes/15133734-ep03-american-democracy-relies-on-an-engaged-citizenry.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-15133734&player=small" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP07 | American Democratic Backsliding Into Project 2025
American Musecast
10/30/24 • 56 min
America is at a crossroads between saving our democracy and a hard right turn toward fascism. Our journey to this crossroads has been of our own making, through a citizenry disinterested, complacent and cynical about our political future. Our inattention has allowed "democratic backsliding" characterized by the erosion of our democratic institutions, restrictions on our civil liberties, a relentless manipulation of electoral processes, attacks on political opponents, a weakening of our rule of law, an over-emphasis on national security, and the erosion of democratic norms.
Our democratic backsliding has left us vulnerable to efforts to concentrate power through the hard right conservative agenda known as Project 2025, authored by the Heritage Foundation and hard right white Christian Nationalist. This episode explores that journey along with the general elements of the plan itself which includes a full-throated demonization of liberals, and a blueprint for dismantling the administrative state. The idea is to weaken, eliminate, or merge key departments of the bureaucracy, and to purge those departments of career professionals unwilling to pledge an oath of loyalty to a conservative president, anticipated by Republicans to be Donald Trump. The plan calls to eliminate all terms related to gender, climate, and diversity, equity and inclusion from any governmental document.
Project 2025 is a 922-page plan for reshaping American society according to their vision, a vision that poses significant risks to democratic norms, equity, and participation, potentially reshaping the political landscape in ways that favor a narrow ideological agenda at the expense of broader democratic values, and this radical emphasis on executive power and reduction of institutional constraints will pave the way for authoritarian practices.
Project 2025 tells us the kind of America conservatives would like to live in, and we can expect this document will remain a relevant handbook regardless of the election outcome. While this episode presents the general outline of Project 2025, upcoming episodes on our American institutions, social issues, and civic structure will include not only their state of health, but their vulnerabilities ripe for exploitation by Project 2025.
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP01 | America on a Hero's Journey
American Musecast
03/31/24 • 28 min
The literary construct of Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey" offers insight into the America’s quest for a stronger democracy, and for its citizens, struggling to appropriately engage in pursuit of that healthier democracy. This episode outlines the ways that citizens individually, and America, as a collective, engage in aspects of the hero’s journey.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- [08:40] Departure. The Ordinary World.
- [09:00] The Call to Adventure.
- [11:05] Refusing the Call to Adventure.
- [14:20] Meeting the Mentor.
- [17:00] Crossing the Threshold.
- [19:05] Initiation. Test, Allies, and Enemies.
- [22:10] Approach to the Inmost Cave.
- [23:00] The Ordeal.
- [25:00] The Reward.
- [27:15] Return. The Road Back.
- [28:00] Resurrection.
- [28:30] Return with the Elixir.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- [02:50] Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces
- [03:00] Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth
- [15:00] Pacifica Graduate Institute
Episode Audio Embed:
<div id="buzzsprout-player-14799096"></div><script src="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318949/episodes/14799096-ep01-america-on-a-hero-s-journey.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-14799096&player=small" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
Episode Music:
An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Episode Tags:
#America, #citizens, #Americans, #heroesjourney, #civics, #quest, #democracy, #stewardship, #archetypes, #citizenship, #JosephCampbell
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP00 | American Democracy's Call to Quest
American Musecast
03/30/24 • 11 min
In these troubling times, the rule of the people requires our participation lest democracy slip from our fingers altogether. American Musecast invites listeners to a journey through civics, current events, and the charms and challenges of our socio-political institutions. Using elements of positive psychology and drawing from the archetypes of the hero’s journey found in narratives of myth, religion, culture, and politics, Susan Travis presents American democracy and its citizens as flawed heroes on an aspirational expedition of hope and determination.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- [3:12] The need for informed citizenry
- [6:41] Archetypes and the hero’s journey
- [7:40] The promise of American Musecast
- [8:12] American Musecast schedule
Episode Audio Embed:
<div id="buzzsprout-player-14795279"></div><script src="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318949/episodes/14795279-ep00-american-democracy-s-call-to-quest.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-14795279&player=small" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
Episode Music:
An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Episode Tags:
#America, #citizens, #Americans, #heroesjourney, #civics, #quest, #democracy, #stewardship, #archetypes, #citizenship, #JosephCampbell
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
06/11/24 • 46 min
As Americans waken to the authoritarian threats facing democracy, Richard Haass' book, The Bill of Obligations; Ten Habits for Good Citizens, offers a 10-habit plan for stewarding ourselves toward a more robust dynamic citizenry. His gracious regard for democracy postures Americans of every party and persuasion to become better, more competent citizens for the 21st century.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Haass, Richard. The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens. Penguin Press, 2023.
Interview Clips Used:
“In New Book, Haass Explores the Obligations We Have to One Another and the Country.” NPR, 24 Jan. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/01/24/1150942762/in-new-book-haass-explores-the-obligations-we-have-to-one-another-and-the-countr.
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only.
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
EP5A | The Naming of Parts in a New Normal
American Musecast
08/03/24 • 15 min
As our host, Susan Travis, reports on the fires and floods in her hometown of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the Summer of 2024 roars through its own tumultuous times, and for both, a new normal emerges. This episode is a prelude to Episode 5B: Sorting the Language of Governing, and includes a reading of the poem, "The Naming of Parts," by Henry Reed.
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
- [00:50] Ruidoso, New Mexico fires
- [02:05] Ruidoso, New Mexico floods
- [11:25] "The Naming of Parts," by Henry Reed
Donations to Ruidoso Fire Victims
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Send Susan a one-way text! For a reply, include your name and contact info.
For those dear listeners with a fire in the belly, here’s what I ask of you! I invite you to follow this weekly podcast and to share it with others. Please, offer suggestions or observations in the comments section. Often, your comment sets off a sparkle of ideas for a whole new episode!
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FAQ
How many episodes does American Musecast have?
American Musecast currently has 10 episodes available.
What topics does American Musecast cover?
The podcast is about News, Civics, Conservative, Democracy, Democratic, Trump, Podcasts, America, Liberal, Politics and Government.
What is the most popular episode on American Musecast?
The episode title 'EP03 | American Democracy Relies on an Engaged Citizenry' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on American Musecast?
The average episode length on American Musecast is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of American Musecast released?
Episodes of American Musecast are typically released every 19 days, 23 hours.
When was the first episode of American Musecast?
The first episode of American Musecast was released on Mar 30, 2024.
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