Beverly Gage Interview 29/4/19

04/30/19 • 16 min

Cambridge American History Seminar Podcast

We're back, with four episodes to close out the academic year! Professor Beverly Gage, Professor of History and American Studies and the Director Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy at Yale University, talks to a recently-returned-from-a-research-trip Lewis Defrates about her paper and upcoming biography 'G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the American Century'. Professor Gage talks about the longtime director of the FBI and his role in American politics and life for nearly fifty years, from his opposition to the left in all its iterations to his development of surveillance techniques. She explores Hoover's dual position as both a Conservative champion of a small state and as one of the key state-builders of the twentieth century. We also talk about the historical status of the FBI as 'nonpartisan' and changing public opinions of Hoover, from his skilful use of public relations mid-century to his largely reviled status today. If you have any questions, suggestions or feedback, get in touch via @camericanist on Twitter or [email protected]. Spread the word, and thanks for listening! See you next week!

Previous Episode

David Blight Interview 11/3/19

Here is the last episode of term, and it’s a big one in every sense! Professor David Blight, the Class of 1954 Professor of American History, and Director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance and Abolition, Yale University, speaks to Cambridge PhD student Yasmin Dualeh about his new book ‘Frederick Douglas: Prophet of Freedom‘. Due to the richness of the book and the depth of conversation, this episode is significantly longer than our usual podcasts, but I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s absolutely worth a listen! Among the countless topics covered here, including a recap of several significant moments in Douglass’ life, Professor Blight touches on self-making through autobiography, the importance of public oratory as performance and work, and some of the interesting ways biographers have attempted to connect with their subjects. The book is widely available online and most likely in your local book store now. As of last week it is also the recipient of the Bancroft prize (for the years best books on diplomacy and the history of the Americas, which happens to be Professor Blight’s second), so you don’t have to just take my word for it when I say it is a truly incredible book. Thank you for listening this week and for the rest of Lent term. We’ll return for the final handful of seminars of the academic year beginning in late April. If you have any questions, suggestions or feedback, get in touch via @camericanist on Twitter or [email protected]. Spread the word, and thanks for listening!

Next Episode

Michell Chresfield Interview 6/5/19

Here's the second episode of Easter Term, which marks the midway point of our Easter seminars! Dr Michelle Chresfield, a lecturer in United States History at the University of Birmingham talks to Lewis Defrates about her paper 'It's in the Blood: Physical Anthropology, Genetics, and the Making of America's Triracial Isolates' and broader research on the role of social science, genetics and eugenics in the ongoing struggle regarding the recognition of triracial isolate communities in the eastern part of the United States of America. Dr Chresfield talks about the complicated relationship between triracial native people and the researchers who visited their communities, the ongoing utilisation of the results of this social research (which often used categories and methodologies that may seem outdated) in attempts to enshrine their status as native, and the work that historians have to undertake in grappling with the unfinished nature of topics such as these. All in all it's a fascinating area of research, and I feel that really comes across in the conversation here! Note: I have to apologise for the lack of reaction/awkward moment following the favourite album question- I had a bit of a coughing fit, and what you hear here is the result of my shoddy editing skills trying to cut it out of the recording! I'd like to state here, while i have the chance, that Songs in the Key of Life is an incredible album, and I meant no disrespect to Mr Wonder! If you have any questions, suggestions or feedback, get in touch via @camericanist on Twitter or [email protected]. Spread the word, and thanks for listening! See you next week!