Conversational History Podcasts
August 8, 2024 7:09 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for recommendations for conversational history podcasts, meaning where people talk conversationally and not read from a script. Stuff that has the format of Blowback.
I love the format of Blowback---two people talking, with a plan on what they're going to say (ie, not riffing). I'd prefer each season to be a different subject at least, or the whole podcast be about one subject, but I'm not into stuff where there's just one or two episodes on a topic. Its not history but I love the 5-4 podcast---they're prepared, they have a plan, they talk at length, but they're not just chatting. FWIW I have an academic background in history and some sense am not afraid to go in depth. Thanks.
I love the format of Blowback---two people talking, with a plan on what they're going to say (ie, not riffing). I'd prefer each season to be a different subject at least, or the whole podcast be about one subject, but I'm not into stuff where there's just one or two episodes on a topic. Its not history but I love the 5-4 podcast---they're prepared, they have a plan, they talk at length, but they're not just chatting. FWIW I have an academic background in history and some sense am not afraid to go in depth. Thanks.
Cursed Objects (podbean link , X formerly twitter link, apple podcasts link, patreon link, instagram link) is
"a podcast about big ideas, weird history, consumer capitalism, pop culture and modern life - all told through small, cursed objects. Join hosts Dr Kasia Tee and Dan Hancox, getting drunk in the gift shop with the Angel of History."
Dr Tee is an academic historian, Dan Hancox is an author and journalist with a focus on social history. They sometimes have guests involved – academics, authors. It's fair to say that it's UK-centric, and pretty much squarely about the twentieth century, but there are exceptions, e.g. an episode on the 2000s revolutions in Egypt with Jack Shenker, an episode on Soviet-era subculture and 'bone music' with Stephen Coates, a patreon exclusive episode about the Guantanamo Bay gift shop...
posted by Joeruckus at 8:10 AM on August 8
"a podcast about big ideas, weird history, consumer capitalism, pop culture and modern life - all told through small, cursed objects. Join hosts Dr Kasia Tee and Dan Hancox, getting drunk in the gift shop with the Angel of History."
Dr Tee is an academic historian, Dan Hancox is an author and journalist with a focus on social history. They sometimes have guests involved – academics, authors. It's fair to say that it's UK-centric, and pretty much squarely about the twentieth century, but there are exceptions, e.g. an episode on the 2000s revolutions in Egypt with Jack Shenker, an episode on Soviet-era subculture and 'bone music' with Stephen Coates, a patreon exclusive episode about the Guantanamo Bay gift shop...
posted by Joeruckus at 8:10 AM on August 8
You’re Dead to Me - hosted by Greg Jenner, with a different academic and a comedian each time, is fantastic.
posted by JJZByBffqU at 8:13 AM on August 8 [2 favorites]
posted by JJZByBffqU at 8:13 AM on August 8 [2 favorites]
Drafting the Past interviews historians on their research and writing practices, typically within the context of their most recent book. Each episode is a different historian.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 8:14 AM on August 8
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 8:14 AM on August 8
Told In Stone Footnotes Garrett Ryan is a Professor of History in Ancient Rome. He has a couple of different focus channels on YouTube. This specific channel he does a deep dive on Ancient History with other guest scholars.
A couple of other You Tube channels that are very academic that I like are
Sean M Carroll's Mindscape: Huge library of philosophical topics with contemporaneous authors and also scientists, especially physicists. Conversational style.
Fall of Civilizations: Podcast style and Images style covering various extinct human societies. The images version includes the culture's art and architecture. Script.
posted by effluvia at 8:20 AM on August 8
A couple of other You Tube channels that are very academic that I like are
Sean M Carroll's Mindscape: Huge library of philosophical topics with contemporaneous authors and also scientists, especially physicists. Conversational style.
Fall of Civilizations: Podcast style and Images style covering various extinct human societies. The images version includes the culture's art and architecture. Script.
posted by effluvia at 8:20 AM on August 8
Data Over Dogma may be up your alley. Two hosts interrogate academic biblical scholarship, which of course involves plenty of history.
posted by General Malaise at 8:24 AM on August 8
posted by General Malaise at 8:24 AM on August 8
Isn't the usual answer The Rest Is History?
posted by The Bellman at 8:47 AM on August 8 [8 favorites]
posted by The Bellman at 8:47 AM on August 8 [8 favorites]
Tides of History is primarily a scripted podcast, but Patrick Wyman does frequent interview episodes with specialists in various topics.
The Ancients is entirely interview based, and I believe that they have sister-shows on medieval and other periods.
posted by jb at 11:20 AM on August 8 [1 favorite]
The Ancients is entirely interview based, and I believe that they have sister-shows on medieval and other periods.
posted by jb at 11:20 AM on August 8 [1 favorite]
Here to second The Ancients. Also, Dig podcast (not THE Dig, just Dig). Two female historians covering a variety of things. Mildly annoying audio mismatch between their mikes during the pandemic but depends on your tolerance.
posted by SinAesthetic at 3:20 PM on August 8
posted by SinAesthetic at 3:20 PM on August 8
Another vote for The Rest Is History.
posted by paper scissors sock at 4:26 PM on August 8 [3 favorites]
posted by paper scissors sock at 4:26 PM on August 8 [3 favorites]
History in Focus is great, and very academic (it's the companion podcast to the American Historical Review) but also very conversational and tends to take interesting angles on their topics.
posted by knotty knots at 10:57 PM on August 8
posted by knotty knots at 10:57 PM on August 8
Empire: "How do empires rise? Why do they fall? And how have they shaped the world around us today? William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the stories, personalities and events of empire over the course of history. The first series looks at the British in India, covering the East India Company, the Raj, Gandhi, Independence and Partition. The second series focusses on the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire. In the new season, William and Anita will explore the roots, deeds, and legacy of one of the largest empires to ever exist, Russia." They have specific topics but it isn't scripted, it's conversational, and they also have guest experts as well.
posted by gwint at 6:20 AM on August 9 [1 favorite]
posted by gwint at 6:20 AM on August 9 [1 favorite]
The New Books Network creates podcasts, by academic discipline (including history), with the authors of books for the academic market. Chatty, but focused and intense.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 10:21 AM on August 10
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 10:21 AM on August 10
Response by poster: Empires is exactly what I’m looking for!!
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 7:56 PM on August 11
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 7:56 PM on August 11
I bookmarked this thread because I also like this kind of podcast format, and I have also started listening to Empire. Thanks for all these recs, everyone!
posted by confluency at 7:27 AM on August 18
posted by confluency at 7:27 AM on August 18
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posted by Johnny Assay at 7:18 AM on August 8 [6 favorites]