Sean Wilentz: On the Importance of Studying and Debating American History

Sean Wilentz: On the Importance of Studying and Debating American History

How should we think about the American founding? What role does slavery play in the history of the United States? What should be done about Confederate monuments? How might we think about the legacies of revered figures from America's past?
Over the past year, these perennially important questions have been unusually central to our public life.

In this Conversation, the distinguished Princeton historian Sean Wilentz shares his perspective on the current debates and the importance of the study of American history. Wilentz argues that understanding America's past—from the inspiring to the shameful—is vital for what he calls informed citizenship. Nonetheless, he warns against falling into the trap of oversimplifying history. According to Wilentz, the New York Times’ 1619 Project, which argues that slavery is foundational to the United States, is one recent example of this pitfall, because it minimizes important anti-slavery efforts at the time of the American founding. Wilentz calls for renewed efforts toward a reflective and nuanced study of the past. He further asserts that these efforts could help us recover a space in American politics for informed, thoughtful, and respectful debate—not only about the past but also about the future. Wilentz and Kristol also discuss the legacy of civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis about whom Wilentz recently published a thoughtful and important reflection.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(328)

Steve Rosen: New Military Challenges in the Age of AI, Drones, and Cyberattacks

Steve Rosen: New Military Challenges in the Age of AI, Drones, and Cyberattacks

"For the first time ever, the United States homeland cannot be taken for granted as a secure rear area against non-nuclear attacks."So argues Steve Rosen, professor emeritus of government at Harvard, ...

14 Okt 1h 10min

Phillips O’Brien on Ukraine, Iran, and What’s Next

Phillips O’Brien on Ukraine, Iran, and What’s Next

Where do things stand in the wars in Ukraine and Iran? What are the implications of these wars for military technology, the future of warfare, and our highly fluid geopolitical environment?In this Con...

30 Sep 58min

David Axelrod on the 2026 Midterms: How Big a Wave?

David Axelrod on the 2026 Midterms: How Big a Wave?

We are less than seven weeks away from Election Day, and early voting already has begun in some states. To discuss where things stand and where American politics might go after the midterms, we are jo...

18 Sep 56min

Doug Sosnik on Two Different Elections: 2026 and 2028

Doug Sosnik on Two Different Elections: 2026 and 2028

"We're 60 days away from a completely different political environment. And I think people are underestimating how different it's going to be, and how volatile it's going to be without really any moori...

27 Aug 1h 7min

Eric Edelman: Trump and the American Military

Eric Edelman: Trump and the American Military

Where do things stand with the military in Trump’s Second Term? What are the consequences of a shortage of munitions in the conduct of the Iran War? What should we make of the firings of senior milita...

7 Aug 1h 6min

Don Kettl: The Trump Administration and the Politicization of the Civil Service

Don Kettl: The Trump Administration and the Politicization of the Civil Service

"Am I worried? A lot. Why? Because they’re not done yet. And it’s not just the president, but the efforts of those around him and on the outside supporting him who have a very huge and fundamental and...

24 Juli 1h 1min

Ryan Goodman: The Trump Administration, the Supreme Court, and the Rule of Law

Ryan Goodman: The Trump Administration, the Supreme Court, and the Rule of Law

A year and a half into the second Trump administration, is the Supreme Court meeting the moment? What are the broader implications of recent Court decisions and the conduct of lower courts? What might...

9 Juli 1h 2min

Harvey Mansfield on Rational Control and Liberalism

Harvey Mansfield on Rational Control and Liberalism

What makes Niccolò Machiavelli the founder of modern politics? How did liberal thinkers like Locke, Montesquieu, and the American founders modify Machiavelli’s inventions? How did later thinkers like ...

26 Juni 55min

Populärt inom Politik & nyheter

svenska-fall
aftonbladet-krim
fordomspodden
motiv
rss-krimstad
p3-krim
flashback-forever
aftonbladet-daily
spar
rss-sanning-konsekvens
rss-krimreportrarna
svd-ledarredaktionen
rss-flodet
rss-vad-fan-hande
olyckan-inifran
politiken
omni-podd
kungligt
en-runda-till
rss-politikrummet