Ep. 82: Tad Stoermer on the Resistance History of the United States

“I think the Constitution is fatally flawed. And I think that the kind of reconstruction that’s required needs to get back to the kind of things that the radical Republicans couldn’t finish.”Historian Tad Stoermer returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, A Resistance History of the United States. We talk about the audience Tad had in mind for his book, the conversations he’s had about his work, and what a resistance history might offer a hypothetical member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). We also discuss questions of political culture versus political structure, the Confederacy and Reconstruction as a “hot topic,” the need for a democratic constitution, the late historian Gordon S. Wood, and why Tad thinks that “containment is complete.” Tad mentions David Waldstreicher’s reflection on Wood’s life and work. We spoke with David about slavery and the Constitution. Tad was last on the show to discuss public history and political myths, among other topics. The image used for this episode is a map of the Underground Railroad.