Anti-Social Studies
by Emily Glankler
History class, but make it make sense for your group chat.Anti-Social Studies is the history podcast for people who follow the news, have opinions, and never quite got the full story in school. Each season takes on a different slice of the past — World History, U.S. History, and the current events that are basically history happening in real time — and breaks it down for people walking in with zero background and zero patience for boring. No jargon, no gatekeeping, no assuming you already know who these people are or why any of this matters. Just the context you actually need, delivered like your favorite teacher going on a very fun tangent.Hosted by Emily Glankler — 12-year high school history teacher turned full-time history-explainer — Anti-Social Studies exists on one belief: the world would be a better place if everyone paid a little more attention in history class. Consider this your second chance.New episodes contextualize the chaos, one historical tangent at a time.
Episodes
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I failed the 1960s Alabama literacy test (A Brief History of Voter Suppression)
The midterms are on November 3rd, so this is a history of the many ways American voting has been made harder, from poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and impossible literacy tests to violence at the polls, the long wait for Native American citizenship, felony disenfranchisement, voter roll purges,...
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Five midterm elections that changed the course of U.S. History
The midterms are on Tuesday, November 3rd. The president isn't on the ballot, which is exactly why a lot of people skip them, and exactly why this video exists to convince you to STILL VOTE. Midterms have flipped Congress, reined in presidents, launched careers, and quietly reshaped the country...
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Freedom of the Press or, "The U.S. used to rank 20th for press freedom. Now we're 64th."
In 2010, the United States ranked 20th in the world on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. Pretty good. Today, we're 64th out of 180 — officially "problematic." That's a strange place to land for the country that put freedom of the press in the very first amendment to its...
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When did we become civilized? or, "Emily Teaches World History #1"
Welcome to Emily Teaches World History — a new series where we go all the way back to the actual beginning, starting with the discovery that changed everything: farming. This episode covers the Neolithic Revolution (aka the invention of agriculture, aka the reason you're not currently living in a...
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The Party Switch or, "Follow the money, not the names"
"The parties switched" is the most confidently repeated, least accurately explained sentence in American political history. Sometimes a party shifted its platform over time to hold on to core voting groups. Sometimes a voting bloc switched to another party. But there was never a simple "Switch."...
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Contextualizing 9/11 or, "WHY did Al-Qaeda attack the United States?"
There are adults walking around right now, almost old enough to rent a car, who weren't alive on September 11, 2001. And a lot of the rest of us watched it happen live and never actually went back to learn it as history. We lived through it. We never studied it. This episode covers both halves of...
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The Birth of Political Parties or, "Washington warned us."
George Washington's Farewell Address is basically a 1796 subtweet aimed at the entire rest of American history. He warned the country against "the baneful effects of the spirit of party" — and by the time he finished writing it, political parties had already formed. Nobody listened. Nobody has…
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Tradwives or, "The Cult of Domesticity with Better Lighting"
The TradWife trend is not new. We just used to call it the Cult of Domesticity — and back then it didn't come with a ring light. Every few decades, America falls back in love with the idea that women, especially moms, belong at home. It's happening again right now with linen aprons and homemade...
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The National Debt or, "Is $40 trillion a lot? It seems like a lot..."
The national debt just hit $40 trillion. If the U.S. decided to pay that off at a cool $1 billion a year, we'd be debt-free in about 40,000 years — so, cool, normal, not concerning at all. This week we're digging into how we actually got here. Turns out America has basically never not been in…
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A Brief History of Egypt or, "7,000 years in 40 minutes"
Welcome to a special episode I've created for my Historical Travel Society members who are traveling to Egypt! Click here for my History of Egypt TIMELINE to follow along
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Henry George or, "Emily is forced to discuss economics!" (with Mr. Beat)
Henry George was a guy with two first names and a Progressive dream to level the growing inequality through a land value tax. Mr. Beat (of YouTube fame) teaches me everything I never knew I needed to know...
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The 1968 Mexico City Olympics or, "Emily finally uses her graduate thesis!"
This week I force Seema Rao (@artlust) to hear me explain the incredible pop art / indigenous design elements of the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, because SOMEONE besides me should read my graduate thesis... Follow Seema for all things aesthetic and art history on TikTok!
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Porcelain or, "People have always liked pretty things" (with Seema Rao)
This week Seema Rao (@artlust) is explaining to me why they entire freakin' world wanted porcelain so badly they conquered whole continents for a nice tea set. Follow Seema for all things aesthetic and art history on TikTok!
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Smedley Butler or, "The Making and Breaking of America's Empire" (with author Jonathan M. Katz)
This week I'm joined by Jonathan Katz, author of Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America's Empire. On today's episode we talk about ALL of it: American imperialism, the Bonus Army March of WWI vets, an attempted fascist coup against FDR, and…
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Jane Addams or, "Give that lady a Nobel Prize! Oh wait..." (with Ernest Crim III)
I'm joined this week by Ernest Crim III who teaches me about a 19th c. local Black history icon: Sam Harris of Williamsburg, Virginia. Follow Mr. Crim on TikTok and Instagram for more deep dives into Black history!
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Sam Harris or, "The Black Mogul of Williamsburg" (with Ernest Crim III)
I'm joined this week by Ernest Crim III who teaches me about a 19th c. local Black history icon: Sam Harris of Williamsburg, Virginia. Follow Mr. Crim on TikTok and Instagram for more deep dives into Black history!
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The Nullification Crisis or, "The Civil War That Almost Was" (with Dara Starr Tucker!)
This week I'm joined again by Dara Starr Tucker who is going to learn all about the Nullification Crisis as our best case study of whether or not a Civil War could have been fought without slavery as the main issue. Follow Dara on TikTok, Instagram, or see her live at an upcoming show!
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Lincoln & Black Americans or, "It's Called Nuance, People!" (with Dara Starr Tucker)
This week I'm joined by Dara Starr Tucker who is going to help me understand Abraham Lincoln and his complicated views on Black Americans during his lifetime. Follow Dara on TikTok, Instagram, or see her live at an upcoming show!
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Riga or, "Other Emily is a Latvian Princess!" (with Emily Neinast)
The Emilies went to Latvia and fell in love! Join us as we share all the history, fun facts, and personal revelations we discovered in our new favorite European city: Riga. Follow Emily Pool for all things European History on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube and check out her AP European History...
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US History Episode 24: The Bush/Obama Years or, "Apparently we can get fooled again"
Support this podcast by joining Patreon.com/AntiSocialStudies
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US History Ep. 23 The 1990s or, "The Seinfeld Decade"
Listen. Never have I felt older than this moment, in which I am lecturing via podcast about the historical epoch that is the 1990s (or, as the kids refer to it, “The late 1900s.”) So, what were the 1990s about? It was confusing. We didn’t have a clear “enemy” in the world anymore. The internet…
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US History Episode 22: The 1980s or, "Dad maybe don't listen to this episode"
Support the show on Patreon! Emily tries to avoid comment trolls as she covers the Reagan years, the AIDS Crisis, trickle-down economics, and whatever the HW Bush presidency was all about.
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US History Episode 21: The 1970s or, "If an entire decade was a middle child..."
It's 1968. White middle-class Americans are tired. They’re tired of everyone complaining - it’s “systemic racism” this and “unjust war” that. Can’t we all just be happy? Isn’t it time we all just calmed down and got back to work? It’s time for some tough love and Nixon is the man to drag us out…
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Jackie Robinson or, "Fair Play and Justice"
This episode is sponsored by the National Archives Foundation and their exhibit, "All American: The Power of Sports." Visit the exhibit in DC at the William G. McCowan Theater through January 2024, subscribe to their YouTube channel and check out their website for more history content and…
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US History Episode 20: Civil Rights & Feminism or, "Free At Last?"
Before we move on in time from LBJ to Nixon, I want to pause so that we can talk about the PLETHORA of social movements that were ongoing throughout these two presidencies. Today we’re talking about Civil Rights and Protest Movements of the 1960s and 70s or, “Free At Last?
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US History Episode 19: LBJ or, "The US Gets the Johnson Treatment"
This episode of Anti-Social Studies was sponsored by the LBJ Presidential Library and Foundation. If you're in the Austin area, visit the LBJ Library & Museum. If not, check out www.LBJLibrary.org to explore their eMuseum, digital archives, and educational resources. If JFK was the optimism of…
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Columbus Day or, "Why do we celebrate an Italian who sailed for Spain?"
It's a bonus episode on the history of Columbus Day (for pictures and wild gesticulations by Yours Truly, you can check out the video version on my YouTube!)
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US History Episode 17: The Early Cold War or, “McArthur, McCarthy and Ike”
Has it been 6 months since my last episode? Sure. Does it cause me anxiety that I left my listeners on a cliffhanger of a communist threat for half a year? You betcha. But during my hiatus I was really productive dragging my way through the end of a terrible school year and building a …
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Emily Learns About Monty Python and the Myth of the Medieval Church with John Moscatiello
Emily is joined by medieval historian (and founder of Marco Learning) John Moscatiello as they discuss (and sometimes debunk) the role of the Christian Church in the Middle Ages. Topics include land grabs, the Crusades, and the Black Death.
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Emily Learns About Monty Python and the Myth of Medieval Justice with John Moscatiello
Emily is joined by medieval historian (and founder of Marco Learning ) John Moscatiello to debunk medieval justice in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Topics include witch trials, torture devices, and the power of kings.
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Emily Learns About Monty Python and the Myth of the “Dark Ages” with John Moscatiello
Emily talks to an actual medieval historian (John Moscatiello, Founder of Marco Learning) about her favorite movie of all time: Monty Python and the Holy Grail. In Part 1, they wonder, were the Middle Ages really as bad as movies make them seem? (Spoiler: No! It’s a conspiracy!) Topics include...
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US History Ep. 16: The Postwar World or, “Boom, Baby!”
I know you’ve all been anxiously awaiting the conclusion of this narrative that literally no one else has ever told in history. How does World War II end? Does Hitler create a Reich to last a thousand years? Am I actually speaking Japanese right now?! OK let’s get right to it. Today we’re…
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Emily Learns About… Emma Goldman (part 3) with Rudy Ramirez!
The post Emily Learns About… Emma Goldman (part 3) with Rudy Ramirez! appeared first on Anti-Social Studies.
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Emily Learns About… Emma Goldman (part 2) with Rudy Ramirez!
The post Emily Learns About… Emma Goldman (part 2) with Rudy Ramirez! appeared first on Anti-Social Studies.
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Emily Learns About… Emma Goldman (part 1) with Rudy Ramirez!
Emma Goldman was an immigrant teenage anarchist who just wanted to dance (and overthrow the government.) But the real question is… how did she end up running an ice cream shop?
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US History Ep. 15: WWII or, “Tom Hanks’ War”
OK. Buckle your seatbelts. We’ve made it to the only event in American history that really matters… WORLD! WAR! TWO! I’m just kidding. But it’s amazing how many people come up to me at parties and tell me they’re a history buff only to find out that they’ve just read thirty books on D-Day. Now, …
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Emily Learns About… Emmett Till and John Lewis with Cathy Cluck!
(The original episode had audio issues so make sure you listen to this one instead!)
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US History Ep. 14: The New Deal or, “Saving Mr. Banks!”
Last episode people danced while the economy crumbled. Today, we need to figure out what happened next. How do you bring an entire country out of total financial collapse and unemployment? No, really. I’m asking for us right now. Well, if you’re a Democrat you would say, “The government needs to...
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Aaron Burr or, “Kind of a Jerk and Nobody Likes Him” (with Cathy Cluck)
Join me and my former AP US History teacher as we talk about the insane and tragic life of Aaron Burr. Check out the full video conversation on YouTube! Follow Cathy on her #greatamericanhistoryroadtrip on Instagram!
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U.S. History Episode 13 The Roaring 20s or, “Does any of this sound a little familiar?”
Woo! It’s been a few months since my last episode, has anything big happened? Just kidding. Turns out that making a podcast for fun wasn’t one of my top priorities during a global pandemic – I’m honestly as surprised as you are. But seriously, sorry it’s been such a long time. I needed a few …
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US History Ep. 12: World War I or, “Woodrow Wilson’s War”
Act 1: Wilson and the War We can’t really understand WWI in America without talking about Woodrow Wilson. And we can’t understand Woodrow Wilson without talking about Tommy Wilson, because that was actually his name. His dropped his first name “Thomas” when he decided that his middle name Woodrow...
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US History Ep. 11 The Women’s Era or, “Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make It On This Podcast”
All right. The ladies of American history have been dancing on the edges of our narrative for about 200 years. I think it’s about time we gave them an episode of their own. Shall we? Today’s episode is all about The Women’s Era or, “Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make It On This Podcast.” We’re going…
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US History Ep. 10: The Progressive Era or, “No more thumbs in our meat, please!”
So we’ve reached the 20th century – finally! – and the U.S. overall is doing pretty well. Our economy is booming, we’ve got colonies now… the nation is doing well. But the people that live in the nation… most of them aren’t doing as great. Remember the Gilded Age? Uber capitalism on steroids with...
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US History Ep. 9: Imperialism or, “Just a spoonful of sugar helps imperialism go down…”
Welcome back to Anti-Social Studies! Last episode we talked about the Gilded Age and it was dark. Like, Dickensian-level darkness: poverty, tiny child labor hands, fat corrupt politicians. But on the other hand, electricity! So it balances out, right? Today we’re not moving forward in time, but...
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US History Ep. 8: The Gilded Age or, “Imagine Newsies… but no one’s dancing.”
Last episode we talked about the end of Reconstruction and the rise of the Jim Crow South. But don’t worry! Because today we’re traveling North to see the glitz and glamor of city life in the era of industrialization! Electric lights! Millionnaires! Skyscrapers! Oh yeah, and also poverty,...
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US History Ep. 7: The Postwar South or, “Reconstruction. Reconstruction!”
We left last episode on a cliffhanger. I know you’ve all been desperately waiting for two weeks wondering “Who will win the Civil War???” Well then, let’s get right to it! Today’s episode is all about the post-Civil War South or, “Reconstruction. Reconstruction!” (That’s a deep-cut Grease 2...
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US History Ep. 6 The Civil War or, “Sorry I’m not Ken Burns!”
Welcome back to Anti-Social Studies! Last time we talked about sectionalism. The federal government kept putting off talking about the horrific question of slavery but, ultimately, it was an issue that had to be resolved one way or another. The growing tension and disagreements amongst various...
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US History Ep. 5 Sectionalism or, “Manifest Destiny’s Child”
Welcome back to Anti-Social Studies! OK. Real talk. If you’re listening to me right now then either your teacher is making you or you really like my podcast. Let’s be honest, anyone who’s stuck around through the War of 1812 and a whole episode on slavery is a true fan. So I want you to …
About this show
History class, but make it make sense for your group chat.Anti-Social Studies is the history podcast for people who follow the news, have opinions, and never quite got the full story in school. Each season takes on a different slice of the past — World History, U.S. History, and the current events that are basically history happening in real time — and breaks it down for people walking in with zero background and zero patience for boring. No jargon, no gatekeeping, no assuming you already know who these people are or why any of this matters. Just the context you actually need, delivered like your favorite teacher going on a very fun tangent.Hosted by Emily Glankler — 12-year high school history teacher turned full-time history-explainer — Anti-Social Studies exists on one belief: the world would be a better place if everyone paid a little more attention in history class. Consider this your second chance.New episodes contextualize the chaos, one historical tangent at a time.
Hosted by
Emily Glankler
Categories