In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the history of panics over contaminated Halloween candy.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Panics over “Halloween sadism” have resurged yearly for decades. Niki referred to historian Paul M. Renfro’s book Stranger Danger: Family Values, Childhood, and the American Carceral State and Natalia cited this Wall Street Journal article about fentanyl abuse. All of us drew on the research of Joel Best.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared Geoffrey Mak’s essay for The Nation, “I Wanted a Boyfriend. My Life Coach Told Me to Become a Commodity.”
• Neil commented on the Netflix show, “UNTOLD: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.”
• Niki discussed Kaarima Moyer-Nocchi and Adrien Miller’s Epicurious article, “Who Invented Mac and Cheese? This American Favorite Has Ancient Roman Roots.”

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the senatorial campaign of John Fetterman and his recovery from a stroke.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• John Fetterman is the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, and an NBC interview drew attention to his disability and media’s treatment of it. Natalia referred to Rebecca Traister’s profile of Fetterman for New York Neil recommended this Disability Studies Quarterly article by historians Paul Renfro and Byrd McDaniel. We drew on this HISTORY overview of disabled presidents and this POLITICO piece about politicians and mental illness.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared Constance Méheut’s New York Times article, “With Leaps and Bounds, Parkour Athletes Turn Off the Lights in Paris.”
• Neil commented on Nicole Laporte’s Town and Country article, “Why Are So Many Northern Kids Moving South to College?”
• Niki discussed Elizabeth Becker’s book You Don’t Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War.

In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the Senate campaign of Herschel Walker and the controversy it has created.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Football star Herschel Walker is running for U.S. Senate as a conservative Republican in Georgia. Niki referred to historian Leah Wright Rigueur’s book The Loneliness of the Black Republican. Niki and Neil discussed this Christian Science Monitor article they co-authored in 2009. Neil drew on this Slate article about Walker’s son, an online influencer. Natalia referenced this New York Times profile about Walker’s local reputation.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia reflected on two controversies in academia, one surrounding historian Patricia Limerick and the other chemist Maitland Jones.
• Neil discussed Eric Burkett’s Bay Area Reporter story, “LGBTQ Agenda: Pentagon Office Finds Fears of Gay Service Were Unfounded, Report Says.”
• Niki discussed President Biden’s federal pardons of those convicted for marijuana possession.

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the political protests in Iran.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• The death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini at the hands of the country’s “morality police” has set off protests all over the country and the world. Natalia and Niki referred to this New Yorker essay and this Los Angeles Times article.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed historian David A. Hollinger’s new book, Christianity’s American Fate: How Religion Became More Conservative and Society More Secular.
• Neil recommended Leslie Jamison’s New Yorker article, “The Enduring Allure of Choose Your Own Adventure Books.”
• Niki shared about Nursing Clio’s “Reproduction History Syllabus.”