

Space the Nation
Space the Nation
On Space the Nation, we take our love of science fiction (and fantasy and horror) and smash it together with our professional passions: international relations (as brought to the table by Tufts University professor and Washington Post columnist Dan Drezner) and cultural criticism (as brought to the table by political columnist Ana Marie Cox). It's a highly informed but hilarious conversation that starts with an examination of a particular text (everything from Ursula K. LeGuin to the MCU, Star Trek to Colson Whitehead) and veers into current events, mental health practices and imagined conversations between Ted Cruz and the Predator. For people who like white papers and graphic novels, Chapo Trap House and what Political Science Twitter used to be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 26, 2024 • 1h 9min
S4E34: ALIEN: ROMULUS
Ana and Dan will keep trying to turn those xenomorphs into some kind of profitable venture. This time, there will be no unexpected consequences. But... how's this for an unexpected consequence -- a good Alien movie! There's some IR and a lot of critique of capitalism, like all good Alien movies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 19, 2024 • 1h 17min
S4E33: PROMETHEUS
Ana and Dan lean down to pet the cute little snake thing! So adorable, the ghostly white-translucent little sucking cobra! Was Ana forcing Dan to watch this movie as bad an idea as any one choice made in the movie itself? Dan thinks so! There is a bit of IR in the film. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 12, 2024 • 1h 27min
S4E32: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
And and Dan talk about that really old movie, Captain America: Civil War? Ever see it? Last week, we took a look at Deadpool & Wolverine as a possible future of the MCU -- is it a good idea to remember what its future used to be? There's a lot of IR but not the kind you think—also, capitalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 5, 2024 • 1h 8min
S4E31: DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE
Dive into the wild world of Marvel's latest triumph as the hosts discuss its record-breaking opening weekend. They analyze the unique humor and storytelling of 'Deadpool,' alongside fascinating insider details about production. Expect laughs as they explore clever cameos and the role of product placement. The chaotic misadventures of Logan and Wilson also spark discussions on nostalgia and representation. They wrap up with a playful critique of capitalism in cinema and its impact on character depth, alongside a nod to Jennifer Garner's return in Hollywood.

Aug 1, 2024 • 60min
S4E30: A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ
Ana and Dan begin the cycle of progress and destruction that is humanity's lot. This is an episode of canon fodder, about the problem of cannon fodder. It's a dark vision with a dark backstory. For a novel about the costs of nuclear war, there isn't a lot of IR or capitalism! There is a lot to think about. (THIS WAS POSTED A BIT LATE, THOUGH ON THE SCALE OF CENTURIES, NOT LATE AT ALL. APOLOGIES TO THOSE OF YOU EXISTING ON A MORE LIMITED PLANE.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 24, 2024 • 20min
SPECULATIVE NON-FICTION 01: Biden Drops Out
NOTE: This is a couple of days old (obviously). We posted the video the day-of but this is provided for folks who are, like, washing the dishes. We plan on doing more of these -- weekly or as the news warrants. These are available to all listeners but if you are not a patron and enjoy these special episodes, we would appreciate you becoming one.Ana and Dan go rogue and discuss the asteroid that hit the presidential race: Joe Biden withdrawing from the 2024 election and the potential implications. They explore the various factors that contributed to this decision, including Biden's declining cognitive abilities, his staff's handling of the situation, and the role of the media. They also speculate on who would write the fictional version of these events and recommend science fiction literature to provide context. (AI WROTE THIS SUMMARY) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 22, 2024 • 59min
S4E29: A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE
Ana and Dan shhhhhhh... and use the thunderstorm to cover their conversation about the most recent entry in John Krasinski's silent apocalypse. Surprise! It's a mumblecore melodrama with a deadly setting and a cat. We loved the intimacy and interpersonal gentleness, some of the monster stuff still doesn't make sense. There is IR in this movie! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 15, 2024 • 1h 10min
S4E28: A QUIET PLACE
Ana and Dan turn on the red lights and delve into a trad-horror* classic. It's beautiful, well-acted, and has gender roles more hardened than the carapace of the monsters from Planet Quiet Car. There's surprisingly little IR but some fun and wildly tangential critique of capitalism!*J.D. Vance as VP would be a different sort of trad-horror. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 8, 2024 • 1h 8min
S4E27: X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Ana and Dan don't think too hard about it, because the movie is just better that way. Another over-stuffed cast wrangles some nonsense as best they can, to perfectly adequate results! Pro: one of the franchise's best action scenes and an old/new casting face-off that delivers. Con: Professor X can't fix these plot holes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 1, 2024 • 1h 12min
S4E26: STAR TREK GENERATIONS
Ana and Dan collect rocks and talk about the least memorable meeting of the two most memorable actors ever to grace the small screen. The plot is just a lot of nonsense! It starts with an in-your-face reminder that holodecks are magic and moves on to a metaphor for drugs? Maybe? We thought about this more than the people that made it. There is not really any IR in it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.