Throughline
NPR
Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalists Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei.Subscribe to Throughline+. You'll be supporting the history-reframing, perspective-shifting, time-warping stories you can't get enough of - and you'll unlock access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org/throughline
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 2, 2020 • 40min
A Race To Know
For nearly as long as there has been a United States there has been a census, it is in some ways how we know ourselves. And in every single census there has been at least one question about race. The evolution of these questions and the fight over asking them is at the heart of the American story. This week, how race has played a central role in who is counted-in America.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
6 snips
Mar 26, 2020 • 37min
1918 Flu
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic it's tempting to draw comparisons to the most severe pandemic in recent history - the 1918 flu. But as much as we can learn from the comparison, it's important to also understand just how much these two pandemics differ. This week, what we can learn from what happened then and, just as importantly, where the comparison should end.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
6 snips
Mar 19, 2020 • 1h 2min
American Socialist
It's been over a century since a self-described socialist was a viable candidate for President of the United States. And that first socialist candidate, Eugene V. Debs, didn't just capture significant votes, he created a new and enduring populist politics deep in the American grain. This week, the story of Eugene V. Debs and the creation of American socialism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Mar 12, 2020 • 31min
Savarkar And India
In the past few weeks Delhi has become the latest place in India convulsed with religious violence as Hindu mobs burned Muslim neighborhoods, mosques and killed over 40 people. The violence comes in the wake of a new citizenship law that excludes undocumented Muslims, but it also follows years of incendiary rhetoric and policies from the ascendant right-wing Hindu nationalist party, the BJP, and India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. As the political philosophy of Hindu nationalism gains ground in India we look back at one of its architects - Vinayak Savarkar.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
6 snips
Mar 5, 2020 • 46min
Public Universal Friend
America in the run-up to the Revolutionary War wasn't just a period of dramatic political change, it was also a time of great religious and social instability, anxiety and experimentation. And in the midst of it all there arose a self-proclaimed genderless prophet — the Public Universal Friend. This week, how the Public Universal Friend rocked society's norms and paved the way for others to reject religious and gender expectations for centuries to come.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Feb 27, 2020 • 31min
The Invisible Border
Today, the border that divides Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is "soft", in most places you could almost forget that it's there. But for decades it was a deadly flash point in the bitter conflict known as "The Troubles" . This week, we share an episode from Today, Explained that takes a look at the history of this conflict and how Brexit could jeopardize a fragile peace.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Feb 20, 2020 • 57min
The Stars
Astrology has existed for thousands of years and has roots that span the globe. But is it a science or a religion or just a kind of personality test? And why is it more popular than ever? This week, the story of how finding our fates in the stars moved from the fringes to the mainstream and became a multi-billion dollar industry.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
4 snips
Feb 13, 2020 • 31min
Becoming America
When the United States of America was founded, it was only a union of a small number of states. By the beginning of the 20th century, the United States had become an empire; with states and territories and colonies that spanned the globe. As a result, the country began to not only reconsider its place in the world, but also its very name.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Feb 6, 2020 • 1h
She Got Next
There are more female candidates in this presidential campaign cycle than at any other time in American history. But women were running for the highest office before they could even vote. How three women ran and challenged the notion of who could and should be president of the United States.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Jan 30, 2020 • 22min
Vaccination
It's a longstanding fight in the U.S., whether people can opt out of vaccination if that means jeopardizing the greater public's health. In this episode, we look back at a 1905 Supreme Court case that set a precedent for whether or not the state can enforce compulsory vaccinations.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
