Category: World History

This multi-episode series is about the history of relations between the United States and the Middle East, including both US foreign policy and the Middle Eastern immigrant experience. In this episode, Jaye recounts the early history of relations between the United States and the Middle East, focusing on the Barbary Wars, and delves into early immigration to the US from the Middle East. What role did religion play in the acceptance of early Middle Eastern immigrants, and how did people of Middle Eastern descent become “white” in America?

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This multi-episode series is about the history of relations between the United States and the Middle East, including both US foreign policy and the Middle Eastern immigrant experience.

This episode is a brief history of the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, from the decline of the Roman Empire to the rise of the Ottoman Empire. In the first episode of Potstirrer Podcast not to center on US politics or culture, Jaye discusses the Great Schism, the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire, the Crusades, and more.

CONTENT WARNING: The following episode includes discussion of war, with references to physical and sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised.

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In the third annual Potstirrer Podcast War on Christmas Special, Jaye discusses the non-Christian origins of several Christmas traditions, including the twelve days of Christmas, Yule logs, Santa Claus and more. How did the Christmas holiday develop over time, and if Christmas isn’t purely “Christian,” what are evangelicals waging the “War on Christmas” truly fighting for?

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In the second installment of America’s War on Drugs, drug czar Harry Anslinger continues his reign from the 1930s through the early 1960s. During his 32 years as commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, he campaigned against not only about cannabis, but also against narcotics and opiates. Jaye discusses Anslinger’s reach and impact – including on the medical profession and global drug policies, and how he used mainstream society’s fears of racial equality and communism to advance his vision of an anti-drug world.

CONTENT WARNING – The following episode discusses mature themes, including murder, suicide, illicit drug use, child sex abuse and domestic violence. Listener discretion is advised.

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As the myriad of Democratic presidential candidates with tons of ideas are hitting the debate circuit, Elle Riccardi from the podcast Short, Colorful + Loud joins Jaye to discuss political spectrums. What are the building blocks of political spectrums? Where did “left” and “right” come from? Are communism and fascism all that close to each other? Elle and Jaye discuss various kinds of political spectrums, including left-right, horseshoe theory, the political compass (including how they tested on it!) and more. They also discuss centrism, anarchy, and how the Overton Window can affect how we view what is “normal” in political discourse.

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Several Democratic candidates are running to be the party’s nominee for President of the United States. Jaye believes it matters less which candidate becomes the Democratic nominee, but more so what direction the Democratic Party will go in the 2020 election. Will the Democrats focus on recruiting Donald Trump supporters, or convincing non-voters to go to the polls? Jaye argues that focusing on Trump supporters will guarantee a loss for the Democrats, and the best way forward in 2020 and beyond is to excite non-voters and turn out their base with a slate of common-sense progressive reforms.

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