Podcasts by The Artist in American History
How have writers, illustrators, film makers, and musicians shaped the American experience? In this podcast series historian Dr. Darren R. Reid explores American history through the lens of the artist. From classic comics books to music and film, this podcast examines how art and artistry has reflected and informed the American experience.
Featured iTunes podcast (January and February 2014), #1 episodes in Education and Higher Education. Current series,
Further podcasts by Dr. Darren R. Reid
Podcast on the topic Geschichte
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American Frontiers 01 - Keepers of the Forest from 2019-07-18T10:39:01
To celebrate the launch of my new documentary on Amazon Prime, this new series explores the stories, history, and culture of the Kaingang tribe, providing a unique insight into the history of th...
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Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance from 2017-11-10T07:34:03
Perhaps one of the most exciting moments in US history, the Harlem Renaissance was an explosion of art, literature, and performance in New York's Harlem burgh. One of its foremost participants, La...
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Custer's Revenge: Racism and Sexism in Early Videogames (Videogame History #2) from 2017-04-25T06:46:32
Custer's Revenge on the Atari 2600 is an almost uniquely horrifying celebration of casual racism, sexism, and sexual assault. Released back in 1982, this novelty videogame is a type of revenge fan...
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01 - Videogame History: E.T. on the Atari 2600 from 2017-03-16T08:04:16
E.T. by Atari is widely regarded as one of the worst videogames ever created. Based upon the wildly popular film Steven Spielberg, it was made in under six weeks by a single developer working on h...
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Da Vinci's Spraycan - A Beginners Guide to Street Art from 2017-02-21T05:42:52
How to appreciate street art - a beginners guide to the underworld. Join Dr. Reid as he explores a secret street art gallery somewhere in Scotland. The abandoned factory has had its interior cove...
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Election Special! The Trump Effect from 2016-11-03T06:03:34
In this special episode Dr. Reid travels to New York to speak to ordinary Americans about their reaction to Donald Trump's divisive rise. The resultant short film, co-directed by Brett Sanders and...
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Guardians of the Forest: The Magna Carta and Colonial America from 2016-07-01T07:10:07
The Artist in American History is back with a special post-Brexit episode which deconstructs British and English claims to founding global democracy through the creation of the Magna Carta. Rather...
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The Politics of Star Wars from 2015-12-31T11:30:56
In this episode, Dr. Reid examines the rich politics which underpinned the original Star Wars film. From the importance to the guerrilla fighters in the post-Vietnam era through to contemporary wa...
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The Present State of the Future from 2015-10-16T11:44:30
Explore the meaning of science fiction as a means of uncovering difficult truths about world history and the human experience. This episode uses the recent film Chappie to ask questions about how ...
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Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and the Suicidal Clowns of New York from 2015-08-29T06:47:27
Video Podcast + Trailer. Looking for Charlie; Or, Why Do Clowns Kill Themselves is the new feature length documentary from historians Darren R. Reid and Brett Sanders. It explores the thin line bet...
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Unfrozen - Gender and the Disney Princess from 2015-01-15T11:00
Lecture exploring how Disney's animated princesses have been slowly and unevenly evolving to adapt to the modern world
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Why is 'Redskins' Racist - The History Behind the Controversy from 2014-08-28T11:04
In this lecture we examine the history behind the name 'Redskins', looking at the history of race and racism in order to lay bare what, exactly, is so problematic with that label. This lecture tie...
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Folk Music of the Civil War: Hard Times Come Again from 2014-08-03T10:24:50
Bad food makes great music - in this lecture Dr. Reid examines the role played by folk music in the American Civil War by examining the case study of 'Hard Times Come Again No More' and how that so...
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5 Minute History: The Theatre of Charlie Chaplin's Youth from 2014-08-01T09:58
In this 5 Minute History explores the importance of live theatre as a way of building community in Britain and America in the 19th and early 20th century, from Vaudeville to the Music Hall.
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5 Minute History: Charlie Chaplin and Kid Auto Races from 2014-06-29T15:58
Celebrate one hundred years of Charlie Chaplin with this micro documentary exploring his early life and his earliest appearances as the "Little Tramp". In this five minute history, become a master ...
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006 - Comic Books Studies: Wonder Woman, Feminist Icon - A Brief History of Her Gendered Creation from 2014-05-27T15:47
The sixth episode in the Comic Books Studies series examines the ways in which Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston tried to distill his complicated ideas about gender and female superiorit...
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Review - 24: Live Another Day (Premier) from 2014-05-07T09:26
In this special episode we examine the just broadcast return of Jack Bauer in 24: Live Another Day. Always a political creative vehicle, 24 is perfect for discussion and analysis. In this episode...
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005 - Comic Book Studies: Why Comic Books Matter - V for Vendetta and the Occupy Movement from 2014-03-31T12:47
Comic books are not always seen as a valid subject of academic discussion but in this episode, Dr. Reid lays out a case for why that should not be the case by exploring Alan Moore's V for Vendetta ...
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004 - Comic Book Studies: Race and Racism in Early Superhero Comics from 2014-02-21T14:05:29
A short film that explores how fundamental ideas about race manifested themselves in the first wave of superhero comics.
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003 - Comic Books Studies: Captain America's Racist Sidekick from 2014-02-18T05:52
Captain America first appeared in 1940 but shortly after his introduction he was joined by sidekick team "The Young Allies" among whom was one of the most openly racist characters in superhero hist...
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002 - Comic Book Studies: A Brief History of The Joker (Batman) from 2014-02-17T05:53
The second American Studies lecture again looks at classic American comic books, this time turning its attention on Batman's arch-nemesis, the Joker. Throughout his long career the Joker has been ...
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001 - Comic Book Studies: Superman, Then and Now from 2014-02-16T05:53
Superman first appeared during the Great Depression in 1938 in a comic book which reflected the period's strong stereotypes against women. In this episode the first superhero comic will be given a ...
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So, The Lone Ranger Has Been Nominated for an Oscar... from 2014-02-01T04:14:57
In the same week that the producers behind hit sitcom, 'How I Met Your Mother' had to apologise for their use of 'yellow face' in a recent episode, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences n...
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004 - Film Festival: Charlie Chaplin's The Immigrant + Audio and Visual Commentary from 2014-01-13T18:43:40
In the final part of the 2013-2014 film festival we explore Charlie Chaplin's seminal 1917 film, The Immigrant. When Chaplin was exiled from the United States in the 1950s for his leftist politics...
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003 - Film Festival: Scenes From The Birth of a Nation + Audio Commentary from 2014-01-03T11:06:10
The Birth of a Nation (1915) is one of the most important films in the history of cinema. It refined the art of editing, special effects, large casts of characters, and was truly epic in scope. U...
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002 - Film Festival: Superman Goes to War + Audio and Visual Commentary from 2013-12-17T16:38:35
In the second episode of "The Artist in American History" film festival we examine the racial coding present in the 1942 Superman short film, "Eleventh Hour". This episode contains the complete sh...
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001 - Film Festival: D.W Griffith's The Mended Lute + Audio Commentary from 2013-12-17T05:57
Native America on film - in this special video presentation we examine a short film by D.W Griffith (director of The Birth of a Nation)that was made in 1909. This episode includes the entire origi...
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A Song of the South: Decoding 'Dixie' from 2013-12-08T18:52:20
In this episode we explore one of the most controversial American songs, the unofficial anthem of the Confederate States of America, 'Dixie'. This enduring song continues to be sung in a variety o...
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Making Sense of Torture in Early America from 2013-12-04T08:14
Not the faint of heart, we head back to early America for this episode, we explore anti-Indian propaganda in literature from the 1780s. In 1782 Colonel William Crawford led a military expedition in...
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Race, Classic Comics Books, and Why WWII is No Excuse from 2013-11-21T16:24:58
In this discussion, I consider the argument which dismisses racism in classic comics. Racism in the Golden Age of comic books was rooted in ideas which predated the Civil War which de-humanised bo...
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John Brown's Body: An Introduction to the Artist in American History from 2013-11-07T06:15:17
Introducing the Artist in American History
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The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, and SMiLE: The Lost 1960s Masterpiece from 2013-11-02T18:03
In 1966, Brian Wilson led The Beach Boys into the studio to begin work on the follow up to the critically acclaimed album, Pet Sounds. What should have been the band's masterpiece turned into thei...
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Is The Lone Ranger Racist? Disney and Race in 2013 from 2013-10-07T05:56:52
The Lone Ranger has been no stranger to controversy since its announcement. In this episode we will examine the finished product in order to see whether or not claims of racism directed at the mov...
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