Graham Dodds and Executive Orders

During the early days of his presidency, Donald Trump has frequently taken to the Executive Order, why is unilateral presidential directives so contested? What is the history of the Executive Order, what are the risks of presidential directives, and how did Roosevelt change the norms of presidential action?

In episode 25, Professor Graham Dodds (Concordia University) talks about the politics and history of executive orders and other unilateral presidential directives. Dodds is an authority on executive orders and the author of Take Up Your Pen: Unilateral Presidential Directives in American Politics. He is currently working on a book on presidential mass pardons and amnesties.

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Benjamin Waterhouse and Business Interests

The 2016 presidential election became a fight over business interests, lobbying, deindustrialization, and decades old free trade agreements. How does Donald Trump, the Fifth Avenue populist, fit into a longer history of business interests in the United States, and how can we understand his ongoing feuds with American corporations?

For episode 24, Professor Benjamin Waterhouse (University of North Carolina) discusses the history of business interests, corporations involvement in politics, and lobbying. Waterhouse is an expert on the business history and the economic history of the United States, and the author of  Lobbying America: The Politics of Business from Nixon to NAFTA. His forthcoming book, out in April, is called The Land of Enterprise: A Business History of the United States.

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Margaret O’Mara and Pivotal Tuesdays

The 2016 election has often been described as historical, without defining what that means. Which modern presidential elections shaped the United States, and how does the 2016 election compare to them? And how can we understand the history of the 2016 presidential election?

For episode 23, Professor Margaret O’Mara (University of Washington) talks about presidential elections as history. O’Mara’s expertise is in the intersection of political history, economic history, and the history of technology. She is the author of Pivotal Tuesdays: Four Elections that Shaped the Twentieth Century and Cities of Knowledge: Cold War Science and the Search for the Next Silicon Valley. Her work has also appeared in edited collections, including The New Suburban History and Now Urbanism: The Future City is Here.

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Patrick Andelic and the Democratic Party

Following Hillary Clinton’s defeat, it is a time for soul-searching for the Democratic Party. The modern Democratic Party has always negotiated the relationship between liberalism, progressivism, and identity politics. How have these strands come together since the end of the New Deal coalition?

In episode 22 Patrick Andelic (University of Oxford) talks about the history of the Democratic Party and the internal struggles of the party. Andelic’s work focuses on the congressional Democratic Party in the 1970s and 1980s, and he is currently turning his thesis on the subject into a book. His work has also appeared in The Historical Journal and he is a recurring guest on the American History Too podcast.

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Andra Gillespie and the New Black Politician

A new generation of Black politicians have come of age in the 21st century. With Barack Obama leaving the White House, Senators such as Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tim Scott (R-SC) are among the most prominent representatives of the New Black Politician.

For episode 21, Professor Andra Gillespie (Emory University) discusses the New Black Politician, race, and the 2016 election. Gillespie’s work focuses on African American politics and leadership in the post-Civil Rights era. She is the author of The New Black Politician: Cory Booker, Newark, and Post-Racial America, and the editor of Whose Black Politics?: Cases in Post-Racial Black Leadership.

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Hans Noel and the Parties

In the Democratic primary, the party decided on Hillary Clinton. Among the Republicans, however, Donald Trump captured the nomination from a party splintered among factions. How did this come to be, and how will Trump change the Republican Party?

For episode 20, Professor Hans Noel (Georgetown University) returns to Campaign Context to discuss how the parties decided on the two candidates. Noel is the author of Political Ideologies and Political Parties in America, and the co-author of The Party Decides: Presidential Nominations Before and After Reform. Noel is also a frequent contributor to the political science blog The Mischiefs of Faction, and he appeared as the guest on episode 3 of Campaign Context.

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Tim Groeling and Media Coverage

Donald Trump seems to dominate media coverage of the 2016 election,  does the media give him a disproportionate amount of attention? Did Bernie Sanders suffer from lack of media attention? How did the different networks cover the candidates?

For the 19th episode, Professor Tim Groeling (UCLA) discusses the media coverage of the 2016 elections. Groeling is a part of the team responsible for the viz2016.com website that tracks mentions, topics, and framing in the coverage of the election. Professor Groeling is also of the award-winning When Politicians Attack: Party Cohesion in the Media, and War Stories: The Causes and Consequences of Public Views on War.

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Brian Rosenwald and Conservative Media

With Stephen Bannon of Breitbart joining the Trump campaign, the links between conservative media and politics is strikingly evident. Where did the conservative media establishment emerge from? How important has the conservative media been for conservative politics and the Republican Party?

For episode 18, Professor Brian Rosenwald (University of Pennsylvania) discusses the history of conservative media and politics. Rosenwald is working on his first book, on the rise of talk radio and politics in the United States, under contract at Harvard University Press. He is also the researcher for the Slate podcast Whistlestop, bringing campaign trail histories to life.

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Stephen G. Hall and the Trump Syllabus

Is Donald Trump a new phenomenon in American political history? From where did his support emerge? Where can we find the antecedents for his brand of populism and racialized politics?

In episode 17, Professor Stephen G. Hall (Alcorn State University) discusses the Trump Syllabus 2.0, and understanding Trump historically. Hall is one of the scholars behind the revised syllabus, and also the author of A Faithful Account of the Race: African American Historical Writing in Nineteenth-Century America. His main expertise includes African American historiography, nineteenth and twentieth century intellectual history, and the modern African Diaspora.

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Happy Fourth of July and Mea Culpa

The aim of Campaign Context is to feature academic discussions on issues relating to the elections, on a monthly basis. In June, due to scheduling conflicts and technical glitches, we unfortunately were unable to do this. We expect to be back with a new episode later in July instead. In the meantime, please take a listen to some of our favorite academic podcasts.

Past Present features historians Nicole Hemmer, Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, and Neil Young discussing politics and culture on a weekly basis. Recent topics discussed include Trump’s faltering campaign, the Orlando tragedy, and Hillary Clinton as the first female presumptive nominee for president.

Politics & Polls is a new podcast hosted by historian Julian Zelizer and  Sam Wang, professor of neuroscience and molecular biology. The first episode deals with the Trump-Goldwater comparison, Brexit, and The Party Decides.

Who Makes Cents is hosted by Betsy Beasley and David Stein, and features a wide array of historians talking about their work.

Nixon parade in NYC, 1964

You can, of course, also find all previous episodes of Campaign Context, listed under All Episodes. Happy Fourth of July weekend to all readers, listeners, and guests!