Season 2 of Genealogies of Modernity is a limited series from the Genealogies of Modernity Project and Ministry of Ideas. Each episode... more
The great English essayist and linguist Samuel Johnson was writing during the Enlightenment – the period some historians identify as... more
The problem of gun violence is as old as guns themselves. According to historian Priya Satia, America’s present epidemic of... more
What if racism shared an origin with opposition to racism? What if the condemnation of injustice gave rise both to... more
Race is sometimes treated as a biological fact. It is actually a modern invention. But for this concept to gain... more
What is the “traditional American family?” Popular images from the colonial and pioneer past suggest an isolated and self-sufficient nuclear... more
Genealogy, in Charles Darwin’s terms, is the study of “descent with modification.” Taken as an analogy for the study of... more
We often think of modernity as a distinct time period in history – one that is said to start at... more
We all know many stories about how modernity came about. But what does it mean to be “modern?” This episode... more
This week’s episode is based on Chris Nygren’s session at the summer school in 2018, and a follow-up interview... more
This week’s episode is based on Eileen Reeves’ session at the summer school in 2018, and a follow-up interview we... more
We often think of modernity as a distinct time period in history – one that is said to start at different places,... more