The Way of Improvement Leads Home: American History, Religion, Politics, and Academic life.

Throughout the history of the Miss America Pageant, there has been a complicated relationship between sexuality and religion. The goal of the pageant is to crown the ideal American woman, but judge these women simultaneously based on their so-called purity as well as their sex appeal. Host John Fea explores his own relationship with the pageant and its roots in the New Jersey boardwalk culture. He is joined by Baylor's Mandy McMichael (@mandyemcmichael), author of Miss America's God: Faith and Identity in America's Oldest Pageant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Americans are undoubtedly familiar with the harrowing journey made by freedom seekers escaping enslavement that we have termed the "Underground Railroad." Sadly, historians are only now becoming equally aware of a "Reverse Underground Railroad," in which free black people from the North were kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. Historian Richard Bell tells the story of one such kidnapping in his new book Stolen, and joins John Fea to talk about it on this week's podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Military history is changing. While Father's Day gifts still tend to focus on troop movements and great generals, military historians in the academy are instead turning to subjects like the lives of veterans, the effects of war on the home front, and minorities in the military. One such military historian is John Fea's newest colleague at Messiah College, Dr. Sarah Myers (@DrSarahMyers), who researches the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who knew that evangelical Christianity and the emergence of the American oil industry were so intimately linked? In this episode, host John Fea explores what it means to be an evangelical and whether scholarly debates over the term help us to better understand the role played by evangelicals throughout American history. He is joined by Notre Dame historian Darren Dochuk, who discusses his new book, Anointed with Oil: How Christianity and Crude Made Modern America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In conservative political circles, the idea of "free enterprise" is revered with a religious zeal. This is especially interesting as these political ideals are often held by Evangelical Christians. Host John Fea explores what historians of termed the "business turn" of American Chrisitan history. They are joined by Cornell historian Lawrence Glickman (@LarryGlickman), the author of Free Enterprise: An American History.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Increasingly, college campuses have transformed from places of rigorous scholarly pursuits into glorified centers for job training. But is this what college is really for? Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling sit down and discuss the need for aspirational hope in an increasingly pessimistic world. They are joined by Dr. Johann Neem (@JohannNeem), author of the recent book, What's the Point of College?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here at the podcast, we have often engaged with our collective love of popular music and the history embedded within that love. Host John Fea regularly cites New Jersey state treasure Bruce Springsteen and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling channels his experience in garage bands every time he produces an episode. It is therefore fitting that they close out the season with guest Bob Crawford (@BobCrawfordBass) of the wildly popular The Avett Brothers (@TheAvettBros). Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now that most everyone carries a search engine in their pocket, why do we still need to study history? Our present age demonstrates just how deceiving the internet can truly be. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling make the case that historical thinking is a critical tool for surviving this "post-truth" era while also warning against the dangers of leaning too heavily into presentism. They are joined by Sam Wineburg (@samwineburg), the author of Why Learn History (When It’s Already on Your Phone). Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When people think of the melding of faith and business, companies like Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A usually come to mind. However, like all things, the history of this type of partnership has a deeper history. Host John Fea reaches into early America to discuss the complicated integration of faith and business among Philadelphia's Quakers. They are joined by historian Nicole Kirk, author of Wanamaker's Temple: The Business of Religion in an Iconic Department Store. Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Don't be confused by the title, we are not talking about the spooky family from the 1960s. Rather, in this episode, we turn to the religious history of one of America's founding families. By focusing on the Adams family, one can trace the evolution of American religion as John, Abigail, JQA, and others wrestle with Providence, the Enlightenment, and a changing political landscape. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling are joined by Sara Georgini (@sarageorgini), the author of Household Gods: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family.  Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether you ask a young college student or a baby boomer, the only thing people seem to agree on these days is that we are more politically divided than ever. But is this true, and if so, how did we get this way? Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling try to tackle this question. They are joined by Princeton historian and CNN commentator Julian Zelizer (@julianzelizer), the co-author of the recent book, Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974. Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With so many contemporary examples of racism in American society, it is tempting to see these as the actions of racist individuals. However, many social critics have increasingly pointed to the structure and system of racism as an active part of American society today, and the Church is no different. Host John Fea and producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling are joined by Jemar Tisby (@JemarTisby), the president of the The Witness, a Black Christian Collective,  host of the podcast Pass the Mic, and the author of the new book, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism. Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here on the podcast, we love pedagogy. We've dedicated a number of episodes to the ways different historians and instructors are innovating in the classroom. Today we're turning our attention to one such approach: Reacting to the Past. These large-scale role-playing games allow students to fully appreciate the context and contingency of history by simulating historical events. We are joined by Nicolas Proctor, one of the architects of the Reacting to the Past (@ReactingTTPast) methodology, Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Her entire political career, Senator Elizabeth Warren has defended her claims to being descendent from American Indians. To prove her point, she recently released the results from a DNA test. However, this is not how American Indian communities determine who is a member and who isn't. Producer Drew Dyrli Hermeling takes over commentary duties to discuss the complicated history of American Indian identity and its appropriation. They are joined by Dr. Julie L. Reed, historian and citizen of the Cherokee Nation and author of Serving the Nation: Cherokee Sovereignty and Social Welfare, 1800-1907. Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the most enduring phrases at the heart of American exceptionalism is John Winthrop's famous proclamation that the Puritan colonists were establishing a "city upon a hill." But the story of this lay sermon is much more complicated, and, according to Bancroft-winning historian Daniel Rogers, Winthrop was not being triumphalist, but instead a statement of anxiety. Dr. Rogers joins us to discuss his new book on the sermon and its endurance, As a City on a Hill. Sponsored by the Lyndhurst Group (lyndhurstgroup.org) and Jennings College Consulting (drj4college.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices