I do want to thank cspan for taking the time to cover this and points out it would be good to have other microphones. As you know, im going to talk about this, but i wanted to share with you our agenda. Its alarming, as you know, the theme of our conference has been sponsoring freedom and defending democracy. I want to talk a little bit about what we are facing. Then i want to cover about how our homes are media platforms and what it has done and bias in the news media. I try to go very quickly. As you know, for a long time, we knew that we were meeting in washington and our team spon sorg freedom and defending democracy. I actually worked with colleagues to decide on the theme in october. But never did i realize that we will be at a time when we would be going through so many things. If you would allow me, i wanted to start by saying that recent attacks on diversity have chilled fre speech. My legal colleagues would say it has a chilling effect. These attacks have also affected journa
The study of the history of conspire. C theory is undergoing something of a boom at the moment. Just as the study of witchcraft did a few decades ago. As other scholars have noted historians of medieval early modern europe used to view witchcraft and witch hunting as marginal aspects of the societies as they studied. Then they began to realize. That witch hunts revealed great insights into the cultures of the time. So similarly, a growing number of. Historians are realizing that an understanding of the history of Conspiracy Theory is central to understanding the current american political moment. Now, thats not to say that. The study of the history of american theory is new. In the 1960s, richard hofstadter, his landmark essay on the paranoid style in american politics, which was term for Conspiracy Theory. And historians like david bryant davis, gordon wood and Bernard Bailyn soon followed by showing the significance of conspiracies thinking in the American Revolution in early republi
Did a few decades ago. As other scholars have noted historians of medieval early modern europe used to view witchcraft and witch hunting as marginal aspects of the societies as they studied. Then they began to realize. That witch hunts revealed great insights into the cultures of the time. So similarly, a growing number of. Historians are realizing that an understanding of the history of Conspiracy Theory is central to understanding the current american political moment. Now, thats not to say that. The study of the history of american theory is new. In the 1960s, richard hofstadter, his landmark essay on the paranoid style in american politics, which was term for Conspiracy Theory. And historians like david bryant davis, gordon wood and Bernard Bailyn soon followed by showing the significance of conspiracies thinking in the American Revolution in early republic. Then, in the 1980s, Michael Rogan brilliantly in ronald reagan, the movie that what he called a counter tradition was, as he
Time and. Thank you and welcome and good afternoon everyone im honored to introduce our next two speakers Heather Cox Richardson and Tracy K Smith, both writers of extraordinary talent and wisdom whose words and voices invited to reflect remain and revisit our and collective histories to make sense out of this time. A couple of years ago a good friend recommended Heather Cox Richardson newsletter letters from an american, which she now has in the millions. Im sure she some fans in this room too. Yes. I am grateful for heathers daily commentary because she to because what she does for me is she helps the firehose issues of the news her masterful she master translates the days events into segments pulls fact from fiction and grounds it all in the big picture of American History, while shining light where we need to be paying attention Heather Cox Richardson is the author of this book democracy awakening notes on the state of america. She is a professor of history, Boston College and an i
An intellectual feast. American history tv documents america story. On sundays book tv brings you the latest nonfiction books and authors. You think this is just a Community Center . Itis way more than that. Comcast is partnering with Community Centers to a credit wifi enabled tools so students from low income families can get what they need. Comcast along with these Companies Support cspan as a public service. Good evening, everybody. Can you hear me . I hope it is not echoing too much. I am the coowner of politics and prose along with my husband who is sitting right here. Along with our great stuff, we welcome you to tonights event with Heather Cox Richardson. She will be talking about her new book, democracy awakening. Notes on the state of america. It seems especially fitting at a time of such incredible tragedy and turmoil in the world that we are gathered here tonight in this wonderful meetinghouse. This Award Winning building with its values of simplicity, economy, sustainabilit