To US, from US: A Public Response to the Declaration of Independence
Podcast Objectives
To increase interest surrounding the Declaration of Independence by engaging public and scholarly voices.
Podcast Methods
The podcast aims to bridge how scholars and the public think about history by utilizing:
- Written academic work
- Interviews with the American public
- Interviews with scholars
- Narration/discussion between podcast co-hosts
Podcast Team
Contributing Scholars
- Dr. Thomas James, Teachers College, Columbia University
- Dr. David Waldstreicher, The City University of New York
- Dr. Ruth Vinz, Teachers College, Columbia University
- Dr. Adam R. Nelson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Dr. Steven Mintz, The University of Texas at Austin
Public Intellectuals
The members of the public who have been interviewed for the podcast come from the northeast, southeast, midwest, southwest, and northwest U.S. They range from young adults to senior citizens and vary in racial makeup. Their voices reflect people who have a positive take on the Declaration of Independence and those who are critical of the document, with some who are somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.
Podcast Hosts
- Andrea Kim, PhD student in Sociology and Education Program
- Aldo B. Martin Benros, MA student, History and Education
Episodes
Episode 1: I Don’t Think I Know Much About It
In recognition of the United States’ 250th Anniversary, we ask members of the public what the Declaration of Independence means to them. Their answers, combined with scholarly essays, provide us with a glimpse as to how Americans view elements of American history.
Episode 1 features Dr. Thomas James of Teachers College, Columbia University. As the creator of the Imagining Liberty Project, he discusses his motives in creating the project. Professor James hopes that the project guides people to think of the Revolutionary Period beyond the war, and to consider what the Declaration of Independence means in their own lives.
Episode 2: A Conundrum
In recognition of the United States’ 250th Anniversary, we ask members of the public what the Declaration of Independence means to them. Their answers, combined with scholarly essays, provide us with a glimpse as to how Americans view elements of American history.
Episode 2 features Dr. David Waldstreicher of City University of New York. Dr. Waldstreicher authored an essay titled “Eleven Ways of Looking at the Declaration of Independence.” Dr. Waldstreicher discusses his thoughts behind the essay and also provides the audience with bit of the history behind the Declaration of Independence.
Episode 3: Declaration as Participation
In recognition of the United States’ 250th Anniversary, we ask members of the public what the Declaration of Independence means to them. Their answers, combined with scholarly essays, provide us with a glimpse as to how Americans view elements of American history.
Episode 3 features Dr. Ruth Vinz of Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Vinz essay is about the impact of women in the Revolutionary Era. Dr. Vinz discusses why she took a literary approach to writing about history.
Episode 4: Science and Expansion
In recognition of the United States’ 250th Anniversary, we ask members of the public what the Declaration of Independence means to them. Their answers, combined with scholarly essays, provide us with a glimpse as to how Americans view elements of American history.
Episode 4 features Dr. Adam Nelson of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dr. Nelson penned an essay about Science and Statecraft and how the science played a role in the expansion of the United States. We asked Dr. Nelson about his thoughts on taking a scientific approach to explaining the Revolutionary Era.
Episode 5: Education Takes Place in Life
In recognition of the United States’ 250th Anniversary, we ask members of the public what the Declaration of Independence means to them. Their answers, combined with scholarly essays, provide us with a glimpse as to how Americans view elements of American history.
Episode 5 features Dr. Steven Mintz of the University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Mintz wrote an essay for the Imagining Liberty Project titled “Liberty’s Children: The Role of Youth in Reshaping Power, Education, and Family During the American Revolution.” Dr. Mintz explains the impact that the Declaration of Independence has had on other radical movements in the United States and around the world.