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  In “Podcasting the Past,” Benjamin Breen explores the role of podcasting in the field of history. He evaluates the benefits and the shortcomings of this recent phenomenon in making history available to a wider audience and comes away with the opinion that historians should embrace this new medium. In answer to the primary criticism coming from academic historians that this content is often produced by amateurs and not by ‘scholars,’ Breen notes that neither Herodotus nor Edward Gibbon held advanced degrees in history. He cites the enormous popularity of history podcasts as evidence of the appetite and enthusiasm for history that exists beyond the world of academia. He sees podcasts as a way to get people interested in history at a time when the formal study of history is waning. “The Delicious History of Pizza in New Haven,” is an example of a podcast that is a conversation that takes place over pizza at Modern Apizza in New Haven. This format is interesting in that it provides listeners with details about this culinary tradition in an informal, folksy way.  

While I found the pizza podcast enjoyable and informative, I was also aware of Breen’s criticism that the medium lacks the ability to see source notes. At one point Caplan makes a definitive statement about early pizzerias in New Haven without citing any source that made me question its veracity. At the same time, I realize that the format simply does not allow that and if it did it would undermine its broader appeal. Breen does mention that some academic historians are beginning to embrace podcasts, (and other new mediums) but the popularity of the ones he cited are often produced by amateurs or professionals whose degrees are not in History. As a Public Radio listener, I have been entertained, and sometimes educated by “This American Life” and “The Moth.” These shows focus on the narrative, which as Breen and many before him have pointed out is what history amounts to. One of my daughters turned me on to a podcast called “Stuff You Should Know,” which I find very enjoyable. They often involve history, and I find them enjoyable and informative, often satisfying a curiosity that I think is at the heart of most popular interest in history.  I would say it is not a question of either or, with respect to podcasts versus scholarly monographs, there is plenty of room for both in the field of History.

Comments

  1. Jason W. SmithJune 10, 2024 at 8:23 AM

    Good, Brian. What does Breen suggest about the opportunities of doing podcasting as historical practice that more traditional modes of teaching, learning, and doing history cannot as easily incorporate? Does the apizza podcast's informality in any way dilute the sophistication of the history being presented? On your point about podcasts and scholarship not being an either/or proposition--Caplan also has a book on New Haven apizza, so any listener whose appetite is whetted by the podcast, or who is looking for more documentation, can go to the book. The two can indeed be complimentary.

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