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New Books in the American West

New Books Network
California
Colonialism
American West
Los Angeles
Hollywood
Immigration
Gentrification
American History
Asian American Studies
Cultural Identity
Climate Change
Environmental History
Slavery
World War II
Settler Colonialism
Tax Havens
San Francisco
Anna May Wong
Mexican Migration
Civil Rights

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes578Founded9 years ago
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Society & CultureHistory

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Artwork for New Books in the American West

Latest Episodes

After the groundbreaking success of his debut film, Boyz N the Hood in 1991, filmmaker John Singleton (1968–2019) gained worldwide acclaim, earned the respect of major film industry figures, and became the topic of both scholarly and popular culture ... more

Sandwiched between the long period of French colonization, and the brief return to the French empire before the Americans enter the scene, the Spanish period of Louisiana's history is often ignored by historians. Yet, according to University of North... more

Who has the “right” to learn Mandarin Chinese? In Multiracial Mandarin: Asian Americans and Impossible Language (U Minnesota Press, 2026), Dr. David Shuang Song examines how matters of race and privilege shape US Mandarin language education and who h... more

In this episode, Lilyanna D'Amato speaks with Rahim Kurwa about his book Indefensible Spaces: Policing and the Struggle for Housing (U California Press, 2025), which examines the policing of housing in Los Angeles' northernmost suburb, Antelope Val... more

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Recent Guests

Frances Kolb Turnbell
Historian at the University of North Alabama and senior editor of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly
University of North Alabama
Episode: Spanish Louisiana: Contest for Borderlands, 1763–1803 with Frances Kolb Turnbell (LSU Press, 2024)
David Shuang Song
Assistant professor of Asian American Studies and Sociology at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
Episode: Multiracial Mandarin: Asian Americans and Impossible Language with David Shuang Song (U of Minnesota Press, 2026)
Rahim Kurwa
Assistant professor studying race, policing, and residential segregation
University of Illinois Chicago
Episode: Indefensible Spaces: Policing and the Struggle for Housing with Rahim Kurwa (U California Press, 2025)
Mary Elizabeth Reynolds
Author of The Quake That Drained the Desert and former communications coordinator for the town of Sahuarita
Episode: The Quake That Drained the Desert with Mary Elizabeth Reynolds (U Nebraska Press, 2026)
William Handley
Author of Horizons of Catastrophe in the American West; Professor
University of Southern California (as discussed in interview)
Episode: William R. Handley, "Horizons of Catastrophe in the American West" (U Nebraska Press, 2026)
Claudia Verhoeven
Professor of history at Cornell University
Cornell University
Episode: Claudia Verhoeven, "Love and Terror: The Helter-Skelter History of the Manson Murders" (Verso, 2026)
Violaine Roussel
Professor of Sociology at the University of Paris 8
University of Paris 8
Episode: Violaine Roussel, "Data-Driven Hollywood: The New Data Professionals in the Age of Streaming" (Princeton UP, 2026)
Sarah Rios
Author; Assistant Professor at Cal Poly Humboldt
Temple University Press (publisher of the book)
Episode: Sarah M. Rios, "Diseases Have No Eyes: Valley Fever and Environmental Health Justice" (Temple UP, 2026)
Nancy Yunhwa Rao
Author of Inside Chinese Theater, Community and Artistry in 19th Century California and Beyond
University of Illinois Press
Episode: Nancy Yunhwa Rao, "Inside Chinese Theater: Community and Artistry in Nineteenth Century California and Beyond" (U Illinois Press, 2025)

Hosts

Caleb Zakarin
Host with affiliations to The New Books Network, contributing to scholarly interviews across the Americas West.
John Plotz
Host of a cross-disciplinary interview series exploring novel and historical topics with scholars.
Sean McCann
Professor of the Humanities at Wesleyan; Keenan Professor of the Humanities at Wesleyan; co-host/guest host in multiple episodes.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • NBC is Great, But

    Great authors and extensive content. However, the production values need some work in many interviews. Seems to mostly be a problem when Marshall added all the new interviewers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zendude2664
    United States9 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The depth of guest expertise is frequently highlighted as a key strength for informed audiences.
Prospective guests should expect a focus on archival research, historical argumentation, and clear ties to contemporary issues.
Listeners appreciate the rigorous scholarship and breadth of topics, though some note uneven production in newer interview formats.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Indefensible Spaces: Policing and the Struggle for Housing with Rahim Kurwa (U California Press, 2025)
Q: Could you talk a little bit about the role, the evolution of policing as a tool of racial and residential segregation?
Kurwa traces housing-related policing from race nuisance cases and restrictive covenant enforcement to raids on public housing residents and modern complaint-driven inspections. He says these practices enabled authorities and neighbors to target Section 8 tenants and pressure them to leave.
Indefensible Spaces: Policing and the Struggle for Housing with Rahim Kurwa (U California Press, 2025)
Q: Could you talk a little bit about Michelle's story and how she is emblematic of some of the realities of what this looks like?
Michelle Ross moved from Pasadena to Antelope Valley with a Section 8 voucher, then faced online targeting, graffiti, complaints, and repeated inspections. Her experience became part of litigation challenging discriminatory enforcement against voucher tenants.
The Quake That Drained the Desert with Mary Elizabeth Reynolds (U Nebraska Press, 2026)
Q: Is there anything in particular that people in Arizona might take as well from this history you've excavated?
Reynolds said Arizona must carefully manage limited water supplies, especially as groundwater is depleted and the state depends on Colorado River water. She also urged residents to prepare for earthquakes and possible disruptions to water lines.
The Quake That Drained the Desert with Mary Elizabeth Reynolds (U Nebraska Press, 2026)
Q: Could you start us off, please, by introducing yourself a little bit and tell us why you decided to write this book?
Reynolds said that her work in Sahuarita and a story about the 1887 earthquake's effect on malaria pools prompted her to investigate its consequences for water and the history of the region where she grew up.
Multiracial Mandarin: Asian Americans and Impossible Language with David Shuang Song (U of Minnesota Press, 2026)
Q: Can you tell us about these two terms and maybe give us some examples of how these show up in the schools that you focus on?
Song defines diasporic multilingualism as the repertoires and language practices people use in lived contexts, rather than only languages learned through formal instruction. He describes Multiracial Mandarin as a school effort to make Mandarin education inclusive across racial backgrounds, while noting that its standardized classroom practices can marginalize students' existing multilingual experiences.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in the American West

What is New Books in the American West about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on deep historical scholarship about the American West, often anchored by authors and academics who discuss newly published books and research. Episodes explore topics from Indigenous sovereignty and border policy to urban development, environmental history, and cultural memory, with a strong emphasis on how historical narratives shape contemporary understandings of place, identity, and power. Noteworthy aspects include a multi-disciplinary approach that blends archaeology, literary studies, and policy history, plus a consistent focus on underrepresented communities and regional narratives that illuminate broader national themes. This makes it a strong fit for listeners who enjoy rigorously sourced historical inquiry, publi... more

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New Books in the American West launched 9 years ago and published 578 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on New Books in the American West?

Recent guests on New Books in the American West include:

1. Frances Kolb Turnbell
2. David Shuang Song
3. Rahim Kurwa
4. Mary Elizabeth Reynolds
5. William Handley
6. Claudia Verhoeven
7. Violaine Roussel
8. Sarah Rios

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