
Historian and broadcaster Professor Adam Smith explores the America of today through the lens of the past. Is America - as Abraham Lincoln once claimed - the last best hope of Earth?
Produced by Oxford University’s world-leading Rothermere American Institute, each story-filled episode looks at the US from the outside in – delving into the political events, conflicts, speeches and songs that have s... more
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 75 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | HistoryArts | |||

Beneath the chaos of Donald Trump’s second term foreign policy—the bluster, bravado, back-handers and backdowns—is there something else going on? Has the United States reached a turning point in its relationship to the rest of the world?
The era in ... more
A hundred years ago, Walter Lippmann, one of the great analysts of democratic life, wrote that the present crisis of western democracy is a crisis in journalism. Press barons, Lippmann feared, were so powerful that government based on the consent of ... more
It's been almost a year since The Last Best Hope aired, and in that time, America has changed dramatically. So in the new series, we’ll be attempting to put Trump’s foreign policy in a historical context, we’ll be discussing the enduring myth of the ... more
In this special episode of The Last Best Hope, we bring you a recording of a live event at the Rothermere American Institute in Oxford on Thursday, November 7. Adam Smith and guests discussed why the election turned out the way it did.
The panellis... more
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Came for history, got politics… that didn’t age well. Out of touch which suggest if this person is a scholar he was educated by fools. No true sense of actual insight or even attempt to understand different MODERN/CURRENT political views… which I have no idea why they are even needed for historical storytelling which makes the commentary on past political stances suspect. Thankfully the episodes are short so I didn’t waste too much time. gave a second episode and try and five mins in I couldn’t ... more
I found The Last Best Hope through The Rest Is History. The guests are serious scholars, and each episode offers thought-provoking insights into the historical forces that shape modern America.
I love the framing of the podcast and the host and his producers bring interesting voices to the show. I have learned new things about American history from every episode. And every one is well organized and very engaging.
A first class podcast. Informed, thoughtful and tells you the things that you don’t already know or hear from mainstream media.
Great to have a historian of Smith’s stature sharing such insights.
One of the very best.
Very interesting.
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Apple Podcasts | #243 | |
Apple Podcasts | #238 |
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This podcast offers a unique historical perspective on contemporary America, exploring essential themes and events that have shaped the nation. With each episode, the host, a historian and broadcaster, connects key historical moments and figures to current political, social, and cultural issues, prompting listeners to consider what it means for America to be viewed as 'the last best hope' of Earth. Topics discussed range from significant elections and social movements to the influence of media and dark money in politics, accompanied by insightful commentary from various experts across multiple fields.
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The Last Best Hope? launched 5 years ago and published 75 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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Recent guests on The Last Best Hope? include:
1. Daniel Drezner
2. Jay Sexton
3. Marty Baron
4. Tom Arnold Forster
5. Ursula Hackett
6. Patrick Andelic
7. EJ Dionne Jr.
8. Kristen Koba Dumay
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