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Artwork for The Last Best Hope?

The Last Best Hope?

Adam Smith
American Revolution
Bill Clinton
Boston Tea Party
Fascism
Civil Rights Movement
Kennedy Assassination
U.S. Presidential Elections
Ross Perot
Lee Harvey Oswald
Boston
Samuel Adams
German American Bund
Ku Klux Klan
Franklin Roosevelt
Abraham Lincoln
Declaration Of Independence
Dred Scott Decision
Belinda
Phyllis Wheatley
Culture Wars

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

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes75Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryArts

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Artwork for The Last Best Hope?

Latest Episodes

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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Recent Guests

Daniel Drezner
Distinguished professor of international politics and author
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University
Episode: Trump’s Second Term Foreign Policy in Historical Context
Jay Sexton
President of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, author
University of Missouri
Episode: Trump’s Second Term Foreign Policy in Historical Context
Marty Baron
Former Executive Editor of the Washington Post and author of "Collision of Power, Trump, Bezos and the Washington Post"
Washington Post
Episode: Journalism and Democracy: Lessons from Walter Lippmann
Tom Arnold Forster
Author of "Walter Lippmann, An Intellectual Biography"
Princeton University Press
Episode: Journalism and Democracy: Lessons from Walter Lippmann
Ursula Hackett
Academic from Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London
Episode: The Age of Polarization Election Special Part 4: 2016
Patrick Andelic
Academic from the University of Northumbria
University of Northumbria
Episode: The Age of Polarization Election Special Part 4: 2016
EJ Dionne Jr.
Distinguished journalist and author, long-time op-ed columnist for the Washington Post
The Washington Post
Episode: God and Trump: Evangelicals and Politics in today's America
Kristen Koba Dumay
Author of Jesus and John Wayne, professor at Calvin University
Calvin University
Episode: God and Trump: Evangelicals and Politics in today's America
David Campbell
Political scientist at Notre Dame, expert on the role of religion in politics
University of Notre Dame
Episode: God and Trump: Evangelicals and Politics in today's America

Host

Adam Smith
Historian and broadcaster with extensive experience in American history, also serves as Director of the Rothermere American Institute.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 253 ratings
  • Wasted of time

    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

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    dAnRam
    United States4 months ago
  • Excellent

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    InfamousLN
    United States8 months ago
  • Consistently intriguing

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KiraGould
    United Statesa year ago
  • Top Notch

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ipaul321
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Very interesting.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Michael Comiskey
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Content is both academic and accessible, appealing to a broad audience interested in nuanced political analysis.
Commentary is insightful and thought-provoking, providing fresh perspectives on U.S. history and politics.
High-quality guests and engaging discussions enhance understanding of historical contexts in modern America.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#243
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#238
Australia/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Trump’s Second Term Foreign Policy in Historical Context
Q: What national project supported American internationalism in the post-WWII era?
The legitimacy in leadership positions contributed significantly to the buy-in for internationalism.
Trump’s Second Term Foreign Policy in Historical Context
Q: Could we almost go so far as to say that the last 80 years was a strange diversion in American foreign policy?
It's possible future historians may question how NATO endured so long after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Trump’s Second Term Foreign Policy in Historical Context
Q: Does this all strike a familiar chord to you?
Yes, there's a style of talking about foreign affairs that's reminiscent of past policies.
Journalism and Democracy: Lessons from Walter Lippmann
Q: How can we monetize objective journalism in today's media landscape?
Finding ways to support the financial viability of journalism that holds to objective standards amidst the fragmented consumption of news.
Journalism and Democracy: Lessons from Walter Lippmann
Q: What do you think is the core problem we're now facing in journalism?
The decline in trust in traditional press and that many people are not getting their information from established media, which impedes the professionals' ability to serve public interest.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Last Best Hope?

What is The Last Best Hope? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

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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Which podcasts are similar to The Last Best Hope??

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Last Best Hope?:

1. The Rest Is History
2. The Rest Is Classified
3. Empire
4. WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
5. Dan Snow's History Hit

How many episodes of The Last Best Hope? are there?

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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What guests have appeared on The Last Best Hope??

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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