Jan 31, 2018
Dave and Matt have read Maya
Jasanoff’s new book on the life and times of Joseph Conrad, The
Dawn Watch. We discuss Conrad’s life, and the limits of
his vision in the turbulent world of the late 19th-century.
This is a story that has remarkable parallels to our own moment in
history: a world of transnational corporations, terrorism,
immigration, and disruptive technological change. Plus, why
our world is more similar to the lead up to the First World War
than you think!
For
History teachers with students who have read Conrad’s works for a
literature course or an English class, we weigh the benefits and
drawbacks of using Conrad in a history
classroom.
Tune in for a tales of
Polish nationalism, depression, race, and empire! Stay to
find out why old Józef really, really hates those darn
steamships.
Recommendations:
Maya
Jasanoff – The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global
World
Chinua Achebe – “An Image of Africa: Racism in
Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness'” and Things Fall
Apart
Allan B. Calhamer –
Diplomacy
Greg Grandin – The
Empire of Necessity: Slavery, Freedom, and Deception in the New
World