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America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. Today, The Founding Fathers - who they were, how they came together, what they believed, and why they remain so consequential to the creation of the United States. . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, tech bros unite to sign an accord that means they pinky promise to not destroy humanity with AI. The likes of OpenAI, Meta, Google and Elon Musk's xAI have agreed to create more robust internal checks on themselves, after OpenAI announced the postponement of their latest model due to safety failures. Meanwhile, Google are launching AI satellites into orbit, with Elon Musk's help, which is reassuring. Plus, the Senate pass new laws giving college athletes more earning potential, while on the same day Donald Trump and Linda McMahon reverse Biden-era definitions of sexual misconduct, essentially removing protections for women and the LGBTQ+ community. And, new DNA evidence has exonerated a man who was spent nearly 40 years on Death Row. To discuss this, I am joined by Jared Bahir Browsh, a cultural historian, commentator and author from the University of Colorado Boulder. He studies the relationship between culture, money, power, and identity in the United States, specifically focused on sport and pop culture. . JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . 01:48 - Media Ban Update 06:16 - Protect College Sports Act 19:21 - Sexual Misconduct Laws 24:34 - AI Accord 46:43 - Death Row Inmate Freed . News Sources: Trump reinstates sexual misconduct rule: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/28/trump-administration-finalizes-repeal-of-biden-era-title-ix-rule-01094990  OpenAI halts release of new model: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/openai-halts-release-next-generation-223702291.html  SpaceX launch prototype Google AI satellite: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/spacex-launching-prototype-google-ai-satellite-next-week/ar-AA2cXFTd?ocid=BingNewsSerp  Tech firms sign AI governance accord: https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e  Utah man freed after nearly 40 years on death row: https://apnews.com/article/utah-death-row-douglas-carter-eva-olesen-10c0bf7603c87b214e0179ecf7a4be94  Senate overwhelmingly passes Protect College Sports Act: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/rep/release/senate-overwhelmingly-passes-protect-college-sports-act/  Trump reinstates sexual misconduct rules: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/28/trump-administration-finalizes-repeal-of-biden-era-title-ix-rule-01094990 . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Americans talk about democracy, they often invoke the Founding Fathers, the Revolution, and the Constitution. But the United States did not begin as a fully democratic nation, and the framers themselves disagreed profoundly about what democracy meant and how it should be structured. The Revolution was a fight against monarchy, but it was also a moment of contradiction: a struggle for liberty in a society that permitted slavery, limited political participation, and feared the dangers of popular rule. The framers built a republic that blended democratic principles with safeguards against what they saw as instability and faction. Today, we explore how the United States chose its form of government, what alternatives were possible, and how those early choices still shape American politics. So in this episode, in the first of a four part special, I’m asking… what does democracy mean? . Special Guests: Lindsay Chervinsky, one of the leading historians of the early American republic and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. . Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . Highlights: 02:16 - What Did Democracy Mean to the Framers? 08:35 - Is the American Revolution Radical? 12:29 - The Articles of Confederation 16:16 - State vs Federal Governance 21:12 - Passions of the Mob 25:57 - Vice President vs Deputy Prime Minister 30:59 - Different Types of Democracy 37:02 - Gerry Mandering & King George 42:40 - What Does Democracy Mean to Americans Today? 46:19 - Trust in Democracy . Contact us: [email protected] Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community Brands & advertisers: [email protected] . Credits: Producer - Liam Heffernan Host - Liam Heffernan Editor - Liam Heffernan In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. Today, the eleventh President of the United States, James K. Polk - his election, his presidency, his key achievements and controversies, and his lasting legacy. . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, as the US and Denmark agree a landmark deal to increase national security, NATO and the world are celebrating... but is this just the start for Donald Trump? Plus, Pete Hegseth's time as Secretary of Defense/War might be about to come to an end, so he'll never see the big Arc-du-Trump being built in Washington, now complete with drones and snipers. Plus, the banning of CNN, Politico and others from the White House is backfiring in spectacular fashion. To discuss this, I am joined by Ira Chaleff, author of To Stop a Tyrant: The Power of Political Followers. . JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . 02:01 - Countdown to the Midterms 08:19 - Arc-du-Trump avec Drones et Snipers 13:16 - The Greenland Deal 24:18 - Pete Hegseth 35:08 - White House News Ban . News Sources: To Stop a Tyrant: The Power of Political Followers to Make or Brake a Toxic Leader by Ira Chaleff: https://a.co/d/0j2S9Aur  Midterm early voting officially kicks off: https://apnews.com/article/early-voting-midterms-congress-10a3e620ce194144ce1af5e9d4fb6786  Trump’s Washington Arc to Include Drones and Snipers: https://www.military.com/trump-plans-turn-washington-arch-into-military-complex-with-drones-snipers-ammunition  US and Denmark Agree Security Deal Over Greenland: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c63d7lexyym1o  Pete Hegseth in Crisis: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/05/pete-hegseth-pentagon-military  Trump bans CNN and Politico from White House: https://time.com/article/2026/09/18/trump-bans-3-news-organizations-from-white-house/ . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When John F. Kennedy entered national politics, Eleanor Roosevelt was already one of the most influential women in American history - a former First Lady, diplomat, activist, and moral conscience of the Democratic Party. Their relationship began with skepticism, tension, and even open criticism. She questioned his commitment to civil rights, doubted his independence from his father, and worried he lacked the moral seriousness required of a president. Kennedy, in turn, saw her as a towering figure of the old Democratic coalition whose approval he needed but whose expectations were difficult to meet. And yet, over time, these two very different leaders - separated by generation, temperament, and political style - became allies. So in this episode, we explore how that transformation happened, what it meant for the Democratic Party, and why their partnership still matters, as I ask… how did JFK and Eleanor Roosevent become allies? . Special Guests: Barbara Perry, one of America’s leading scholars of the presidency and political leadership. She has written extensively on the Roosevelts, the Kennedys, and the evolution of Democratic politics. Her new book, Reconcilable Differences, offers the most detailed account yet of the unlikely alliance between Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. . Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . Highlights: 02:10 - Reconcilable Differences 05:50 - The Joe Kennedy Legacy 10:01 - Eleanor's Influence 16:50 - A Historic Meeting 26:26 - A Mutual Admiration 32:03 - Employing Eleanor Roosevelt 36:55 - JFK's Political Agenda 41:04 - Eleanor's Impact on Civil Rights Reform 45:02 - Shaping the Future of the Democratic Party 49:56 - Coalition Building in a Fractured Political Landscape . Reading List: Reconcilable Differences: The Unlikely Political Alliance of John F. Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt by Barbara Perry: https://a.co/d/02RBVZQ1 . Contact us: [email protected] Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community Brands & advertisers: [email protected] . Credits: Producer - Liam Heffernan Host - Liam Heffernan Editor - Liam Heffernan In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. Today, 10 Great American Novels You Should Read, in no particular order. For each book, we’ll explore what it’s about, why it matters, and what makes it such a defining piece of American literature. . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, as a senior staffer at Anthropic - the owner of Chat GPT - sparks fears that robots could wipe out the human race, we discuss the advancement of AI and why every country except the USA appears to want to do something about it. Plus, the Kennedy Centre shuts its doors for two years for renovation work, and the Supreme Court has rejected President Trump's proposed restrictions on mail-in ballots, including the creation of a national voter list. And, Mitch McConnell rises from the alleged dead and returns to the Senate after three months. To discuss this, I am joined by SCOTUS and US Constitution expert Emma Long from the University of East Anglia, and tech expert Will Guyatt. . JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . 02:23 - SCOTUS strike down Trump's mail-in vote changes 12:39 - The Kennedy Centre closes 19:42 - Is AI about to take over the world? 42:04 - The AI and the US Constitution 59:18 - Mitch McConnell Rises! . News Sources: Kennedy Center board vote to close for renovations: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trumps-handpicked-kennedy-center-board-votes-close-venue-renovations-rcna597921  Trump attacks SCOTUS after they shoot down his mail-in vote restrictions: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yjpdy4gjlo  Mitch McConnell returns: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/14/mitch-mcconnell-return-senate  Russia and China AI misuse: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/anthropic-says-russian-and-chinese-threat-actors-used-claude-as-a-weapons-engineering-assistant-for-drone-swarming-and-more/ar-AA2c2cjA?ocid=BingNewsSerp . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Taft is one of the most unusual figures in American presidential history - a man who never really wanted to be president, but who nonetheless shaped the office in ways that still matter today. He was a jurist at heart, a reluctant politician, a colonial administrator, and a president whose leadership style defied the expectations of the Progressive Era. His life took him from Cincinnati to the Philippines, from the White House to the Supreme Court, and from political frustration to personal fulfilment. Today, we explore Taft’s early years, his rise through law and public service, his complex presidency, his role in America’s imperial project, his surprising influence on sport and presidential culture, and the legacy he left behind, as I’m asking… who is former President William Howard Taft? . Special Guests: Adam Burns, Head of Politics at Brighton College. Adam’s research focuses on Taft’s involvement in the Philippines and American empire, and on Taft’s leadership as a template for how presidents engage with sport. . Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . Reading List: William Howard Taft: An Intimate History by Judith Icke Anderson: https://www.amazon.com/William-Howard-Taft-Intimate-History/dp/0393030253  The Life of William Howard Taft by Henry F. Pringle: https://www.amazon.com/Life-William-Howard-Taft-Pringle/dp/0405121957  Taft by Jeffrey Rosen: https://www.amazon.com/Taft-Jeffrey-Rosen/dp/0812974881  Our Chief Magistrate and His Powers by William Howard Taft: https://www.amazon.com/Chief-Magistrate-His-Powers/dp/0231101284  The Imperial Cruise by James Bradley: https://www.amazon.com/Imperial-Cruise-Secret-History-Empire/dp/0316014001  The Blood of Government: Race, Empire, the United States, and the Philippines by Paul A. Kramer: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Government-Empire-Philippines-American/dp/0807858630  Benevolent Assimilation: The American Conquest of the Philippines by Stuart Creighton Miller: https://www.amazon.com/Benevolent-Assimilation-American-Conquest-Philippines/dp/0300030812  The American Colonial State in the Philippines by Julian Go & Anne Foster: https://www.amazon.com/American-Colonial-State-Philippines-Global/dp/0822330394  The President’s First Pitch: How Taft Started a Tradition by William J. Ryczek: https://www.amazon.com/Presidents-First-Pitch-Baseball-Tradition/dp/078647842X  Sports and the American Presidency by Travis Vogan: https://www.amazon.com/Sports-American-Presidency-Travis-Vogan/dp/0815380975  The Games Presidents Play by John Sayle Watterson: https://www.amazon.com/Games-Presidents-Play-Sports-White/dp/0807858851  The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin: https://www.amazon.com/Bully-Pulpit-Theodore-Roosevelt-Journalism/dp/141654786X  The Age of Reform by Richard Hofstadter: https://www.amazon.com/Age-Reform-From-Bryan-F-D-R/dp/039470949X  The Triumph of Conservatism by Gabriel Kolko: https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Conservatism-Reinterpreted-American-History/dp/0029166500  Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris: https://www.amazon.com/Theodore-Rex-Edmund-Morris/dp/0812966007  Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris: https://www.amazon.com/Colonel-Roosevelt-Edmund-Morris/dp/0375756937  The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris: https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Theodore-Roosevelt-Edmund-Morris/dp/0375756783  Chief Justice Taft by David Burton: https://www.amazon.com/Chief-Justice-Taft-David-Burton/dp/0809313403  The Supreme Court in the Progressive Era by William G. Ross: https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Court-Progressive-Era-1900-1920/dp/0313264941  The Republic for Which It Stands by Richard White: https://www.amazon.com/Republic-Which-Stands-Transformation-1865-1920/dp/0199735816  The War of 1898: The United States and Cuba by Louis A. Pérez Jr.: https://www.amazon.com/War-1898-United-States-Cuba/dp/0807845081  America’s Empire by Andrew J. Bacevich: https://www.amazon.com/American-Empire-Andrew-J-Bacevich/dp/0674006713 . Highlights: 02:26 - The Right State at the Right Time 06:34 - Law and Politics 12:45 - The Phillipines... and Back Again 19:50 - Teddy's Choice 24:44 - The Beginning of the End 31:17 - A Fractured GOP 33:38 - Taft and Sport 42:41 - A Doomed Re-Election Bid 48:12 - Chief Justice Taft 53:45 - What We Get Wrong About Taft . Contact us: [email protected] Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community Brands & advertisers: [email protected] . Credits: Producer - Liam Heffernan Host - Liam Heffernan Editor - Liam Heffernan In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. Today: the events of 9/11 - what happened that morning, the immediate aftermath, and the consequences that shaped the United States and the world in the 25 years since. . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, as Germany's far right AfD party win crucial state elections, we discuss Trump's celebration and how the MAGA blueprint is being used around the world to normalise extremism in politics. Plus, Trump has created his own map of the world, and it's not great news for Greenland and Iceland. And Lonnie Bunch is the latest high profile figure to be forced out of post by the current administration, leaving the Smithsonian after 38 years. To discuss this, I am joined by Alyssa Royse, gym owner, writer, caller-outer of BS, common sense advocate, and all round lovely person. . JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . 01:22 - Trump Admits to High Oil Prices 02:52 - Lonnie Bunch Leaves the Smithsonian 08:25 - Trump's Map of the World 14:59 - Trump and the AfD 46:11 - Oysters in New York . News Sources: Lonnie Bunch leaves The Smithsonian: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/lonnie-bunch-smithsonian-leader-to-retire-amid-trump-criticism/ar-AA2bOuar?ocid=BingNewsSerp  Trump Maps: https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/trumps-map-making-social-media-stirs-controversy-north-136273860  New America: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117225349620809512  Saving the planet with oysters: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/3-million-oysters-eaten-by-new-yorkers-are-rebuilding-the-citys-reefs/  Billion Oyster Project: https://www.billionoysterproject.org/ . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disclaimer: there may be short blips of incoherent sound in this episode. Please bear with us. . When Psycho premiered in 1960, audiences had never seen anything like it. Alfred Hitchcock - already one of the world’s most prolific directors - released a low‑budget, black‑and‑white thriller that shocked critics, electrified audiences, and permanently changed the rules of American cinema. The film’s infamous shower scene, its brutal narrative twists, and its psychological intensity helped redefine what horror could be. But Psycho wasn’t just scary because of what was on screen. It was scary because of how Hitchcock marketed it, how it tapped into real‑world anxieties, and how it drew inspiration from the crimes of a real life monster, still fresh in the public imagination. So today, on the anniversary of its theatrical release, we explore why Psycho gained immediate notoriety, how it executed and reinvented horror conventions, and why it remains one of the most frightening and influential films ever made, as I ask… why is Psycho so scary? . Special Guests: Stephen Rebello, whose book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho is the definitive account of how the film came to be. Buy the book now: https://a.co/d/09caklxY . Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . Reading List: Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello . Highlights: 02:29 - Throwing Out the Rulebook 09:04 - A Master of Suspense 14:03 - A Blueprint for Horror Marketing 21:55 - 3 Melons = Untimely Death 29:04 - Ed Gein 39:13 - Psycho's Legacy . Contact us: [email protected] Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community Brands & advertisers: [email protected] . Credits: Producer - Liam Heffernan Host - Liam Heffernan Editor - Liam Heffernan In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask. Today: the tenth President of the United States, John Tyler - his unexpected rise to the presidency, his turbulent time in office, his key achievements and controversies, and his lasting legacy. . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Donald Trump renames Lake Ontario to Lake America, and though nobody is going with it, Google and Apple have both updates their maps. Trump received good news from the Supreme Court, who have allowed construction of his $400m ballroom to continue. Meanwhile, the US are yoinking over 60 billion barrels of oil from Venezuela, and they should be gosh darn grateful about it. And Amazon face a lawsuit from 22 states over allegedly inflating their ad rates and raking in tens of billions of dollars more than they should. To discuss this, I am joined by Alyssa Royse, gym owner, writer, caller-outer of BS, common sense advocate, and all round lovely person. . JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . 01:18 - Lake Ontario or Lake America? 05:57 - SCOTUS Give Thumbs Up to Ballroom 15:04 - Naughty Amazon 27:13 - Venezuelan Oil 41:17 - Pizza Philanthrophy . News Sources: Executive Order Renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/honoring-the-american-history-of-the-great-lakes-and-renaming-lake-ontario-as-lake-america-3a36/  Ballroom construction can continue: https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/08/supreme-court-allows-construction-on-white-house-ballroom-to-continue/  22 States Sue Amazon: https://themediaonline.co.za/2026/09/ftc-and-22-us-states-sue-amazon-over-alleged-secret-advertising-price-inflation/  Venezuelan Oil: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/trump-venezuela-oil-us-president-b3041501.html  Pizza with a Purpose: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/florida-teens-design-charity-app-to-help-generous-locals-deliver-pizza-for-a-purpose/ . America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/ Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community Get in touch: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Nations was born out of catastrophe - a world shattered by war, genocide, and the collapse of international order, and it was on this very day in 1945, that the US senate ratified the UN Charter. This new institution, in the wake of the Second World War, that promised collective security, human rights, and global cooperation. For decades, the UN and the U.S. were intertwined: American leadership shaped peacekeeping, development, humanitarian action, and the rules of the post‑war world. But the relationship has never been simple. It has swung between idealism and frustration, partnership and tension, global ambition and domestic politics. Today, as the UN faces new crises and the U.S. reconsiders its role, we look back at how this relationship began, how it evolved, and why it matters. So in this episode, I’m asking… what is the United Nations? . Special Guests: Thomas G. Weiss, one of the world’s foremost experts on the United Nations, humanitarian intervention, and global governance. . Join our new 24/7 SOTUS community now: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community . Reading List: What’s Wrong with the United Nations and How to Fix It by Thomas Weiss: https://a.co/d/023mkHow  Humanitarian Intervention (War and Conflict in the Modern World) by Thomas Weiss: https://a.co/d/0fXKXmKQ  The United Nations and Changing World Politics by Thomas Weiss: https://a.co/d/0eX10DWI  Would the World Be Better Without the UN? By Thomas Weiss: https://a.co/d/0heH7o4O UN Charter in the National Archives: https://www.archives.gov UN History Timeline: https://www.un.org/en/sections/history-united-nations U.S. Mission to the United Nations: https://usun.usmission.gov A World at Risk: The UN and Threats to Global Security, UN University Press The United Nations: A Very Short Introduction by Jussi Hanhimäki: https://a.co/d/06l19a3H  The Parliament of Man by Paul Kennedy: https://a.co/d/09z0jRiO U.S. Senate ratification records (October 24, 1945): https://www.senate.gov UN Security Council archives: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil . Highlights: 02:06 - The Birth of the UN 07:43 - The Core Values 10:18 - America's Role in the UN 16:19 - The Cold War 22:48 - Keeping the Peace 31:06 - How Much Money Does America Give the UN? 37:20 - What Does the US Get from the UN? 42:44 - Running Down the Clock . Contact us: [email protected] Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community Brands & advertisers: [email protected] . Credits: Producer - Liam Heffernan Host - Liam Heffernan Editor - Liam Heffernan In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices