Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

Apr 05 2025 243 ep. 29 mins 2.1k

Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today Podcast artwork

Move beyond the headlines to see how the past defines our world.

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The anti-vaccination movement

Apr 05 2025 29 mins

While many children miss out on vaccines due to poor health services, some parents choose not to have their children vaccinated. This Rear Vision looks at the political history behind this trend.

Not so tolerant Allies: The story of Canada and the United States

Mar 29 2025 28 mins

President Trump not only want to make America great, he also wants to make it bigger and incorporating Canada as the 51st state would certainly do that – except for the fact that Canada is a sovereign nation. The story of Canada and the United States and why President Trump wants to turn Canada into the 51st States of the Union.

Trump, trade and tariffs

Mar 22 2025 29 mins

President Trump loves tariffs but most economists hate them. We look at how tariffs work and what history can tell us about their impact on economies. And the industries protected by them.

Undersea communication cables: Critical infrastructure and vulnerable

Mar 15 2025 28 mins

Over 95% of the world’s communications travels over undersea cables. In the last few months, in two of the most politically volatile regions of the world, the Baltic Sea and the waters around Taiwan, communication cables have been cut. So just how vulnerable are these cables to both accidental and malicious damage and what does this mean for the security of are our communications

In the shadow of slavery: The post-civil rights period

Mar 08 2025 29 mins

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has made a point of purging the federal government of D.E.I. - Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives. For many Americans the message is clear – women, African Americans and non-white communities are less capable, and if they are in positions of power or authority in business or government, it’s because the standards were

In the shadow of slavery: The events that led to the Civil Rights movement

Mar 01 2025 29 mins

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has made a point of purging the federal government of D.E.I. - Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives. For many Americans the message is clear – women, African Americans and non-white communities are less capable, and if they are in positions of power or authority in business or government, it’s because the standards were

In the shadow of slavery: From the civil war through reconstruction to 1900

Feb 22 2025 29 mins

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has made a point of purging the federal government of D.E.I. - Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives. For many Americans the message is clear – women, African Americans and non-white communities are less capable, and if they are in positions of power or authority in business or government, it’s because the standards were

Once the most political stable nation in Europe and an economic powerhouse__ Germany is now in trouble

Feb 15 2025 28 mins

Historically Germany has been one of the most politically stable nations in Europe and an economic powerhouse. But over the past few year’s things have changed – the German economy has started to slow; politics has become more fragmented and the extreme far right party the Alternative for Germany or AfD has doubled its political support. Last year the centre left three-party c

The Panama Canal: How it was built and Panama’s relationship with the United States

Feb 08 2025 28 mins

President Donald Trump wants Panama to hand back, one of the most important waterways on the planet, the Panama Canal, to the United States and he hasn’t ruled out force if Panama won’t agree. It’s a far cry from 48 years ago when another very different US President - formally gave the Panama canal to the nation of Panama. This week from the Rear Vision archives - the story

Greenland Donald Trump and the politics of empire

Feb 01 2025 29 mins

President Trump wants to buy or take control of Greenland from Denmark. But Denmark has made very clear, they don’t have the right to sell Greenland because Greenland is owned by the people of Greenland. Donald Trump is not the first US president to try and buy Greenland. The story of Greenland and America’s many attempts to gain control of the largest island on the planet.