Ep 11 History Gives Us Agency with Bruce Schulman

In this episode, Hanna, Sage, and Julius sit down with historian Bruce Schulman to explore the relationship between history, media, journalism, and American politics. Bruce explains how mass media transformed political communication, why journalists need a stronger historical perspective, and what the history of Ralph Nader, consumer protection, and seat belt regulation can teach us about regulating Big Tech and AI. He also explores media fragmentation, historical thinking, and why studying the past can help us understand the present, imagine alternative possibilities, and create a more informed political future.

Key Takeaways from Bruce:

1. History gives us hope and agency.
   Nothing is inevitable. The path we're on was shaped by the choices people made (or didn’t make). That means the past can provide a toolkit for understanding what else was, and still could be, possible.
2. Media doesn't just "happen."
   From radio to AI, how a technology gets used is shaped by institutional and political choices, not technological destiny.
3. Media fragmentation makes reform harder.
   In the 1960s one activist could galvanize the country through one book; today's splintered media landscape makes that kind of unified outrage — and the regulation it produces — much tougher to achieve, even though the legal tools still exist.

Find out more about Bruce on:

• Bruce's X - @bjschulm
• Boston University History Department 

Some of the texts, and resources we refer to in this episode:

• Media Nation: The Political History of News in Modern America edited by Bruce J. Schulman and Julian E. Zelizer
• “Dark Side of American Dream: When Reiventing Past Means Forgetting It”, Bruce Shulman, Los Angeles Times, 1991
• “Fifty Years Later, Watergate is Still Shaping Our Politics”, Bruce Schulman, Made By History, Washington Post, 2022
• “What About Social Security’s Rollout?”, Bruce Schulman, Reuters, 2013
• “Court-packing and Other Radical Consitutional Reforms - Might Save America,” Bruce Schulman, Made By History, Washington Post, 2020
• Unsafe at Any Speed by Ralph Nader
• Silent Spring by Rachel Carson 

Bruce’s Media Diet

Meat and potatoes: 

Outlets: The Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Made by History

Junk Food: Episodic TV

Palate cleanser: Live music

This podcast is part of CAPT’s efforts to encourage open and diverse intellectual exchange. The ideas presented by individuals on the podcast are their own and do not represent Purdue University, which adheres to a policy of institutional neutrality.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Send us feedback to captivatedpod@gmail.com