Podcast · 106 episodes
Throughline, page 4
by NPR · English
Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Rund Abdelfatah. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Throughline.
All episodes, page 4
Winter Book Club: Octavia Butler’s Visionary FictionThis episode of *Throughline* explores the life and works of Octavia Butler, a groundbreaking author in the science fiction genre.1 Jan 2026 · 1 h 3 min · 30 chapters
Winter Book Club: Why You'll Love 'Dune'*Throughline* is a time machine that explores historical contexts behind current headlines.30 Dec 2025 · 31 min · 15 chapters
Winter Book Club: A Christmas CarolThroughline is a time-traveling podcast that delves into historical events and figures, exploring how they have shaped the present day.25 Dec 2025 · 49 min
Winter Book Club: The Story of Us?In this episode of *Throughline*, hosts Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei engage with author Tamim Ansary, discussing his book *The Invention of Yesterday: A 50,000-Year History Of Human Culture,…18 Dec 2025 · 45 min
Pride, Prejudice, and Peer PressureProfessor of English Literature at University College London, author of *What Matters in Jane Austen.*11 Dec 2025 · 53 min
The Bitter History of Chocolate*Throughline* is a time-traveling podcast that delves into historical events and figures to answer the question, "How did we get here?" Hosted by Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei, the show…4 Dec 2025 · 52 min
The Mother of Thanksgiving*Throughline* takes listeners on a historical journey, answering the question, "How did we get here?" by exploring significant events and figures throughout history.27 Nov 2025 · 50 min
What Happened to Vladimir Alexandrov?What Happened to Vladimir Alexandrov?25 Nov 2025 · 15 min
Democracy Dies in a DayThis episode of *Throughline* explores the rapid collapse of democracy in Chile following the military coup on September 11, 1973, which led to 17 years of authoritarian rule under General Augusto…20 Nov 2025 · 52 min
The Creeping CoupThe episode titled "The Creeping Coup" delves into the complex web of international interests and historical context surrounding the ongoing conflict in Sudan, primarily focusing on the power…13 Nov 2025 · 51 min
Winter is ComingThe episode titled "Winter is Coming" explores the complex interplay between the extinction of the dinosaurs, nuclear weapons, and discoveries made during the Cold War.6 Nov 2025 · 52 min
Prosecuting GenocideThis episode delves into the legal definition of "genocide," its historical context since World War II, and the prosecutorial challenges faced, particularly in the aftermath of the Bosnian War in the…30 Oct 2025 · 51 min
Throughline DancesRund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei29 Oct 2025 · 30 min
The Internet Under the SeaRund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei23 Oct 2025 · 51 min
The Rise of the Right Wing in Israel*Throughline* is a podcast that delves into historical events to explain current issues, hosted by Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei.16 Oct 2025 · 52 min
A History of HamasThe podcast episode "A History of Hamas" from *Throughline* explores the origins and evolution of Hamas, an Islamist political and military organization in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian…9 Oct 2025 · 50 min
From the FrontlinesIn this episode of *Throughline*, hosts Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei explore the pressing issue of journalism in war zones, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza following the…2 Oct 2025 · 52 min
Throughline SleepsThroughline acts as a time machine, delving into historical contexts to explore how past events shape the present.30 Sep 2025 · 30 min
The Anti-Vaccine MovementHow the modern anti-vaccine movement formed and why vaccine fears persist, tracing events from the 1955 Cutter polio vaccine incident, to the 1982 DPT “Vaccine Roulette” controversy, to the 1998…25 Sep 2025 · 49 min · 17 chapters
The Business of Migrant DetentionHow U.S. immigration detention became a business and a bipartisan system, shifting from local county jails (1900s Chinese exclusion) to federal and private facilities (Cold War, Operation Wetback,…18 Sep 2025 · 50 min · 27 chapters
Line. Fence. Wall.The origins and evolution of the U.S.-Mexico border, from the first 1850s survey line to later fences and “border control” becoming a political tool; it contrasts official border-wall messaging with…11 Sep 2025 · 49 min · 18 chapters
ICEHow the U.S. immigration enforcement system evolved into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), beginning with INS failures after 9/11, then expanding through laws and programs that enabled mass…4 Sep 2025 · 49 min · 16 chapters
A History of SettlementsThe history and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and how settlement policy, ideology, and infrastructure shaped Palestinian life and Israeli politics.28 Aug 2025 · 53 min · 25 chapters
A Primer On The Federal Reserve's IndependenceA primer on why Federal Reserve independence matters, how it was created (Treasury-Fed Accord of 1951), and how President Trump has tried to influence the Fed via public pressure and a mid-February…26 Aug 2025 · 21 min · 9 chapters