In this episode, Toby draws on the knowledge (and German-language skills) of former Brittain Fellow Ian Afflerbach (2016-17), currently Assistant Professor of American Literature at the University of North Georgia, to discuss the concept of “realpolitik.” Does it have any relevance to the current political situation, as media commentators tend to assume? Are we, in fact, post-Enlightenment? Are we post-State? Toby and Ian draw on sources from Ludwig von Rochau and Reinhold Niebuhr to hardboiled detective fiction and the Marvel Universe in the effort to find out.
The podcast can be played using the embedded player above or downloaded as an mp3 file.
“The Office Hour” theme song © Andrew Marzoni, 2017.
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