In Search of Monsters: The Rise and Fall of American Empire

Looking back on decades of war and facing a daunting future, Americans in 2022 might ask themselves: how did we get here? Open Source is looking for answers in this new limited series of twenty episodes—offered FREE to stations weekly. Teaming up with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, "In Search of Monsters" explores America’s role in the world across history in order to see a better way forward.

The series launches the week of February 21, 2022, with a first episode marking the fiftieth anniversary of Richard Nixon’s breakthrough visit to China. Episodes will include an interview with the translator who accompanied Nixon on that visit; a reflection on George Kennan, America’s advocate for containment of the USSR; conversations on war in pop culture; exploration of nuclear negotiations with Iran; and an inquiry into the history and future of NATO—all relevant for this particular moment of the Biden presidency. It’s a series for anyone interested in history, contemporary politics, American culture, high-stakes strategy, lively stories, and crucial debates.

This series runs for twenty episodes, made available for free to stations every week; it makes a good offering for weekend afternoons. WBUR in Boston airs Open Source on Sundays at 2 pm. Each show works as a stand-alone special hour, but the series can also be aired in full as a strip for all 20 weeks—or pick and choose episodes for a shorter miniseries run: whatever works best for your station and your listeners. Shows will be available weekly on PRX on Thursday evenings, along with individual promos for each show starting the week of February 21st.

Open Source is a production of Open Source Media, the production company of veteran public radio innovators Christopher Lydon and Mary McGrath. They created “The Connection” on WBUR in Boston in the 90’s and many other programs. Open Source is a weekly program on WBUR and several other stations; it’s also the very first and still longest running podcast.

Formed in 2019, The Quincy Institute develops and promotes ideas that move U.S. foreign policy away from endless war and toward vigorous diplomacy in the pursuit of international peace.

Tune in for a New American Story.
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Looking back on decades of war and facing a daunting future, Americans in 2022 might ask themselves: how did we get here? Open Source is looking for answers in this new limited series of twenty episodes—offered FREE to stations weekly. Teaming up with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, "In Search of Monsters" explores America’s role in the world across history in order to see a better way forward.The series launches the week of February 21, 2022, with a first episode marking the fiftieth anniversary of Richard Nixon’s breakthrough visit to China. Episodes will include an interview with the translator who accompanied Nixon on that visit; a reflection on George Kennan, America’s advocate for containment of the USSR; conversations on war in pop culture; exploration of nuclear... Show full description