The episode touches on the role of colonization efforts in spreading sugarcane cultivation and the use of enslaved labor, particularly in the context of the Crusades and the colonization of the Caribbean and the Americas.
The differing approaches to and visions for the colonization of America, represented by Morton and the Puritans, are a core focus.
The podcast episodes provided touch on various aspects of colonization and its far-reaching impacts, from the historical and cultural consequences to the environmental and social implications.
Several episodes discuss the devastating effects of European colonization on indigenous populations, including the decimation of Native American cultures The Fall of the Sioux: Death of Crazy Horse, the erasure of knowledge and aesthetics in Latin America A futuristic vision for Latin America, rooted in ancient design, and the links between photography and resource extraction, labor, and environmental degradation Camera Geologica: An Elemental History of Photography.
Other episodes explore the legacy of colonization, such as the role of sugarcane cultivation and the transatlantic slave trade Sugar's Dark Shadow, as well as the ongoing challenges of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the context of colonial histories Turning Resistance into Progress: Transmuting Fears to Advance Inclusion.
These episodes provide a nuanced understanding of the complex and often troubling history of colonization and its continued impact on the world today.