In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the drama surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s upcoming Supreme Court confirmation, fraternity hazing, and the booming natural beauty industry.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Conservative Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s candidacy is being marred by sexual assault allegations. Natalia recommended Anita Hill’s New York Times’ op-ed about the historical echoes with her own experience.
• The hazards of fraternity hazing are back in the news after the death of a student at the Riverside campus of the University of California. Natalia recommended Nicholas Syrett’s book The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities and Paula Fass’ The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920s. She also suggested Caitlin Flanagan’s Atlantic article on the symbiotic relationship between fraternities and universities.
• “Natural beauty” is an ill-defined, but booming, segment of the beauty industry. Niki recommended Upton Sinclair’s 1906 book The Jungle and Natalia recommended Kathy Peiss’ book, Hope In a Jar: The Making of America’s Beauty Culture.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Dave Philipps’ New York Times article, “A Breakthrough for U.S. Troops: Combat-Ready Pizza.”
• Neil reflected on Noah Nash’s Military Times article, “These Four-Legged Military Heroes Will Soon Have An Award All Their Own.”
• Niki shared Julia Moskin’s New York Times article, “Ranch Nation.”