Haiti: Aftershocks Of History

Haitians are still battling to rebuild their lives and their homes two years after the devastating earthquake. Historian Laurent Dubois explains how Haiti’s turbulent past continues to resonate in its politics today.

US Beat France to Reach World Cup Final

The US won 3-1 to reach the final of the Women’s World Cup.

World Cup History

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How We Got Here takes on soccer this week. We speak with Duke history professor Laurent Dubois, author of Soccer Empire: The World Cup and the Future of France.

Soccer spread so quickly. A lot of sports spread along the sinews of empire, you can think of cricket or rugby or even baseball in the U.S. case. What happened with soccer is it did spread via English–it was created and codifed in England and it spread with English people who crossed into other countries but very quickly it took root in those other countries. France is one case among many where in the early 20th-century English communities brought it there and then very quickly it became just part of the social fabric of every day life and very quickly it became an extremely important pastime for many many people. – Laurent Dubois

Dubois explores the roots — in Empire — of the diversity of the French national team, long celebrated but also maligned for its preponderance of players of African and Caribbean descent. And he profiles two players in particular, Lilian Thuram and Zinedine Zidane, in his tale of how soccer and French identity are intertwined. Download MP3

The Haitian Revolution

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You can’t understand Haiti without understanding the slave revolt and war for independence that shaped its early days. We hear from Laurent Dubois, author of Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution. First though, a story from Alex Gallafent about Haiti and vodou and historical misunderstandings. (Image of Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture: GETTY IMAGES) Download MP3