The Last Best Hope?

Historian and broadcaster Professor Adam Smith explores the America of today through the lens of the past. Is America - as Abraham Lincoln once claimed - the last best hope of Earth?


Produced by Oxford University’s world-leading Rothermere American Institute, each story-filled episode looks at the US from the outside in – delving into the political events, conflicts, speeches and songs that have shaped and embodied the soul of a nation.

From the bloody battlefields of Gettysburg to fake news and gun control, Professor Smith takes you back in time (and sometimes on location) to uncover fresh insights and commentary from award-winning academics and prominent public figures.

Join us as we ask: what does the US stand for – and what does this mean for us all? 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Recent Episodes
  • What just happened?
    Nov 8, 2024 – 1:06:55
  • The Age of Polarization Election Special Part 4: 2016
    Oct 31, 2024 – 41:38
  • God and Trump: Evangelicals and Politics in today's America
    Oct 30, 2024 – 56:24
  • The Age of Polarization Election Special Part 3: 2008
    Oct 29, 2024 – 44:01
  • The Age of Polarization Election Special Part 2: 2000
    Oct 25, 2024 – 37:09
  • Eugene V. Debs and America as the last, best hope for socialism?
    Oct 23, 2024 – 39:47
  • The Age of Polarization Election Special Part 1: 1992
    Oct 18, 2024 – 45:05
  • The Age of Polarization: Election Specials
    Oct 17, 2024 – 1:03
  • Dark Money: Can billionaires buy elections in America?
    Oct 16, 2024 – 44:25
  • Rigged! Anxiety about election integrity in America
    Jun 19, 2024 – 49:32
  • Presidents and the Press
    Jun 5, 2024 – 46:31
  • The Black Founders, America and the Claim of Equality
    May 22, 2024 – 52:55
  • Morning Again in America: The 1984 Election forty years on.
    May 8, 2024 – 55:43
  • The strange death and curious rebirth of American cricket
    Mar 6, 2024 – 49:56
  • How have presidential primaries shaped modern US politics?
    Feb 21, 2024 – 57:32
  • How are Latino voters changing America?
    Feb 7, 2024 – 46:51
  • American Fascism
    Jan 24, 2024 – 57:42
  • The Last Best Hope? Season 11 Trailer
    Jan 22, 2024 – 1:48
  • The Destruction of the Tea, 250 Years On.
    Nov 29, 2023 – 30:03
  • The Kennedy Assassination and Conspiracy Culture
    Nov 15, 2023 – 50:07
  • What is a “Colorblind Constitution"?
    Nov 1, 2023 – 47:04
  • Is there a Paranoid Style in American Politics?
    Oct 18, 2023 – 42:32
  • The Last Best Hope? Season 10
    Oct 16, 2023 – 1:23
  • The Geordie South: How Northumbrians shaped Appalachia
    Jun 9, 2023 – 36:26
  • A City on a Hill: The exceptional history of a powerful metaphor
    Jun 2, 2023 – 45:06
  • America's role in Ukraine: a return to the last, best hope?
    May 26, 2023 – 43:11
  • Was there a Culture War in nineteenth century America?
    May 19, 2023 – 47:08
  • Are there lessons for Biden from the Presidency of Lyndon Johnson?
    May 12, 2023 – 51:04
  • The House Divided Episode
    Nov 30, 2022 – 47:40
  • The Second Amendment Episode
    Nov 23, 2022 – 40:01
  • The Black Ships Episode
    Nov 16, 2022 – 36:26
  • The Gettysburg Episode
    Nov 9, 2022 – 40:34
  • The Polarisation Episode
    Nov 2, 2022 – 47:13
  • The Propaganda Episode
    Jul 19, 2022 – 37:40
  • The Memorialising Covid Episode
    Jun 15, 2022 – 30:42
  • The Cotton Famine Episode
    Jun 8, 2022 – 35:02
  • The Book of Mormon Episode
    Jun 1, 2022 – 39:11
  • The Free World Episode
    May 23, 2022 – 34:33
  • The Dust Bowl Episode
    May 17, 2022 – 30:38
  • The Battle Hymn of the Republic Episode
    Feb 16, 2022 – 33:04
  • The Nixon's the One Episode
    Feb 9, 2022 – 35:26
  • The Billy Graham Episode
    Feb 2, 2022 – 28:49
  • The 1776 Episode
    Jan 26, 2022 – 38:50
  • The State's Rights Episode
    Dec 3, 2021 – 34:30
  • The Government is the Solution Episode
    Nov 26, 2021 – 31:22
  • The Robert E. Lee Episode
    Nov 18, 2021 – 40:03
  • The 9/11 Episode
    Nov 12, 2021 – 36:22
  • The Homecoming Episode
    Nov 4, 2021 – 35:40
  • The Irish America Episode
    Oct 29, 2021 – 41:06
  • The "Crisis" of the Middle Class Episode
    Jun 11, 2021 – 28:53
Recent Reviews
  • InfamousLN
    Excellent
    I found The Last Best Hope through The Rest Is History. The guests are serious scholars, and each episode offers thought-provoking insights into the historical forces that shape modern America.
  • KiraGould
    Consistently intriguing
    I love the framing of the podcast and the host and his producers bring interesting voices to the show. I have learned new things about American history from every episode. And every one is well organized and very engaging.
  • kennewickmike
    Great podcast
    So glad you are back for a new season
  • Coleman Carnes
    Please continue….
    .
  • TheMatrix
    Good take
    On the Getty battle
  • clairebounds
    Excellent history!
    Wonderful view of American history from an academic and outsider point of view. It’s very helpful to see how American history is viewed from this perspective. Some things seem obvious from within the system look very odd from outside it. Brilliant and insightful guests and a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and highly articulate host. Truly wonderful stuff.
  • W. Greg Webb
    Politically Biased
    I wanted to like this podcast because it was recommended by the hosts of The Rest is History. But, just a few episodes reveal that Adam Smith and his guests present a politically biased view of America. I would not waste my time.
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