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Throughline

Throughline

By: NPR
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Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Rund Abdelfatah.

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Episodes
  • Democratic Socialism. Hope or Hopeless?

    Democratic Socialism. Hope or Hopeless?
    Sep 24 2026
    The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is having a big moment. Its candidates and its membership are both surging. Before Zohran Mamdani and AOC, there was its founder, Michael Harrington, a.k.a 'the man who discovered poverty.' In this episode, we dig into Harrington’s evolution from devout Catholic to revolutionary socialist to Democratic party loyalist, and ask: did his push to compromise delay the dream or pave the way for it?

    Guests:
    Maurice Isserman, author of The Other American: The Life of Michael Harrington.

    Doug Greene, author of A Failure of Vision: Michael Harrington and the Limits of Democratic Socialism.

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    50 mins
  • How two swing states changed American voting

    How two swing states changed American voting
    Sep 17 2026
    Today on the show, the balance of Congressional power is up for grabs in this midterm election. It could be determined by a small number of voters in a few battleground states. Blueprints from the past could be the guide for big wins. The GOP has embraced a block-the-vote strategy set in motion in Arizona in the 1960s. And the Democrats are embracing a grassroots power base set up in Michigan in the 1970s.

    Guests:

    John A. Jenkins, author of The Partisan: The Life of William Rehnquist

    Tova Wang, Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice at the Ash Center at the Harvard Kennedy School and author of The Politics of Voter Suppression: Defending and Expanding Americans' Right to Vote.

    Ismael Ahmed, co-founder of the Arab American Center for Economic and Social Services.

    Sally Howell, Professor of History with a focus on Arab American studies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

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    Correction: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly said that Michigan voters could send the first Arab American to the Senate. South Dakotan James Abourezk became the first Arab American U.S. senator in 1973.

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    50 mins
  • How baseball got its beat

    How baseball got its beat
    Sep 10 2026
    Major League Baseball’s postseason is just a few weeks away, and here on Throughline we know the power of a good walk-up song. But how did baseball become such a musical sport? And where did the idea for walk up-music come from?

    Guests:

    John Thorn, author and Official Baseball Historian for Major League Baseball

    Nancy Faust, former organist for the Chicago White Sox

    Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.


    Correction: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly said that the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1952. The team moved ahead of the 1958 season.

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    32 mins
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