Police and the Empire City
On this episode of American Prestige, Matthew Guariglia on policing in New York.

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On this episode of American Prestige, Danny and Derek are joined by Matthew Guariglia, senior policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and visiting scholar of history at Emory University, for a two-part discussion on the history of policing in New York City. They explore NY policing as a case study for how the state studies people in order to inform policy, its initial function in the mid-19th century, the largely Irish and German makeup of the force at the time, the force’s interaction with different communities, how gender and race informed the force during the Progressive Era, the NYPD’s international presence and colonial aspects, the formation of “ethnic squads,” and more through the early 20th century.
Matthew's book is Police and the Empire: Race and the Origins of Modern Policing in New York.
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On this episode of American Prestige, we’re joined by Matthew Guariglia, senior policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and visiting scholar of history at Emory University, for a two-part discussion on the history of policing in New York City. We explore NY policing as a case study for how the state studies people in order to inform policy, its initial function in the mid-19th century, the largely Irish and German makeup of the force at the time, the force’s interaction with different communities, how gender and race informed the force during the Progressive Era, the NYPD’s international presence and colonial aspects, the formation of “ethnic squads,” and more through the early 20th century.
Matthew’s book is Police and the Empire: Race and the Origins of Modern Policing in New York.

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
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Jolly Saint Nick is giving the U.S. government lots of coal this year, a boon to fossil fuel companies. In this week’s news: Thailand–Cambodia fighting resumes despite Trump’s ceasefire claim (1:52); an Israeli airstrike in Gaza threatens what remains of the ceasefire (6:00), and a winter storm devastates Gaza as Israel continues blocking shelter materials and aid (9:10); Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council prepares to declare a new government amid Saudi threats (12:08); the U.S. approves the largest-ever arms package to Taiwan (16:10); China reportedly unveils a prototype advanced chipmaking tool (18:18); the Bondi Beach attack in Australia has possible Islamic State links (19:48); a New America Foundation report documents extensive U.S. airstrikes in Somalia (22:01); M23 announces its withdrawal from Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (24:49); Ukraine peace talks continue as the war nears its fourth year, including disputes over Kupiansk (27:59); Chile elects far-right president José Antonio Kast (32:23); the U.S. escalates pressure on Venezuela with military deployments and a partial oil blockade (33:27); and Congress passes a $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act, including a repeal of Syria’s Caesar Act and changes to Selective Service registration (41:40).
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