Dig: A History Podcast
A podcast where four feminist historians narrate deep-dive stories from the past, often focusing on social justice and marginalized histories.
This is a collaborative narrative podcast where two or more of the four host-historians take turns telling a thoroughly researched story from the past. Episodes often connect historical events to contemporary issues like environmentalism, state surveillance, and social justice, drawing heavily on academic sources and providing full bibliographies. The tone is scholarly but accessible, aiming to bring academic conversations to a broad audience.
“Unlike solo-narrator or interview-based history shows, Dig's rotating cast of four PhD-credentialed hosts brings a collaborative, peer-reviewed feel to each scripted episode. Their explicit feminist viewpoint shapes their choice of topics and analysis.”
Who hosts this show
Dig is a history podcast hosted by four historians with PhDs: Dr. Avril Earls, Dr. Sarah Handley-Cousins, Dr. Elizabeth Garner Masarik, and Dr. Marissa C. Rhodes. They narrate intimate and often overlooked stories from the past, bridging academic and popular history with an explicitly feminist perspective. The show began as a graduate student project and has evolved into a sustained, award-winning public scholarship venture.
Credentials & credits
- Avril Earls, PhD in History, Associate Professor at St. Olaf College.
- Sarah Handley-Cousins, PhD in History, Associate Teaching Professor at the University at Buffalo.
- Elizabeth Garner Masarik, PhD in History, Assistant Professor at SUNY Brockport.
- Marissa C. Rhodes, PhD in History, Assistant Professor at St. Leo University.
- AASLH Good History Award for DIG: A History Podcast, 2017.
Other ventures
- Nursing Clio (collaborative feminist digital publication).
- Book: "Bodies in Blue: Disability in the Civil War North" (by Sarah Handley-Cousins).
- Book: "Love in the Lav: A Social Biography of Same-Sex Desire in Ireland" (by Avril Earls).
- Book: "Sentimental State" (by Elizabeth Garner Masarik).
- New Books in Irish Studies (podcast hosted by Avril Earls).
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Rachel Carson and a Spring Without Nature: Science, Love, and PoliticsMay 28, 2026 · 39 min
- 02Project MK Ultra: The CIA's Harmful, Pointless Quest for Mind ControlMay 28, 2026 · 1h 19m
- 03The KGB’s Queer Honeypots and the Cold WarMay 28, 2026 · 49 min
- 04American Idealist in Stalin's City of Steel: A Pre-History of the Cold WarMay 28, 2026 · 1h 00m
- 05
- 06
- 07
- 08The Constitutional Convention of 1787Mar 9, 2026 · 1h 17m
Notable episodes
- 01Project MK Ultra: The CIA's Harmful, Pointless Quest for Mind Control
A compelling look into a well-known but often misunderstood CIA program, connecting it to the recruitment of Nazi and Japanese war criminals after WWII.
- 02Rachel Carson and a Spring Without Nature: Science, Love, and Politics
Explores the gendered backlash against a pivotal figure in environmentalism, blending biography with the political and scientific history of pesticides.
- 03The KGB’s Queer Honeypots and the Cold War
Uncovers a lesser-known aspect of Cold War espionage and connects it to the broader history of the Lavender Scare and state-sponsored homophobia.
- 04Love Canal, or How Toxic Capitalism Poisoned a Neighborhood and How “Housewives” Fought Back
A case study in environmental justice, detailing how grassroots activism by women in a New York neighborhood exposed a massive public health crisis.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a scripted narrative podcast and does not feature guest interviews. The hosts co-narrate stories based on their historical research.
The show is a scripted, co-hosted narrative format; it is not an interview show. Two or more hosts typically present each episode, trading off paragraphs to tell a single story. They often open by introducing themselves with the line, "And we are your historians for this episode of Dig."
Signature segments
- · "I'm [Host A]... And I'm [Host B]... And we are your historians for this episode of Dig."
- · Thanking Patreon supporters by name and tier level ('Auger and Excavator level patrons')
- · "Shameless plug" for the hosts' own published books
- · Introductory and outro music segments
Topics covered repeatedly
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is primarily listener-supported via Patreon, with hosts thanking supporters by name and tier level in episodes. They also promote their own published books, often directing listeners to Bookshop.org.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
h•••@•••.orgFree: limited reveals · Pro: unlimited reveals + CSV export
You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.
People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Dig?
- The podcast is hosted by four historians: Dr. Avril Earls, Dr. Sarah Handley-Cousins, Dr. Elizabeth Garner Masarik, and Dr. Marissa C. Rhodes.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a co-hosted narrative podcast. In each episode, two or more of the hosts tell a single historical story based on their research. It is not an interview show.
- Is this podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast appears to be actively releasing new episodes on a monthly basis.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Episodes are available on their official website, digpodcast.org, and on major podcast platforms and YouTube.
- Do they provide sources for their episodes?
- Yes, the show provides complete bibliographies and transcriptions for their episodes on their website, aiming to bridge popular and academic history.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]About Us - Dig: A History Podcastdigpodcast.org
- [02]Dig: A History Podcast - University at Buffalobuffalo.edu
- [03]Sarah Handley-Cousins, PhD | American Battlefield Trustbattlefields.org
- [04]about | historyphd - Averill Earlsaverillearls.com
- [05]Elizabeth Urban - West Chester Universitywcupa.edu
- [06]Marissa C. Rhodes - American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)acls.org
- [07]Sarah Handley-Cousins - Department of History - University at Buffaloarts-sciences.buffalo.edu
- [08]DIG: A History Podcast with Averill and Marissa - Amplify Podcast Networkamplifypodcastnetwork.ca
Podcasts like Dig: A History Podcast
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered
A history storyteller who narrates short, engaging videos about forgotten events and figures, typically in 15 minutes or less.
Game Wisdom
Game Wisdom
A game design author and analyst offers in-depth reviews and mechanical breakdowns of indie and AAA video games.
Hamsa Vasishta
Hamsa Vasishta
A Kannada-language interview show that demystifies Hindu mythology, spiritual practices, and alternative wellness for a modern audience.
Empire • World History
Two British authors, a historian and a journalist, interview academic experts to dissect the rise, fall, and modern legacy of global empires.
YTMahendra Podcast
A Hindi-language interview podcast from Rajasthan that explores controversial social, religious, and personal transformation stories in India.
From First Principles Podcast
Krishna Choudhary
A weekly podcast where two hosts break down complex science news from first principles, alternating between deep dives and expert interviews.
Patrick Boyle
Patrick Boyle
A hedge fund manager and finance professor breaks down complex market events, from AI economics to Brexit, using data-driven video essays.
Scottish Independence Podcasts: IndyPod Extra
A weekly podcast from two retired Scots volunteers covering the politics, culture, and activism of the Scottish independence movement.