Space the Nation
Space the Nation
On Space the Nation, we take our love of science fiction (and fantasy and horror) and smash it together with our professional passions: international relations (as brought to the table by Tufts University professor and Washington Post columnist Dan Drezner) and cultural criticism (as brought to the table by political columnist Ana Marie Cox). It's a highly informed but hilarious conversation that starts with an examination of a particular text (everything from Ursula K. LeGuin to the MCU, Star Trek to Colson Whitehead) and veers into current events, mental health practices and imagined conversations between Ted Cruz and the Predator. For people who like white papers and graphic novels, Chapo Trap House and what Political Science Twitter used to be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 9min
LILO & STITCH (2004)
All of Ana and Dan's dogs are adoptable, except that one.Ana liked this movie, even though it has children in it. And IR! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 9, 2026 • 1h 2min
ANIMAL FARM
Ana and Dan must work harder. If you haven't read this short novel or it's been awhile, this is your sign to spend an afternoon with Orwell's lively parable. The writing is crisp, even if fans have scrambled what Orwell actually meant.There is a bit of IR. Some critiques of capitalism, too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 4min
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 1
Our first entry in Talking Animals Month! It's peak Pratt, everyone! Pre Pratt fall, if you will. He's charming and the ensemble that carries the whole franchise comes together with an ease you may have forgotten. Topics include: Fact-checking Blank Check's Bautista backstory and whether the movie is a statement on the prison industrial complex. There is IR in this movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 20, 2026 • 1h 13min
28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE
Meet Gen X's most metal bachelor in this largely infected-free (well, it has one large infected) entry into the 28-year-verse. There are some pretty big questions about God and evil and What is to be human, anyway? And, importantly: Are bad dads bad?There's horrific violence against and by children and a lot of Duran Duran in addition to IR. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 13, 2026 • 56min
THE RUNNING MAN (2025)
A movie can always be improved by Glen Powell appearing nude, but can it be saved? This is the hypothetical that Edgar Wright's remake of The Running Man attempts to answer.This movie has Arnoldbucks, futurist telenovelas, a podcast that might save the world (if not America), a delusional ending (or is it?), hot dogs (not Glen Powell's!) and, yes, some IR. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 13, 2026 • 1h 32min
PLURIBUS
Ana and Dan will skip the milk, thanks.Is Pluribus about AI? Is it about the white savior complex, or loneliness in post-capitalist society? The pandemic? Ethical altruism? Maybe... art? It's gorgeous and inscrutable, much like your long-absent hosts.Glad to be back.(This was supposed to come out before the streak of Running Man episodes we did, lol.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 13, 2026 • 1h 23min
THE RUNNING MAN (BOOK)
Ana and Dan turn off the FreeVee and settle into this incredibly grim source material. If you've just seen one of the The Running Man movies, you might be unprepared for just how unsparing and violent the book is. It is not satire, it's indictment. It takes place in 2025! There is IR in this book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 4, 2026 • 1h 16min
THE RUNNING MAN (1987)
Dan and Ana are introduced by the Space the Nation dancers! This adaptation of Stephen King/Richard Bachman's dark satire strips away a lot of the dark and struggles a bit with the satire, but we were both charmed by the very 80s vision of 2017. Violent, repressive state officials patrolling the streets in black uniforms and masks, you say? A game show host as the ultimate power in the United States? Lol, haha.There is IR in this movie. (Audio fixed!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 4, 2026 • 44min
WE EXIST!
The show goes on. Dan and I have both hit life-based turbulence in the five years of doing this podcast (five years!), but December 2025 saw us both bumping around at the same time. Our sincere apologies to all, our gratitude for sticking with us, and here's a peek behind the curtain as well some recommendations based on what we've been watching and reading recently!Good thing 2026 is starting out so smoothly, right? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 26, 2025 • 46min
SPACEGIVING 2025
Ana and Dan set the table for some fine genre dining: Pluribus, Welcome to Derry, a book called "The Ministry of" something that's good, not bad! And many, many more. There is hardly any discussion of IR in this episode.The video version of this podcast is available for free on our Patreon page, patreon.com/spacethenation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
