Home Podcasts The Latin American History Podcast
The Latin American History Podcast

The Latin American History Podcast

Max Serjeant 154 episodes Oct 25, 2026

The Latin American History Podcast tells the story of Spanish and Portuguese America from its earliest beginnings to the present day. It explores colonial society, slavery, daily life, and the dramatic adventures of exploration and conquest. The series covers the causes and outcomes of the wars of independence and how the region changed afterwards. It also examines twentieth-century Latin America, marked by political extremes, guerrillas, dictators, death squads, powerful corporations, and Cold War tensions. Host Max Serjeant guides listeners through these events and their lasting legacy.

Episodes

The Bandeirantes - Part 4
The Bandeirantes - Part 4 Oct 25, 2026 25:56 Today we look at the legacy of the bandeirantes. We outline their involvement in three of the major events which shaped Brazilian history: the war against the Jesuits, the expansion of the Brazilian border westwards, and the gold and gemstone rushes of Minas Gerais. We also consider why they are not as well known as the conquistadors, despite their enormous impact of Latin American history.Support
The Bandeirantes - Part 3
The Bandeirantes - Part 3 Oct 5, 2026 23:56 Today we look at the practicalities of a bandeirante expedition. Where did they get their equipment from? What would daily life have been like on expedition? How did they choose where to go? We also look at the Moncoes - a specific type of bandeirante which emerged towards the end of the period, and which developed specific techniques for dealing with a particularly difficult environment.Support t
The Bandeirantes - Part 2
The Bandeirantes - Part 2 Aug 23, 2026 22:57 Today we look at the origins of the bandeirante phenomenon, including the social and economic features which created it and it's link to the city of Sao PauloSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
The Bandeirantes - Part 1
The Bandeirantes - Part 1 Aug 2, 2026 19:42 We have devoted a great deal of time on this podcast to the conquistadors and the Spanish invasions of Latin America. Despite it's size and importance however, we have not looked much at how Brazil became Portuguese.In this episode we discuss the reasons for this and recap what history there has been to cover so far when it comes to Portuguese America. Most importantly, we introduce the bandei
Chile: Embers of the Past - An Interview with Joseph Doherty.
Chile: Embers of the Past - An Interview with Joseph Doherty. Jul 5, 2026 37:23 Today we have a special interview episode with Joseph Doherty about his experiences living through the coup in Chile which brought Pinochet to power. Joseph not only experienced the atmosphere in the lead up to the seizure of power by the military, and the events of the coup itself, but he found himself personally caught up in crackdown which followed, being arrested and held in the national stadi
West Indian Central America - Part 5
West Indian Central America - Part 5 Jun 7, 2026 23:59 In the final episode in this series we look at the legacy of the migrations from the British West Indies to Central America. We look at how many people stayed in Panama and why, as well as what life was like for them once the canal was finished. We also examine how they changed Central America and how Central America changed the country's which those who did go home returned to.Support this po
West Indian Central America - Part 4
West Indian Central America - Part 4 May 25, 2026 19:18 Once the French canal project had collapsed, it was time for the Americans to step in. This meant the final wave of migration from the West Indies, but this time the experience of the work would be very different. In this episode we will look at the society built in the canal zone alongside the canal itself, it's strict hierarchies, it's military-style routines, and how it almost eliminate
West Indian Central America - Part 3
West Indian Central America - Part 3 Mar 8, 2026 27:41 Today we look at the next two waves of West Indian migration to Central America. The end point of the first was Costa Rica, where a new industry was emerging. The second was back in Panama and it was inspired by the first, little known, French attempt to build a canal there.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: ht
West Indian Central America - Part 2
West Indian Central America - Part 2 Dec 5, 2025 22:54 Today we look at the first wave of migration from the West Indies to Central America. Instigated by the construction of railway, this arduous work saw extremely high death rates among the imported labour force, and a collection of lawless towns grew up alongside the route of the track.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising In
West Indian Central America - Part One
West Indian Central America - Part One Oct 19, 2025 21:18 Today we start a new series looking at the wave of migration that saw people from the English speaking Caribbean moving to Central America 100-150 years ago. Many parts of the coastline of Costa Rica and Panama still have large populations of English speakers, and the legacy of this movement can be found everywhere from the Panama Canal to Reggaeton.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/
A Flower Traveled in my Blood - An Interview with Haley Cohen Gilliland
A Flower Traveled in my Blood - An Interview with Haley Cohen Gilliland Sep 23, 2025 23:21 In today's episode we talk to Haley Cohen Gilliland about her new book. Based on interviews with the protagonists of this recent and continuing piece of Argentine history, the book looks at the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo and their search for their disappeared family members. The story is a fascinating one, and the book traces through several generations, from the 20th century context wh
A New Australia in Paraguay - Part 5
A New Australia in Paraguay - Part 5 Sep 14, 2025 21:33 In the final episode of the series we trace the protracted decline of utopia. Split into rival settlements, the inhabitants will gradually abandon their communal ethos. Meanwhile, legal and financial problems in Australia will further undermine the project and its ideals. Finally, we look at what happened afterwards - William Lane's strange political U-turn, the scattered countries where New A

Recommended