From Peer Review to YouTube: Dr. Ben Park on Public Scholarship and American Religious History | #33
Mon Dec 22 2025
In this episode, I’m joined by historian Benjamin Park to talk about public scholarship and American religious history in the digital age. We discuss what it means to take academic work beyond peer reviewed journals, the professional risks and tradeoffs of public visibility, and why history, especially religious history, resonates so strongly with public audiences.Much of our conversation focuses on Mormon history as a case study for understanding broader dynamics in American religion, politics, and culture. We also talk about audience reach versus traditional academic impact, faith sensitive scholarship, and the tension between rigor and accessibility when historians work in public.Ben is an Associate Professor of History and the author of multiple books on American religion. He also runs a widely followed YouTube channel where he brings historical scholarship to a broad audience.Ben’s work:- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenjaminParkHistorian/videos- Website: https://benjaminepark.com/
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In this episode, I’m joined by historian Benjamin Park to talk about public scholarship and American religious history in the digital age. We discuss what it means to take academic work beyond peer reviewed journals, the professional risks and tradeoffs of public visibility, and why history, especially religious history, resonates so strongly with public audiences.Much of our conversation focuses on Mormon history as a case study for understanding broader dynamics in American religion, politics, and culture. We also talk about audience reach versus traditional academic impact, faith sensitive scholarship, and the tension between rigor and accessibility when historians work in public.Ben is an Associate Professor of History and the author of multiple books on American religion. He also runs a widely followed YouTube channel where he brings historical scholarship to a broad audience.Ben’s work:- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenjaminParkHistorian/videos- Website: https://benjaminepark.com/