Sarah Kendzior Explained

Sarah Kendzior
Birth Name:Sarah J. Kendzior
Birth Date:September 1, 1978
Birth Place:New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.

Sarah J. Kendzior[1] (born September 1, 1978) is an American author, anthropologist, researcher, and scholar.[2] Kendzior is the author of The View from Flyover Country – a collection of essays first published by Al Jazeera – and is a former co-host of the Gaslit Nation podcast. In 2020, she published her second book, Hiding in Plain Sight: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America, which was a New York Times bestseller.[3] In September 2022, she published her third book, They Knew: How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent, which was a finalist for a Los Angeles Times Book Prize.[4]

Early life and education

Kendzior was born in New Haven, Connecticut. She was raised in Meriden, Connecticut.[5] [6]

In 2000, Kendzior received a Bachelor of Arts in history from Sarah Lawrence College and, in 2006, she received an Master of Arts in Eurasian Studies from the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. Her thesis was State Propaganda on Islam in Independent Uzbekistan.[7] In 2012, Kendzior earned a Doctor of Philosophy in anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis. Her dissertation was The Uzbek Opposition in Exile: Diaspora and Dissident Politics in the Digital Age, and her advisor was John Bowen.[8] Her focus of study was former Soviet Union totalitarian states. Kendzior's dissertation was on how dissidents from Uzbekistan used the internet to challenge an authoritarian government in a climate of surveillance and distrust.

Career

From 2000 to 2003, Kendzior worked as an online news editor and writer for the New York Daily News.[9] [10] From 2012 to 2014, Kendzior was a columnist for Al Jazeera,.[11] From 2016 to 2020, Kendzior was a columnist for The Globe and Mail. She has also written for The Guardian,[12] Foreign Policy,[13] Marie Claire,[14] and other outlets. Some of Kendzior's journalism has focused locally on St. Louis.[15]

Kendzior has frequently appeared on MSNBC on the AM Joy show hosted by Joy Reid.[10] [16]

Kendzior and Bill Kristol were the main speakers for the 7th annual Public Values Symposium held on March 29, 2019, at the University of Missouri–Saint Louis.[17] [18] The two speakers saw "eye-to-eye... on the importance of people speaking up for what they believe in the face of eroding societal norms."[17] They disagreed on the role of American institutions, which Kendzior described as corrupt and unable to stave off authoritarianism, with Kendzior noting, “Belief in American exceptionalism is what got us here.” [19]

Kendzior was a featured speaker for the Canadian Journalism Foundation's annual Ottawa J-Talk on April 9, 2019.[20]

Regarding her coverage of Donald Trump, Kendzior has stated that she has had "three advantages":

Arthur Levitt interviewed Kendzior about her book and career in a May 2019 podcast for Bloomberg News.[21]

The Columbia Journalism Review reported that because of her writings and expertise on authoritarian states, "as the new president came into power and the specter of Russian interference in his victory triggered Mueller's investigation, the limos started lining up" to drive Kendzior to interviews at television studios because her insights are valuable to the public.

The View from Flyover Country

In 2015, Kendzior self-published her first book as an ebook – a collection of essays on the American condition first published by Al Jazeera starting in 2013 – called The View from Flyover Country.

In June 2017, speaking to an American Library Association conference, Hillary Clinton described herself as "riveted by... The View From Flyover Country, which turned out to be especially relevant in the midst of our current health-care debate."[22] [23]

In April 2018, Flatiron Books published an updated print version of Kendzior's The View .[24] The New York Post described it as a "collection of essays from the talented Kendzior, who writes intelligently and with great empathy about problems faced by the Midwest."[25] The Buffalo News described Kendzior's The View as "an astonishment and a challenge to convention for all sorts of reasons,"[26] and described Kendzior as having "roared to the fore" because of her prediction of the 2016 election results, a result of having studied foreign demagogues and understanding deteriorating conditions in the U.S.

The book was listed as a New York Times bestseller in May 2018.[27]

Gaslit Nation podcast

Together with Andrea Chalupa, Kendzior co-hosted a podcast, Gaslit Nation, which originated as part of Dame magazine.[28] In Psychology Today, Joe Pierre stated that the podcast "frequently reminds listeners that the Trump administration is part of a 'transnational crime syndicate masquerading as a government'",[29] stating thatIn October 2023, Kendzior announced she would no longer appear on the podcast.[30]

Incidents during the Trump administration

In 2016, Kendzior wrote about similarities between Donald Trump and the authoritarian leaders she had studied given Trump's admiration for Russian president Vladimir Putin before there was widespread public awareness of Russia's interference in the US election.[31]

Personal life

Kendzior lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and is married with children.[10]

Selected works and publications

Books

See main article: Hiding in Plain Sight (Kendzior book).

Selected publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Leo J. Kendzior. Hartford Courant. 25 April 2006.
  2. News: Heuer. Alex. Marsh. Don. Kendzior. Sarah. St. Louis journalist Sarah Kendzior in conversation with Don Marsh. St. Louis on the Air. St. Louis Public Radio. April 2018.
  3. News: Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - April 26, 2020 - The New York Times . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-02-17 . 0362-4331.
  4. Web site: 2023-02-22 . Rachel Howzell Hall, George Saunders, James Hannaham among L.A. Times Book Prize finalists . 2023-06-14 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  5. News: Jung. Helin. How I Became a Political Journalist Working in the Middle of the Country. Cosmopolitan . January 30, 2017.
  6. News: Wicentowski. Danny. How Sarah Kendzior Became the Prophet of Flyover Country. Riverfront Times. June 5, 2019.
  7. Kendzior. Sarah. 2006. State Propaganda on Islam in Independent Uzbekistan. M.A.. Indiana University . 761020312.
  8. Kendzior. Sarah. 2012. The Uzbek Opposition in Exile: Diaspora and Dissident Politics in the Digital Age . PhD. Washington University in St. Louis. 853623602. 10.7936/K7PK0D3M.
  9. News: Corwin. Sylvie. New York Times Bestseller Sarah Kendzior Speaks at Annual Hosokawa Lecture. May 7, 2019. Whitman Wire. April 30, 2019.
  10. News: Rehagen. Tony. From Russia to flyover country, Sarah Kendzior might be the voice we need. May 7, 2019. Columbia Journalism Review. April 9, 2018 .
  11. Web site: Sarah Kendzior. Al Jazeera . July 16, 2018.
  12. Web site: Sarah Kendzior . . July 16, 2018.
  13. Web site: Sarah Kendzior. Foreign Policy. August 3, 2016 . July 16, 2018.
  14. News: Kendzior . Sarah . What the Trump Campaign's Potential Collusion with Russia Really *Means*—and Why It's So Scary. May 7, 2019. Marie Claire. May 31, 2017.
  15. News: Kendzior. Sarah. Meet Darren Seals. Then tell me black death is not a business . May 7, 2019. The Correspondent. October 1, 2016.
  16. News: Meyer. Ken. MSNBC Guest: Republicans Want 'One-Party State' that Trump Will Rule as an 'Autocrat'. May 7, 2019. Mediaite. May 7, 2019.
  17. News: Walentik. Steve. William Kristol, Sarah Kendzior headline 7th annual Public Values Symposium. April 1, 2019. UMSL Daily. University of Missouri–Saint Louis Daily. April 1, 2019.
  18. News: Lewis. Jon. Diversity in Approach Is Our Strength: Bill Kristol And Sarah Kendzior On Political Divisiveness . March 28, 2019. April 1, 2019 . stlpublicradio.org.
  19. Web site: Wicentowski . Danny . How Sarah Kendzior Became the Prophet of Flyover Country . 2023-02-17 . Riverfront Times . en.
  20. News: Paez. Beatrice. Don't overlook the 'exhausted majority' in political coverage, journalist says. May 7, 2019. The Hill Times. April 10, 2019.
  21. News: Sarah . Kendzior. . Survival Became the Aspiration of My Generation (Podcast) . May 11, 2019. Bloomberg News. May 10, 2019.
  22. News: Landsbaum. Claire. Here Are All the Books Hillary Clinton Has Time to Read Now. May 11, 2019. The Cut. June 27, 2017 .
  23. News: Ascarelli. Silvia. Hillary Clinton signs off on a summer reading list. May 11, 2019. MarketWatch. July 4, 2017.
  24. News: Heuer . Alex . Marsh . Don . Kendzior . Sarah . April 2018 . St. Louis journalist Sarah Kendzior in conversation with Don Marsh . St. Louis on the Air . St. Louis Public Radio .
  25. News: Dawson. Mackenzie. This week's must-read books. May 11, 2019. New York Post. April 21, 2018.
  26. News: Simon. Jeff. New books put the Rust Belt, Buffalo in the national spotlight. May 11, 2019. The Buffalo News. April 21, 2018.
  27. News: Anonymous. Paperback Nonfiction Books – Best Sellers. May 11, 2019. The New York Times. May 13, 2018. On May 13, 2018, The View from Flyover Country was listed as No. 8, "new this week", and summarized as "Essays detailing the 'post-employment' economy.".
  28. Web site: Gaslit Nation. damemagazine.com . June 20, 2018. August 15, 2018.
  29. News: Pierre. Joe. Illusory Truth, Lies, and Political Propaganda: Part 2. February 18, 2020. Psychology Today. January 23, 2020.
  30. Web site: https://twitter.com/sarahkendzior/status/1716838615894872232?s=46&t=qGVulu38o7HzEvcvdqBNMg . 2023-10-28 . X (formerly Twitter) . en.
  31. News: From Russia to flyover country, Sarah Kendzior might be the voice we need. Rehagen. Tony. 9 April 2018. Columbia Journalism Review. July 16, 2018.