In Relevant History, solo podcaster Dan Toler examines the trends and ideas that shape our modern world. The first season is about the idea of nationalism, and how different societies understand their national identities. From France to Ethiopia, from the Delhi Sultanate to the Dutch Republic, we travel through time and space to explore the roots of cultures around the world, and how those national trends have shaped their history.
Born in Chicago 1986, Dan grew up mostly homeschooled, although he did sometimes attend classes with other children. When Dan was eight years old, his family moved to New Jersey, where he spent most of his free time reading fantasy literature and history. Then he attended the University of Notre Dame, where he obtained a degree in Political Science.
After a year and half in the tech industry, the Great Recession hit, and Dan found himself unemployed. He moved to Syracuse, New York to join a rock band. While the band never became successful, Dan did ultimately become successful as a freelance writer. With the advent of ChatGPT and similar AI tools, Dan has left the writing market, and is now studying to be a high school history teacher.
In addition to history, his hobbies include video games, hunting, target shooting, and the occasional tabletop RPG.