Is it time for a Luddite Renaissance? Power looms being used in textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution. Hulton Archive/Getty Imageshide captiontoggle caption Hulton Archive/Getty Images Calling someone a "Luddite" is usually an insult – shorthand for someone who is behind the times. But the real Luddites weren't just afraid of change; they were a labor movement fighting to save their jobs from being replaced by machines.

Today, with the rise of AI, many feel the same kind of existential threat and some are even pushing for a Luddite Renaissance. In this episode, Throughline takes on a listener's question to explore what the 19th-century Luddite rebellion can teach us about technology and human agency. Guests: Katrina Navickas, history professor at the University of Hertfordshire and author of the book Protest and the politics of space and place, 1789–1848 Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one.

This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.