12:00 PM Pacific Time: Mondays - Wednesdays
Acclaimed program of ideas, in-depth analysis, and commentary on a variety of matters—political, economic, social, and cultural—important to progressive and radical thinking and activism. Against the Grain is produced and hosted by Sasha Lilley.
When and how did racial liberalism find its way onto the liberal – and Democratic Party – agenda? Rather than seeing the 1960s as the critical moment in the partisan realignment on race, Eric Schickler claims that the process of connecting civil rights support to the liberal project began in the late 1930s, thanks to … Continued
Reproductive politics — that is, the politics of keeping households fed, sheltered, educated, and cared for, as well as creating the next generation — are central to contemporary capitalism. And reproductive politics are fundamentally about class, race, and sexuality, as Laura Briggs argues. She discusses why we should recognize the household as a key site … Continued
How do we get from neoliberalism to a just society? What political projects and initiatives have put us on a trajectory of radical social transformation? In his latest book, political theorist Robert Latham puts forward a notion of re-collective passage, which involves turning away from dominant sociopolitical relations and enacting new ways to organize and … Continued
Historian Greg Grandin reflects on the ideology and practice of Henry Kissinger. (Encore presentation.)
According to Terry Kupers, a culture of punishment and impunity pervades solitary confinement facilities around the U.S. Because many inmates in solitary suffer from serious mental illness, they can respond to escalating punishments in ways that invite more — and more brutal — punitive measures. Kupers discusses what can be done to promote, rather than … Continued
Peter Hudis discusses the Martiniquan philosopher, psychiatrist, and revolutionary Frantz Fanon, best known for his books The Wretched of the Earth and Black Skin, White Masks. (Encore presentation.) Resources: Peter Hudis, Frantz Fanon: Philosopher of the Barricades University of Chicago Press, 2015
In the wake of the devastation of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and while wildfires continue to rage across the West, it would seem like the perils of global warming are self-evident. And in fact, there’s one part of the U.S. government that, unlike President Trump, sees climate change as an undeniable danger: the military … Continued
In the face of the contemporary infatuation with democracy in the West, what should the left do with a term and a concept often used to mask injustices and inequities? Gabriel Rockhill discusses some of the key conjunctures in the history of democracy; he also asserts that a focus on democracy may actually distract us … Continued
If you think the collection and selling of personal data began in the last twenty years, think again. Consumer credit agencies like Equifax have been gathering information about people’s intimate details since they were created in the late 19th century. Scholar Josh Lauer discusses the history of credit agencies, their key role in capitalist consumer … Continued
Portions of two talks given by Alan Watts, the author, lecturer, and interpreter of Buddhist thought.
