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.
Why do men commit rape, child sexual abuse, and other sex crimes? Does the answer lie in the way males are brought up, in the traits they’re encouraged and expected to develop? Alissa Ackerman contends that while certain aspects of masculinities — the socially constructed ways in which men perform their manhood — can be factors … Continued
Young men of color who are or aspire to be rap artists have long been targeted by police departments and the FBI. The lyrics they write are often viewed not as artistic expression but as evidence of a criminal disposition or even as confessions of wrongdoing. Charis Kubrin puts the growing use of rap lyrics … Continued
Iconoclastic comedian, talented actor, and gifted writer Richard Pryor pushed the boundaries of popular culture at a pivotal moment, laying bare uncomfortable truths about race and injustice in America. Scott Saul reflects on the comedian’s formative years in a segregated country and the fluorescence of his art during a time of urban unrest, Black Power, … Continued
Getting rich off of global warming may seem like the ultimate cynical business plan. But corporations are hedging their bets on unchecked climate change and the opportunities it affords. Journalist McKenzie Funk reports about the very lucrative business to be made from the deleterious effects of climate change, from opened shipping lanes in the melting Arctic … Continued
According to Michel Feher, neoliberal policies have turned individuals, corporations, and states into credit-seeking asset managers. Those people deemed asset-less (whom Feher calls “discredited”) are being disposed of, in four distinct ways, in Europe. Feher spoke about the neoliberal condition at a conference in Berkeley earlier this year. For more details and higher-quality audio, visit … Continued
From utopian experiments with garden cities to guerrilla gardeners planting on abandoned or misused land, the garden appears to have abundant radical potentialities. Cultural critic George McKay unearths its complex politics, looking at the thorny questions of militarism, gardening, and the fascist right as well as myriad experiments by those on the left. He concludes … Continued
What does the imposition of neoliberalism in Latin America have to do with US militarism in the region? Why does the US provide military training and aid to nations like Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico? Jennifer Disney and Ginger Williams assert that US-backed military violence often targets civilians who resist the neoliberal agenda. For more details … Continued
Afro-Latin music is a multimillion-dollar industry, but according to Timothy Brennan, it speaks to a world outside of the relations of the market, and that’s what makes it irresistible. Brennan talks about cultural resistance, the Afro-Cuban roots music known as the son, and the pioneering scholarship of Cuban novelist Alejo Carpentier. For more details and … Continued
Vacant structures abound in the bankrupt city of Detroit, and squatters have taken over and occupied many of them. Although squatting is illegal, the practice has achieved a kind of legitimacy and vibrancy as residents yearn for a sense of community among the empty lots and abandoned homes. Claire Herbert has interviewed squatters, long-time residents, … Continued
Wilhelm Reich fused Marx with Freud, had an enormous influence on the New Left and the counterculture, and provided the intellectual underpinnings for the sexual revolution. Yet he’s almost forgotten today. Writer Christopher Turner discusses the complexities of the psychoanalytic pioneer, who invented the infamous orgone accumulator box — used by William Burroughs and Norman … Continued
