Against the Grain – June 27, 2012
Immanuel Wallerstein describes the French Revolution’s momentous impact on the development, to the present day, of both radical and liberal ideology and action.

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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.
Immanuel Wallerstein describes the French Revolution’s momentous impact on the development, to the present day, of both radical and liberal ideology and action.
Peter Hudis talks about the ideas and legacy of the pioneering Marxist theoretician and leader Rosa Luxemburg.
The early writings of Walter Benjamin, the brilliant German philosopher-critic known for his insights into technology, art, and modern existence, are the focus of a volume edited by MIT scholar Howard Eiland.
Christina Kiaer is the author of “Imagine No Possessions: The Socialist Objects of Russian Constructivism,” which examines the attempt by the avant-garde in the USSR’s early years to rethink the objects of daily life in a post-capitalist society.
Christian Parenti, author of “Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence,” talks about global warming, neoliberalism, and counterinsurgency. He also explains how elites plan to respond to climate change-related civil unrest and migration in the Global South by further sealing and militarizing the borders of the rich countries.
The radical historian and sociologist Robin Blackburn discusses his book “An Unfinished Revolution: Karl Marx and Abraham Lincoln.”
In Part Two of the interview begun on June 11, the political economist Jonathan Nitzan argues that profit maximization is not in fact the primary goal of capitalists, and he points to the harm done by those who bring up “the economy” as an objective concept. Also, veteran performer Charlie Varon discusses his new show … Continued
The Canadian political economist Jonathan Nitzan makes the provocative claim that capital, the accumulation of which is capitalism’s central process, is not about economic production or consumption or in fact anything economic. Rather, he argues, it’s a mode of organized power. (First part of a two-part interview.)
Baker and radical scholar Aaron Bobrow-Strain traces the history of white bread — symbol of science, progress, empire, and now bad taste — along with the alternative food backlash that it provoked. While food activists today may believe they’re transforming the world through wholesome food and toothsome bread, he suggests that such politics often reinforce … Continued