12:00 PM Pacific Time: Mondays to 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 co-produced and co-hosted by Sasha Lilley and C. S. Soong.
A conversation with world-renowned playwright David Edgar, author of the play cycle Continental Divide about the radical Left in the 1960s, and Tony Platt whose life inspired the production, currently playing at the Berkeley Rep. Visit the Berkeley Rep
Environmental crises abound; their source is almost invariably human activity. But what if humans could be part of the solution, not the problem? Could permaculture be the path toward a truly sustainable future? Permaculturalists Penny Livingston-Stark and Larry Santoyo share their insights; Jack Shepherd explains why he’s invited trainers to an urban site in Alameda, … Continued
James Syfers discusses his new book Law and Philosophy Subversive of Democracy.
A discussion of about the cult elevation of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, with Margaret A. Lindauer, author of Devouring Frida: The Art History and Popular Celebrity of Frida Kahlo.
Does capitalism fail to deliver the enjoyment it promises? Cultural critic Todd McGowan believes that true enjoyment, rather than being located in acquisition and accumulation, needs to be reformulated by the Left. He also assails the notions that nostalgia or cynicism are effective responses to the status quo.
A conversation about film noir, the dark, disturbing, and powerful movie genre of the 1940s, much of it made by Hollywood Leftists.
A discussion about the history, present, and future of the Iraqi labor movement with historian Peter Slugett, labor organizer Michael Eisenscher, and ILWU member Clarence Thomas who has just returned from Iraq.
A conversation with anthropologist Devon Pena about workers at the assembly plants in Mexico known as maquiladoras, and about an unsolved crime wave known as the Maquiladora Murders.
Will Syria be the next target of US military aggression? Perhaps it’s time to take a deeper look at Syria in all its complexity — its history, politics, economy, culture, and religious landscape. Professors Beshara Doumani (U.C. Berkeley) and Fred Lawson (Mills College) present a primer on this key player in the Middle East.
Social movements without a solid theoretical foundation can be disjointed or, worse, misdirected. So what theory can help guide the Left through the complexities of today’s world? Author and educator Cynthia Kaufman offers up ideas and analyses, and examines ongoing debates among activists on the Left.
