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 co-produced and co-hosted by Sasha Lilley and C. S. Soong.
C.L.R. James, the radical thinker from Trinidad, has been described as one of the most outstanding figures of the twentieth century. James and his relationship to and impact on Marxist thinking is the subject of a new book by scholar and activist John McClendon.
A conversation about the emergence of progressive social organizations in Iraq with Eric Davis, as well as interviews with three of Iraq’s leading trade unionists — Hassan Juma’a, Falah Alwan, and Ghasib Hassan.
The Politics of Consumption Linda McQuaig is a Canadian journalist and author of It’s the Crude, Dude: War, Big Oil, and the Fight for the Planet. At the book’s launch last October, McQuaig gave a talk in Vancouver that addressed not only the politics of oil but also international law, the privatization agenda, Iran, Islamist … Continued
The Politics of Consumption Linda McQuaig is a Canadian journalist and author of It’s the Crude, Dude: War, Big Oil, and the Fight for the Planet. At the book’s launch last October, McQuaig gave a talk in Vancouver that addressed not only the politics of oil but also international law, the privatization agenda, Iran, Islamist … Continued
Rescuing Democracy Elections are held in nations that the US bullies or invades, and Bush proclaims a victory for democracy. But what is democracy in its truest sense? Ian Angus, author of Emergent Publics, contends that real democracy both depends on and emerges from movements for social change.
Building a Left Vision Has the radical Left come up with a workable alternative to capitalism? Political economist Peter Dorman thinks much more needs to be done; among other things, he wants corporations to be "socialized." Dorman also discusses some obstacles to constructive thinking on the Left.
An International Women’s Day discussion on the situation of women in Afghanistan following the US occupation. Host Sasha Lilley talks with Maliha Zulfacar and Sonali Kolhatkar.
WSF 2005 and Agrarian Reform The unequal distribution of land in the developing world, and the role of the World Bank and IMF in shaping land reform, was a key topic at the 5th World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Mangaliso Kuhhaka from South Africa, Karem Sader from Egypt, and Sergio Soar from Brazil … Continued
Hog-Tied The dangers of the meat and poultry industry go far beyond salmonella and rotten meat that may slip past inspectors’ eyes and end up shrink-wrapped in a supermarket near you. Lance Compa, author of a new report by HRW, UFCW’s Jill Cashen, and Maria Martinez of Teamsters local 556 talk about labor conditions and … Continued
Eating & Living Chinese Veteran journalist William Wong was born and grew up in Oakland’s Chinatown; his new book captures in pictures the historical trajectory and vibrancy of that community. Artist Indigo Som has turned to photography to capture the phenomenon of Chinese restaurants in localities with few Asian American residents.
