The alt-right is white nationalist, misogynist, and highly transphobic, mobilizing resentment against changing gender hierarchies and feared demographic change in America. Historian Alexandra Minna Stern discusses the appeal of the alt-right, from when it first came to national prominence in 2016, through its change of fortunes in the wake of the violent white nationalist rally … Continued
Against the Grain
12:00 PM Pacific Time: Mondays to Wednesdays
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.
Revenge Under Capitalism
What would it mean to take revenge against the capitalist system? And what kinds of vengeance has capitalism itself taken, against workers and other exploited people? Max Haiven examines Marxist, feminist, anti-colonial, and other perspectives on revenge, and he considers what forms of avenging might point the way toward radical social and political transformation. (Encore … Continued
There was plenty of labor militancy in the U.S. in the early 20th century. Much of that militancy was met with violence; workers were brutalized and sometimes murdered for organizing to demand fair wages and decent working conditions. These sometimes life-and-death struggles were enshrined in song. Mat Callahan talks about the tunes he and Yvonne … Continued
The End of Endless Expansion
America has long been the country of endless promise, of open vistas, and a sense of providence about its place in the wider world. That optimism has always cloaked the brutality of imperial expansion and limitless growth. And now that centrist ideal of boundless expansion, according to historian Greg Grandin, may be coming to an … Continued
The Carceral State
Are there any drawbacks to the focus on mass imprisonment and racist cops? According to Tony Platt, the carceral system extends far beyond prisons and police departments. Platt describes the many components and attributes of the carceral state; he also puts current dilemmas and debates about criminality and punishment in the U.S. into historical context. … Continued
Inequality and Well-Being
It’s self-evident that unequal societies like ours are bad for the poor. However, as epidemiologist Richard Wilkinson argues, they’re also bad for everyone else, including the affluent, not only because inequality affects schools and healthcare, but because it also makes us anxious and unhappy. Wilkinson reflects on our psychological well-being in wealthy but unequal countries. … Continued
Political elites and technocrats in many countries believe we can innovate our way out of poverty. But can problems of development be tackled by profit-driven entrepreneurialism? Lilly Irani’s book looks at what professional design is and isn’t doing for poor people and communities. She reveals who gets ignored and what goes unaddressed when innovation is … Continued
Having Children? On Strike
The birthrate in the U.S. has hit a historical low, with fewer babies being born than that necessary to replace the existing population. Organizer Jenny Brown argues that that’s because the social support for women and families is so meager, that women have stopped having children or have reduced the number of kids they’re having. … Continued
Blue-Collar Cosmopolitanism
Intellectualism and cosmopolitanism aren’t things typically associated with working-class people and communities. But James Barrett has investigated, and unearthed, highly literate and often quite radical working-class cultures, cultures in which people read widely, engaged in group discussions, and in some cases traveled a great deal. James Barrett, History from the Bottom Up and the Inside … Continued
Communal Joy
Happiness seems elusive in our society, despite the many industries attempting to sell it through a multitude of products and services. What’s missing, according to feminist Lynne Segal, is the sense that our happiness is intertwined with the happiness of others. She calls for reclaiming radical joy, through collective life and activism. (Encore presentation.) Resources: … Continued