Against the Grain
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.
The experience of awe — of a sense of vast, mysterious wonderment — may feel beyond classification or definition. But recently, awe as an emotion has been deeply probed, and the results are fascinating. Scientist Dacher Keltner, who has pioneered the study of awe, argues that awe allows us to make connections that break down … Continued
Fund Drive Special: “Aware” Revisited
Audio highlights, including some never-before-aired excerpts, of the award-winning film “Aware: Glimpses of Consciousness.”
Fund Drive Special: On Consciousness
In the award-winning film Aware, six thinkers weigh in on the nature of consciousness.
Fund Drive Special: The Doctrine of Discovery
A look at the doctrine of discovery, a set of concepts and principles used to justify the domination and dehumanization of indigenous people.
Fund Drive Special: Football, Militarism, and Dissent
Football is the most popular sport in the United States and the NFL its the most influential sports league. A documentary, featuring sports writer Dave Zirin, examines the ways that the NFL has used the cache of football and black culture to effectively sell support for U.S. militarism, reactionary notions of manhood, and to shore … Continued
Fund Drive Special: The Doctrine of Discovery
A documentary film called “The Doctrine of Discovery” sheds light on a set of concepts and principles used to justify the domination and dehumanization of indigenous people in the Americas.
How many thinkers come to mind who combine medical training, first-hand experience of dealing with some of society’s most abused members, such as drug addicts, and a deep familiarity with the ideas of Karl Marx? Gabor Mate draws from his remarkable background and radical commitments to provide us with tremendous insights into the maladies that … Continued
The fortunes of DDT, the synthetic pesticide which infamously devastated bird populations in the United States, rose and fell during the 20th century, and rose again in the 21st century, driven by a campaign by Big Tobacco to sew uncertainty about what can be known. Historian of medicine Elena Conis discusses the trajectory and afterlife … Continued
Part Two of our interview with Michael Burawoy about W. E. B. Du Bois’s political trajectory, and about Burawoy’s latest book. Also: a conversation with David Harris (1946-2023) from our archives about his legendary antiwar activism. Michael Burawoy, Public Sociology Polity, 2021 Aldon Morris et al., eds., The Oxford Handbook of W. E. B. Du … Continued