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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 co-produced and co-hosted by Sasha Lilley and C. S. Soong.
How did residents of shack settlements in South African cities like Durban become a formidable political force? Yousuf Al-Bulushi lays out the operating principles, goals, and methods of Abahlali, one of the most well-known radical formations in all of Africa. (Encore presentation.) Yousuf Al-Bulushi, Ruptures in the Afterlife of the Apartheid City Palgrave Macmillan, 2024 (Image on main … Continued
Over the last forty years, bottled water consumption has exploded. Once a rarefied item, global sales of bottled water dwarf every other beverage — totaling $300 billion a year. Environmental sociologist Daniel Jaffee argues that packaged water doesn’t only imperil our oceans and bodies with plastic waste, but undermines safe public water even more than … Continued
In the years following the Russian Revolution, a popular resistance movement sprang up in Ukraine that drew its inspiration from a man named Nestor Makhno. Makhno went on to organize a seven-million-strong anarchist polity amidst the chaos and brutality of the Russian Civil War. Charlie Allison describes Makhno’s appeal, his political beliefs, and his rejection of … Continued
They struggled for public housing and public transport. They fought to reduce the police force and to have access to public space, so cities were not just playgrounds for the wealthy. More than a century ago, workers battled for the public infrastructure that we take for granted, as part of a larger struggle for socialism. … Continued
Christopher Bache, a professor emeritus of philosophy and religious studies, discusses his twenty-year psychedelic journey, which is described and interpreted in his book “LSD and the Mind of the Universe: Diamonds from Heaven.” (Encore presentation.)
Paul Reitter and Paul North discuss their new translation, based on the last German edition of Capital.
Christopher Bache, a professor emeritus of philosophy and religious studies, discusses his twenty-year psychedelic journey, which is described and interpreted in his book “LSD and the Mind of the Universe: Diamonds from Heaven.”
Economist Rob Larson discusses the power and wealth of the capitalist class, how they rule, and how to fight against them. To support our mission, please donate here or call (800) 439-5732.
The historian Kevin A. Young, author of “Abolishing Fossil Fuels,” on why the fight for the climate isn’t over.
Schools are underfunded. Parents often struggle with long working hours and too little social support. But corporations and tech companies, awash in money and power, promise to entertain and teach children with a near infinite array of devices, apps, and products. Psychologist Susan Linn discusses how those who least care for children have so much … Continued
