Two historic global economic contractions almost within a decade of each other would have been hard to fathom, if we weren’t living through them. Marxist geographer Richard Walker examines the shape of the United States and world economies during the coronavirus. He also discusses the effects of the crisis on the fossil fuel industry and … Continued


A special presentation to commemorate National Poetry Month, featuring poetry readings and discussions by iconic poets, established ones, and up-and-comers. Archival recordings of Allen Ginsberg, June Jordan, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Jack Kerouac are part of the mix, as are suggestions for how to approach and enjoy poetry. Minal Hajratwala Mira Martin-Parker Craig Santos Perez Matthew … Continued


Many in the U.S. are despairing over the Trump administration’s inaction and fumbling in the face of the pandemic  But political scientist Alex Gourevitch cautions that we should be careful what we wish for.  He discusses the imposition of authoritarian measures around the world, treating democracy as a luxury in the time of coronavirus. Resources: … Continued


There are many ways that the crisis brought about by the coronavirus is exceptional.  But as Peter Linebaugh reminds us, pandemics throughout history have been met both by attempts by elites to extend their domination and the people’s attempts to resist while surviving.  The noted historian weighs in plagues, from antiquity to Covid 19. Resources: … Continued


Against the Grain

Anti-Communism and Anti-Catholicism

According to Udi Greenberg, many anti-Communist commentators in the early stages of the Cold War resurrected anti-Catholic tropes that had been deployed in the nineteenth century. Redirecting and adapting those tropes, Greenberg argues, played a crucial role in the effort to portray and vilify the Communist project. Udi Greenberg, The Weimar Century: German Émigrés and … Continued