Chris Carlsson on some of the radical histories, unsung heroes, and lost landscapes that he brings to light in his new book Hidden San Francisco.
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.
Crime is way down, and law and order advocates argue that’s the result of expanded policing and other punitive measures. But sociologist Alex Vitale says there’s no evidence that’s true. He discusses how expanded policing is the flip side of neoliberal economic austerity and the slashing of social services. PHOTO: Ari Spada on Unsplash.
Rebecca Solnit on hope in hard times; David Hawkes on money as symbol; Laura Kipnis on monogamy; and the late, great Eduardo Galeano. PHOTO: Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash.
The world around us is increasingly toxic, with 90,000 registered chemicals in the US, most of which have never been tested for their effects on human health. While regulating and banning chemicals and other hazards is ultimately a key political question, physician Aly Cohen argues that there is a fair amount we can do to … Continued
Acclaimed historian Peter Linebaugh discusses Thomas Paine’s critiques of inequality and authoritarianism.
Too many hours, erratic schedules, not enough hours — and, of course, not enough pay: if you’re a worker in the U.S, time feels like the enemy. Yet, as sociologist Jamie McCallum argues, U.S. workers tend not to see their plight as a collective one and, in a particularly American way, often wear overwork as … Continued
“Countering violent extremism” is a U.S. government program aimed at combatting homegrown terrorism. It enlists teachers, service providers, and religious leaders in U.S. communities to monitor and report on young people deemed vulnerable to terrorist radicalization. But according to Nicole Nguyen, CVE asks teachers and others to take on policing functions and criminalizes Muslim youth. … Continued
As much of the American West burns, where should leftists struggle in order to halt the worst effects of global warming? Christian Parenti believes, since time is in short supply, that we have no choice but to use the existing institutions of the U.S. state. And to do that, he argues, we should draw lessons … Continued
According to Hadar Aviram, the death penalty, life without the possibility of parole, and life with parole converged into a virtually indistinguishable regime of extreme punishment in California. She describes the roles played by the Manson family murder cases and the politicization of the parole process in the shift toward interminable incarceration. Hadar Aviram, Yesterday’s Monsters: The … Continued
The untimely death of David Graeber, anthropologist, anarchist, and one of the initiators of Occupy Wall Street, has left an immeasurable void on the radical left. His friend and collaborator Andrej Grubacic reflects on Graeber’s wide-ranging contributions, from the long history of debt and class society, to the fundamental importance of generosity, care and play … Continued