Manufacturing Dissent Since 1996
New interviews throughout the week
11 robbins

It is the peculiarity of our historical time that revolution is not in the cards - so I'm asking if this is not very likely to happen, do we have to give up? I say no, we can find resources for a radical change, without the crutch of a revolution, without the crutch of crisis, without the crutch of utopia - even the wonderful socialist utopia. We do not need it to go in a different direction, the direction against capitalism.

While Chuck is out this week, we revisit our first interview from 2020. Theorist Albena Azmanova examines the dynamics of post-2008 precarity capitalism, the left's long failure to strike through capitalism's competitive production of profit, and explains why radical change for the precarious multitude is possible without a revolutionary break - but through subversive pragmatism.

Albena is author of Capitalism on Edge: How Fighting Precarity Can Achieve Radical Change Without Crisis or Utopia from Columbia University Press.

 


Episode 866

Childhood's Endstage

Sep 12 2015
Posted by Alexander Jerri

Listen live tomorrow 9AM - 1PM Central on WNUR 89.3FM or stream here at thisishell.com

 

9:15 - Economist Michael Hudson explains how finance became capitalism's driving force.

Michael is author of the new book Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Destroy the Global Economy

 

10:05 - Jacobin editor Megan Erickson explores childhood in an age of austerity and division.

Megan's new book is Class War: The Privatization of Childhood from Verso Books.

 

11:05 - Sociologist Javier Auyero profiles daily life in Argentina's most dangerous neighborhood.

Javier is co-author (along with María Fernanda Berti) of In Harm's Way: The Dynamics of Urban Violence from Princeton University Press.

 

12:05 - Writer Michelle Chen looks to the present and future of digital labor organizing.

Michelle wrote the article The Unionization of Digital Media for The Nation.

 

12:45 - Jeff Dorchen bashes (from the left) a left-basher bashing from the left.

We're worried that many left turns puts Jeff on the right.

Posted by Alexander Jerri

Here's what Chuck is reading this week to prepare for Saturday's show:

Michael Hudson - Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Destroy the Global Economy

Megan Erickson - Class War: The Privatization of Childhood

Javier Auyero & María Fernanda Berti - In Harm's Way: The Dynamics of Urban Violence

Michelle Chen - The Unionization of Digital Media

Episode 865

The Arctic Line

Sep 5 2015
Posted by Alexander Jerri

Heather Exner-Pirot explains how a melting Arctic and international politics threaten indigenous land and political autonomy.

Heather wrote the chapter Whose Arctic Is it? in the Worldwatch Institute's report State of the World 2015: Confronting Hidden Threats to Sustainability.

Episode 864

Dire Education

Aug 29 2015
Posted by Alexander Jerri

9:10AM - Historian Joyce Mao explores China's role in shaping modern American conservatism.

Joyce is author of Asia First: China and the Making of Modern American Conservatism from University of Chicago Press.

 

10:05AM - Lawpagandist Brian Foley explains the importance of narrative and storytelling in the courtroom.

Brian will be talking about the Legal Writing Institute.

 

10:35AM - Writer Eve Ewing remembers the ghosts of closed public schools in Bronzeville and beyond.

Eve wrote the letter Phantoms Playing Double-Dutch: Why the Fight for Dyett is Bigger than One Chicago School Closing at Seven Scribes.

 

11:05AM - Author William Deresiewicz surveys the cost of a neoliberal university education.

William is author of the September Harper's cover story The Neoliberal Arts: How college sold its soul to the market.

 

12:05PM - Activist Alberto Roque Guerra contrasts LGBT life in Cuba and the United States.

Dr. Roque Guerra will be speaking at the LGBTs in Cuba event on September 1st.

 

12:45PM - Jeff Dorchen pokes the turd of nationalist paranoia.

Don't worry, Jeff will be using a stick in this metaphorical situation.

Posted by Alexander Jerri

Here's what Chuck is reading this week to prepare for Saturday's show:

Joyce Mao - Asia First: China and the Making of Modern American Conservatism

Eve Ewing - Phantoms Playing Double-Dutch: Why the Fight for Dyett is Bigger than One Chicago School Closing

William Deresiewicz - The Neoliberal Arts: How college sold its soul to the market [subscription required]

 

 

Episode 863

Disaster Assurance

Aug 22 2015
Posted by Alexander Jerri

 

9:10AM - Journalist Gary Rivlin revisits the first days and bad decisions of the Katrina disaster.

Gary is author of the new book Katrina: After the Flood from Simon & Schuster.

 

10:05AM - Live from Kabul, Matthieu Aikins profiles the gangster-politicians of Karachi.

Matthieu's latest writing is The Gangs of Karachi for Harper's and Yemen's Hidden War for Rolling Stone.

 

10:35AM - The Radical Pessimist, Kevan Harris examines China's influence in South Africa.

Kevan just returned from South Africa and will be in-studio tomorrow.

 

11:05AM - Writer Alyssa Katz explores the US Chamber of Commerce's influence on American politics.

 

12:05PM - Psychology researcher Rael Dawtry points out the blind spots in the minds of wealthy people.

Rael is co-author of the study Why wealthier people think people are wealthier, and why it matters.

 

12:35PM - The Hopleaf's Michael Roper looks ahead to the inevitable craft brew bubble pop.

Michael will be in-studio with a couple beer choices and the chance to support a local public school by getting day drunk.