Alex and Benjamin discuss Huntington's early emphasis on centralization and institutions, his turn toward civilizational thinking, and the position of religion - and particularly Catholicism - in his account.

Frédéric Bastiat

24 days ago 1h 6m

Alex and Benjamin explore the history of political thought from the point of view of Bastiat - who threw many ancient and enlightenment thinkers together into the basket of plunderers. If we think we come from God whole and complete, the need f

Terry Eagleton

Apr 16th, 2024 1h 4m

Alex and Benjamin discuss Terry Eagleton's work, focusing on interactions between religion and Marxism in the context of the "end of history" - the 1990s and beyond.

Tertullian

Mar 20th, 2024 1h 17m

Alex and Benjamin discuss the Roman persecution of the Christians - why the Romans did it, how the Christians responded to it, and the ways the experience shaped Christian political thought going forward.

Pocock & History in Political Theory

Feb 21st, 2024 1h 10m

We explore the methodological contributions of the late historian of political thought, John Pocock. We talk about the role of language and context in interpreting texts, distinctions between "history" and "philosophy," and the implications of

Murakami and Political Despair

Feb 6th, 2024 1h 2m

Alex and Benjamin explore post-political themes in Haruki Murakami's rat tetralogy.

Habermas

Jan 22nd, 2024 1h 14m

Alex and Benjamin delve into Habermas' notions of the public sphere, legitimacy, and communication. They also discuss postmetaphysical thinking.

Christian Wolff

Jan 9th, 2024 1h 12m

Alex and Benjamin talk about 18th century German philosopher Christian Wolff. Wolff suggested that there are reasons behind our motivations. Even a soldier who deserts his post is motivated to desert for a reason. Does that mean that rebels are

Monks in the City

Dec 1st, 2023 1h 13m

Alex and Benjamin talk about the explosion of monasteries in late antiquity. As it turns out, withdrawing from politics can be yet another way of trying to do politics.

G.K. Chesterton & G.B. Shaw as Political Theorists

Nov 15th, 2023 1h 9m

Alex and Benjamin explore a debate G.K. Chesterton and George Bernard Shaw had a century ago concerning political economy, then we dive into their political writings.

Laclau

Oct 23rd, 2023 1h 6m

Alex and Benjamin discuss Laclau's socialist strategy, populism, empty signifiers, and the relationship between Laclau's socialism and Marxism.

Lyotard

Oct 6th, 2023 1h 18m

Alex and Benjamin discuss Jean-François Lyotard's critique of Marxism, his "evil book," intersections between politics, art, and science, and how Lyotard answered the charge of relativism.

Deleuze & Guattari

Sep 19th, 2023 1h 7m

Alex and Benjamin explore the agonistic political thought of Deleuze and Guattari, focusing especially on their ideas about territory, change, and flow.

Althusser & Foucault, Ideology & Power

Aug 28th, 2023 1h 18m

Alex and Benjamin kick off a series on French political thought in the second half of the 20th century with an episode on ideology and power.

Free Speech with Doug Lain

Aug 14th, 2023 1h 39m

Alex and Benjamin bring on Doug Lain to talk about free speech in the 21st century. Doug offers his take on why free speech matters, and we discuss the political economy of speech and the role the state and civil society play in shaping public

Nicole Oresme

Jul 30th, 2023 1h 17m

Alex and Benjamin discuss Nicole Oresme, a 14th century French bishop who took an interest in political economy. An advocate for limited monarchy, Oresme argued against the right of king to debase the currency and even to raise taxes. Yet, at t

The Roman Economy

Jun 29th, 2023 1h 17m

Drawing on the work of G.E.M. de Ste. Croix, Peter Temin, and Walter Scheidel, Alex and Benjamin dig into the economy of the Roman Empire. They explore the role of markets, the level of social mobility, whether a core/periphery model applies, a

Mou Zongsan

Jun 3rd, 2023 1h

We discuss Mou Zongsan's effort to combine Confucianism with other traditions, his response to Kant, the line he draws between morality and politics, and his qualified embrace of democracy.

Wang Yangming

May 13th, 2023 1h 4m

Alex and Benjamin discuss the state of Confucianism during the Ming Dynasty. Should "li" be understood as "principle" or "pattern"? What is the relationship between li and chi? While some theorists, like Zhu Xi, hold that studying the classics

Shang Yang

May 2nd, 2023 1h 18m

Alex and Benjamin discuss one is on Lord Shang, a Chinese political theorist and minister associated with the development of legalism. Unlike most ancient political theorists, Shang Yang denies the possibility of a politics based on virtue. He

Voter Ethics

Apr 3rd, 2023 1h 24m

Alex and Benjamin discuss The Ethics of Voting (Princeton UP, 2011) by Jason Brennan, a contemporary political philosopher with a right-libertarian bent. They explore the consequences of thinking about voting from the standpoint of the individu

Manuel II Palaiologos and Late Byzantine Thought

Mar 13th, 2023 1h 10m

Alex and Benjamin dive into the thought of Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos. Ruler of a rump state that increasingly lacked the capacity to defend its territory, Manuel focused on trying to discern the things emperors could control from

Aeschines, Demosthenes, and Athenian Rhetoric

Feb 9th, 2023 1h 33m

Alex and Benjamin explore the twilight of Athenian democracy, in which Aeschines and Demosthenes struggle viciously against one another as the Macedonian shadow looms.

Gandhi

Jan 30th, 2023 1h 9m

Benjamin and Alex discuss Gandhi, the relationship between satyagraha and swaraj, his conceptualization of truth, anarchism, and so much more.

John Duns Scotus

Jan 9th, 2023 1h 12m

Expelled from France in 1303 after he sided with Pope Boniface VIII in a dispute with King Philip IV, John Duns Scotus advanced a theory of natural law that was much more limited in scope than that of the more famous Thomas Aquinas. Among other