How do we pursue justice when 'losing is likely'? How can faith teach us to better care for the earth? Why does the technocratic language of the White Western Left, fail in providing spiritual reasons for overturning Capitalism? I discussed a

Chang Che on Wang Huning: The Mind behind Xi & the Modern CCP

May 22nd, 2022 1h 6m

I spoke to Chang Che of SupChina for a fascinating conversation on Wang Huning, the strategist behind Xi Jinping & the Modern CCPWe discuss Wang's role in crafting China's authoritarianism to implement capitalist reforms, how Wang's writings c

Paul Passavant: The Policing of Public Space in America

May 15th, 2022 51m 41s

I spoke to Paul Passavant, author of: Policing Protest: The Post-Democratic State and the Figure of Black Insurrection. We discuss the policing of protest in America, how public spaces have slowly become privatized and thus subject to policing,

Colleen Wood: Russian Imperialism in Central Asia

May 1st, 2022 47m 22s

I spoke to Central Asia expert Colleen Wood on the history of Russian Colonialism in Central Asia. Topics include how Russia structured Central Asia economies, how the Soviet system sought to instill Nationalism and break traditional viewpoints

Ananth Krishnan: How India sees China & how China sees India

Apr 24th, 2022 55m 35s

We spoke to Ananth Krishnan of The Hindu & The India-China Newsletter for a deep dive on how India sees China & how China sees India. We discuss the points of cooperation and tension between the two nations, the horrific synchronicity islamop

Temur Umarov: The Economic Relationships of Central Asia, Russia & China

Apr 17th, 2022 56m 26s

I spoke to policy expert Temur Umarov on the economic relationships between Central Asia, Russia & China as well as how regional policies (Xinjiang, One Belt One Road, The War in Ukraine) are impacting capitalism throughout the region. It's a

Lokman Tsui: The Loss of Press Freedom in Hong Kong

Apr 10th, 2022 43m 49s

I spoke to academic & activist Lokman Tsui on the loss of Press Freedom in Hong Kong. Lokman (a former journalism professor at Chinese University of Hong Kong) explains the history of Hong Kong's once robust free press, how this was dismantled

Black Science as Black Power: Dr. Quito Swan on the Life of Pauulu Kamarakafego

Apr 3rd, 2022 49m 59s

I spoke to Dr. Quito Swan of Indiana University on revolutionary scientist Pauulu Kamarakafego and his journey through the Black Pacific, Black Atlantic & Africa to decolonize science. We discuss the differences between the Black Pacific & Bla

Sabina Knight on China's Literature (Part 2): The Cultural Revolution & Mo Yan's Nobel Prize

Mar 27th, 2022 56m 24s

We spoke to Dr. Sabina Knight of Smith for a two-part conversation on her book: Chinese Literature: A Very Short Introduction.In Part 2 (our conclusion) we discuss the literature of China's May 4th movement, the literature of the cultural revo

Maria Repnikova: Manufacturing Consent in China & Russia

Mar 23rd, 2022 59m 3s

I spoke to Dr. Maria Repnikova, author of "Chinese Soft Power" to discuss how Chinese and Russian State Media report on Ukraine to their domestic audiences. We also discuss Hong Kong, Aileen Gu, "Little Pinks", Patriarchy, Chomsky and "Wolf War

Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins: On Liberalism

Mar 13th, 2022 55m 6s

I spoke to Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins of The Nation on Liberalism, a subject that despite its omnipresence, I find perplexing and mysterious. Daniel unpacks the history of liberalism, the many different strands and threads of this ideology, eng

Huizhong Wu: Little Plum Blossom & Patriarchy in China

Mar 6th, 2022 50m 4s

I spoke to the AP's Huizhong Wu on how the shocking images of a chained woman(小花梅, "Little Plum Blossom") in Feng County, Jiangsu has sparked unprecedented fury on China's heavily censored internet. Topics of our conversation include the vast

Joe Kassabian: On Armenia, Azerbaijan & the war for Artsakh

Feb 27th, 2022 56m 51s

I spoke to Joe Kassabian, a Yerevan based researcher on Armenia, Azerbaijan & the 2020 war for Artsakh (also known as Nagorno-Karabakh) Joe explains the long historical roots of Armenian/Azeri conflict, how geopolitical powers like Isreal, Tur

Sabina Knight on China's Literature (Part 1 - Daoism, Confucianism & Anti- War Poetry)

Feb 20th, 2022 45m 50s

We spoke to Dr. Sabina Knight of Smith for a two-part conversation on her book: Chinese Literature: A Very Short Introduction. In part one, we discuss the historic & contemporary influence that Daoism, Confucianism & Anti-War Poetry have had o

Jessica Namakkal on Auroville: India's Settler Utopia

Feb 13th, 2022 36m 29s

I spoke to Dr. Jessica Namakkal on her book, Unsettling Utopia: The Making & Unmaking of French India.This is Part 2 of our conversation, we discuss the utopian community of Auroville. Located outside of Pondicherry (a former French colonial

Joanna Lillis: The Aftermath of Kazakhstan's Protests

Feb 6th, 2022 31m 35s

I spoke to Journalist Joanna Lillis for an update on Kazakhstan's protests, why Russia was involved in their suppression, protester violence as strategy or sabotage and the future of governance in the country. For more w. Joanna please follow

Jessica Namakkal: Decolonizing French India (Part 1)

Jan 24th, 2022 52m 12s

I spoke to Dr. Jessica Namakkal on her book, Unsettling Utopia: The Making & Unmaking of French India. In Part 1 of our conversation, we discuss the history of French India, its unique decolonial movement and the complex identities of its revo

Taylor Moore: Abuse & Corruption in Chicago Slam Poetry

Jan 17th, 2022 1h

I spoke to journalist Taylor Moore on her story for the Chicago Reader, 'A silence louder than words: How allegations of sexual abuse exposed cracks in the foundation of Young Chicago Authors, Free Write Arts & Literacy, and the city’s spoken w

Theft is Property! Robert Nichols on Indigenous Resistance to Capitalism

Jan 3rd, 2022 1h 2m

I spoke with Dr. Robert Nichols author of, 'Theft is Property: Dispossession & Critical Theory'. It's one of the most important books I've ever read on capitalism, settler colonialism & indigenous critiques of both. I discuss w. Dr. Nichols

Nga Pham: The Stories Shaping Vietnam Today

Dec 19th, 2021 45m 29s

I spoke to Journalist Nga Pham on reporting the contemporary stories shaping Vietnam. We discuss the mysterious Billionaires behind VIETGROUP, how Covid and Climate Change are affecting Vietnam's populace, and what vision both young and old hav

Zikri Rahman: On Malaysia's Lawan Protests

Dec 5th, 2021 1h 5m

We spoke to Writer & Organizer Zikri Rahman on Malaysia's Lawan Protests and the political conditions that spawned them. We discuss the growing dissent towards Malaysia's Ruling Elite, how the next generations of Malaysia's want to define (and

Dean Spade: On Mutual Aid - Healing Ourselves to Heal the World

Nov 21st, 2021 54m 19s

I spoke to writer and organizer Dean Spade on their Book - Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (And The Next). We discuss a fascinating array of topics: Covid, Anarchism, #NoDAPL, Ella baker, #FreeJessicaReznick, Angela Davis, Jo

Jesse Appell: On Performing Standup In China & Selling Tea in the US

Nov 14th, 2021 45m 55s

I was thrilled to speak with Jesse Appell, who was one of China's most well-known foreign stand-up comics and now is one of the US's best known tea importers. We discuss Jesse's journey through China's stand-up comedy scene, the challenges he

Minsun Ji: On Squid Game, Jeon Tae-il & South Korea's Labor Movements

Nov 8th, 2021 44m 1s

We spoke to organizer Minsun Ji on Squid Game and how the labor movements of South Korea inspired the series. We discuss the Ssangyong Motor strikes, the legendary Jeon Tae-il's rallying cry to workers "We are Not Machines!" & contemporary Neol

Bathsheba Demuth - How Capitalism & State Socialism Transformed the Arctic

Nov 1st, 2021 44m 47s

I chatted with Dr. Bathsheba Demuth on her ground-breaking work, Floating Coast: An Environmental History fo the Bering Strait, which discusses how both the Capitalism of the US and the State Socialism of the USSR sought to enclose, extract and