An Introduction To Kojin Karatani with Gabriel Tupinambá
We join Gabriel Tupinambá from the Subset of Theoretical Practice for a discussion on the Japanese Marxist Kojin Karatani. We discuss what Karatani's project is, why we should care about it, before focusing on his magna opus The Structure of World History. We discuss his approach to modes of exchange, and why it is a novel lens, how communism fits on his scheme before mentioning some weak points. We end up with a discussion of how Gabriel´s reading of Karatani has affected his organizing.
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How the US made Global Capitalism with Sam Gindin
Ira and Rudy sit down with Sam Gindin to discuss the evolving nature of global capitalism through the lens of U.S. hegemony, neoliberalism, and emerging geopolitical shifts. We begin by analyzing Gindin's The Making of Global Capitalism, examining how the U.S.-led global order was constructed and whether it's synonymous with neoliberalism. From there, we delve into current trends—protectionism, supply chain reshoring, and regionalization—to ask whether these signal a break from neoliberal norms or a transformation into something new. We also assess the stability of U.S. dominance in a world where multipolarity is rising, before bringing the conversation home: how these global dynamics impact domestic labor and the potential for cross-border solidarity among labor and socialist movements.
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1:15:02
City Time: Life as Political Prisoners on Rikers with Jarrod Shanahan and David Campbell
Isaac and Jack are joined by David Campbell and Jarrod Shanahan to discuss their new book City Time: On Being Sentenced to Rikers Island, an ethnography of Rikers Island based on the author’s experiences as inmates on Rikers. We discuss the unwritten social codes that order life on Rikers, the social function of jails (and some surprising similarities to the New Deal), the differences between urban jails and rural prisons, the relationship between inmates and jail staff, and the labor struggles that play out in jails and prisons. Resources: NY’s Prison Guard Strike Has Roots in Decades of Racialized Deindustrialization Andrea R. Morrell - Prison Town Making the Carceral State in Elmira, New York Truthout interview about the Wildcat Strike Hard Crackers "Stick-Up on Rikers Island" piece by David Campbell. Kim Kelly - Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist-Anarchist Solidarity https://stopcop.city/ https://www.abcf.net/ https://intlantifadefence.wordpress.com/ https://x.com/ab_dac https://www.patreon.com/davidcampbelldac
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1:48:04
The Contemporary Irish Left with Oisín Gilmore & David Landy
Rudy joins Oisín Gilmore and David Landy, authors of Fragments of Victory Fragments of Victory: The Contemporary Irish Left for a discussion on the unique political history of the Republic of Ireland. We talk about why the country never developed a strong social democratic tradition, the dominance of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the economic turmoil of the Celtic Tiger crash, and Ireland’s distinctive response to austerity compared to Southern Europe. We then move to the major social movements—water charges, abortion rights, and housing—highlighting their impact and legacy. The discussion also covers the role of trade unions, the evolution of the Irish left from Labour’s decline to the rise of Sinn Féin and Trotskyist parties, and the influence of figures like Clare Daly and Mick Wallace. Finally, the episode reflects on the recent election results and what they mean for the future of Ireland’s left-wing politics.
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1:19:45
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1:19:45
The German Left w/ Carlos from Licht & Luft
Rudy joins Carlos of Licht & Luft for a discussion on the Licht & Luft project and the broader German left, with a focus on Die Linke. We discuss the decision to organize within Die Linke, the political debates within the organization including the focus on economistic demands or on more political demands, a read on the recent elections, the issue of Zionism, before turning to discussing BSW & Sahra Wagenknecht's project. We finish with a discussion on European solidary and the extraparlamentarian left in Germany. References: https://lichtundluft.org/2024/12/15/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-1-die-lage-der-partei/ https://lichtundluft.org/2025/01/12/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-2-von-der-hottentottenwahl-lernen/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1524/firewall-and-hot-air/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/978/die-linke-rotten-politics-and-rotten-terms/
Cosmopod is the official podcast of Cosmonaut Magazine, a project dedicated to expanding the project of scientific socialism in the 21st Century. In our feed we have a combination of podcast episodes and audio articles from our website.
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