The Origins of 'Woke Identity' and Foucault's Influence

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Explore the origins of 'woke identity' and its connection to post-war Paris intellectuals, particularly Michel Foucault. Discuss Foucault's core ideas, their influence on post-colonialism and critical race theory, and speculate on how Foucault might view the present-day manifestation of these ideas. Also features an interview with David Axelrod on Obama's exceptional candidacy and the political and cultural conditions that made him possible.

David Axelrod is the former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama. He currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Chicago. He is author of the memoir, Believer: My Forty Years in Politics.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and David Axelrod discuss how Obama was able to build a winning coalition in 2008 that included many moderate voters; whether, despite the polarized state of American politics, a future presidential candidate could replicate that success; and what it would take for Joe Biden to defeat Donald Trump in 2024.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

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Podcast production by John Taylor Williams, and Brendan Ruberry

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