Jacobin Radio Dig: 500th Episode Party w/ Brace Belden and Liz Franczak
Nov 20, 2025
Guests Brace Belden and Liz Franczak host the lively celebration featuring Aziz Rana, a law professor who shares a heartfelt message from his mother about The Dig's impact on leftist culture. The highlight includes Gabriel Winant discussing the intersection of reading and organizing, while Sumaya Awad emphasizes The Dig's historical significance for new leftists. The night is filled with laughter, bloopers, and insights into how the podcast shapes political knowledge and fosters a sense of community across generations.
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Episode notes
Podcast As Political Pedagogy
- Gabriel Winant frames The Dig as raising the knowledge floor for organizers so they become effective "organic intellectuals."
- Deep, careful interviews shorten organizers' learning curves and make arguments persuasive in struggle.
Depth Makes Complex History Accessible
- Sumaya Awad celebrates Tharwa for unpacking Middle East history with depth and curiosity.
- The series models how rigorous historical context avoids didacticism while making complex politics accessible.
A Listener's Letter From Mom
- Aziz Rana reads a letter from his mother praising The Dig for creating intergenerational left culture.
- His mother's fandom shows the podcast reconnects older radicals to living political conversations.