Jacobin Radio Behind the News: The “Anti-Woke” Culture War w/ Jodi Dean
Aug 11, 2025
Join Jodi Dean, a political science professor and author, alongside Emily Jashinsky, a DC correspondent, as they dive into the contentious 'anti-woke' culture war. Dean argues that ignoring cultural recognition undermines solidarity, while Jashinsky scrutinizes Marjorie Taylor Greene’s provocative rhetoric. The duo also navigates the evolving dynamics of political divides, critiquing performative politics and the influence of social media on public sentiment. Their discussion sheds light on how cultural narratives reshape economic discussions, urging a more inclusive leftist perspective.
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Shameless Spectacles As Power Performance
- Jodi Dean argues billionaire antics perform power through shamelessness and spectacle.
- Those performances project immunity from norms and attract both admiration and fear.
Right Wing As Manufactured Opposition
- Jodi Dean notes the right now supplies the language of opposition while protecting billionaire interests.
- That rhetorical position lets the right pose as radical even as it enriches elites.
Working Class Is Now Service-Based
- Jodi Dean stresses the U.S. working class has shifted toward service jobs and bureaucracies.
- Dismissing those workers as mere PMC caricatures misreads current class composition.
