In this engaging discussion, Amna Akbar, a social movements expert, Gabe Winant, a commentator on labor and climate issues, and Thea Riofrancos, a scholar on climate and left electoralism, tackle pivotal themes in American politics. They delve into the importance of Palestinian solidarity and the complexities of left identity politics. The resurrection of Obamaism and its contradictions are critically analyzed. The trio emphasizes the link between labor activism and the climate crisis, advocating for more robust grassroots organizing to confront systemic challenges.

"Conjuncture w/ Akbar, Winant, & Riofrancos" features Amna Akbar, Gabriel Winant, and Thea Riofrancos. They discuss the American conjuncture, analyzing its impact on the left. They explore protest movements like Occupy, Ferguson, and Standing Rock, examining how they formed the new American left. They also delve into the limited impact of police reform efforts and the challenges faced by left-leaning organizations during protests. Additionally, they discuss the shift in focus during the pandemic and the contradictory outcomes of economic policies, leading to a potential post-neoliberal order.

It’s clear that we need to decarbonize our economy as quickly as possible in order to avoid the worst of climate change — but carbon isn’t the only problem we’re facing. As the world moves towards renewables and away from fossil fuels as an energy source, we can’t forget that the technology and minerals behind this green transition need to come from somewhere — and that somewhere is primarily countries in the Global South. The supply chains which carry the lithium, copper, cobalt, and other minerals essential for renewable technology from the peripheries to the imperial cores — from places like Chile and Bolivia to places like the United States and Europe — are built upon a foundation of colonialism, imperialism, hyper-exploitation, and ecocide: all essential components of our current economic system —  capitalism.  In part one of this two-part series on the green transition, we’re going to explore what happens when we simply paint capitalism green without addressing its fundamental global operating principles and processes. What is the dark side of the energy transition — particularly for the Global South and Indigenous communities?  In part two, we dive deeper into some solutions, but in this episode, we start our journey in the Atacama desert of Chile and end all the way in the Arctic Circle, exploring the global extractive machine and the communities that exist on its frontiers. Featured Guests: Max Ajl: Associated researcher with the Tunisian Observatory for Food Sovereignty and the Environment, postdoctoral fellow with the Rural Sociology Group at Wageningen University, author of A People’s Green New Deal Ana Julia Aneise: Youth climate activist with Youth for Climate Sergio Chaparro: Colombian human rights activist and researcher Jason Hickel: Economic anthropologist and author of Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World Beaska Niillas: Northern Sámi traditional handicrafter, hunter and gatherer, activist, Sámi school kindergarten teacher, politician, and the host of the SuperSápmi Podcast Thea Riofrancos: Associate professor of political science at Providence College and co-author of A Planet To Win: Why We Need a Green New Deal Matthias Schmelzer: Economic historian at the University of Vienna and co-author of The Future is Degrowth: A Guide to a World beyond Capitalism Music by Chris Zabriskie, Pele, Do Make Say Think, and Sofia Jannok Thank you to Bethan Mure for the cover art. Upstream theme music was composed by Robert Raymond. Both english and spanish transcriptions are available at: upstreampodcast.org/greentransitionpt1. Thank you to Martina Knittel for the Spanish transcription. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you and the Guerrilla Foundation and Resist Foundation. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support Also, if your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on social media: Facebook.com/upstreampodcast twitter.com/UpstreamPodcast Instagram.com/upstreampodcast You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.  

Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour Party leader known for his socialist ideals, joins a panel that includes activist Asad Rehman, economist James Meadway, and political ecologist Thea Riofrancos. They discuss the pivotal role of internationalism in labor movements, and the struggles against capitalism's economic despair. The conversation highlights the intersection of environmental justice with social movements and critiques modern economic policies while envisioning a more equitable future. Insights also touch on the importance of solidarity in global struggles against inequality.

Legal scholar Amna Akbar, historian Gabriel Winant, and political scientist Thea Riofrancos discuss the challenges and potential of the new US left, the revitalization of American liberalism, the limitations of the Democratic Party, the state of the climate movement, the radicalization of the right, and the role of labor and industrial policy.