Jacobin Radio

The hosts analyze the low budget of the Santa Claus III movie and express their desire for more information. They discuss the Christmas spirit and Tim Allen's connection to it. The significance of a childhood trauma and its connection to capitalism in the movie is examined. The Santa Claus movies are explored, focusing on the mythical elements and the secularization of Santa Claus. Connections are drawn between characters in the movie and real-life political figures. The hosts bid farewell, sharing holiday wishes and discussing the picturesque scene of frozen landscapes.

Explore the rise and influence of the CIO, highlighting key moments of labor upsurge and its impact on the working class. Delve into themes of heroism, factory occupations, violence, and power, drawing lessons for the present day.

Gabriel Hetland has just published his study of populist experiments in Venezuela and Bolivia, Democracy on the Ground, showing the complexity of implementing participatory democracy at the grassroots level. Suzi talks to him about his findings. He examines the possibilities, limits, and concrete cases of participatory democracy, including participatory budgeting at the local level during the highpoint of Latin America’s Left Turn in the 2010s. Hetland's study immediately begs the question: what kind of democracy? It’s a pertinent question here in the US, where democracy is under threat.Jacobin Radio with Suzi Weissman features conversations with leading thinkers and activists, with a focus on labor, the economy, and protest movements.

Ussama Makdisi discusses the late Ottoman Empire's culture of coexistence that was disrupted by European colonialism and Zionism. They explore misconceptions about the Middle East, missionary movements, the decline of the Ottoman Empire, and Lebanon's sectarian governance.

The podcast discusses the film 'Equilibrium' and its concept of Gun Kata, a dystopian future martial art. They analyze the presence and impact of emotions in different governments and societies, drawing parallels to historical events. They critique the movie's society and explore the role of art, architecture, and fashion in evoking emotions.

Historian Forrest Hylton talks about Javier Milei, the new libertarian, authoritarian president of Argentina. They also discuss the rise of the far-right in Argentina and Israel's role in the Latin American right.

Guest Jan Dumolyn, professor of history, discusses the wave of uprisings and class conflict in medieval Flanders. They explore the social conditions behind the uprisings, the flourishing trade economy of Flanders, the decline of guild power in the southern low countries, and the role of the self-conscious artisan class in shaping the political landscape.

Joel Schalit, editor of The Battleground, discusses what's behind the carnage in Gaza, including Israeli politics and society. The devastating impact of the Gaza bombing is explored, along with the possibility of settlers returning and refugees being relocated. Amy Schiller discusses the instrumentalization of philanthropy and the need for systemic change.

In this podcast, the hosts discuss the lack of imagination in Ridley Scott's movie about the French Revolution and Napoleon. They also analyze the leadership styles of Stephen Harper and Pierre Polyevre, critique the inaccurate historical depiction in the movie, and delve into Thomas Carlisle's influence on historical perception. Additionally, they provide a detailed account of a failed insurrection and the fall of the sacred rite.

Shaul Magid, an expert on post-1948 Jewish Zionism and Jewish anti-Zionism, discusses the growing left-wing anti-Zionist movement among young American Jews, the impact of Israel's victory in the Six-Day War on Zionism, the divide among left-wing Jewish Americans on Zionism and anti-Zionism, the neoliberalization of Israel, the weaponization of anti-Semitism to silence criticism of Israel, the contradictions in the Zionist narrative, and the ongoing Zionist civil war within Israel.