Bungacast

On the electricity grid and the institutions involved. [Episode originally released only to subscribers on 20 June 2024. Join us at patreon.com/bungacast] Fred Stafford, a STEM professional, a writer on energy and power, and an editor at Damage, talks to Alex and regular contributor Leigh Phillips about the utility of utilities and his recent essay in the second print issue of Damage, "Deinstitutionalized"./ What actually is a utility: is it a question of ownership, structure, purpose..? How did the 70s energy crisis, neoliberal economics, and environmentalism create a perfect storm that broke up regulated utilities? How does the regulatory regime on energy in the US actually work? Why have environmentalists been so keen to line up with neoliberal deregulation and to attack utilities – in Europe as well as the US? Why should the left think about a restoration of the investor-owned utility model, and not just jump straight to public ownership? Links: The Utility of Utilities, Fred Stafford & Matt Huber, Damage Big Public Power from the Atom, Matt Huber & Fred Stafford, Damage Power Loss: The Origins of Deregulation and Restructuring in the American Electric Utility System, Richard F Hirsch

On Geoffrey Roberts’ 2013 biography of Field Marshal Zhukov. [Patreon Exclusive] Who was the Soviet general and architect of Soviet victory on the Eastern Front during the Second World War? We discuss: What does Zhukov’s life tell us about modern warfare? What can we learn about the life and fate of the Soviet regime? How should we view the Ukraine war and renewed geopolitical rivalry between the West and Russia today? What are the popular perceptions and folk memories of world war?   Links: Stalin's General: The Life of Georgy Zhukov, Geoffrey Roberts Saving Private Ivan, Mike Davis, The Guardian Negotiate Now, or Capitulate Later: Ten Incentives for Ukraine to Make Peace with Russia, Geoffrey Roberts, Brave New Europe Putin’s Trump Card: Ukrainian Membership of NATO, Geoffrey Roberts, Brave New Europe ‘Now or Never’: The Immediate Origins of Putin’s Preventative War on Ukraine, Geoffrey Roberts, Journal of Military and Strategic Studies

Matthew Thompson, a researcher on civil society, and Jonny Gordon-Farleigh, who focuses on NGOs’ influence on politics, dive into the profound impact of NGO-isation on contemporary governance. They explore how private NGOs and quangos have reshaped state responsibilities, leaving a 'shadow state' in their wake. The conversation addresses the damaging effects of 'projectification' on public accountability, and discusses potential paths for revitalizing community-driven initiatives like Working Men’s Clubs. Expect concrete examples and thought-provoking insights!

On your questions & criticisms. [Patreon Exclusive] We respond with comments on episodes 420 to 432 and various other points you wanted to us to discuss. In this episode: Does our politics lack self-critique? When did the breakdown of the UK's political system begin? How hegemonic is "settler" discourse? Will there be a coup in France? Do we need more analysis of the PMC? How did victimhood become a means for the expression of political demands?   Links: The Making of a New Political Subject, George Hoare, Café americain Vulnerability as Ideology, Peter Ramsay, The Northern Star

On Naomi Klein & Naomi Wolf and "political diagonalism" Episode in association with Damage magazine. Patreon Exclusive. Ben Burgis talks to Alex and George about his review in Damage of Naomi Klein's Doppelgangers. We discuss: Whether Naomi Klein is representative of the average left-wing position this century What Klein's trajectory and that of Naomi Wolf tell us about contemporary politics What is "pipiking" – Philip Roth's term for making everything a farce? What role do conspiracy theories play for the Right today? For the Left? What's wrong with the idea of "settlers" and "indigenous", and how does it play out with regard to Jews and to Native Americans? Are we right to hold up “proper left” and “proper right” as ideals to which the ideological confusion of our times should return?   Links: Left Identitarianism Is Also A Mirror World, Ben Burgis, Damage Ben Burgis' columns at Jacobin What comes after wokeness?, Alex Hochuli, Substack The Making of a New Political Subject, George Hoare, Café american

Lee Jones, an expert on Chinese state structure and external relations, and Shahar Hameiri, who focuses on the Chinese Communist Party's dynamics, delve into the reality of China's fragmented authority. They discuss the implications of recent Party plenums and Xi Jinping's leadership, questioning who truly wields power. The duo examines the Sino-Russian alliance, the status of wolf-warrior diplomacy, and the potential economic fallout from China's property bubble. They also tackle concerns about escalating tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Explore the fascinating duality of tourism, where the line between 'traveler' and 'tourist' is blurred. Delve into how cities transform into tourist-centric zones and the economic implications of a mono-industry. Hear about the environmental impacts of tourism and its links to social class perceptions. Discover the relationship between rising rents, migration, and urban change in Southern Europe. Finally, critique the neoliberal conditions shaping identity and society, and the need for adaptive strategies in a changing political landscape.

On Julien Benda's famous 1927 work. [Patreon Exclusive] We continue on the theme of 'Intellectuals and the Public' by discussing the often cited by little read The Treason of the Clerks. We ask: If Benda was responding to the intellectuals' role in the Dreyfus Affair and WWI, was he already a man out of his time? What are intellectuals' proper role in society? Can they be abstract universalist moralists? Benda laments the end of humanism – can we endorse this lament, even if things are too far gone now? Is Benda a centrist dad, urging us all not to get too passionate or engaged? How do Benda’s ideas related to Gramsci’s notion of the traditional versus the organic intellectual? If Benda was critical of the 'realism' of his day – as opposed to the detached ethics of pre-20th century intellectuals – how might we use Benda to critique the cynicism of today? Readings: Treason of the Intellectuals, Mark Lilla, Tablet (from preface to new edition) The Treason of the Intellectuals, Niall Ferguson, The Free Press Julien Benda’s political Europe and the treason of intellectuals, Davide Caddedu Edward Said on imperialist hypocrisy on Kosova: The treason of the intellectuals, Green Left

On JD Vance, Hillbilly Elegy, and arresting decline. [For the full episode: patreon.com/bungacast] We discuss the Netflix adaptation of vice-presidential nominee JD Vance's memoir – and the memoir itself – and what it tells us about the direction of US politics, Trump, and MAGA. We ask: What is Ryan's own anti-hillbilly elegy, drawn from his experience in Central Illinois? How far does the character in the film correspond with Vance’s public persona today?  How do we account for Vance’s political pivot – at least in rhetoric – from “lift yourself up by your bootstraps” meritocracy to pro-labour nationalism?  What will happen to rural/small-town US American life? Plus: Is reading books gay? Is a "hillbilly" just Hillary + Bill? And what is a horseshoe sandwich? Links: The State of Illinois is Killing My Family, Ryan Zickgraf, Jacobin An anti-Hillbilly Elegy, Ryan Zickgraf, The Third Rail (Substack)  Hillbilly Elegy Doesn’t Reflect the Appalachia I Know, Cassie Chambers Armstrong, The Atlantic  Why the Left Gets J.D. Vance Wrong, Zaid Jilani, Compact

Eva Illouz, a renowned sociologist known for her work on emotional capitalism, dives into the intricate relationship between emotions and politics. She explores why emotions have become a societal obsession and how they are packaged and sold. Illouz dissects victim culture, linking identity with perpetual resentment. She critiques Israeli populism, revealing its emotional underpinnings of fear and love. Plus, she reflects on her changing views of the progressive left amid rising political challenges.