New Books in Critical Theory

Jessica Calarco, an Associate Professor of Sociology, discusses women's vital roles in America's safety net, revealing the challenges they face due to inadequate social support. The podcast explores the impact on caregiving, motherhood, and the need for collective action to reimagine social safety nets for a more equitable society.

Lauren Lassabe Shepherd discusses 'Resistance from the Right,' exploring conservative critiques on college campuses in the 60s. Topics include influence of military funding, right-wing organizations, disagreements among conservative groups, college sports as sites of resistance, and prominent conservative figures in student organizations.

Dr. Lydia Walker discusses her book 'States-in-Waiting: A Counter Narrative of Global Decolonization', exploring the complexities of self-determination for minority peoples, transcontinental networks of activists, and hidden dramas of decolonization. The podcast covers incomplete decolonization processes globally, nationalist movements' use of advocates, imbalanced relationships in decolonization, the UN's impact on state-seeking behaviors, and the intersection of decolonization with the Cold War.

Guest Christopher William England discusses Henry George's land value tax, global impact on liberalism, and influence on American and British liberalism. The podcast covers George's proposals for economic inequality, urban reformers aligning with Woodrow Wilson, the decline of Georgeism post World War I, and the legacy of land value taxation in addressing urban inequality and promoting democracy.

Nivedita Menon discusses 'Secularism as Misdirection' exploring secularism's misdirection akin to a magic trick diverting attention. She challenges traditional notions, addresses Hindu supremacism, and critiques secular India's visibility of caste. The podcast delves into feminist politics, the Uniform Civil Code, and redefining citizenship beyond Eurocentric modernity.

Salman Sayyid, an expert in Critical Muslim Studies, discusses decoloniality. He explores the significance of decoloniality for Muslims, challenges in acknowledging agency, and redefining the Islamicate identity. The conversation delves into the intersection of Islamicate and decoloniality, global power dynamics, and the need to reevaluate categories within Islamic contexts for decolonization.

Latinos have long influenced everything from electoral politics to popular culture, yet many people instinctively regard them as recent immigrants rather than a longstanding racial group. In Inventing Latinos: A New Story of American Racism (The New Press, 2020), Laura Gómez, a leading expert on race, law, and society, illuminates the fascinating race-making, unmaking, and re-making of Latino identity that has spanned centuries, leaving a permanent imprint on how race operates in the United States today.Pulling back the lens as the country approaches an unprecedented demographic shift (Latinos will comprise a third of the American population in a matter of decades), Gómez also reveals the nefarious roles the United States has played in Latin America—from military interventions and economic exploitation to political interference—that, taken together, have destabilized national economies to send migrants northward over the course of more than a century. It’s no coincidence that the vast majority of Latinos migrate from the places most impacted by this nation’s dirty deeds, leading Gómez to a bold call for reparations. In this audacious effort to reframe the often-confused and misrepresented discourse over the Latinx generation, Gómez provides essential context for today’s most pressing political and public debates—representation, voice, interpretation, and power—giving all of us a brilliant framework to engage cultural controversies, elections, current events, and more.David-James Gonzales (DJ) is Assistant Professor of History at Brigham Young University. He is a historian of migration, urbanization, and social movements in the U.S., and specializes in Latina/o/x politics and social movements. Follow him on Twitter @djgonzoPhD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Mark Stoll, an environmental historian, explores the historical impact of profit on the environment, from medieval Italy to the modern era of capitalism. He discusses the evolution of capitalism, the exploitation of resources, the role of slavery, and the rise of consumerism. Stoll highlights the environmental consequences of profit-driven policies and the urgent need for sustainable practices.

Award-winning sociologist Margaret A. Hagerman explores how children in Trump's America learn about race. Interviews reveal similar patterns in children's ideas about racism. Emotionally compelling stories of kids navigating political and racial divide. Children's racialized emotions like fear and solidarity are central. Discussion on impact of political movements on schools and children's racial identities.

Psychoanalyst Jean Petrucelli and collaborators discuss challenging patriarchy through psychoanalytic perspectives, exploring boundary violations, black-feminist theories, and patriarchy within the trans community. They emphasize the need for dismantling patriarchy within psychoanalysis and society, addressing its impacts on diverse patient populations. The podcast delves into the collaboration process behind the book, highlighting the importance of intergenerational conversations and critiquing established norms in academia and therapy.