Politics Theory Other

In today's episode Cecilia Rikap - an expert in the political economy of science and technology - speaks with Paris Marx (host of the excellent Tech Won't Save Us podcast). Cecilia and Paris discussed the subservient approach that Keir Starmer's Labour government has taken to tech policy and how willing Starmer has been to give tech companies whatever they want. They went on to discuss global dependence on US tech monopolists, and the concept of digital sovereignty in the context of the alliance between the Trump administration and Silicon Valley.

Expert on China-Iran relations William Figueroa joins PTO to talk about the relationship between China and Iran in the wake of the twelve day war between Iran and Israel. We chatted about why China's backing for Iran has been - and is likely to continue to be - relatively limited as China balances support for Iran with its other interest in West Asia. We also talked about the extent to which Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership are happy to see the US bogged down in the Middle East, and we spoke about whether the scale of Israeli violence and expansionism may lead China to take a more overtly pro-Iran position.

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Owen Hatherley responds to listener questions by Politics Theory Other

Leigh Claire La Berge, a Professor of English at CUNY and author of Fake Work, shares her insights from her time at a major communications conglomerate during the Y2K crisis. She explores the absurdity of corporate culture and disillusionment with capitalism. Leigh dissects the socio-cultural dynamics of the late 1990s, the impact of the dot-com boom, and the unique challenges faced by women in the workplace. With a humorous take on Marxism, she calls for a deeper understanding of worker experiences and the cycles of economic belief and disillusionment.

Jeremy Gilbert on the Oasis reunion and the britpop phenomenon more generally. We talked about the music that britpop marginalised, why 90s nostalgia is so prevalent, and why it was that of the various guitar groups of the time it was Oasis who became so successful in the mid 1990s.

Journalist Séamus Malekafzali joins PTO to talk about the aftermath of the Israel-Iran war. We chatted about where the cessation of hostilities leaves the two states militarily, and whether Iran's strategy of reliance on ballistic missiles and a loose regional alliance was wholly misbegotten or just poorly implemented. And we talked about why the Trump administration shifted from their red line of opposition to the weaponisation of Iran's nuclear programme to the hardline Israeli position that opposed enrichment entirely.In the interview we touched on Séamus' recent article in Parapraxis which you can read here: https://www.parapraxismagazine.com/articles/axes-of-resistance

Owen Hatherley returns to discuss his New Left Review article on the Welsh guitar band, the Manic Street Preachers. We talked about the particular appeal the group seemed to hold for working class kids from non-metropolitan backgrounds in the 1990s, and about the forbearance and occasional embarrassment that is the lot of fans who've followed their work in the subsequent decades. We also talked about why such an avowedly left wing and politicised group have shown such little regard for contemporary left movements such as the Corbyn moment in the UK. Show notes: Music: Owen's acceptable Manics playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/53GV8dNKLZlo72Wp3GOdy5?si=e25a5413ece248ed&pt=8393e6591814e26432a7fd35670b2d43 Alex's reluctant Manics playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/55IG8eV1kVH3kwAfEo9Z2y?si=ee8bcba703fc437a&pt=9a1779265389af95dcd44445656ef4c8 Videos: Faster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0f9qUheits Faster TOTP performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5PI7k_ZiQ0 You Love Us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgKXBJ2LZKo A Design for Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfEoVxy7VDQ Enjoyably angry Design for Life TV performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbdsc-YxGB4 4st 7lb acoustic MTV performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXrzttSPlc0 Motorcycle Emptiness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gavcjNniIvk The Love of Richard Nixon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_G_R_1gMfc Jackie Collins Existential Question Time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYvbtSTamRc Further Reading: Owen's New Left Review article https://newleftreview.es/sidecar/posts/mislaid-plans Everything (A Book about Manic Street Preachers) by Simon Price https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780753501399/Everything-Book-Manic-Street-Preachers-0753501392/plp Triptych: Three Studies of Manic Street Preachers’ The Holy Bible by: Daniel Lukes, Larissa Wodtke, Rhian E Jones https://repeaterbooks.com/product/triptych-three-studies-of-manic-street-preachers-the-holy-bible/

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Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi, an insightful author on Iranian political thought, joins the discussion to unpack Israel's strategies against Iran. He argues that Israel's aims extend beyond nuclear threats to the undermining of Iranian society itself. The complexities of Iranian identity, resilience in the face of aggression, and the diaspora's role are examined. Additionally, Sadeghi-Boroujerdi explores the dynamics of U.S. foreign policy in relation to Iran and the contentious alliances within the region, highlighting the intricate geopolitical landscape.