Politics Theory Other

Adam Tooze joins me to discuss what covid-19 means for the world economy, how the Trump administration has missed the boat on containing mass contagion in the United States, and why the row in the Eurozone over so-called coronabonds reveals an existential threat to the survival of the European Union.

Will Davies joins me to discuss whether or not the coronavirus crisis heralds the break with neoliberal capitalism that many expected in the wake of the financial crisis, why the Anglo-American response to the covid-19 pandemic seems to differ from the response seen in mainland Europe and East Asia, and we also talked about how the media has covered the government's approach to the crisis. You can read Will's recent article in the London Review of Books, which we discussed in the interview here: https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n07/william-davies/society-as-a-broadband-network

Paul Mason joins me to discuss the COVID-19 crisis, the UK government's response, the failure of senior journalists to hold the government to account and why the crisis may lead to a profound transformation of the global economy. We also discussed an article he published today -Day One of the UK's suppression strategy: https://paulmason.substack.com/p/day-one-of-uks-suppression-strategy?fbclid=IwAR2IZCzgpr9-gw23yDNugVaJd6tN2E2xJ_B06S_ossyCrlHCwe4SZFSBRrUc

Judith Butler discusses the concept of self-defense, the individual sovereign subject, and the relevance of Sigmund Freud's essay. They explore the book 'The Force of Nonviolence' and its focus on developing a political ethos. They delve into the hidden web of dependency, violence in social and political frameworks, and the denial of grievability to certain populations.

Milan-based journalist Antonella Serrecchia, and Jacobin's Europe editor David Broder join me to discuss the lockdown in Italy - imposed by the Italian government in response to the escalation of the coronavirus outbreak. We discussed the pressure on the Italian health system, the economic consequences of the crisis, and how the far-right Lega have instrumentalised the situation for their anti-migrant politics.

Jodi Dean and Adom Getachew join me to chat about Super Tuesday, whether the left underestimated Joe Biden, and the implications of Biden's comeback for Bernie Sanders' campaign.

Owen Hatherley joins me to discuss his recent article on Keir Starmer and the Labour leadership contest. You can read the piece here: https://medium.com/@owenhatherley/theres-a-starmer-waiting-in-the-sky-f2d26a9c4e97

Leo Panitch joins me to chat about the causes of Labour's defeat in the 2019 general election, the weaknesses of the labour movement beyond the party, and whether a Keir Starmer victory in the Labour leadership contest would portend a march back to the so-called political centre.

Lisa Wedeen joins me to discuss her new book, Authoritarian Apprehensions: Ideology, Judgment, and Mourning in Syria. We spoke about the strategies the Syrian regime has adopted in order to maintain a degree of public support, the neoliberal turn of Syrian society under Bashar al-Assad, how authoritarian leaders exploit digital media to create uncertainty, and the relevance of Louis Althusser's concept of interpellation to the regime's endurance. To get the extended version of this interview please sign up as a PTO supporter at: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother

The New Left Review's Daniel Finn joins me to discuss Sinn Féin's electoral breakthrough in the Irish general election. We spoke about the decline of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, why Ireland's economic recovery did not help Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael, and why Sinn Féin's association with the republican cause in Northern Ireland no longer puts off young Irish voters. To get access to this episode become a $5 supporter on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother