Politics Theory Other

Kevin Ochieng Okoth joins PTO to discuss his new book, Red Africa: Reclaiming Revolutionary Black Politics. We talked about the concept of Afropessimism and why Kevin believes it relies on a fundamentally parochial, US-centric understanding of Blackness and we discussed how it's leading theorists mischaracterise the work of thinkers such as Frantz Fanon, to advance the idea of the impossibility of solidarity between Black and non-black people. We went on to discuss Kevin's idea of Red Africa - a notion inspired by the second wave of radical African liberation movements and thinkers, that were sceptical of the first wave of African socialists, many of whom who had taken the view that traditional communal elements of African culture were inherently socialist. Recorded before the escalation of the Israel-Palestine crisis, we do touch on the question of Palestine regarding Frank B Wilderson III - the most prominent advocate of Afropessimism - and his extraordinary claim that Palestinians have more in common with their Israeli oppressors than they do with black people.

Richard Seymour, political commentator and author, answers listener's questions on Gaza, Israel, and the broader ramifications of the ongoing crisis. Topics include sinister tactics and deliberate attacks on civilians in war, exploring the manipulation of humanitarian laws and intentional targeting of civilians by military intelligence units worldwide.

Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, discusses the dire situation in Gaza, increase of Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism in the US. International security expert Paul Rogers joins to talk about Israel's approach to destroy Hamas and risks of regional escalation. Topics include genocide debate, situation on the ground in Gaza, Israeli military's ground offensive, consequences of heavy force, possibility of larger conflict involving the US, assessing Israel's security systems, and the need for a ceasefire.

This podcast discusses the recent escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, including a large-scale attack by Hamas on the Israeli military and civilians. It explores Hamas's military strategy and objectives, the possibility of ethnic cleansing, international support for Israel, long-term solutions to the conflict, and actions for the left outside the region.

Richard Seymour returns to PTO to discuss the crisis and background to the crisis in Israel-Palestine. A little over a week ago US national security advisor Jake Sullivan, speaking at the the Atlantic festival, rattled off a list of positive developments in the Middle East which he argued had allowed the Biden administration to focus on issues elsewhere in the world. Referencing the truce in Yemen, a decline in hostility in the US's relationship with Iran and what he characterised as America's stable presence in Iraq - where around 2,500 US soldiers remain - he commented that “The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades.” On Saturday Sullivan's comments came back to haunt him as Hamas carried out an unprecedentedly large scale breakout from the Gaza strip and launched attacks on the Israeli military and Israeli civilians that have claimed over 1200 lives at the time of recording. Deaths on the Palestinian side from Israel's predictable assault on Gaza are heading towards parity, and undoubtedly those numbers will escalate dramatically as Israel continues its air campaign and prepares to launch a ground assault. The following interview with Richard Seymour was recorded earlier today - the 11th of October - and before it became apparent that a national unity government would be formed in Israel.

Owen Hatherley joins the show to discuss his love of 1980s Japanese pop and ambient. Although much of the episode is on the music itself, we do touch on the politics - particularly how these artists were influenced by and reacting to the culture of the 1960s New Left, during the extraordinary economic boom of the 1980s, and how some of these musicians reintegrated the memory of 20th century Japanese imperialism in Asia into their music. Become a £5 PTO supporter to get access to this and all other episodes of PTO Extra! - https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother

Gilbert Achcar, author of 'The New Cold War: The World After Kosovo', discusses the roots of the current cold war, dating back to events in the 1990s. Topics include the collapse of the Russian economy, failure to create new security architecture in Europe, US-China tensions, and the invasion of Ukraine. They also explore the rise of authoritarian nationalism, NATO enlargement, and the Russia-China relationship. The podcast emphasizes the need for international cooperation and a rules-based international order.

Historian Adam Tooze discusses Perry Anderson's take on his work, his self-identification as a left liberal, the US inflation reduction act's limited ability to create societal change, and the dire state of the UK economy. He also explores the economic and social crisis in Lebanon and the lack of attention it receives.

Adam Tooze returns to PTO to respond to the many excellent questions sent in by listeners. Become a £5 supporter on patreon to get access to this and other episodes of PTO Extra! Go to patreon.com/poltheoryother to sign up. We talked about Perry Anderson's take on Adam's work in the New Left Review, why Adam - despite his engagement with Marxist thought and frequent appearances in left media and events - defines himself as a left liberal rather than a socialist. We also talked about his view of the significance of the US inflation reduction act, and the dire state of the UK economy. We went on to talk about the economic and social crisis in Lebanon and why Adam thinks the situation in the country and the broader region does not get the attention it deserves.

Jacqueline Rose returns to the show to discuss her new book, The Plague: Living Death in Our Times. We talked about what the Covid-19 pandemic revealed about contemporary society and whether the the initial wave of global solidarity provoked by the crisis was purely a mirage. We also talked about the Ukraine crisis - how Jacqueline connects the themes of war and pandemic in the book - and how Vladimir Putin's brutal invasion has had the troubling consequence of appearing to redeem the foreign policy and security establishments of the United States and Britain. We also talked about the philosopher and mystic Simone Weil, and her refusal to adopt a position of heroic innocence when supporting the allied cause during WWII. And finally, we talked about Sigmund Freud's concept of the death drive - and how it was informed by his own encounter with a pandemic - the so-called Spanish flu that took the life of his daughter Sophie in 1920.