
Current Affairs
A podcast of politics and culture, from the editors of Current Affairs magazine.
Latest episodes

Sep 17, 2020 • 3min
PREVIEW: Trappist Chap House
Sparky, Aisling and Brianna take some time out from raging wildfires and immigration hell to have a relaxed chat about monks.
This is a preview of an episode available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Sep 15, 2020 • 6min
PREVIEW: Jack Jackson on Law Without Future
Continuing their long-running legal series, Vanessa and Oren speak to Jack Jackson, lawyer and professor of politics at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Together they discuss the legacy of Bush v Gore, Guantanamo, whether what's happening in Portland is 'colonialism brought home', and more.
This is a preview of an episode available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Sep 10, 2020 • 5min
PREVIEW: Colette Shade on Covid and Mental Health
Nick Slater speaks to mental health writer Colette Shade (@MsShade) on the recent acceleration in the mental health crisis, why it affects some groups more than others, and how we can try to find solace in community and solidarity.
Full episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/41427919/
This is a preview of an episode available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Sep 8, 2020 • 1h 10min
#57: Some Sort of Bad Sword
The team shares their thoughts on "the college experience", the recent failed NBA strike, and how we feel about Covid six months in.
The panel this week was associate editor Vanessa A. Bee, finance editor Sparky Abraham, lieutenant editor Brianna Rennix, and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson. Your host this week was Nick Slater.
Nick's article on the UCSC strike: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/02/why-should-you-care-about-the-ucsc-strike
Current Affairs Patreon: www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Sep 4, 2020 • 1h 14min
David Graeber.
Anarchist anthropologist David Graeber's impact and unique perspectives are discussed. Topics include challenging assumptions, exploring healthcare bureaucracy, and his radicalism and impact. Personal anecdotes reflect on his kindness and mission to make ideas accessible. The chapter also highlights his involvement in activism and the influence of his writing on anarchism and leftist ideas.

Sep 2, 2020 • 57min
UNLOCKED! Lee Weiner of the Chicago Seven on "conspiracy to riot"
In this super-special episode, Nathan and Oren speak to Lee Weiner, defendant in one of the most notorious trials of the 1960s—the trial of the Chicago Seven. Lee speaks about his childhood as a red diaper baby, becoming involved with radical anti-war politics, and being put on mass-televised trial for conspiracy and inciting to riot outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention. This episode was originally aired on our Patreon bonus feed, but we're making it available to everyone now!
Lee's memoir Conspiracy to Riot: The Life and Times of One of the Chicago 7 https://beltpublishing.com/products/conspiracy-to-riot
This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.

Sep 1, 2020 • 9min
PREVIEW: Localism
Sparky and Pete discuss what it means to love a place, to be from a place, and to center our organizing around smaller places.
This is a preview of an episode available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!
Full episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/41065491

Aug 28, 2020 • 10min
PREVIEW: Ryan Cooper on deadly trucks
Nathan and Sparky speak to Ryan Cooper (@ryanlcooper) of The Week and the Left Anchor podcast about 'truck bloat'—the phenomenon of increasingly big, dangerous trucks and SUVs, the environmental damage they cause, and their role in the violent fantasies that bubble under the surface of the culture wars.
This is a preview of an episode available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Aug 25, 2020 • 1h 9min
#56: The People's Xbox
The panel discusses "The Tyranny of Structurelessness" by Jo Freeman, taking over politicians' houses, and how political movements become appealing.
The print magazine is real, and it's good. Subscribe at https://www.currentaffairs.org/subscribe or, if you're already a Patreon subscriber, you can upgrade to the $10 tier for access to the print magazine, the digital magazine AND the podcast bonus episodes.
"The Tyranny of Structurelessness" can be read here: https://www.jofreeman.com/joreen/tyranny.htm
This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, MA.
Music:
Acid Trumpet by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3340-acid-trumpet
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Wind Of The Rainforest by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5729-wind-of-the-rainforest-preview
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Aug 20, 2020 • 8min
Lee Weiner of the Chicago Seven on "conspiracy to riot"
In this super-special episode, Nathan and Oren speak to Lee Weiner, defendant in one of the most notorious trials of the 1960s—the trial of the Chicago Seven . Lee speaks about his childhood as a red diaper baby, becoming involved with radical anti-war politics, and being put on mass-televised trial for conspiracy and inciting to riot outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
This is a preview of an episode now available in full to our $5 Patreon subscribers. To listen to the whole episode, as well as lots of other brilliant bonus episodes, please consider becoming one of our subscribers at www.patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!