Last Born In The Wilderness

Essayist and author Antonia Malchik joins me in this wandering, expansive discussion, touching on subjects at the heart of her writings and 2019 book, A Walking Life, and her upcoming book, No Trespassing. We discuss how the infrastructure of an automobile dependent society shapes our perception of nature and built environments, and in turn how we relate and move through it. I asked her about her more expansive view of walking and walkability, and how getting lost is good for our brains and souls. And near the later half of our time together, Antonia talks about her decision to ditch smartphones and social media, and how the creeping demands of our digital lives relate to her broader focus on enclosure, property, and reclaiming the commons. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/antonia-malchik // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Essayist and author Antonia Malchik joins me in this wandering, expansive discussion, touching on subjects at the heart of her writings and 2019 book, A Walking Life, and her upcoming book, No Trespassing. We discuss how the infrastructure of an automobile dependent society shapes our perception of the nature and built environments, and in turn how we relate and move through it. I asked her about her more expansive view of walking and walkability, and how getting lost is good for our brains. And near the later half of our time together, Antonia talks about her decision to ditch smartphones and social media, and how the creeping demands of our digital lives relate to her broader focus on enclosure, property, and reclaiming the commons. // Support the work and listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Social critic Alley Valkyrie returns to the podcast to provide analysis of the recent election in France. She discusses the French far-right's long-term efforts to remake their image and gather widespread support, in ways that are both surprising but contextually understandable, making tremendous gains in the first round of the parliamentary snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron. This interview was recorded on July 4th, before the second round of voting on Sunday, July 7th, which resulted in a left-wing coalition with Macron's centrist party far outpacing the National Rally in the election. While this interview was recorded before the final results came in, the analysis Alley brings to this discussion is deeply relevant to understanding the nuances of French and European political trends, especially for those who mainly consume information from Anglophone media. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/alley-valkyrie-4 // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Social critic Alley Valkyrie returns to the podcast to provide analysis of the recent election in France. She discusses the French far-right's long-term efforts to remake their image and gather widespread support, in ways that are both surprising but contextually understandable, making tremendous gains in the first round of the parliamentary snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron. Support the work and listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Ben Lorber and Shane Burley, co-authors of Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism, join me to discuss the absolutely timely moment and context this book is being published in. They raise the need for, and the strong historical legacies of, Jewish anti-Zionist solidarity with pro-Palestine movements, while articulating and bringing forward critical analysis of the shape, character, and histories of antisemitism in primarily Western Christian societies. With antisemitism and Islamophobia on the rise, Shane and Ben articulate a vision and present a radical guide to fight antisemitism and build safety through solidarity for Jewish and non-Jewish peoples and communities alike. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/burley-lorber // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Ben Lorber and Shane Burley, co-authors of Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism, join me to discuss the absolutely timely moment and context this book is being published in. They raise the need for, and the strong historical legacies of, Jewish anti-Zionist solidarity with pro-Palestine movements, while articulating and bringing forward critical analysis of the shape, character, and histories of antisemitism in primarily Western Christian societies. With antisemitism and Islamophobia on the rise, Shane and Ben articulate a vision and radical guide to fight antisemitism and build safety through solidarity for Jewish and non-Jewish peoples and communities alike. Support the work and listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Author and journalist John Washington returns to the podcast to discuss The Case for Open Borders, the name and subject of his new book from Haymarket Press. John Washington places the current political rhetoric and policy fixated on the "border crisis" many Western nations are seemingly facing, particularly the United States, within the historical and material context of what the modern nation-state actually is. Borders are as much about building the infrastructure to prohibit and deter migrants and refugees from entering a territory, as it is a rhetorical weapon deployed by cynical politicians and nativist settlers to reify artificial differences among the human species. Stripping down the hyperbolic and nativist language exemplified across political parties, John makes clear what borders really are, and the violent realities this ever expanding infrastructure imposes on human and non-human life. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/john-washington-2 // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Author and journalist John Washington returns to the podcast to discuss the case for open borders. He places the current political rhetoric and policy fixated on the "border crisis" many Western nations are facing, particularly the United States, within the historical and material context of what the modern nation-state actually is. Stripping down the hyperbolic and nativist language exemplified across political parties, John makes clear what borders really are, and the violent realities this ever expanding infrastructure imposes on human and non-human life. John is the author of The Case for Open Borders, published this year through Haymarket books. Support the work and listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Writer and organizer Andrew Lee joins me to discuss their new book Defying Displacement: Urban Recomposition and Social War, published through AK Press and the Institute for Anarchist Studies. Defying Displacement grounds itself in one of the main sites of contemporary class struggle: communities facing the multi-headed hydra of gentrification. Andrew Lee directs our attention to the on-the-ground realities of urban displacement, and in turn, provides a new theory of the state and capitalism in the 21st century. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/andrew-lee // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Writer and organizer Andrew Lee joins me to discuss their new book Defying Displacement: Urban Recomposition and Social War, published through AK Press and the Institute for Anarchist Studies. Defying Displacement grounds itself in one of the main sites of contemporary class struggle: communities facing the multi-headed hydra of gentrification. Andrew Lee directs our attention to the on-the-ground realities of urban displacement, and in turn, provides a new theory of the state and capitalism in the 21st century. Support the work and listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness