CounterPunch Radio

On this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Erik Wallenberg and Joshua Frank talk with Jesse Hagopian about his new book Teach Truth: The Struggle for Antiracist Education. Jesse has taught in the public schools for over 20 years, serves on the Black Lives Matter at School steering committee, organizes for the Zinn Education Project, and founded the Ethnic Studies course at Seattle’s Garfield High School. He is an editor for Rethinking Schools magazine, the co-editor of Black Lives Matter at School and Teaching for Black Lives. The post The Struggle for Anti-Racist Education w/ Jesse Hagopian appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week on CounterPunch Radio, Erik Wallenberg and Joshua Frank talk to David Rosner and Gerald Markowitz about their new book, “Building the Worlds that Kill Us: Disease, Death and Inequality in American History” (Columbia University Press). David Rosner is the Ronald H. Lauterstein Professor of Sociomedical Sciences and professor of history in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University and the director of the Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health at the Mailman School. Gerald Markowitz is distinguished professor of history at John Jay College. Together, they have written many books, including Deadly Dust: Silicosis and the Politics of Occupational Disease in Twentieth-Century America (1991) and Lead Wars: The Politics of Science and the Fate of America’s Children (2014). They are both elected members of the National Academy of Science’s National Academy of Medicine. Check out their resource site, ToxicDocs.org.   The post Building the Worlds that Kill Us w/ David Rosner and Gerald Markowitz appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

On this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Joshua Frank and Erik Wallenberg talk with Kim Kelly and Hamilton Nolan about what to expect in the next four years of Trump and how to build labor power in a world dominated by billionaires. Kim Kelly is a writer and labor activist based in Philadelphia. She is the author of Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor. Hamilton Nolan is a labor journalist who writes regularly for In These Times magazine and The Guardian. His new book is The Hammer: Power, Inequality, and the Struggle for the Soul of Labor. The post Labor in the Age of Trump w/ Kim Kelly and Hamilton Nolan appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

On this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Joshua Frank and Erik Wallenberg talk to Ashley Dawson about his new book, Environmentalism from Below: How Global People’s Movements Are Leading the Fight for Our Planet (Haymarket Books). Ashley is a Professor of English at the Graduate Center / City University of New York and the College of Staten Island. He is the author of several books on key topics in the environmental humanities, including People’s Power: Reclaiming the Energy Commons, Extreme Cities: The Peril and Promise of Urban Life in the Age of Climate Change, and Extinction: A Radical History. A member of the Public Power NY campaign and the founder of the CUNY Climate Action Lab, he is a long-time climate justice activist. The post Environmentalism from Below w/ Ashley Dawson appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

On this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Silky Shah and Eman Abdelhadi join Joshua Frank and Erik Wallenberg to discuss how we should gear up to take on the Trump administration, and the best way to empower our movements going forward, from immigration to Palestine. The post The Battles Ahead w/ Silky Shah and Eman Abdelhadi appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

In this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Jeffrey St. Clair, editor-in-chief of CounterPunch, and author of many books, including Been Brown so Long it Looked like Me and Grand Theft Pentagon, is interviewed by Erik Wallenberg and Joshua Frank about the 25th anniversary of the WTO protests in Seattle. They discuss Jeffrey’s dispatches from the streets of Seattle and the book that was born from those reports, Five Days That Shook the World. They also address the significance of the protests, and what transpired in the decades to follow. The post The Battle in Seattle, 25 Years On w/ Jeffrey St. Clair appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

On this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Janene Yazzie, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the NDN Collective, joins Joshua Frank and Erik Wallenberg to talk global climate policy, the plight of Leonard Peltier, and the push for clemency from President Biden. Janene, who just returned from COP29, also addresses how we move forward under a second Trump term. As a bonus, we’ve included Janene’s scorching plenary speech from Socialism 2024. To learn about NDN Collective- www.ndncollective.org For our actions and campaigns: https://ndncollective.org/take-action/ Palestine Solidarity: https://ndncollective.org/the-right-of-return-is-landback/ For Leonard Peltier work- https://freeleonard-peltier.com/ Or text ‘FREELEONARDNOW’ to 50302 The post COP29, Leonard Peltier and the Future of Indigenous Resistance w/ Janene Yazzie appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

In this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt speaks with members of Acción Palestina Chiapas, grassroots organizers in southern México raising awareness around Palestinian resistance within their communities. They discuss the vínculos, the connections, between local Indigenous struggles against displacement, forced migration, and narco-violence and the Palestinian struggle for liberation. The episode is dedicated to Padre Marcelo, who dedicated his life and work to the Indigenous peoples and farmworkers of Chiapas and who also advocated for Palestinian liberation in the months before his assassination in October 2024. The post Acción Palestina Chiapas: From Resistance to Revolution appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week on CounterPunch Radio, the tenacious Ralph Nader talks to Erik Wallenberg and Joshua Frank about why Kamala Harris lost, Israel’s influence in American politics, and demise of working class America. The post American Tragedy w/ Ralph Nader appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

CounterPunch co-editor Joshua Frank explains why abandoning the working class sunk the Harris campaign – blowback for 30 years of neoliberal capitalism. The post Why Harris Lost w/ Joshua Frank appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week Joshua Frank and Erik Wallenberg talk to Ramzy Baroud about the genocide in Gaza, Zionism’s shaky future and the role of the international left in helping shape its future. Ramzy is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net The post Zionism’s Tenuous Future w/ Ramzy Baroud appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

On this re-aired episode of CounterPunch Radio, Eric Draitser interviews Arun Gupta about Israel’s propaganda campaign, the failed reporting of The New York Times, and how it’s all been used to dehumanize and justify genocide in Gaza. The post Israel’s October 7th Propaganda Machine: Arun Gupta appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt speaks with Jumana Kaplanian, psychologist and founder of Psychology Spa, a mental health clinic in the West Bank. Jumana shares her experience supporting the mental health of youth and women in her community in Bethlehem throughout the genocide, the day-to-day impacts of the occupation, and the most recent invasion of the West Bank. Jumana Kaplanian is the founder of Psychology Spa, the first specialized non-profit company in Psychoeducation in Palestine since 2016. She is a social activist, a psychologist & mental health trainer. Since 2019, she is a member of the Board of Directors of Psychologists and Social Workers in Bethlehem. Jumana is a skilled, motivated, and ambitious psychologist experienced in providing a specialized psychological assessment of clients’ problems based upon collected data through counseling sessions in Bethlehem, Palestine. Queer Mikveh Project is currently raising funds for trauma-informed somatic and mental health programming for women and girls at Psychology Spa in Bethlehem. Donate to Venmo at @queermikvehproject or paypal.me/queermikvehproject The post Supporting Mental Health in the Occupied West Bank: Jumana Kaplanian & Psychology Spa appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week, Erik Wallenberg and Joshua Frank interview Eman Abdelhadi and Khury Petersen-Smith on all things Palestine, from organizing to liberation. Eman Abdelhadi is an academic, activist and writer who thinks at the intersection of gender, sexuality, religion and politics. She is an assistant professor and sociologist at the University of Chicago, where she researches American Muslim communities. She is co-author of Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune, 2052 – 2072. She is also a columnist for In These Times where you can follow her latest. She also organzizes with Faculty and staff for Justice in Palestine and Salon Kawakib. Khury Petersen-Smith is the Michael Ratner Middle East Fellow and Co-Director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS). He researches the U.S. empire, borders, and migration. His work has appeared widely, including in Truthout, In These Times, and Foreign Policy in Focus. He is one of the co-authors and organizers of the 2023 Black Voices for Ceasefire statement, which was signed by over 6,000 Black activists, artists, and scholars. The post All Things Palestine, From Organizing to Liberation: Eman Abdelhadi and Khury Petersen-Smith appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

Unavoidable evidence of the catastrophic consequences of climate change confronts us at every turn. Record high ocean temperatures. Once-a-century storms that appear every other year. And on and on. In the face of ongoing ecological disaster, international best-selling author Kōhei Saitō asks why our society continues to prioritize corporate profits (and the rapacious expansion on which they depend), and proposes a revolutionary alternative to unfettered capitalism: degrowth communism. In Slow Down, Saitō provocatively argues that any solutions that don’t directly confront capitalism itself—from the COP agreements to the “Green New Deal”—represent dangerous compromises that may ultimately worsen the climate emergency. Because it creates artificial scarcity and endlessly produces commodities based on their value, rather than their usefulness, our economic system itself makes it impossible to reverse climate change so long as capitalism remains in place. The biggest contributor to the problem cannot be an integral part of its solution. Instead, Saitō advocates for degrowth and deceleration, which he conceives as the slowing of economic activity through the democratic reform of labor and our system of production. By returning to a system of social ownership, degrowth communism, we can restore the abundance of things that we truly need, and can focus on those activities that are essential for human life. What would this alternative look like? How do we end mass production and mass consumption without reducing living standards? What do we need to do to redress global inequality without accelerating the rate at which the planet burns? For this launch event Saitō will be in conversation on all of this, and more, with Science for the People editor, and Pilsen Community Books collective member and CounterPunch Radio co-host Erik Wallenberg. This event occurred on May 24, 2024 at Haymarket House in Chicago. The post Degrowth Communism: Kōhei Saitō appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

Last week the 2024 Democratic National Convention took over Chicago. Over the course of the week, the Democratic Party elite rubbed elbows and egos at the United Center and the McCormick Place Convention Center while outside, thousands gathered for meetings and marches, demonstrations and disruptions. CounterPunch Radio co-host and worker-owner at Chicago’s Pilsen Community Books, Erik Wallenberg, captured voices in the streets. Nathaniel St. Clair edited and produced the episode. We hear from leaders of the opposition including Cornel West and Medea Benjamin as well as protesters who organized against the 1968 DNC and came out in the streets this year too. A speech from Chicago for Abortion Rights leader Mandy Medley, music from Songs for Liberation, and words from Mennonites for Ceasefire ring out alongside members of Jewish Voice for Peace, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Veterans Against the War. The episode closes out with a song, Fields of Palestine, which was performed by Ryan Cason, a member of Songs for Liberation and Irish Americans for Palestine. This Irish folk song, Fields of Athenry was first adpated by Seth Stanton Watkins in solidarity with the struggle in Palestine. The post DNC Protests: Voices from the Frontlines appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week on CounterPunch Radio, Erik Wallenberg and Joshua Frank interview M.V. Ramana on nuclear power and why it’s not an answer to the climate crisis. Ramana is the Simons Chair in Disarmament, Global and Human Security and Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He is the author of The Power of Promise: Examining Nuclear Energy in India (Penguin Books, 2012) and co-editor of Prisoners of the Nuclear Dream (Orient Longman, 2003). Ramana is a member of the International Panel on Fissile Materials, the Canadian Pugwash Group, the International Nuclear Risk Assessment Group, and the team that produces the annual World Nuclear Industry Status Report. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Leo Szilard Award from the American Physical Society. He is the author of the new book, “Nuclear is Not the Solution: The Folly of Atomic Power in the Age of Climate Change” published by Verso. The post Nuclear is Not the Solution: M.V. Ramana appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

In this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt talks with fellow members of California Jewish Artists for Palestine Sophia Sobko and Steph Kudisch, about their collective decision to submit and withdraw explicitly anti-Zionist artworks to an open call for Jewish artists at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. They discuss the process of pulling their works out of the exhibition; the importance of the academic and cultural boycott of Israel (PACBI); and what it means to be Jewish artists publicly confronting Jewish arts institutions that receive Zionist funding and are struggling to address the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. Steph Kudisch is a trans genderfluid artist whose work uses mutated intertidal aesthetics and personal storytelling to dwell in in-betweens. They work as a teaching artist on Lisjan Ohlone land, also known as the San Francisco Bay Area. Kudisch and their collaborator Kate Laster form Clear as Schmutz Press as well as the collective Hevra Kadisha in which they create site-specific works across the mediums of printmaking, sculpture, performance, and sound. Sophia Sobko (she/they) is an artist, educator & researcher born in Moscow, USSR & based on Lisjan Ohlone Land in Oakland, CA. They are excited about collaborative learning, participatory art, and co-creating a more liberatory world. Sophia is founder/co-steward of two queer post-Soviet Jewish collectives: Kolektiv Goluboy Vagon and Krivoy Kolektiv. Get in touch with CJAFP at cajewishartists4palestine[@]proton.me The post California Jewish Artists for Palestine: Sophia Sobko and Steph Kudisch appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

In this episode of CounterPunch Radio, editor Joshua Frank and Pilsen Community Books worker-owner Erik Wallenberg talk with Ray Acheson, Director of Reaching Critical Will, the disarmament program of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Ray provides analysis and advocacy at the United Nations and other international forums on matters of disarmament and demilitarization. They served on the steering group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its work to ban nuclear weapons, and is also involved in organizing against autonomous weapons, the arms trade, war and militarism, the carceral system, and more. They are also author of Banning the Bomb, Smashing the Patriarchy (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and Abolishing State Violence: A World Beyond Bombs, Borders, and Cages (Haymarket Books, 2022). Ray is a regular columnist at CounterPunch+. Two of their most recent articles are “Solidarity to Stop AUKUS: Saying No to Nuclear Subs” and “Divest from Death: Resisting the Complexes of Empire.” The post Ray Acheson appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

Join Counterpunch Radio contributor Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt, in conversation with activists and community organizers, Alakaʻi Kapānui and Fatima Abed, to discuss the Palestinian Solidarity movement in Hawai’i.   From being the first “state” to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, to the #CancelRIMPAC campaign against the world’s largest Navy exercises, Hawai’i organizers are drawing deeper connections between the military occupations of Hawai’i, Palestine, and the Israeli apartheid state. Decades of Native Hawaiian-led demilitarization efforts and current Palestinian and Jewish-led grassroots community are finding ways to collaborate towards genuine security.   Alakaʻi Kapānui is a Kanaka ʻŌiwi and Jewish activist and community organizer. She is the poʻo (head) of Kona 4 Palestine and co-founder of Huliau o Nā Wahi Kapu both of which focus on the demilitarizations and deoccupations of Hawaiʻi and Palestine. She has been a Hawaiian Kingdom and sovereignty activist since 2018 through Hui Aloha ʻĀina and with a heavy focus on cultural reconnection and practice. She is a kiaʻi o Mauna a Wākea, Mākua, Kaloko Loko ʻIa, and Pōhakuloa.   As the head of Kona 4 Palestine, she has been able to begin to reconnect to her Jewish heritage and since started working with other pro-Palestine organizations by hosting a series of teach-in events that directly address Palestine and global imperialism. And as a co- founder of Huliau o Nā Wahi Kapu, she has been able to focus on the ends of military leases and occupations such as Pōhakuloa Training Area, Mākua Valley, and the parallel military occupation of Palestine. Aloha ʻāina ʻoiaʻiʻo.   Fatima Abed (she/they) is a Palestinian and Puerto Rican human rights and animal activist residing in Hawaiʻi. She is the founder of Rise for Palestine, a grassroots organization focused on lobbying for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a free Palestine. Spearheading the campaign to adopt a ceasefire resolution in Hawai‘i at the “state” level, Rise for Palestine hosted teach-ins and film screenings, led rallies, and mobilized nearly 26,000 emails and phone calls to elected officials from residents throughout the islands. Once resolutions were given hearings, Rise for Palestine led the effort to mobilize testimony, helping to secure more than 1,600 pages of written testimony and numerous, powerful verbal testimonies in support of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza in the State House and Senate. These efforts led to Hawai‘i becoming the first “state” in the nation to adopt a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire resolution for Gaza, with 72 of Hawai‘i’s 76 elected legislators voting in support.   Fatima has also led events to support Sulala Animal Rescue in Gaza, the only animal rescue still operating under fierce bombardment. You can follow Sulala and Saed on instagram: @Sulalaanimalrescue   Fatima is currently traveling the continent, gathering the stories of Palestinian-Americans, and activists and students who are fighting for a free Palestine. She is headed towards the DNC as an elected “Uncommitted” delegate for the “state” of Hawai’i. Here she will uplift and echo all of the voices of the activists she encountered during this genocide in Gaza to US media and elected officials.   Follow her journey and support here: https://gofund.me/8c8b0b1e And on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RiseforPalestine Follow Rise for Palestine on Instagram: rise_for_palestine   If you know anyone interested in sharing their stories you can contact her at [email protected].   The post Alakaʻi Kapānui and Fatima Abed appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

In this episode of CounterPunch Radio, Joshua Frank and Erik Wallenberg interview Silky Shah, author of “Unbuild Walls: Why Immigrant Justice Needs Abolition” (Haymarket, 2024). Silky has been working as an organizer on issues related to racial and migrant justice for over two decades. Originally from Texas, she began fighting the expansion of immigrant jails on the US-Mexico border in the aftermath of 9/11. In 2009, she joined the staff of Detention Watch Network, a national coalition building power to abolish immigrant detention in the United States, and now serves as its executive director. The post Silky Shah appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt, sitting in for Eric Draitser on CounterPunch Radio, talks with Hanin Siam, a Palestinian organizer based in Tokyo, Japan. They discuss the challenges of organizing the Palestine solidarity movement in Japan, including the nuances of their communities in Tokyo and Hiroshima. From the history of Japanese support for Palestine, to BDS, to the social and legal limitations of protest, Rebecca and Hanin cover the diverse strategies and public response to the fight for Palestinian Liberation in Japan. Follow @palestinejapan for more. Edited by Kryzia Villada. The post Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt & Hanin Siam appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time on CounterPunch Radio we sit down with Sahar Aziz and Mitchell Plitnick, co-authors of “Presumptively Antisemitic: Islamophobic Tropes in the Palestine-Israel Discourse,” a critical new report published by Rutgers University Law School’s Center for Security, Race, and Rights. The conversation explores the political and social context for this report, as well as the timing of its release, published as it was against the backdrop of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. The discussion broadens beyond the report to explore various aspects of the Palestine issue and its continued central importance for the US and western countries, as well as for the “Middle East,” world politics and global affairs. The post Sahar Aziz and Mitchell Plitnick appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

Eric Draitser sits down with CounterPunch Editor Joshua Frank to discuss the reasons why CounterPunch Radio has been mostly quiet in recent months. Eric details some of his physical and mental health issues in recent months, and the prospects for his return to regular podcasting. The post Eric Draitser appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes activist, author, and neuroscientist Yoav Litvin back to CounterPunch to discuss Palestine, Zionism, and the Israeli war. Yoav discusses his upbringing in both US and Israel, his time in the IDF in Lebanon, and the ways in which he first confronted his Zionism and began to decolonize his mind. From there, the conversation explores the nature of Zionism and the Zionist project in Palestine, the importance of non-Israeli Jewish opinion internationally, the necessity of being in solidarity with Palestinians, the centrality of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement, Israeli politics and the future of Netanyahu, the role of the US and Israel’s place within US imperialism, the specter of Trump’s return, and so much more. Don’t miss this important conversation only on CounterPunch! The post Yoav Litvin appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

Conversation originally recorded in January 2022 This time Eric chats with Dr. Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University and author of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance 1917-2017. The conversation explores the early years of the Zionist movement and how it was perceived by prominent Palestinians, including Dr. Khalidi’s ancestors, and the inextricable link between Zionism, colonialism, and imperial power. Eric and Rashid discuss everything from attempts to erase Palestinian culture and history to the impact that Israel’s rightward shift has had on younger generations of Jews, especially in the US. So many topics covered in this important conversation with one of the most prominent voices of opposition to Israeli policies and oppression. Don’t miss this CounterPunch Radio! The post Rashid Khalidi appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week, CounterPunch Radio presents another conversation between CounterPunchers Richard Falk, Matthew Stevenson, and Daniel Warner about Trump, the nature of Trump’s fascism, the internationalization of fascist politics, and much more. Note: This conversation was recorded prior to the events of October 7, 2023 and the Israeli attack on Gaza. The post Richard Falk, Matthew Stevenson, and Daniel Warner appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes to the show artist, peace activist and CounterPunch contributor Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt to discuss her recent article “This Is Genocide: All Out to End the War on Gaza,” and the long road she’s taken to anti-Zionist activism. Eric and Rebecca explore the forms of indoctrination used to inculcate Zionism in young American Jews, the differences between secular and non-secular Zionist propaganda, the use of the term “genocide” to refer to Israel’s oppression of Palestinians, the fascist nature of the Israeli state, and much more. The post Rebecca Maria Goldschmidt appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

On this emergency episode of CounterPunch Radio, Eric speaks with longtime author, journalist, and Editor of The Palestine Chronicle, Ramzy Baroud, all about the war in Gaza, the resistance of Palestinians, and the historic developments of recent days. The post Ramzy Baroud appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes to CounterPunch author, activist and organizer Bill Fletcher, Jr. to discuss his recent writing, his past as a labor organizer, his outspoken position on Ukraine and imperialism, and much more. Bill and Eric discuss Bill’s youth and first exposure to radical politics, his entry into organized labor, his role in helping organize Minor League Baseball, and more. The second half of the conversation explores international affairs, the responsibility of the Left in clarifying political questions, the red-brown phenomenon on the Left, and why so many leftists are so wrong on critical international issues, etc. The final part of the discussion centers on Bill’s new fiction book and how he infused the story and characters with the radical politics he’s professed all his life. Don’t miss this belated, but exciting, conversation only on CounterPunch! The post Bill Fletcher Jr. appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric chats with Ilya Budraitskis, a Russian historian, political activist, and author of “Dissidents among Dissidents: Ideology, Politics, and the Left in Post-Soviet Russia.” Ilya explains his decision to leave Russia in the days following the invasion of Ukraine, and provides an analysis of the early antiwar protests forcibly suppressed by the Kremlin. From there, Ilya provides an analysis of the Russian Left, including the reactionary Communist Party of Russia, and explains the various dynamics at play in Russia. The final portion of the discussion centers around the questions of Russian imperialism and the ideological war Putin has waged on the history and legacy of Lenin and the Bolshevik Revolution. The post Ilya Budraitskis appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week, CounterPunch Radio presents a conversation between CounterPunchers Richard Falk, Matthew Stevenson, and Daniel Warner about Ukraine, Russia, and the future of the international order. The discussion centers on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the role of the US in laying the groundwork for the conflict, and the importance of advocating for peace. The post Richard Falk, Matthew Stevenson, Daniel Warner appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time on CounterPunch Radio, Eric is joined by Khalid Medani, Director of the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University and author of “Black Markets and Militants: Informal Networks in the Middle East and Africa,” to discuss the situation in Sudan. The conversation explores the history of Sudan, including the colonial period and the creation of the modern state. From there, Dr. Medani provides his analysis of the roots of the current conflict, the factions involved, the social classes participating in the protests, and much more. The final portion of the discussion discusses the roles of the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Russia, China, and others in Sudan. The post Khalid Medani appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time CounterPunch sits down with Volodia Artiukh, a Ukrainian post-doctoral researcher and editor at Commons: Journal of Social Criticism, to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, the discourse about the war on the international left, and much more. Volodia provides his perspective on popular terms like “decolonization” and “proxy war” and whether such concepts are useful in context of Ukraine’s fight against Russian imperialism. The conversation also explores the political character of Ukrainian President Zelensky, and how the global conversation about him serves various interests. In the final portion of the discussion, Artiukh provides a detailed political analysis of Belarus, how the Bonapartist state functions,the future of Lukashenko, the state of the left following the post-2020 repression, the potential for Russian intervention, and much more. Don’t miss this important conversation available only at CounterPunch! The post Volodia Artiukh appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes Kali Akuno back to CounterPunch to discuss the roots of Cooperation Jackson, the nature of political struggle in Mississippi, and the need to organize against the neo-confederate far right fascist movement. Kali Akuno is a co-founder and co-director of Cooperation Jackson and author of the new book “Jackson Rising Redux: Lessons on Building the Future in the Present.” The post Kali Akuno appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes to the show CounterPunch contributor and author David Price to discuss his new book “The American Surveillance State: How the US Spies on Dissent.” David discusses how he came to the project, how studying the surveillance state radicalized him, and how states as different as the US and USSR shared many commonalities when it came to surveillance. The conversation touches on how technology enables surveillance, the myth of J. Edgar Hoover, 9-11 and the PATRIOT Act, and so much more. The post David Price appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes author and scholar Aaron Vansintjan to CounterPunch to discuss his new book “The Future is Degrowth” and all the relevant issues. The conversation explores the nature of degrowth as an inherently anti-capitalist idea and why it’s so necessary given the ecological crises of the 21st Century. Aaron answers many of the critics of degrowth about everything from charges of neo-Malthusianism to the myth of “automated luxury space communism.” Eric and Aaron also discuss the dividing lines on this issue culturally and politically, from the eco-fascist right wing to the “green growth” neoliberals to the productivist left. Don’t miss this important conversation about the future of everything. The post Aaron Vansintjan appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes Aaron Amaral, member of Tempest Collective and Ukraine Solidarity Network (U.S.), to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the challenges it has created for the Left in the US and internationally. The conversation explores a variety of topics from how we should understand the war to the erasure of Ukrainian voices, and why some segments of the Left have gotten so confused over this and other issues. Don’t miss this great conversation exclusively on CounterPunch! The post Aaron Amaral appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes back to the show author and Monthly Review Press editorial director Michael Yates to discuss his new book “Work, Work, Work: Alienation and Class Struggle.” Eric and Michael explore the nature of work and how it relates to production, alienation, and the idea of value. The conversation touches on everything from the mythology of the workplace to mainstream bourgeois economics and why it has nothing to say on labor. From there, Eric and Michael discuss how climate change and 21st Century capitalism are changing work for billions of people and what “work is hell” really means. Don’t miss this great conversation with a longtime CounterPuncher and consistent voice for the working class. The post Michael Yates appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes to the podcast Christina Heatherton, author of the fantastic new book “Arise: Global Radicalism in the Era of the Mexican Revolution.” Eric and Christina discuss the historical period and how radical internationalism was constructed by revolutionaries globally. The conversation explores political and artistic radicals, the development of imperialism and modern capital, history from below, the importance of radical history to present-day struggles and so much more. The post Christina Heatherton appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week Eric welcomes back to the show multimedia journalist and host of the Brazil on Fire podcast, Michael Fox. Eric and Mike discuss the recent presidential election that saw former president Lula triumph over the fascist Bolsonaro and the political, economic, and social implications of this historic victory. The conversation explores a wide variety of issues, from a deep dive into the political landscape of Brazil to exploring the Bannon-Trump connections to Bolsonaro and the situation in Brazil. What does this mean for the Amazon? What does it mean for Brazil’s poor and indigenous communities? What does it mean for the Brazilian left? What does it mean for the US? So many questions explored in this latest conversation on CounterPunch Radio, don’t miss it! The post Michael Fox appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric chats with CounterPunch co-editor Johsua Frank about his new book “Atomic Days: The Untold Story of the Most Toxic Place in America” and the dangers of nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Josh discusses the history of the Hanford site, including both its years as a nuclear weapons facility and the last 4 decades of clean up. Eric and Josh also discuss the renewed push for nuclear energy, even among some Leftists, in the context of climate change. The conversation also touches on environmental impacts of mining, the targeting of Native communities for mineral extraction, the importance of understanding the Left’s role in the anti-nukes movement, and so much more. Get your copy of Atomic Days from CounterPunch or wherever you get your books. The post Joshua Frank appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes back Yassamine Mather to discuss the protest movement in Iran and the implications for the government and society. Yassamine explains the origins and class character of the protests, the ways in which the government has responded, and some of the issues that sparked the protests. The conversation also explores how Iran’s struggle with COVID may have exacerbated some tensions, the nuclear talks with the Biden Administration, and how Iran has responded to the Russia-Ukraine War and the global political and geopolitical upheaval it has caused. So many issues discussed in this conversation with the great Yassamine Mather. The post Yassamine Mather appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes David Roth of Defector and The Distraction podcast back to CounterPunch to talk union organizing in Minor League Baseball and why this long overdue event is such a big deal. Eric and David explore the inner workings of Herschel Walker’s mind and campaign in fruitless search for meaning and sanity while also considering the bizarre Saudi-Trump phenomenon known as LIV Golf and what it could possibly be. Oh, and they also talk NY Mets and MLB playoffs, so you’ll know when to tune out. Don’t miss the latest CounterPunch Radio! The post David Roth appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week Eric welcomes back political economist and author Jeffrey Sommers to discuss the political and historical legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev in the wake of his recent death. Jeffrey examines how Gorbachev rose to power, the forces with which he had to contend while in power, and his ultimate failure to change the course of the Soviet Union. The conversation explores everything from the dismantling of the USSR and rise of the oligarchs to the ways in which the Gorbachev period paved the way for the Putin era. So much ground covered in this conversation with one of our favorite CounterPunchers. The post Jeffrey Sommers appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes back to CounterPunch Moscow-based historian, sociologist, and author Boris Kagarlitsky to discuss the situation in Russia more than 6 months after the invasion of Ukraine. Eric and Boris explore the economic and social reality for ordinary Russians in the wake of the sanctions and economic war. Boris explains why so much analysis from the western Left misses the mark, especially in understanding Russia’s motivations for the war, as well as the importance of recognizing the material interests of Russian elites in driving this war. The conversation also touches on everything from Russian poor and working class soldiers and the importance of Crimea in the strategic calculus to the possibility of regime change and “Putinism without Putin.” Don’t miss this important conversation with one of Russia’s leading political minds. Support Rabkor.ru on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Rabkor The post Boris Kagarlitsky appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week labor journalist and organizer Kim Kelly joins CounterPunch Radio to discuss her important new book “Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor.” Eric and Kelly discuss recent labor history in the neoliberal era and how the sustained attack on unions has helped radicalize a new generation of workers at Starbucks, Amazon, and other workplaces large and small. The conversation touches on Kim’s book and the idea of a labor history from below as well as the importance of learning about movements and individuals often forgotten or ignored by traditional labor history. Kim Kelly is one of America’s leading labor journalists, don’t miss this conversation only on CounterPunch! The post Kim Kelly appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes to the show author and activist Ray Acheson to discuss their brand new book “Abolishing State Violence: A World Without Bombs, Borders, and Cages” (Haymarket, 2022). Eric and Ray explore the nature of abolitionism, its historic roots, and the ways in which it is a framework emerging from the oppressed and marginalized. Ray discusses their anti-nuclear work and how the Left should respond to the growing calls for nuclear energy to tackle the climate crisis. The conversation also touches on the psychology of activism and the importance of seeing past perceived failures toward the larger goal. Ray is an incredible activist and organizer, and we are thankful that they chose to come to CounterPunch and discuss it all with us! The post Ray Acheson appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This time Eric welcomes back author and economist Michael Hudson to discuss his new book “The Destiny of Civilization: Finance Capitalism, Industrial Capitalism, or Socialism” available from CounterPunch. Eric and Michael discuss the nature of financialization, neoliberalism, and how these ideas form the basis of the modern global capitalist system. The discussion also explores the role of the US Dollar, the nature of debt as a weapon, US financial imperialism, and so much more. The post Michael Hudson appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This week Eric welcomes back to CounterPunch economist, author, and scholar Richard Wolff to discuss the state of the US and global economy. Prof. Wolff provides his analysis of the inflation issue and what banks, corporations, and the US Government can and should (but probably won’t) do. Eric and Richard also discuss unemployment, interest rates, the crypto collapse, the future of the US dollar as a global reserve currency, and much more. Don’t miss the latest CounterPunch Radio! The post Richard Wolff appeared first on CounterPunch.org.