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In this conversation we spoke with author Alex S. Vitale about his new book, "The End of Policing," which was published by Verso Books on October 10th, 2017. Alex Vitale's work is based on a deep examination and structural critique of the fundamental nature of policing. Vitale stresses that it's not enough to enact superficial reforms to a system of policing which was, at its core, designed to maintain systems of oppression and inequality. Vitale argues that instead of our current approach of inhumane and ineffective punitive force, we should be going upstream to focus on the root causes of problems, focusing our attention on addressing inequality and providing community and social programs for those in need. In the first half of our Conversation, Vitale walks us through the dark origins of policing, beginning with the eras of colonialism, slavery, the early industrial capitalism. How did early policing grow directly out of the militias and military units that were used to exterminate and expropriate colonized peoples and lands? What role did the police play in maintaining the oppression of African-Americans during slavery and also during the post-slavery era in the south, where vagrancy laws and convict leasing systems proved to be just as bad, if not worse, than slavery itself? And how did vagrancy and vice laws, again enforced by the police, help to culturally shape an emerging working class during the rise of industrial capitalism, forcing a the new system of wage-labor onto a population that fiercely resisted it? The second half of our Conversation brings us into our modern neoliberal era, where policing has really exploded into one of its most brutal and all-encompassing forms yet. Here we explore how the rise of neoliberalism has led to all sorts of societal and community crises which have led to a startling increase in the scope, funding, and militarization of police forces that are now being used to enforce failed drug-war policies, crush social movements, criminalize poor and African-American communities, and maintain the systems of inequality required by austerity-driven neoliberal capitalism. Upstream co-producer Robert Raymond interviewed Alex Vitale at his home in Brooklyn, New York. For more on Alex Vitale's work: http://www.alex-vitale.info/ https://www.versobooks.com/books/2426-the-end-of-policing This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

It has been said that it's easier to imagine the end of the world than to imagine the end of capitalism. That might have been true a decade ago, but today, the end of capitalism is becoming more and more plausible — at times it feels inevitable. In fact, at least half of Americans think that capitalism is a fundamentally unfair system, and over a third have a positive view of socialism. These numbers are rather strange for a society where just uttering the word "socialist" in public a generation ago could cost you your job or get you onto some government list. And when you look at younger generations, it gets even more interesting. A Harvard University survey showed that the majority of millennials do not support capitalism. And in the United Kingdom, similar surveys have found that people are more likely to have an unfavorable view of capitalism than of socialism. More and more people are falling out of love with capitalism. And is it really all that surprising? Capitalism has failed to achieve most of its promises and many are now beginning to dream about what a different, better world might look like. Well, in this second episode of our 2-part series on Universal Basic Income (UBI), we'll explore what role UBI might have in transitioning to that different world. There is an exciting and lively debate taking place among the left right now exploring whether Universal Basic Income would do more to dismantle capitalism or, rather, to prop it up and help to keep it going. For this episode, we've assembled another all-star cast of economists, journalists, and authors, and asked them to share their perspectives and to envision what the long-term societal effects of giving everyone a Universal Basic Income might look like. Would a progressive UBI act as simply another form of welfare, temporarily propping up a fundamentally flawed system, and just serving as another concession to eventually be eroded and gutted by the capitalist class? Or could it be more than that — could it actually fundamentally challenge the current capitalist system and help to dismantle it? We explore these questions — and many more — in this final episode of our 2-part exploration of Universal Basic Income. Featuring: Erik Olin Wright - Marxist scholar and sociology professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison Kathi Weeks - Marxist-feminist scholar, associate professor of Women's Studies at Duke University and author of 'The Problem with Work: Feminism, Marxism, Antiwork Politics, and Postwork Imaginaries' Matt Bruenig - Writer, researcher, and founder of the People's Policy Project Richard Wolff - Marxist economist, economics professor Emeritus University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Founder of Democracy at Work, and host of the weekly radio show Economic Update Doug Henwood - Journalist, economic analyst, and writer whose work has been featured in Harper's, Jacobin Magazine, and The Nation Martin Kirk - Co-founder and Director of Strategy at The Rules Rutger Bregman - Journalist and author of 'Utopia for Realists: The Case for a Universal Basic Income, Open Borders and a 15-hour Workweek' Manda Scott - Novelist, columnist, and broadcaster Juliana Bidadanure - Assistant professor in political philosophy at Stanford University Sofa Gradin - Political Organizer and Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary University of London Music: American Football, J. T. Harechmak, Pele Many thanks to Benjamin Henderson for the cover art. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

What if you were paid just for being alive? Just imagine, you are given a check every month for the rest of your life, enough to cover all of your basic needs. You wouldn't be driving around in a Ferrari or eating avocado toast every day, but you'd be receiving enough to live relatively comfortably. And there's absolutely nothing you would have to do in order to receive it. How would that change your life? What would you do differently? Close your eyes and just try to picture that for a second. Okay, if you're reading this sentence, that means you've stopped dreaming and have come back to reality. We have no idea how long you were gone, but don't worry if it was for a little longer than you had expected. It happens. We understand. There's a lot to think about there. What a crazy question anyways, right? Getting free money? For the rest of your life? Just for being alive? Crazy. Or is it? The idea that we've been describing has actually been under discussion for centuries, and it has even been experimented with all over the world. In fact, there are actually several versions of it happening right now, at this very moment. Maybe you've already heard about it? Chances are you have. Lately it seems as if everybody is talking about it, whether they like the idea or not. It's called Universal Basic Income, and it's the topic of our latest documentary (which is actually a 2-part series, since there's just so much to cover when it comes to this radical and controversial concept). We spoke with philosophers, economists, journalists, and even random folks on the street, to explore the many questions that come up when you begin thinking seriously about universal basic income. What effect would it have on poverty? What happens when income is separated from work? Would society implode into a dysfunctional dystopia because everybody would just sit on the couch all day and watch Netflix? Or, alternatively, would it be the best thing ever, effectively freeing people from the fear that comes with financial insecurity and enabling them to pursue their most daring dreams and to make their biggest contributions to society? Join us as we explore these questions and begin to untangle this radical concept. We've put together an all-star team of scholars and experts on the cutting-edge of this exciting debate. Whether you're already an expert or haven't even heard of the idea, you're not going to want to miss this one. Featuring: Juliana Bidadanure - Assistant Professor in Political Philosophy at Stanford University Doug Henwood - Journalist, economic analyst, and writer whose work has been featured in Harper's, Jacobin Magazine, The Nation, and more Rutger Bregman - Journalist and author of 'Utopia for Realists: The Case for a Universal Basic Income, Open Borders and a 15-hour Workweek' Kathi Weeks - Marxist feminist scholar, Associate Professor of Women's Studies at Duke University and author of 'The Problem with Work: Feminism, Marxism, Antiwork Politics, and Postwork Imaginaries' Eric Richardson - A recipient of basic income Evelyn Forget - Economist and professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba and Academic Director of the Manitoba Research Data Centre Music: Face of Man (https://faceofman.bandcamp.com/) Bedrockk (https://bedrockk.bandcamp.com/) Godspeed You! Black Emperor (www.brainwashed.com/godspeed/) Harps (www.soundcloud.com/harps-i) Many thanks to Benjamin Henderson for the cover art. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this Conversation we spoke with Jason Hickel, an anthropologist formerly at the London School of Economics and now at Goldsmiths University of London. Originally from Swaziland, Jason's research has focused on a critique of development and globalization. He has also written on the topics of inequality, climate change, basic income, and soil regeneration. Jason argues that we cannot begin to seriously tackle the climate crisis until we take a hard look at the growth-dependent economic system that drives fossil fuel production and consumption. He believes that simply regulating fossil fuels is not enough, and that in order to truly address climate change we'll need to move away from our current capitalist economic model, a model which can only function properly when it is growing exponentially. We also spoke with Jason about his fascination at capitalism's extraordinary ability to co-opt and commodify its own critique. How does Tom's Shoes allow you to purchase your redemption from being a consumer? How are hipster bars and clubs in cities like London and New York appropriating the aesthetic of working class neighborhoods while remaining closed off to these very communities? How does this dynamic play out in the environmental movement? Jason provides a number of interesting examples that demonstrate why this process is incredibly harmful to building a true resistance to capitalism. Our conversation took many turns, exploring what 21st century socialism might look like, the myths of international development, and more. Jason is a natural systems-thinker, and his upstream perspective is an incredibly important one. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Once an important life-force of early civilization and an ancient crafter of community, beer was, like many things under our current economic system, disfigured and twisted by the forces of the market and the drive for profit. In this episode, we take a close look at this story, starting in ancient Mesopotamia and tracing the history of beer up through the giant consolidations of the 20th century to the birth of the craft beer revolution in the 1970s and 80s. Brew expert and award-winning author Randy Mosher guides us through this history, telling great stories and exploring ancient beer mythology along the way. But the story doesn't end there -- the beer revolution is really just beginning. Craft beer has begun to bring back many of the most important values and characteristics of beer that were lost for so long, going far beyond just taste. How is the new economy embodied in a pint of beer? This is an important theme that Rob Hopkins, the co-founder of the Transition Town movement and founder of New Lion Brewery, explores throughout the episode. How is craft beer beginning to stitch back together the economies of towns and cities that have been torn apart by globalization and an obsession with growth? How can beer demonstrate the concept of the circular economy? These are important questions explored in depth through Rob's expertise. There are many other incredible stories of brewers and breweries that are radically changing the landscape of the beer industry. Throughout the episode you'll meet a wide variety of folks, from a brewery in London that makes beer out of surplus bread, to the first cooperatively owned brewery in California. After listening to this episode, you may never look at a bottle of beer in the same way. Disclaimer: listening to this episode may cause you to crave a dark, chocolatey stout. Or a piney, hoppy IPA. Or a nutty brown ale. Or a fruity saison. Or a tangy farmhouse ale. Or...well you get the point: you may want to listen to this episode over a pint. Featuring ​Rob Hopkins - Founder of New Lion Brewery, Co-Initator of the Transition Town Movement Randy Mosher - Author of Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink Bart Watson - Chief Economist, Brewers Association Tom Stainer - Head of Communications, CAMRA Julie Prebble - Business Development Manager, Toast Ale Vanesa de Blas - Brewer, Temple Brew House Andrew Gilhespy - Grower at The Almond Thief Emy Mendoza - Umunhum Brewing Music by: ​Maude Gun Lanterns Antwon Pele ​ Many thanks to Bethan Mure for the background/cover art. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

When you think about economics, what images come to mind? Maybe a supply and demand graph? Or a blackboard with complex equations scrawled across it? These images are based on a 19th century view of economics, one that is outdated and even dangerous, as we're beginning to see more and more. In this Upstream Conversation, we explore why the economy should look more like a doughnut. In her new book, Doughnut Economics, renegade economist Kate Raworth explains why it's time to explore new images that tell different stories about the economy. Kate walks us through the many aspects of her proposal for a new picture of economics, while discrediting some of the old assumptions and exploring new solutions. Our conversation moves readily from economic history to complexity, from system design to wealth inequality, and from poverty to…doughnuts. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Bellowing out in the songs of eco-village choirs and reverberating down city streets through the chants of the 99%, the call for a new economy echoes out over the dying gasps of late capitalism. From energy co-operatives in Spain that are literally bringing power to the local level, to a small school hidden deep in the English moors that is redesigning the study of economics, to a vast coalition in North America that is challenging domination by the 1%, this episode of Upstream explores the movement for a new economy. Our story begins in 1984, just outside of the G7 World Economic Summit in London, where a small group convened a counter summit to challenge the ideas and theories that dominated mainstream economics. We follow the ripples of this seminal event as they radiate out through the world and on into our current era of Trump & Brexit. This lineage traces back to the work of the renegade economist E. F. Schumacher (1911-1977). You'll hear from him, as well as many of the other people and organizations on the cutting-edge of this broad movement that is working to revolutionize the way we think about what the economy is, the way economics is taught, and the way we embody new economics in practice. Featuring: Tim Crabtree - Senior Lecturer at Schumacher College Aniol Esteban - Program Director of The New Economics Foundation E. F. Schumacher - From the archives of the Schumacher Center for New Economics Satish Kumar - Founder of Schumacher College & Editor of Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine Jonathan Dawson - Coordinator of the Economics for Transition M. A. Program at Schumacher College Kate Raworth - Author of Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist Katherine Trebeck - Senior Researcher at Oxfam Eli Feghali - Director of Communications and Online Organizing for the New Economy Coalition Andres Montesinos - Coordinator at Som Energia Isabel Benitez - Coordinator of the New Economy & Social Innovation Forum Music: Lanterns (theme music) Amonie Tapes and Topographies Owu Kou Woo Haunted Haus Cover image by Robert Raymond Also, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show on iTunes. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/upstream/id1082594532?mt=2 This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this Upstream Conversation we spoke with Professor Jessica Gordon Nembhard, author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice. We spoke with her about the history of solidarity economics--particularly worker co-operatives--within the African American community. We travel in time from the era of slavery, through to Jim Crow segregation, share-cropping, and finally within the modern day prison industrial complex, looking at how cooperatives have formed in prisons in Puerto Rico. What can we learn for the United States, where African Americans comprise one-third of the prison population? We also spoke about the intersection of capitalism and racism. How do capitalism and racism support each other? And how can the act of participating in cooperative economics chisel away the power of capitalism? Jessica was also featured in our episode on Solidarity Economics. To listen to that episode, visit: http://upstreampodcast.org/solidarityeconomy This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this Upstream Conversation we spoke with scholar and activist Trebor Scholz, who is an Associate Professor of Culture & Media at the New School for Liberal Arts & co-editor of the book, Ours to Hack and to Own: The Rise of Platform Cooperativism, a New Vision for the Future of Work and a Fairer Internet. Trebor has a very wide breadth of knowledge in the field of digital labor, and is able to articulate a very strong critique of the modern day digital landscape. He walks us through how the internet has hit rock bottom, exemplified as it is these days by extreme power concentration, high levels of worker exploitation, and a lack of privacy. But Trebor is also able to draw a very compelling picture of how things could be different. What would #Uber look like if it had cooperative values? What if residents owned #Airbnb? And what role might a universal basic income play in the near future? Darkness and uncertainty loom ahead. Trebor's insights are a flash of light that illuminate and begin to guide us through these tumultuous times. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this Upstream Conversation with spoke with Cheyenna Weber, co-founder of SolidarityNYC and a lead organizer of the Cooperative Economics Alliance of NYC. We spoke with her about the solidarity economy, where it came from, where it is right now, and where it might be headed. How did solidarity manifest during the Occupy Wall Street movement? Why is it important that we view co-operatives, credit unions, and other forms of alternative economics as part of a broader movement? What is the role of personal and cultural transformation in the movement? This interview is a part of our exploration of the Solidarity Economy. To listen to our Episode on The Solidarity Economy, visit upstreampodcast.org/solidarityeconomy For more information: Solidarity NYC: solidaritynyc.org CEANYC: https://gocoopnyc.com/ This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this episode we explore a phenomenon that has existed throughout centuries both within and alongside Capitalism. Wherever relationships have been based on reciprocity, sustainability, and democratic governance you'll find the Solidarity Economy. We learn of it's origin and about how it is strengthened by countermovements and during times of crisis. We follow its presence throughout the history of a particular marginalized community in the U.S., celebrating the courage of African American cooperative thought and practice. We then paint a picture of a modern solidarity response to economic austerity. And finally, we dream about it's potential in the face of ecological peril and plan for what it will take to grow the Solidarity Economy to serve as a movement of movements. Featuring: ​ Michael Ventura - Co-author with James Hillman of We've Had a Hundred Years of Psychotherapy – And the World's Getting Worse, columnist of Letters at 3AM with the Austin Chronicle Caroline Woolard - Artist & organizer whose work explores intersections between art and the solidarity economy Michael Lewis - Soildarity economy researcher; Co-author of The Resilience Imperative Pat Conaty - Research associate Cooperatives UK, Co-author of The Resilience Imperative Jessica Gordon Nembard - Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development, author of Collective Courage: A history of African-American Cooperative Economic Thought & Practice Biba Schoenmaker - Co-Founder of Broodfonds Makers Stuart Field - Founder of Breadfunds UK Jos Veldhuizen - Member of Broodfunds, Amsterdam Music: ​ Robert Raymond (witchdreammasion bandcamp) Lanterns (lanternsss.bandcamp.com) Chris Zabriskie (chriszabriskie.com) Jörgen UNOM JG (unomjg.nl) Cover image by Bethan Mure This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

You're listening to a Sneak Peak of our Solidarity Economy episode with scholar & activist Jessica Gordon Nembard, Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development in the Department of Africana Studies at John Jay College in New York City. Professor Nembhard is the author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice. She will be featured in our upcoming Solidarity Economy episode in collaboration with STIR Magazine, to be released Jan 15th, 2017. For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org Facebook.com/upstreampodcast Twitter: @upstreampodcast Instagram.com/upstreampodcast Together we can be a force for positive change: please like, comment on, and share this interview.

In this Upstream Conversation we spoke with author and journalist Doug Henwood. Doug wrote a book about Hillary Clinton called My Turn: Hillary Clinton Targets the Presidency, which is a critique of Hillary Clinton and her policies from the left of the political spectrum. We spoke with him about the response to his book, his thoughts on the Democratic Party and the election, the economic forecast of the Trump administration, the state of the economy, and much more. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Unemployment is down and the stock market is up. So we're in a recovery, right? Many politicians & economists would like us to think that, but in this Conversation, Professor Richard D. Wolff explains how this couldn't be farther from the truth. Not only is the recession that started in 2008 far from over, but we might actually be witnessing the collapse of capitalism as we know it. Professor Richard Wolff studied economics at Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. He is the author of the recent book Capitalism's Crisis Deepens, the founder of Democracy @ Work, host of the radio program Economic Update, and is currently teaching at the New School University in NYC. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Greece was all over the news in 2014 and 2015. You might remember hearing about the new radical left party Syriza, the referendum, the violence in the streets, the German banks, the flamboyant finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. So what happened? Mistrusting the mainstream narrative coming from western media outlets, and suspicious of the abrupt end of most news coverage we decided we'd travel to Athens and see for ourselves what was going on in the aftermath of the tumultuous events which have been building up over the last few years in Greece. From the streets of Athens with our host Yianni Litovchenko from Alternative Tours of Athens, to the apartment of the Greek activist Maria Scordialos, to the economic analysis of James K. Galbraith, to the Refugee Accommodation and Solidarity Space City Plaza. Join us. Featuring: ​ Maria Scordialos - Greek activist and co-founder of The Living Wholeness Institute James Galbraith - American economist, founding DiEM25 member, and advisor to Yannis Varoufakis Yianni Litovchenko - Member of the Alternative Tours of Athens cooperative Margarita - Volunteer at the Refugee Accommodation & Solidarity Space City Plaza ​ Music: ​ The Rembetika Hipsters A. Kostis (Thanks to Olvido Records) This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Maria Scordialos is a Greek activist, co-initiator of The Art of Hosting, and founder of the Living Wholeness Institute, which runs the Axladitsa retreat and workshop center. We spoke about the Greek debt crisis, her experience living in Athens before, during, and after the referendum, gentrification and inequality, and her experiences working with governments. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

James K. Galbraith is an advisor to former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. He is also a founding member of DiEM25, an economist who writes often for the popular press, and a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. We spoke about the Greek debt crisis, inequality, and U.S. politics. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Raising animals for food is often cited as being one of the drivers of the ecological crisis we're in. But does it have to be? Meet Jesse McDougall, one of the farmers behind Studio Hill Farm in Vermont. He and his wife Caroline are part of an exciting movement known as carbon farming. We spoke with Jesse about the concept of regenerative agriculture and explored some of the politics and economics behind modern day farming in the United States. What is carbon farming? Or regenerative meat? Ever wonder what mob grazing is? And since when do farmers propose bills to Congress? Tune in to find out. Intermission music by Will Oldham. And thank you to our contributing team member Mark J. Phillips for recording and hosting this one. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Liz Zeidler is the Co-founder and Director of Happy City, an organization in Bristol, UK which is about giving people more of what we all want, but that our current economic system fails to give us: happiness. We interviewed her for part 3 of our 3-part series "Welcome to Frome" This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Peter Macfadyen is the radical council member and previous Mayor of Frome. He is also the author of Flatpack Democracy, a DIY guide to creating independent politics. We interviewed him for our 3-part series "Welcome to Frome". Parts of this interview are featured in the series. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett are the authors of the book The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better. The Spirit Level not only changed the way we understand and view inequality, it inspired the creation of The Equality Trust, an organization that works to improve the quality of life in the UK by reducing economic inequality. We interviewed them for our 3-part series "Welcome to Frome". Parts of this interview are featured in the series. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this final episode of our 3-part series, "Welcome to Frome", we explore possible futures for the small Somerset town of Frome. ​ In this episode, we'll talk to some of the leading experts on why GDP and economic growth are flawed measures of wellbeing. Then we'll travel to a small kingdom in south Asia, an indigenous village in the sierras of Peru, and the headquarters of Happy City in Bristol. We'll talk to the visionaries of new cultural paradigms. and ask them to reveal the secrets of happiness and wellbeing that are hidden right beneath our noses. How can Frome adopt a wellbeing strategy that helps to further the movements we discussed in episode 1 and which begins to bridge the divides we explored in episode 2? There's no simple solution, but we hope that this series will provide some food for thought in towns and cities like Frome all over the world. Featuring: Ha Vinh Tho PhD - Program Development Coordinator of GNH Centre in BHutan Martin Whitlock - Businessman, author, Co-Founder of StopGDP.org Inez Aponte - Founder of Growing Good Lives Martin Kirk - Co-founder of The Rules Liz Ziedler - Co-Founder of Happy City Richard Wilkinson - Co-author of The Spirit Level Maria Scordialos- Co-Founder of The Living Wholeness Institute Annabelle Macfadyen - Co-organizer, Home in Frome Music by: Molly Murphy (a million creatures) Annabelle Macfadyen Frome Street Bandits Theme music by Lanterns (Robert Raymond & Molly Murphy) This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this second episode of our 3-part series, "Welcome to Frome", we explore the darker history of the small Somerset town of Frome. ​ In this episode, you'll meet more Frome residents, more politicians, local historians, experts in the field of inequality, and a filmmaker. We'll tackle some timely topics and ask some difficult questions. What are the scars left from thirty years of closing factories and cutting government services? How do these scars reveal themselves in our hearts and in our communities? Is it possible to bridge the economic, social, and psychological divides that carve up our societies? If it's possible, then how do we do it? Featuring: Des Cornish - Born and raised in Frome John Payne - Local historian and author Annabelle Macfadyen - Co-organizer, Home in Frome Bob Ashford - Chair of Trustees, Fair Frome Sam Phripp - Somerset District Councilor Richard Seymour - Marxist writer, broadcaster, and activist Joseph Choonara - Spokesperson, Socialist Workers Party Richard Wilkinson - Co-author of The Spirit Level Kate Pickett - Co-author of The Spirit Level Katharine Round - Director of the film The Divide Music by: Molly Murphy (a million creatures) Annabelle Macfadyen Frome Street Bandits Theme music by Lanterns (Robert Raymond & Molly Murphy) This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this first episode of our 3-part series, "Welcome to Frome", we explore how the small Somerset town of Frome started a revolution that has completely changed the nature of politics and economics. In this episode, you'll meet the head of this radical new movement, and visit some of the new economics initiatives that have emerged in Frome. What is a "Share Shop?" How about a community fridge? What happens when a town council creates a position designed to address climate change? Listen to find out and to enjoy some great music along the way. But the story of Frome, like most things in life, is not as simple as it may appear. This town has a long and at times dark history, and when parts of that history are uncovered, old wounds are revealed which tell a different story, a story of division. We'll touch on this history here before we dive much deeper into it in Episode 2. Featuring: Peter Macfadyen - Founder of Flatpack Democracy, Frome town councilor, former Mayor Helen Johnstone - A manager at Share Shop Anna Francis - Frome's Resilience Officer Esther Deeks - Community Fridge Co-organizer Bob Ashford - Chair of Trustees, Fair Frome Music by: Molly Murphy (a million creatures) Annabelle Macfadyen Frome Street Bandits This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Crisis Theory is a new video game developed by David Cribb. In this game, you play as the spirit of capitalism. Your one job is to keep the game from falling into crisis for as long as possible. Is it possible? We spoke with David to find out. Crisis Theory was inspired by Marxist geographer David Harvey's lecture series on Capital. It uses concepts like labor power, means of production, primitive accumulation, rate of profit, etc, etc, to help explain Marx's theory of capitalism. It's a great way to learn about Marxist theory — and it's actually quite fun to play. Check it out for yourself here: https://colestia.itch.io/crisis-theory This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Wetiko is an Algonquin word for a cannibalistic spirit or thought-form driven by greed, excess and selfish consumption. It deludes its host into believing that consuming the life force of others for self-aggrandizement or profit is a logical and morally upright way to live. In this Sneak Peak, we spoke with Martin Kirk, Founder of The Rules, who explains the concept of Wetiko and how it relates to our late-capitalist era. He also explains how Donald Trump is a human embodiment of Wetiko. Martin will be featured in our upcoming documentary series due for release in early September. Stay tuned for that at upstreampodcast.org. Artwork by Paweł Kuczyński www.upstreampodcast.org Twitter: @upstreampodcast Facebook: /upstreampodcast Instragram: upstreampodcast

"The mirror of democracy is cracked and warped and people no longer recognize their reflection in it." Where should the Bernie Movement go after the campaign is over? Why would a vote for Hillary be a vote for more Trumpism? Richard Seymour explains it all. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Inequality reduced dramatically from around the 1930s to the 1980s, when it suddenly started rising again to levels not seen for almost a hundred years. What happened? Richard Wilkinson and Kate Picket, authors of the influential book The Spirit Level, explain what happened and how worker-owned cooperatives can serve as a countervailing force to neoliberalism.

In this interview we hear from Socialist Worker's Party member & Lexit Campaign Spokesperson Joseph Choonara. We spoke about the movement on the radical Left that pushed successfully for Britain to leave the European Union. We also spoke about the larger split between the movements on Left, the abandonment of the working class by Labour, the anti-immigrant nature of the EU, and how we can start to work more effectively across class divides to build a stronger, more viable Left.

"Neoliberalism has become embedded in the very DNA of the European Union." It was not just the Right in the UK that voted to leave the EU. Listen to our interview with Joseph Choonara of the Social Worker's Party to hear why some factions of the radical Left in Britain decided that they've had enough of the European Union.

In this interview we hear from activist and writer Richard Seymour. We spoke about the Orlando shootings, Brexit, Corbyn & the Labour Party, Trump, the decline of unions, and where the Bernie Sanders movement can go now that the nomination seems assured for Hillary Clinton. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Brexit? This Thursday Great Britain is poised to vote on whether or not to leave the European Union. The decisions and politics driving this referendum are complex, important, and might surprise you. London-based writer, activist, and broadcaster Richard Seymour gives us the lay of the terrain. Our full interview with Richard will be available soon at our website: http://www.economicsfortransition.org

In this Upstream Sneak Peak, Yianni Litovchenko of Alternative Tours of Athens tells us the story of the famous Greek riot dog Loukankios (or "Sausage").

In this Upstream Sneak Peak, we spoke with Greek activist and co-initiator of The Art of Hosting Maria Scordialos. She will be featured in our upcoming episode on the Solidarity movement and financial crisis in Greece.

Katharine Round is the director of the documentary film The Divide, which is based off of the book The Spirit Level. The Divide tells the story of 7 individuals striving for a better life in the modern day US and UK - where the top 0.1% owns as much wealth as the bottom 90%. We spoke with her about making the film, how inequality makes everyone less better off, and what we can do about it. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this interview we spoke with Martin Whitlock, co-founder of Stop-GDP.org and author of Human Politics : Human Value: Towards a society for people as we really are (not as governments, economists and big corporations would like us to be). We spoke about how GDP is a scam and how the money economy is a terrible idea. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Sarah Corbett is a craft-activist, or "craftivist". She is the founder of Craftivist-Collective, and has worked as a campaigner for NGOs like Oxfam and Christian Aid. Sarah takes a very unique and thoughtful approach to activism. We talked about the intersection between activism and craft-making, how activism can be slow, gentle, and kind, and about the surprising story behind why she made a handkerchief for her Member of Parliament.

Angela Miles is a professor at the University of Toronto, member of International Feminists for a Gift Economy, and author of the books Integrative Feminism and Women in a Globalizing World: Transforming Equality, Development, Diversity, and Peace. We spoke about gender, the importance of gift economies, the commodification of everything, marx and alienation, integrative feminism, and how the best way to get a high is to help somebody. Intermission music by The Wild Reeds.

Doug Henwood is a columnist for The Nation, Harper's, and Jacobin Mag; the radio host of Behind the News; author of Wall Street: How it Works and for Whom; and most recently of My Turn: Hillary Clinton Targets the Presidency. We spoke about his research on the "sharing economy", as well as the history of capitalism, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and possible solutions to the growing precariousness of labor. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this interview we spoke with Keally McBride, Professor of Politics and the Chair of International Studies at the University of San Francisco. She was featured in our Sharing Economy episode. We chatted about her research on The Sharing Economy (companies like Uber, Taskrabbit, and Airbnb), the tech industry's impact on Oakland and San Francisco, neoliberalism, and labor vs. capital in the 21st century. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this interview we hear from Satish Kumar: former monk, author, editor of Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine, long-time peace & environmental activist, founder of Schumacher College, and TED Talk alumnus. We spoke about going upstream, the fallacies of economic growth & consumption, the principles of Buddhist and Gandhian economics, what a real sharing economy looks like, and dream time. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this shortened version of our "The Sharing Economy?" episode, we look at how companies like Taskrabbit and Uber have influenced an entire generation and entirely shifted the economic landscapes of major cities globally. Through candid conversations with journalists and industry insiders, we explore the darker side of these giant companies and investigate how this phenomenon arose and what implications are in store. Featured guests: Doug Henwood (Author, radio host, columnist for Harper's and the Nation Magazine) Keally McBride (Professor of Politics and the Chair of International Studies at the University of San Francisco) David Korman (Lyft driver, former TaskRabbit, Couchsurfing host) www.upstreampodcast.org Twitter: @upstreampodcast Facebook: /upstreampodcast Instragram: upstreampodcast

In this interview, we hear from Rob Hopkins, the founder of the Transition movement, a radically hopeful community-driven approach to creating societies independent of fossil fuel. We chatted about transition towns and how they resemble cell membranes, the power of stories, and craft beer. (Listen closely you'll hear the ambient sounds of whistling and laughter of the students of Schumacher College!)Thank you to Jacob Rask for conducting this interview. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this interview we hear from Nadia Johanisova, an Ecological Economist, Professor of Environmental Studies in the Czech Republic, and the person who translated E. F. Schumacher's "Small is Beautiful" - as well as several other new economic classics - into Czech. We talked about what it was like to live and work under a communist regime and what changed when the Iron Curtain fell and neo-liberalism crept into Czechoslovakia. Nadia also talked about the book she wrote titled Living in the Cracks, A Look at Rural Social Enterprises in Britain and the Czech Republic and her most recent project mapping the new economy in the Czech Republic to strengthen this emerging system and increase solidarity among new economic actors. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Pat is a fellow Californian living in the U.K. He has worked with the New Economic Foundation since 1987 and is also a research associate of Co-operatives UK. Pat's work focuses on reclaiming money, land, and labor. We spoke about various forms of co-operative economic democracy, including community land trusts for housing, social co-operatives for care services, and ecological co-operatives for green energy and local food systems. Pat is a world leader in advocating on behalf of the commons and putting New Economics into practice. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

This interview is a conversation with Eduardo Gudynas, a leading scholar of Buen Vivir, a Latin American social movement to focus development on "the good life." He is also the executive secretary of the Latin American Centre for Social Ecology in Uruguay and the author of 10 books and many academic articles. We spoke about the unique history of the Buen Vivir social movement, its introduction into the constitutions of several Latin American countries, and how it challenges not just development alternatives, but alternatives to development. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this interview, we hear from Dr. Ha Vinh Tho, the Program Development Coordinator of the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan. Tho is also the founder and chairman of Eurasia Foundation, a humanitarian NGO, a visiting fellow at several universities and a Buddhist teacher in the Tradition of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism, who was ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh. We speak about the history and meaning of the Gross National Happiness Index and how it can be a better index for measuring happiness, health, and wellbeing in a country. For more information, visit Dr. Tho's blog and Bhutan's Gross National Happiness website. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this interview, we hear from Joanna Macy PhD, a highly revered local eco-justice philosopher, activist, and leader. Joanna is a scholar, teacher, and a practitioner of Buddhism, Systems Theory, Gaia Theory, and the Deep Ecology Movement. At 86, she moves through the world with profound wisdom, passion, and the rare gift to inspire us to move from despair into empowered action for the earth and all living beings. To learn more about Joanna and the work that she does please visit http://www.joannamacy.net This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this episode, we spoke with the late Robin Murray, a prolific sustainability and environmental economist, an advocate for a living economy, and a key player in the birth of the fair trade movement. Robin Murray was named by The Guardian as one of the fifty people who could save the planet, and worked to establish the London Climate Change Agency with the Deputy Mayor of London. Robin alternated working between innovative economic programs in local, regional, and national governments, as well as with academic teaching and writing. His recent work focused on new waste and energy systems and on projects in the social and innovation economy. In this interview, he described his life as an economist, gave us a detailed alternative economic history from World War II to the present, and described hopeful signs of the emergence of the new economy especially in relation to connectivity and cooperation. Robin Murray passed away recently at the age of 76. We are incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to meet and interview him while he was visiting Schumacher College in 2016.

In this interview, we hear from Inez Aponte, the founder of Growing Good Lives, an organization dedicated to bringing about a socially and environmentally just economic system by putting values, needs, and wellbeing at the heart of economic development work. Inez is a storyteller, facilitator and community organizer who uses the Human Scale Development Approach in her workshops and seminars. We talked about how she came to do this work, why we need a different way of talking about the economy, and the role of story and language in encouraging lasting behavior change. This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.