Politics Theory Other

Troop Movements w/ Tejasvi Nagaraja 17.09.2026 1ч 32мин

In the popular imagination WWII is still often seen in both the United States and Britain as a moment of great national consensus, where political differences and class struggle were set aside in the cause of defeating European Fascism and Japanese imperialism. But in his new book, 'Troop Movements', Tejasvi Nagaraja shows how the reality is much more complex, with military mobilisation and the wartime transformation of the US economy producing both new opportunities, and new dangers for Black Americans and all those engaged in anti-fascist and anti-racist struggle. In the interview we talked about war-time wildcat strikes that aimed at creating better conditions for workers and that contested racism in the workplace. We went on to discuss the consequences of the export of Jim Crow - with the deployment of racially segregated American units overseas and how that process affected local people and the management of subject populations in the British Empire. And finally, we talked about the post-war upsurge of strikes and protest within the US military - as soldiers deployed overseas demanded to return home, and as they sought to oppose nascent US imperialism and the reimposition of European colonialism in territories that had fallen under the control of Imperial Japan.

Certainty in uncertain times w/ Natasha Lennard 10.09.2026 1ч 13мин

It's become commonplace to describe our current epoch in terms of "uncertain times", whether when talking about the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical ruptures, or the rapid rise of insurgent political forces. But Natasha Lennard argues that talk of uncertainty and doubt often masks the violent certainties that structure our world - from the seeming inviolability and permanence of property and border regimes, to entrenched conceptions of gendered experience. In today's episode we talked about how Natasha came to focus on this question, and the political implications of making a distinction between knowledge and certainty. Notes: On Un/Certainty:The Uses of Doubt in Dangerous Times https://www.versobooks.com/products/3217-on-un-certainty?srsltid=AfmBOopaoxZxzJRVsNnOCKTkvlvzWGzrj5cm69etz4IrZS7MjV9x1cET

Interregnum - Living in the Pyrocene 03.09.2026 41мин

Richard returns to talk about this year's wildfires. We talked about the scale and extent of the wildfires, how they compare to recent years, and the threat of the so-called weather whiplash effect, with heatwaves and wildfires being followed by severe flooding. We also talked about how fire is impacting biodiversity, how better land use management could reduce the threat posed by wildfires, and why Richard thinks we should be cautious about applying an apocalyptic framing to the phenomenon. Notes: Welcome to the Pyrocene: https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/climate-international-politics/2026/08/welcome-to-the-pyrocene Europe’s summer of wildfires is just a taste of what’s to come: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/europes-summer-of-wildfires-is-just-a-taste-of-whats-to-come/

[UNLOCKED] James Meadway on the economic costs of heatwaves 27.08.2026 31мин

James Meadway joins PTO to discuss the report he recently authored for the Verdant think tank on the economic costs of the recent UK heatwaves. We talked about how the extreme weather hit productivity right across the economy - from construction workers and delivery drivers to office workers. And about how the increasing casualisation of the workforce makes UK workers increasingly vulnerable to the physical and financial damage caused by such events. We also talked about the impact on infrastructure and about the inadequacy of the Burnham government's response to the situation. Notes: The Cost of Heat: Summer 2026 UK heatwaves - an economic impact update: https://www.verdantthinking.org/publications-and-events/the-cost-of-heat-may-to-july Adam Tooze - "Mad dogs and ...": Heatwave economics - summer 2026: https://adamtooze.substack.com/p/chartbook-467-mad-dogs-and-heatwave

Purple state revolution? w/ Maurice Weeks 20.08.2026 27мин

In the Wisconsin primary last week the socialist candidate Francesca Hong was narrowly defeated by her more centrist opponent. It's a result that some argue shows the limits of left politics in swing states and outside of Democrat voting heartlands - in spite of the prior victory of Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. To talk through both campaigns, and what they tell us about the viability of left politics in the United States, PTO is joined by Maurice Weeks - co-founder of the Action Center on Race and the Economy.

PTO Extra! - James Meadway on the economic costs of heatwaves 18.08.2026 1мин

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Passing on the torch - Vietnam, Algeria, Palestine w/ Hamza Hamouchene 13.08.2026 56мин

Although it's increasingly common to describe the Palestinian struggle for liberation in terms of a conflict with settler colonialism, it's more rare for Palestine to be situated in the broader context of anti-imperialist struggles of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and specifically the wars for liberation conducted by the FLN in Algeria and the Vietminh and the National Liberation Front in Vietnam. Hamza Hamouchene seeks to do just that. In our conversation we talked about the importance of recognising that although the success of past decolonisation struggles is seen today as inevitable, they were not so perceived at the time and that in the cases of both Algeria and Vietnam their battles for independence endured for an extremely long time and were punctuated by what seemed to be possibly permanent defeats. We also talked about the Vietminh's victory of the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and the shockwaves this sent through territories under the control of the French and other European empires elsewhere. We went on to talk about the direct assistance the Vietnamese and Algerians provided to each other, and how both aided the Palestinians after they had achieved independence. Finally, we talked about the relevance of the moment of the high point of anti-colonial struggle to the Palestinian cause now, given the even more challenging geopolitical situation that Palestinian resistance faces today. Notes: Towards Palestinian Liberation: Global Perspectives on Anti-Colonial Resistance and Solidarity, edited by Abi Bae and Hamza Hamouchene: https://www.tni.org/en/publication/towards-palestinian-liberation

Losing control in the gulf w/ Paul Rogers 06.08.2026 28мин

The conflict between the United States and Iran is now in its sixth month. In today's episode security expert Paul Rogers joins PTO to talk about the current situation and the prospects of a deal between the United States and Iran that might lead to the opening of the straits. We talked about why Donald Trump recently backed away from launching a major attack on Iranian infrastructure, the current posture of the UAE, Saudi Arabia ,and the other Gulf monarchies and the prospect of Israel potentially embarking on further escalation if a deal - likely to be highly detrimental to Israel's regional position - were to be concluded between Washington and Tehran.

Excerpt - Has Burnham's project failed before it's started? w/ Richard Seymour 20.07.2026

Richard Seymour responds to listener questions on the politics of new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. If you'd like to hear the rest of this episode of PTO Extra! please consider becoming a £5 supporter on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother

After Order? w/ Juliano Fiori 18.07.2026 1ч 16мин

From rising geopolitical tensions, to the worsening climate situation, and from the Gaza genocide to hot wars that threaten to spill into great power conflict, the world of the 2020s is one of concatenating crises. But is our moment an interregnum that will be followed by a new moment of relatively ordered hegemony? Juliano Fiori, director of the Alameda Institute, argues otherwise and makes the case that we have entered a post-order situation in which crisis is the new normal. In our conversation today, we talked about why Juliano believes the creation of a relatively stable new international order is unlikely and why China will probably not be able to assume a position of international leadership on the scale needed to create such an order. We also talked about Gramsci's concept of the Interregnum, and how disordering at the international level is mirrored and mutually constituted by the disordering of national polities and the world of work. And we also talked about the extent to which the pre-Donald Trump era really was a rules-based system given the extreme violence that the United States and its allies have been the authors of since WWII.

Excerpt - Daniel Trilling responds to listener questions 02.07.2026 3мин

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New York's rising socialist tide w/ Liza Featherstone 27.06.2026 38мин

Liza Featherstone joins PTO to talk about the impressive primary victories for DSA-backed candidates in the New York primaries. We chatted about what the ramifications of the results are - both statewide but also nationally - and what the implications are for who will be the Democrats' candidate in the next presidential election. We also talked about the differences between the organising models of the DSA and the more moderate Working Families Party. And finally, we discussed the salience of Palestine and the Gaza genocide in how the various primary campaigns played out. Show notes: Liza's Jacobin piece on the elections: https://jacobin.com/2026/06/dsa-valdez-chevalier-mamdani-nyc The recent interview with Adrienne Buller on the politics of Heatwaves: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother/posts/heatwave-w-160906528

Interregnum - Peace in the Gulf? 16.06.2026 44мин

On the peace deal between Iran and the United States, which is expected to see the strait of Hormuz opened in exchange for a lifting of the US naval blockade of Iran. We talked about how seriously to take the deal (given how vague it is and how much has been put off to future talks). We also talked about the historic significance of Iran linking the peace deal to a cessation of Israeli violence in Lebanon. And finally we discussed where the conflict leaves the broader region and what the consequences of the war will be for nuclear proliferation.

Heatwave politics w/ Adrienne Buller 13.06.2026 56мин

Last month the UK was hit by a record-breaking heatwave, part of a wider climate event that affected much of Europe, whilst a subsequent and more severe heatwave hit South Asia. To talk through the politics of heatwaves, I was joined by Adrienne Buller, editor of The Breakdown. We talked the differential impacts of heatwaves, and why it is that focus on climate in the media has declined at the same time as the global climate situation has never been more severe. We also talked about climate adaptation - in both more and less benign guises - and finally we talked about the prospect of geoengineering and how close we might be to corporate and state actors deploying technologies such as Stratospheric Aerosol Injection that aim to reduce inbound solar radiation. Notes: Adrienne's article in The Breakdown: https://www.break-down.org/reflections-on-a-heatwave-2/ Sofia Menemenlis' PTO interview: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother/posts/sunlight-w-sofia-142819236

The rise of the UK far-right w/ Daniel Trilling 04.06.2026 1ч 14мин

For decades in much of Europe far-right opinion has had electoral expression in political parties that can command millions of votes, but until relatively recently in Britain anti-migrant and racist views - though prevalent - did not result in electoral vehicles with truly mass support. This all changed with the rise first of UKIP - and then its successors the Brexit Party and Reform - who can now command a degree of popular support that earlier far-right political formations could not. Britain has also seen a major increase in far-right protest and violence with 2025 seeing the biggest far-right rally in Britain's history after a summer of flag waving protests that was preceded by violent attacks on mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers. To talk about how we got here - to a situation where the most plausible outcome at the next general election is a Reform-led government PTO is joined by Daniel Trilling, who has spent more than fifteen years researching and writing about the far-right in Britain.

China and the US - a durable thaw? w/ Tobita Chow and Jake Werner 18.05.2026 54мин

China experts Tobita Chow and Jake Werner join PTO to talk about the recently concluded summit in Beijing between the United States and the People's Republic of China. We chatted about whether or not the relative thaw in relations (and the continuation of the tariff truce) is durable. We went on to talk about China's approach to Taiwan, and how realistic or otherwise the idea of a Chinese blockade or military assault on the island really are. And Jake and Toby explained what they see as potential crises on the horizon that might worsen relations between the two most powerful states in the global system.

Labour's election disaster w/ Phil Burton-Cartledge 10.05.2026 42мин

Phil Burton-Cartledge joins PTO to talk about the recent local elections in England and the parliamentary elections in Wales and Scotland in which the Labour Party suffered an historic defeat. We talked about what the results mean for Starmer's leadership and for the long-term trajectory of the party. We also chatted about the Greens and what can be done to respond to media smears against Zack Polanski and the Green Party more broadly. Finally, we talked about the remarkable results in Wales and Scotland where both the Welsh Senedd and the Scottish parliament will now be led by nationalist parties.

American Crusade w/ Eleanor Janega 28.04.2026 1ч 6мин

Eleanor Janega joins PTO to talk about the Christian right and the role of Christian Zionist ideology in the minds of key figures in the Trump administration and the decision to launch the US-Israeli war on Iran. We chatted about why the religious beliefs of US policy makers are often under-discussed, whether it's conceivable that Donald Trump is undergoing some sort of religious turn under the influence of the various religious fanatics around him, and we talked about the different religious strains of Christian right-thinking that exist within the administration - from Calvinists to Catholic Integralists. And we also talked about Christian Zionism and how attitudes towards Israel, and the role designated to Jewish in the apocalyptic scenarios of the Christian right, has changed over time. And finally we touched the extraordinary spat between the administration and the Vatican and Pope Leo. Notes: Issue three of The Breakdown: https://www.break-down.org/tag/issue-03/ Launch event and party: https://luma.com/3r5t0jyf?tk=jXzIbb

[UNLOCKED] China and the Iran war w/ William Figueroa 22.04.2026 38мин

William Figueroa returns to PTO to talk about China's response to the US-Israeli war on Iran and the country's role in the subsequent peace negotiations. We chatted about whether the conflict has substantially changed Chinese foreign policy in West Asia, and whether Iran's ability to withstand the extraordinary violence of the US and Israeli assault has changed the weight China gives to its relationship with the Islamic Republic. We also talked about whether the failings of the US military and the depletion of its weapons stocks changes Chinese calculations regarding Taiwan. Finally, we talked about Chinese soft power and how the Iran war has been portrayed in Chinese media.

Excerpt - China and the Iran war w/ William Figueroa 16.04.2026 2мин

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