Best Solnit Podcasts (2024)

1
Where on Earth will people live in the future? | Parag Khanna 17:59

18h ago17:59

17:59

From the return of nomadic living to a climate-disrupted world, author and global strategist Parag Khanna has some predictions for humanity. Get a fascinating glimpse at the future as he tackles an urgent question: Where on Earth will eight billion humans live in the uncertain times ahead? (This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator W…

1
EP 277 What Is Growth and A Birthday Message 25:51

3h ago25:51

25:51

Episode 277 of RevolutionZ examines the concept economic growth from a few angles to hopefully provide some insights for further thought--and then spins off into a very tenuously related personal birthday greeting about staying young offered on my 77th birthday. Support the showBy Michael Albert

1
Percival Everett on James, his subversive reimagining of Huckleberry Finn 34:56

1h ago34:56

34:56

James—the new novel by Percival Everett—retells, reframes, and reimagines Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the black man whose flight from slavery quickly entangles with the journey of Huck, on the run after faking his own death to escape his violent father. James gives us the events of Twain’s picaresque…

1
The innovations we need to avoid a climate disaster | Bill Gates 42:01

3d ago42:01

42:01

The single most important thing for avoiding a climate disaster is cutting carbon pollution from the current 51 billion tons per year to zero, says philanthropist and technologist Bill Gates. Introducing the concept of the "green premium" — the higher price of zero-emission products like electric cars, artificial meat or sustainable aviation fuel —…

1
Ep 276 Left or Not Left, Who Decides With What Reasons 35:19

7d ago35:19

35:19

Episode 276 of RevolutionZ takes up the issue of who is, and who isn't part of the left, including splits and divisions from the 60s to now, addressing motives and demarcation lines, and finally possible alternative approaches to the whole issue that might be more unifying than what now occurs. Support the show…

1
What to do when climate change feels unstoppable | Clover Hogan 24:44

7d ago24:44

24:44

Today's youth have inherited a big, unprecedented climate problem to solve — and the eco-anxiety to go with it. Gen-Zer and activist Clover Hogan knows the struggle firsthand, but she also understands the path to climate action starts with the one thing you can control: your mindset. She explains why challenging the stories that keep you feeling po…

1
Ep 275 Class Differences and Degrowth with Emma River-Roberts 49:51

14d ago49:51

49:51

Episode 275 has as guest Emma River-Roberts to discuss class structure, habits, hierarchy, and possibilities inside the Degrowth movement and really pretty much all movements on the left. Why are working class people largely absent in ecological organizations and when present what do they encounter? For that matter why is discussion of such class i…

1
On Allen Ginsberg: His life, his work and his archives, with Pat Thomas and Peter Hale 40:13

22d ago40:13

40:13

We were joined by countercultural historian Pat Thomas, and Peter Hale, manager of the Ginsberg estate, and discover their new collaboration Material Wealth Mining the Personal Archive of Allen Ginsberg. * A prolific poet, raconteur, activist, and thinker, Allen Ginsberg was also a prolific collector, meticulously saving letters, postcards, draft n…

1
Ep 274 - Gaza Facts and Rationalizations with Arundhati Roy and Orly Noy 27:17

24d ago27:17

27:17

Episode 274 of RevolutionZ offers and comments on a searing critique of the champions of democracy and human rights from Arundhati Roy, plus a disturbing but compelling view of pro-war sentiments of various prior supporters of Palestine within Israel. Why do some progressives rally behind Israel's war machine? Support the show…

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Ep 274 Degrowth Has A Class Problem With Emma River-Roberts 22:39

28d ago22:39

22:39

Episode 273 of RevolutionZ addresses Class (The PMC or as I call it, the Coordinator Class) and left organizing in the Degrowth movement. The episode is built around an essay by Emma River-Roberts, a Degrowth activist, working class organizer, and founder of The Working Class Climate Alliance, which is an affiliate of the Post Growth Institute. The…

1
Bidding adieu to Freeman’s literary journal, with Jakuta Alikavazovic, Deborah Landau, Juan Gabriel Vazquez, and John Freeman 54:16

27d ago54:16

54:16

On this very special January night, editor extraordinaire John Freeman was joined by three of his star contributors, Jakuta Alikavazovic, Juan Gabriel Vasquez and Deborah Landau to bid farewell to his literary journal. Buy Freeman’s Conclusions: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/freemans-conclusions * Jakuta Alikavazovic (b.1979) is a Fre…

1
Ep 272 Relaying Rebecca Solnit Assessing The Two Lefts 21:34

1M ago21:34

21:34

Episode 272 of RevolutionZ presents and comments on a recent Rebecca Solnit essay about two strands of left thought and activism, a bit through history and a bit today. In the song, Which Side Are You On, is it right and left, or is it right and left and other left, where the latter two are far from a single thing? Support the show…

1
Ep 271 Evangelical Voting, Magical Thinking, and Evidentiary Reasoning - Organizing or Even Just Conversing in Difficult Times 42:29

1M ago42:29

42:29

Episode 271 of the Podcast RevolutionZ looks at Evangelical Voting, Magical Thinking, and Evidentiary Reasoning - Organizing or Even Just Conversing in Difficult Times. Why do people believe what they do? Supporting Trump, abetting Israel, ignoring climate calamity or even being left in very contradictory ways. How can words change minds? Support t…

1
On Friendship, with Hollie McNish and Michael Pedersen 57:08

1M ago57:08

57:08

In early February, we hosted a riotous, tender, enchanting and uplifting evening of poetry and prose with the irrepressible Hollie McNish and Michael Pedersen. After their readings they sat down with Adam Biles for a chat about friendship, a theme that unites their work. Buy Hollie McNish’s Lobster here: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/…

1
Ep 270 Niclas Widmark joins Michael and Alexandria on For The Love of Activism 1:12:17

2M ago1:12:17

1:12:17

Episode 270 of RevolutionZ discusses a new attempt to link fund raising, dating, and social activism va- an unusual and ambitious web system and app called Singles Project. Why try this? How try this? What will emerge from trying this? Nikla Widmark, from Sweden and Alexandria and Michael consider these innovative matters and more. Support the show…

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Ep 269 - The Concept Privilege: Barrier or Bridge for Social Justice? 33:20

2M ago33:20

33:20

Episode 269 of RevolutionZ considers the concept and practice of privilege as in, for example, white privilege, male privilege, and class privilege. Is to uncover, call out, and renounce privilege, a powerful tool for overcoming racism, sexism, and classism, or does this approach instead have unintended consequences that interfere with its own aims…

1
Love in the Time of Creative-Writing Classes, with Brandon Taylor 51:11

2M ago51:11

51:11

Our guest this week is Brandon Taylor, whose new book The Late Americans is a stark retooling of the campus novel for the 21st century. Taking a university town in Iowa as his canvas, Taylor depicts the lives of a loose group of friends and associates: Seamus, Fyodor, Ivan, Noah and Fatima—students of writing and dance—as time barrels them towards …

1
Ep 268 Election 2024 Engage or Not, Vote or Not... 47:46

2M ago47:46

47:46

Episode 268 of RevolutionZ addresses the upcoming U.S presidential election. Will there even be one? If there is, who will be candidates? Should a revolutionary, a radical, a progressive, or a typical citizen vote, get out the vote, watch Netflix, block a bridge, hibernate? All the above? None of the above? Is there even a way to sensibly think abo…

1
Ep 267 Time Has Come Today - Become Revolutionary 18:07

2M ago18:07

18:07

Episode 267 of RevolutionZ is, what? Part primal scream. Part an argument for going all in. The title is from The Chambers Brothers. The sentiment is channelled, I hope, from tomorrow to today. The words are equal parts rage, hope, and plain truth. Support the showBy Michael Albert

1
Annabelle Hirsch, A History of Women in 101 Objects 52:30

2M ago52:30

52:30

Last week, we were joined in the bookshop by Annabelle Hirsch whose new book A History of Women in 101 Objects not only gives us an untold and innovative history of the world— a history takes us from the dawn of civilisation to the present day, through ancient Egypt, medieval Venice, revolutionary France and the roaring twenties—but also launches a…

1
Ep 266 - Mazin Qumsiyeh on Gaza, Israel, The U.S. and More 1:00:52

3M ago1:00:52

1:00:52

Mazin Qumsiyeh returns to RevolutionZ to further explore the causes, the toll, the consequences, and the lessons of Israel's barbaric assault on Palestinians, including genocidal acts intended, broadcast live, celebrated, and made possible by U.S., UK, and Gerrman support though particularly by the complicit U.S. including the vile role of AIPAC --…

1
Ep 265 Marxism Revisited, Beacon or Burden 53:04

3M ago53:04

53:04

Episode 265 of RevolutionZ discusses the wisdom or lack thereof of taking the Marxist Tradition as our guide to contemporary activism. Can we have an accessible conversation about these very controversial matters? Support the showBy Michael Albert

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☕Proust Questionnaire: Holly McNish & Michael Pedersen☕ 1:23:37

3M ago1:23:37

1:23:37

In advance of their event at Shakespeare and Company this February 8th, poets Hollie McNish and Michael Pedersen answer our café’s Proust Questionnaire. Be warned, this gets saucy quickly… Find out more about their event here: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/events/hollie-mcnish-michael-pedersen * Hollie McNish is an award-winning poet, write…

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Ep 264 Ruminations On Communications with Alexandria Shaner 1:12:56

3M ago1:12:56

1:12:56

Episode 264 of RevolutionZ with frequent guest Alexandria Shaner discusses the role of and especially methods for effective communication for social change. What is at stake? What works well and what doesn't when organizing, especially when there are serious divisions? Support the showBy Michael Albert

1
Ep 263: Degrowth (and More) 4 Liberation: Shared Strategy 31:00

3M ago31:00

31:00

Ep 263 of RevolutionZ titled Degrowth (and More) 4 Liberation Shared Strategy, continues on from last episode, this time making a case for the relevance of the 20 Theses for Liberation to moving toward a movement of mutually supportive movements by describing the compatibility of its strategic theses with Degrowth activism. This episode also welcom…

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BLOOMCAST | HOLIDAY SPECIAL | THE DEAD 1:40:37

3M ago1:40:37

1:40:37

Our Bloomcasters reconvene on January 6th, “Joycension Day”, to discuss The Dead : the final piece in Joyce’s Dubliners, described by T. S. Eliot as "one of the greatest short stories ever written". Leaning heavily as always on the wisdom of honorary Bloomcasters Declan Kiberd and Colm Toibin, they cover orchestrated dinner parties, ego death, the …

1
😱On Witold Gombrowicz’s The Possessed, with Antonia Lloyd-Jones and Adam Thirlwell😱 1:05:28

3M ago1:05:28

1:05:28

This episode we’re discussing The Possessed, the great, almost-lost novel by Witold Gombrowicz, arguably Poland’s greatest modernist writer. The Possessed is a Gothic-infused romp set in the roaring twenties, centred around an uncanny love story between Maja, an upper class tennis player, and her coach Leszczuk, but also featuring a haunted castle,…

1
Ep 262 DeGrowth and Building A Movement of Movements 36:36

4M ago36:36

36:36

Ep 262 of RevolutionZ argues the the potential of the 20 Theses for Liberation project to inspire and sustain a movement of movements by examining its relevance for Degrowth and vice versa as a generalizable case study. Support the showBy Michael Albert

1
Ep 261 Israel Palestine and Diverse Reactions, Both Pro Palestinian and Zionist…. 1:08:40

4M ago1:08:40

1:08:40

Episode 261 of RevolutionZ Is another in the Ruminations Sequence co-hosted by Alexandria Shaner. We discuss the Israeli invasion and diverse reactions to it, including demonstrations, civil disobedience, and the new Zionist driven Mcarthyism and good and not so good responses to it. Support the show…

1
The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast: Green holidays, without being a Grinch 15:19

4M ago15:19

15:19

This is an episode from a show we think you might like: The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast. Holiday shopping season is upon us, but instead of having a wasteful, plastic-heavy Christmas, why not have a green one? Hosts Candice and Caleigh have tips for how to celebrate sustainable holidays, from your wrapping paper to the menu at your holiday dinner.…

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👭🏼Naomi Klein on Doppelgangers, Conspiracy Theories, and the Shadowlands we all inhabit…👭🏼 1:05:10

4M ago1:05:10

1:05:10

This week, Adam is joined by Naomi Klein, whose new book, Doppelganger is somehow both the most personal and the most all-encompassing of her works to date. Beginning with the highly destabilising, but very intimate experience of repeatedly being mistaken for someone else—someone whose beliefs are, in most respects, fundamentally different to Klein…

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