Bungacast (Bungacast)
Explore every episode of Bungacast
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Mar 2021 | /173/ Reading Club: Left Case for Brexit (UNLOCKED) | 01:29:05 | |
We've exceptionally unlocked one of our recent Reading Clubs. For access to all the monthly Reading Clubs - as well as our ~2 patreon episodes a month - subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast for $10. –– On Richard Tuck's The Left Case for Brexit, a book composed of essays written throughout the Brexit process, providing a diary of Brexit of sorts, as well as political and historical arguments around sovereignty. We also take the opportunity to debate its global implications - what are the possibilities for popular sovereignty in a globalised world? On the final deal and its implications, see: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Minimum Brexit | |||
| 21 Sep 2021 | OK BUNGER! The Problem of Generations, pt. 1 | 00:38:10 | |
The first in a special five-part series on generational consciousness and conflict. In this episode, we look at the current, vexed discourse around generations, and analyse competing theories on how to understand generational cleavages. Guests include:
Original music by: Jonny Mundey Additional music: Peter Kuli / OK Boomer / courtesy of Elektra Entertainment Group, Inc. Liru / For the Floor / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com
For access to all Aufhebunga Bunga content, including the entirety of this series, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 02 Feb 2021 | /174/ Social Ungluing ft. Benjamin Fong | 01:06:50 | |
On American breakdown. Editor of Damage Magazine, Benjamin Fong, joins us to talk about the lack of shared narratives in contemporary America. We discuss QAnon and conspiracy theories, Biden's authoritarian liberalism, and "pro-worker" conservatives. We also interrogate the use of psychological analyses of politics and reaffirm the value of psychoanalysis, in a preview of a more detailed forthcoming discussion on our patreon. Readings:
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| 06 Oct 2020 | Excerpt: /152/ I Can't Believe It's Not Weimar ft. David Broder | 00:07:26 | |
Full episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
On why anti-fascism is a problem.
The Trump presidency and the current protests in the US have led many to argue this is just like the 1930s. The implication is that fascism is rising and the Left must join up with liberals to oppose this evil. Why is this historical analogy so wide of the mark? Was the Left really culpable for the fascists rise to power? And anyway, our age is vastly different to interwar Europe. So what is the real function of calls to anti-fascism?
Readings:
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| 30 Mar 2021 | Excerpt: /183/ Acid Bunga Bunga ft. Mike Watson | 00:05:18 | |
On memes and the counter-culture.
This is a sample. For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast
Theorist and curator Mike Watson advances the argument for "acid leftism". What is this, and why do we need a new counter-culture? Is contemporary leftism lacking a utopian imaginary?
Plus: slow memes and fast memes; the democratisation of art and media; and generations: which ones became conservative, which one might not?
Running order:
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| 10 Dec 2019 | /100/ What Was the End of History? ft. Many Guests | 01:44:34 | |
On the 30 years since 1989. For our 100th episode, we invited our favourite guests to reflect on the question: “What one event, personal or political, most captures for you the past thirty years, since 1989?” Are we still living in the death throes of the 20th century, or is something new emerging? Guests:
Subscribe: patreon.com/BungaCast | |||
| 16 Dec 2019 | /101/ UK Election: A Disaster Foretold | 01:11:23 | |
On how Labour lost. Was it Brexit that did for Labour? In what sense? What now for the British Left - and for democracy? Running order:
Readings:
Subscribe: patreon.com/BungaCast | |||
| 20 Jul 2021 | /204/ Three Articles: People's Republic of Fleeing | 00:45:26 | |
On Chinese investment, Swiss democracy, and fleeing from Afghanistan. In this Three Articles, we discuss flight or departure in various ways: China opening the gates for its huge savings to spill onto world markets; Switzerland leaving (or remaining outside) the EU; and the US's sudden departure from Afghanistan, without telling anyone. 'Three Articles' episodes are normally for subscribers only - but this one's free. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast for regular access. London book launch/bunga party: Register here Articles:
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| 02 Apr 2021 | Excerpt: /184/ Reading Club: The European Coup | 00:03:02 | |
We discuss the first of Perry Anderson's new essays on Europe published in the London Review of Books, which focuses on Luuk van Middelaar - described as the EU's first organic intellectual. We discuss what that means, as well as the role of the "coup" in forming the EU. Reading Club episodes are for subscribers $10+. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 21 Jul 2020 | /136/ Banana Monarchy ft. David Edgerton | 01:10:19 | |
On British decline. Much ink has been spilled over the Britain’s fate since the end of its empire. Could it be that decline has been overstated? And what will happen to Britain as it leaves the European Union? We discuss how the history of the Industrial Revolution and Cold War militarism still shapes British politics today, as David Edgerton joins us to talk about the his latest book, 'The Rise and Fall of the British Nation'. Readings:
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| 07 Jul 2020 | /133/ The Call ft. Krithika Varagur | 01:01:29 | |
On Saudi religious proselytism. Saudi Arabia has actively sought to export Salafism. How has it done this - and what have been its effects, in countries like Indonesia, Nigeria and Kosovo? Why was fighting against the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s such a formative experience for jihadists? And why has appeal of secularism faded? Readings:
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| 19 May 2020 | /123/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (2) ft. Nicholas Kiersey | 01:39:52 | |
In the second in an occasional series of episodes on the US presidential election and the Left, we talk to Nicholas Kiersey, a volunteer with the Bernie Sanders campaign in Texas and host of the Fully Automated podcast. What were things like on the campaign trail, and what went wrong for Bernie? Will Biden go the distance, and are there more shenanigans in store? Readings:
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| 04 Jan 2022 | Excerpt: /234/ Three Articles: Restoration? | 00:10:06 | |
On Millennial homeowners, the USA falling apart, and restoration in the UK.
As better-off 30-somethings start to get on the property ladder, does this put paid to 'Generation Left'? Will American decline be accompanied by a second civil war - as China serenely watches on? And does Britain represent a return to the 'End of History'? Is everything becoming boring again?
This is an excerpt. For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast
Articles:
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| 11 Aug 2020 | Excerpt: /140/ Three Articles: Right-Populism | 00:04:15 | |
The full episode is for patrons only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
In this latest Three Articles, we discuss the durability or otherwise of right-populism in the UK, US and Brazil.
Reading:
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| 04 May 2021 | /190/ Top 5 Fetishes ft. Elena Louisa Lange | 01:12:23 | |
On class reductionism, commodity fetishism, and value theory. To discuss Covid, the state as 'PMC leviathan', and the politics of value theory, we’re joined by philosopher Elena Louisa Lange, who also explains why class reductionism is not a theoretical position or a mere mistake, but a social reality. We also address the value of 'going back to school', take on the new Leftist 'holy trinity' of class-race-gender, and hear from Elena why we need to theorise the world before we change it. Readings:
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| 18 May 2021 | /193/ The New 20 Years' Crisis | 01:09:31 | |
On liberal idealism and imperial overreach. Why did the winners of the Cold War turn 'revisionist', undermining their own order? How has utopianism come to dominate the discipline of IR, such that we have lost the means to critique power? We discuss Philip's recent book, The New Twenty Years’ Crisis 1999-2019: A Critique of International Relations, which is both a revisiting of EH Carr's international relations classic The Twenty Years' Crisis as well as an account of the contemporary crisis of the liberal international order. Reading: The New Twenty Years’ Crisis 1999-2019: A Critique of International Relations, Philip Cunliffe, McGill-Queen's UP | |||
| 27 Jul 2021 | /205/ The World In One Country: The Final ft. Many Guests | 01:29:43 | |
What country best captures 20th and 21st century history? For our 200th episode special, we posed the question: "If you had to study the history of only one country from 1900-2020, and thereby understand the history of the whole world, which would you pick?" You voted on the ten submissions and now we invited the top 3 back on the pod to discuss in more depth: Dominik Leusder on Germany; David Broder on Italy; and David Adler on India. Then Phil and Alex choose a winner (it's a "managed democracy").
Buy our book! Links to retailers | |||
| 23 Feb 2021 | Excerpt: /177/ AufheBonus Bonus ft. Catherine Liu | 00:09:16 | |
We respond to your questions and comments from the past two months. Plus a continuation of our chat with Catherine Liu (from 55mins onwards) - on PMC unions, PMC child-rearing and the culture industry.
This episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
Readings:
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| 19 Oct 2020 | Excerpt: /154/ A Reasonably Important Election ft. Alex Gourevitch | 00:05:31 | |
Full episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast On the Covid election. Trump has made himself deeply unpopular while the Democrats have tried to demobilise the electorate. What, if anything, are the two parties selling? Are they coherent entities? And what is likely to happen? Plus: we discuss a potential political realignment in process and what foreign policy would look like under a Biden presidency. | |||
| 12 Jan 2021 | /169/ Authoritarian Liberalism and Its Discontents ft. Amber A'Lee Frost & Daniel Bessner | 01:06:15 | |
On the Biden administration and Trumpist reaction. We discuss the riot at the US Capitol and why it was not a (failed) coup attempt. How serious was the event, and what next for Trumpist reaction - will it lead to a split in the Republican Party? Our guests - journalist Amber Frost and political science academic Daniel Bessner - help us preview what the Biden administration has in store for the US. With Democratic control of both houses, it should be able to pass legislation - but does it have any substantial plans to do so? In foreign policy, we can expect more foreign adventurism and at home, an ominous anti-domestic terrorism bill. Does the alliance of the Democrats with an increasingly domineering Silicon Valley signal the coming-out moment of authoritarian liberalism? Readings:
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| 25 May 2021 | Excerpt: /194/ Anti-Politics & Non-Movements | 00:08:24 | |
On global insurrection and identity politics. This episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast We discuss an essay by the ultra-left collective 'Endnotes' that deals with the same political questions as we do, but comes up with different answers. Are the fragmented and ephemeral movements that have taken to the streets in France, Chile and the US, for example, the future of politics? Anti-political rejections of the establishment seem radical, but can they overcome their own negativity? And are identity politics the necessary form that re-politicisation has taken? Readings: Essay discussed
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| 07 Sep 2021 | /213/ The Leopard Lockdown ft. Adam Tooze | 01:02:21 | |
On Covid and the end of the end of history. Adam Tooze joins us to discuss his new book, Shutdown. In 2020 everything changed... so that everything might remain the same. What were the reasons behind the global shutdown? Was it a result of over-protection, a policy of repression, or the result of structural tensions? Has China been the winner of the pandemic? How have central banks been victims of their own success? And does this represent the end of neoliberalism? The latter part of the interview continues over on patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 09 Jun 2020 | Excerpt: /127/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (3bis) ft. Angela Nagle & Michael Tracey | 00:03:24 | |
This is a sample. For the full episode go to patreon.com/bungacast Bonus content (always the best stuff) from our interview with Angela and Michael (episode 126). | |||
| 23 Nov 2021 | Excerpt: /226/ Science Says: No Woke | 00:06:37 | |
On the Jacobin & YouGov survey of the US working class.
A study (pdf) carried out by YouGov on behalf of Jacobin magazine and the Center for Working-Class Politics has learned that "working-class voters prefer progressive candidates who focus primarily on bread-and-butter economic issues, and who frame those issues in universal terms." What can we learn from the study, beyond the obvious? What are its limitations, who is it for, and what does the survey say about those who commissioned it?
Plus: does it make sense to frame your politics as 'anti-woke'?
Reading:
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| 22 Oct 2020 | Excerpt: /155/ Aufhebonus Bonus ft. Benjamin Moser | 00:02:58 | |
Full episode for subscribers only. Go to patreon.com/bungacast We start off by discussing the beheading of a French teacher for having shown his pupils the Mohammed cartoons in a class on free speech. Then we discuss your points, questions and criticisms from September and October (on class politics, antifa, Covid, unemployment and more). Finally, 25 minutes of bonus content from our chat with Sontag biographer Benjamin Moser on the 1619 Project, identity politics, literature, and cosmopolitanism and empire. For the rest of the original episode with Moser, that's number 147: Podbean / Patreon | |||
| 10 Mar 2020 | /111/ Big Money Talk: The Case for MMT ft. Bill Mitchell | 01:02:46 | |
Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) has been hailed by some and scorned by others as offering a new framework to understand the financial system. But what is specifically 'modern' about MMT, and how does it differ from rival accounts of the financial economy? We talk to Bill Mitchell, one of the leading proponents of MMT, who gives us an introductory rundown, plus tells us why the Japanese economy is unfairly maligned and explains what the future has in store for MMT as its inexorably advances against orthodox rivals.
-> Our earlier episode with Doug Henwood, a critic of MMT, can be found here: Episode 68
-> The episode with Bill Mitchell's co-author, Thomas Fazi, is here: Episode 38
Readings:
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| 07 Nov 2020 | /159/ Biden Time ft. Amber A'Lee Frost & Alex Gourevitch | 01:23:09 | |
On the US election, a huge turnout and the end of Trump. We survey the results of the presidential and legislative elections, peer through the exit polls and discuss some counterintuitive facts: Florida goes Trump but opts for a $15 minimum wage; California goes Biden while Uber gets its way; Trump did protectionism but it didn't help him win the Rustbelt; the Republicans win over more Latinos – but do Latinos even exist? And the big questions: Will Biden and the Democrats have any authority now that they don't have anti-Trumpism to drive them? Is a Biden administration to be a Silicon Valley dictatorship? And will the GOP be Trumpism without Trump? Readings:
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| 18 Jun 2021 | /198/ Universal India ft. Achin Vanaik | 01:36:53 | |
On secularism, nationalism and identity politics. India is held up as a model developing country: liberal, democratic, multicultural. Renowned Indian writer and activist Achin Vanaik joins us to examine how India has turned away from universalism and secularism. How did Gandhi, Nehru and the Congress as a whole lay the seeds for today's Hindu chauvinism? What are the consequences of defining secularism as merely 'tolerance'? And how has caste come to function a bit like identity politics in relation to the state? Readings:
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| 03 Aug 2021 | Excerpt: /206/ Three Articles: Post-Liberalism | 00:07:32 | |
On post-liberalism: loving the state, crushing the individual?
For this 3A, articles from different 'conservative' outlets - but how conservative, and of what kind?
Articles:
Full episode for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 27 Mar 2020 | Excerpt: /114/ Reading Club: The Light That Failed | 00:03:36 | |
This episode is for our $10 and up patrons. Go to patreon.com/bungacast for access. On the end of the Age of Imitation. We discuss Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes' The Light That Failed: A Reckoning and their arguments for why liberal democracy stopped being the model to follow - in Eastern Europe, Russia and even the USA. Thanks for all the questions, they are addressed in the last third of the episode. | |||
| 25 Feb 2020 | /109/ Bunga Goes Ballard ft. Simon Sellars | 00:55:34 | |
On Applied Ballardianism. Is it J.G. Ballard's world? Bunga talks Ballard with Simon Sellars, author of a new book on the great British sci-fi novelist J.G. Ballard. Urban decay, social breakdown, consumerism as social control and the Interzone. Opening passage is taken from Ballard's 2000 novel 'Super-Cannes'. Reading: Applied Ballardianism, Simon Sellars, Urbanomic Subscribe: patreon.com/BungaCast | |||
| 24 Sep 2021 | Excerpt: /217/ Reading Club: Intersectional Stalinism | 00:04:47 | |
This month's Reading Club is on Mike McNair's "Intersectionalism, the highest stage of western Stalinism?" from the journal Critique (pdf attached on Patreon).
How convincing is his genealogy in which he traces intersectionalism back to the 1930s Popular Front and 1960s soft Maoism? What function does intersectionalism play on the Left - and for the ruling class? And is McNair right that intersectionalism is self-defeating on its own terms? Or is it self-perpetuating?
Bungacast's monthly Reading Clubs are for subscribers $10+
Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
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| 14 Apr 2020 | /117/ Against The Virus ft. John McAfee | 00:37:26 | |
On freedom in coronavirus times. John McAfee joins us to address the lockdown, privacy and armed insurrection. Plus: why he prefers Fidel to Che, and how it came to be that his US presidential campaign HQ is in Havana, Cuba. Subscribe: patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 26 May 2020 | Excerpt: /124/ Three Articles: Money & Power | 00:03:05 | |
This is a subscriber-only episode. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
In this latests Three Articles we discuss power, money and the power of money - in a post-Covid world.
Readings:
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| 24 Mar 2020 | /113/ Globoville ft. Richard Williams | 01:13:16 | |
On global cities. Global cities flaunt themselves to global capital and are shaped by it. They are self-conscious and eager to transmit 'globalness'. But why? And how has the city under globalisation been reshaped? What is the role of money and power - not to mention sex and culture? And does the sameyness of global cities now mean that medium and small cities are where we should be looking for cultural and political change? Subscribe to our patreon for original episodes: patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 01 Nov 2020 | Excerpt: /157/ Reading Club: Emancipation After Hegel | 00:12:58 | |
This is a sample. For full access, go to patreon.com/bungacast This month we discuss Todd McGowan's Emancipation After Hegel: Achieving a Contradictory Revolution - an introduction to, defence and radical re-interpretation of Hegel emphasising the importance of contradiction to thought and being. We try to tease out the political consequences of the book, focusing on authority, freedom, and identity. | |||
| 03 Oct 2018 | /48/ Ultra-Politics in Brazil ft. Sabrina Fernandes | 01:04:04 | |
Special episode in partnership with Jacobin: Brazil election preview - democracy at stake. Who is Bolsonaro and why should Bolsonaro be understood as a neofascist? We discuss the #EleNão feminist resistance and the backdrop of 'antipetismo'. How has the political centre and the middle class so easily swung over to vote for such an extremist? The notion of 'ultra-politics' is explained and we look at what might happen should Bolsonaro win - and should he lose. Readings: Essential Chomsky article: https://theintercept.com/2018/10/02/lula-brazil-election-noam-chomsky/ Jacobin archive on Brazil: https://jacobinmag.com/location/brazil | |||
| 12 Oct 2018 | /49/ Kids & Confessions ft. Amber A'Lee Frost | 00:54:10 | |
In which we talk to Amber about the limitations of liberal feminism and why socialism is better (duh). Personal trauma as a form of political argumentation is critiqued. And we debate the unfashionable topic of parenting and families. Maybe, beyind so much beyond subcultural squabbling and posturing on the Left, is actually a deep-rooted individualism. So we discuss how to get beyond that. Readings: Confession Booth: https://thebaffler.com/salvos/confession-booth-frost Daddy Issues: https://thebaffler.com/all-tomorrows-parties/daddy-issues-frost It's Okay to Have Children https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/08/its-okay-to-have-children | |||
| 22 Jun 2021 | Excerpt: /199/ Aufhebonus Bonus (June) | 00:08:47 | |
We take your questions, comments & criticisms.
This episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
On this Aufhebonus Bonus, we discuss whether unions are still capable of fighting for their members; the Arab-Israeli conflict at the End of History; a lot more on the 'PMC debate'; plus: whether Phil is "reductionist in the service of his own prejudices".
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| 25 Apr 2021 | UNLOCKED /179/ The Hobbyist Left ft. David Swift | 01:21:37 | |
How to address the political problems of leftwing parties today?
Liverpudlian historian David Swift argues that the problem is hobbyism - people for whom politics constitutes their identity rather than expressing their interest in social and political change. He joins us to take us through his arguments about hobbyism, and how he thinks the Left might change for the better.
Readings:
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| 12 May 2020 | Excerpt: /122/ TFW NO GF | 00:02:48 | |
On the so-called "incel documentary", TFW NO GF.
This episode is for patreon subscribers only. Sign up: patreon.com/BungaCast
We discuss the new documentary TFW NO GF, which focuses on the lives of extremely online alienated loners in the US. It has consequently been labelled the "incel documentary". Because the subjects are allowed to speak for themselves, it's also been called "irresponsible".
We take apart what, if anything, makes this cohort distinct from the past - is it the internet? are they lonelier? are their prospects worse? - and try to place the phenomenon in a wider context. If you haven't watched the documentary, there are clips from it interspersed throughout.
TFW NO GF on Amazon Prime
List of Pirate Bay proxies
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| 25 Oct 2018 | /50/ On The Market ft. Anna Khachiyan | 01:02:04 | |
In which we discuss (post)modern relationships: dating, narcissism and capitalism. Are we all scared of each other? Are we trying to quantify the interpersonal? What does #MeToo et al suggest about contemporary womanhood? Plus assorted stuff on Russophobia, fascism and anti-fascism, and how great Lana del Rey is. Readings: Christopher Lasch on narcissism: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1976/09/30/the-narcissist-society The Last Psychiatrist: https://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2010/11/a_generational_pathology.html | |||
| 31 Oct 2018 | /51/ Oh, Brazil: What Now? | 00:37:19 | |
In which we update the latest from Brazil, post-election. What will Bolsonaro's government look like? We plot best & worst case scenarios and discuss how bad this really is (really, really bad). And is "fascism" the correct term to use? Readings: Bolsonaro Rising (Alex) https://thebaffler.com/latest/bolsonaro-rising-hochuli Bolsonaro: more dangerous than Trump (Alex) https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/brazil-presidential-election-who-jair-bolsonaro-popular-candidate-more-dangerous-ncna925011 What Bolsonaro's election victory means (Ben) https://mg.co.za/article/2018-10-28-what-bolsonaros-election-victory-could-mean Fascism has arrived in Brazil (Ben) https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/jair-bolsonaro-brazil-election-results-president-fascism-far-right-fernando-haddad-a8606391.html Privilege vs Democracy in Brazil (Alfredo Saad-Filho) https://jacobinmag.com/2018/10/brazil-election-bolsonaro-haddad-lula-pt-democracy | |||
| 08 Nov 2018 | /52/ Duterte's Despotism ft. Nicole Curato | 00:57:29 | |
In which we learn of Duterte's promises of blood and how he's lived up to those promises. Is massacring drug user, dealers and anyone caught in the crossfire actually popular? How does violence fit in with his development model? Do elites back his rule - and which elites? And how does he compare to other far-right authoritarians? Readings: The Duterte Reader (ed. Nicole Curato) Nicole Curato in the NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/opinion/philippines-rodrigo-duterte.html?smid=fb-share&referer=http://m.facebook.com
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| 05 Jan 2021 | /168/ Corona, Climate, Communism ft. Andreas Malm | 01:06:09 | |
On the 'war communism' solution As we enter the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic and its attendant turmoil, suffering and lockdown, inevitably the search for systemic causes and systemic responses grows more intense. Swedish ecologist and social theorist Andreas Malm joins us to discuss one possible response - a crisis communism modelled on the War Communism of early Soviet rule, as discussed in his new book ‘Corona, Climate Chronic Emergency: War Communism in the Twenty First Century.’ We discuss the nature of our contemporary crises, and how far the left needs its own distinctive form of emergency politics. Readings:
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| 19 Nov 2018 | /53/ Brexit's Hotel California | 00:38:51 | |
Theresa May's Brexit deal seems to have satisfied no one. Britain doesn't properly leave, nor does it stay, it just becomes a passive rule-taker. What are the prospects for the UK actually leaving? Will there be a second referendum? And does the difficulty in seeing through Brexit confirm that "there is no alternative"? Readings: The Full Brexit: for popular sovereignty, democracy and economic renewal Costas Lapavitsas: Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour vs. the Single Market
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| 22 Nov 2018 | /54/ Numbers Are Too Powerful ft. William Davies | 00:59:32 | |
We discuss Nervous States with its author: How has debate became so angery!1!! and fractious? Why don't we trust institutions any more -- or better, which institutions do we still trust and why? How has war increasingly encroached onto peace? And maybe believing in stats too much means that we now don't believe in anything...
Readings: Nervous States (William Davies) Postscript on the Societies of Control (Gilles Deleuze) | |||
| 05 Oct 2021 | Excerpt: OK BUNGER! The Problem of Generations, pt. 3 | 00:23:25 | |
The third in a special five-part series on generational consciousness and conflict.
This is an excerpt. For the full 1h40min episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast
In this episode, we examine the Baby Boomers – myth and reality. The revolt of the '60s has been misunderstood in many dimensions. Was it betrayed or did it always express capitalist ideology? Were the Boomers the ones who really did the 1960s anyway? And what world have the Boomers created as they passed through life – and institutions?
Guests include:
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| 04 Aug 2020 | /139/ Dollar Empire ft. Yakov Feygin & Dominik Leusder | 01:07:50 | |
On dollar hegemony.
Dutch disease has long been seen as the curse of resource-rich economies in which a currency appreciates and jobs are lost overseas. But what if the greenback is having the same effects on the US economy, the largest in the world? Many historians and economists have studied the global effects of having the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. But what is the effect on the US economy itself? The authors of an influential essay on this question join us to talk about the feedback effects of dollar hegemony.
Readings:
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| 06 Dec 2018 | /55/ High-Visibility Revolt ft. Aurélie Dianara | 00:50:13 | |
The 'gilets jaunes' protests have shocked France, expressing a profound exasperation and anger that goes much deeper than frustration at a fuel tax. This is clearly a movement from below, of the people. But it is leaderless and thus far rejects affiliation with political parties. How far can it go? Is Macron's government at risk? This isn't the 'start-up nation' he dreamed of... Readings: We're With The Rebels, by Aurélie Dianara (Jacobin) | |||
| 20 Dec 2018 | /56/ Popular Not Populist ft. Anton Jäger | 01:18:04 | |
The big 2018 populism discussion. We trash mainstream interpretations of populism (hiya, Cas Mudde) and debate the merits and demerits of 'left populism'. Thatcher, Clinton and Blair are today thought of as anti-populists, but what if they demonstrate many populist features? Is our future 'technopopulism'? And is the 'movement of movements' a dead end? Plus plenty of bonus stuff: debating the 20th Century disaster; Hillary as the tragic figure of our age; and José Mourinho as right-wing populist. Readings: Thea Riofrancos on Chantal Mouffe in n+1 Chris Bickerton on technopopulism | |||
| 03 Jan 2019 | /57/ Übermenschen of Capital Pt. 1 ft. Alex Gourevitch | 01:10:38 | |
On the cult of the entrepreneur. Alex Gourevitch talks to us about the "special kinds of assholes we get in our economy" and the dangers of the heroic capitalist icon. How does the earlier ideal of meritocracy differ from entrepreneurship as an ethos? Does celebrating the special creative genius of the disruptor actually mean glorifying tyranny? Plus: the right to strike, domination in the workplace, and campy Trump. Readings:
PATREON: Please consider donating at patreon.com/bungacast Bunga theme music: Jonny Mundey Bunga design: ramune.io | |||
| 10 Jan 2019 | /58/ Übermenschen of Capital Pt. 2 ft. Ishay Landa | 00:57:19 | |
On the links between economic liberalism and fascism. Ishay Landa talks to us about the "Apprentice's Sorcerer": how political liberalism enfranchises the masses, to the disgruntlement of economic liberals, who then have to turn to an authoritarian or fascist 'daddy' to save capitalism. What does the liberal divorce between economic and political liberalism tell us about the conflict between democracy and private property? How does the fascist "principle achievement" relate to today's fondness for entrepreneurial heroes? Also, a restatement of how the horseshoe theory is horeshit. Readings:
PATREON: Help us grow (pay what you want) patreon.com/bungacast Bunga theme music: Jonny Mundey Bunga design: ramune.io | |||
| 17 Jan 2019 | /59/ Übermenschen of Capital Pt. 3 ft. Leigh Phillips & Michal Rozworski | 01:13:25 | |
On democratic planning. Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski propose we look at Walmart and other giant corporations as sites of planning, not of markets -- and that this fact proves planning works. Rather than rely on markets and market actors to manage production and distribution, we should it ourselves. Do advances in computing mean that the old problems of planning have been overcome? Does planning lead to authoritarianism -- or does authoritarianism lead to bad planning? Can we overcome the age of Capitalist Übermenschen? Readings:
PATREON: Help us grow (pay what you want) patreon.com/bungacast Bunga theme music: Jonny Mundey Bunga design: ramune.io | |||
| 16 Jun 2020 | /128/ BACKLASCH! ft. Anna Khachiyan | 01:08:00 | |
On culturally conservative critics of capitalism. Neoliberalism’s fragmentary and atomising tendencies have gone too far. In response, some right-wingers have turned against the market. At the same time, there’s a (marginal) tendency on the left turning against cultural liberalism. Are we witnessing a major political realignment underway? What is the substance of these "culturally conservative" critiques, and do they offer anything new, beyond what people like Christopher Lasch advanced decades ago? Readings:
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| 29 Nov 2021 | Excerpt: /227/ Reading Club: All That Is Solid | 00:11:26 | |
On modernity's contradictions.
In this month's Reading Club, we discuss the introduction to Marshall Berman's marvellous All That Is Solid Melts Into Air.
This is an excerpt. For the full episode, subscribe for $10/mo at patreon.com/bungacast
Can we revive, as Berman intends, the truly dialectical, 19th century attitude to modernity? What value is there in talking about "modernity" rather than “capitalism”? And how to we recognise possibilities for transcending today's impasses, where the question of "modernity" isn't even on the table?
The final Reading Club of 2021 will be on Eva Illouz's Cold Intimacies.
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| 16 Nov 2021 | /225/ Wokeistan & Lebanonworld ft. Karl Sharro | 01:12:13 | |
On sectarianism & identitarianism. Karl Sharro (@KarlreMarks) is back on Bunga to talk to us about his essay "The Retreat from Universalism in the Middle East and the World". Lebanon has been used as a model for other Middle Eastern countries, even though its confessional system is a disaster. But Lebanese-style sectarianism isn't a form of 'feudal' backwardness – in fact it represents a precursor of the multicultural and identitarian politics in the West. Who are the enemies of universalism today, East and West? And what sort of political projects are capable of rejuvenating secular universalism? See also: –– Buy our book: The End of the End of History Subscribe to the podcast: patreon.com/Bungacast
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| 02 Nov 2021 | /222/ Nukes 4 Kids ft. Emmet Penney, pt. 1 | 00:53:56 | |
On the global energy crisis.
Nuclear energy advocate Emmet Penney (@nukebarbarian) joins us to discuss the growing energy crunch in Europe, the US and beyond. Nuclear power is opposed by an unholy alliance of environmentalists and neoliberals - yet it seems the best solution for providing plentiful, reliable, and clean energy. As a demand, it seems an open goal for the left - so why are so many resistant?
Part 2 is available here for patreon subscribers.
Links & Readings:
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| 31 Jan 2019 | /60/ Party Time, Online ft. Paolo Gerbaudo | 01:10:12 | |
On the rise of the 'digital party'. If politics has become distant from the people, what if a new model of party, leveraging platform technology, could bring the people closer to power? Paolo Gerbaudo talks to us about the various parties and movements innovating new organisational forms - 5 Star Movement, Podemos, the Pirate Parties. They bring in new members and more participation, but what if they also enshrine charismatic leadership? The digital party seems a step forward from the hollowed-out neoliberal parties of the past decades, but do they also reflect some negative tendencies of the tech economy? Plus: Italy's M5S/Lega coalition, the sovereignty question, and Italians' contradictory attitudes to the EU. Readings: The Return of the Party, Paolo Gerbaudo, Jacobin Ruling the Void, Peter Mair, NLR Senso Comune organisation, Italy The Experiment Interview on 5 Star Movement, Jacobin
Chip in some change. Help us grow. Go to: patreon.com/bungacast
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| 14 Feb 2019 | /61/ Making Plans for Naija ft. Sa'eed Husaini | 00:56:03 | |
On Nigeria's elections. Sa'eed Husaini fills us in on the stakes of this election. President Buhari dismissed the country's top judge weeks before the election, but the former military dictator is meant to be an anti-corruption figure. His main opponent is a neoliberal privatiser. What's behind this contents between two faces of the Nigerian elite? What happens when politics is fought over the grounds of corruption? Can recent trade union mobilisations shake things up? Meanwhile violence associated with Boko Haram still festers... Readings: Introductory Nigeria’s Brutal Decision: Former Dictator or Alleged Kleptocrat, Bloomberg Businessweek Thatcher-Loving Nigeria Candidate Plans to Overhaul Economy, Bloomberg Businessweek Election overview by Brookings More depth The rebirth of the Nigerian left?, Sa'eed Husaini in Africa Is a Country Democracy fading in Nigeria, Al Jazeera On Sowore's programme, Marxist.com The struggle for a minimum wage, Africa Is a Country
PATREON: Help us grow (pay what you want) patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 14 Jul 2020 | Excerpt: /135/ Aufhebonus Bonus (June) | 00:03:28 | |
This episode is for patrons only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
Mailbag + bonus content ft. Corey Robin
In this new semi-regular slot, we feature bonus recordings (here, 20mins of additional discussion with Corey Robin from episode 129) and respond to your comments and criticisms received over the past month.
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| 18 Feb 2019 | /62/ Media Shitness ft. Amber A’Lee Frost | 00:55:36 | |
On #NOBS in the media. So many newspapers are inadequate these days, as they shift to publishing opinion and listicles instead of hard reporting. Why has this happened and how does it relate to the end of history? Amber discusses her forthcoming article on the crisis in the media and we explain why leftists should read the Financial Times. Plus: Amber rates previous Bunga guests and also explains why it's Bernie, bitch. Reading: Why the Left Can't Stand The New York Times, Columbia Journalism Review This is a bonus episode to say thanks to those who've subscribed. If you want more, sign up: patreon.com/bungacast
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| 21 Feb 2019 | /63/ The Oscars Have Canceled Themselves ft. Maren Thom | 01:04:00 | |
On the 2019 Academy Awards. Maren Thom joins us again to see what we can learn from the Oscar nominations. We debate when exactly Hollywood's 'end of history' was, and take film criticism to task for its literal-minded desire for representation. Has Hollywood - like so many other liberal institutions - tried so hard to be relevant that it has made itself irrelevant?
Like what we do? Consider giving us money: PATREON.COM/BUNGACAST | |||
| 10 Aug 2021 | /207/ Pangolin vs Lobster, pt 1 ft. Paolo Gerbaudo | 00:59:20 | |
What comes after neoliberalism - the protective state? We talk to Paolo Gerbaudo about his new book, The Great Recoil, in which Paolo argues we are now turning inwards – globalisation is no longer a sea of opportunity and instead fear dominates. How convincing is his notion of an emerging 'protective state', and do either the left or right variants of it really promise us much at all? Part two of the interview is available for subscribers only. Sign up and listen at patreon.com/bungacast Links:
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| 13 Aug 2020 | /141/ Oh Lebanon, What Now? ft. Rima Majed | 01:28:17 | |
On Lebanon's crisis. We call up Rima Majed in Beirut to talk us through the aftermath of the enormous explosion and ensuing protests. How has Lebanon's history since the civil war created such a profound, multi-layered crisis? We cover the desperate economic situation and the October 2019 revolt, before going deep on the politics of sectarianism, the regional scenario impacting Lebanon, the legacy of the Arab Spring, and the risks of foreign intervention. Running Order:
–> For donations & help for local organisations other than the Red Cross: Google Doc Readings (all Rima Majed):
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| 01 Mar 2019 | /64/ These Vests Don't Yellow ft. Aurélie Dianara | 00:44:28 | |
On the Gilets Jaunes - again. They won’t go away. They won’t be subsumed by other forces or institutions and, after more than three months, they’re not exhausted yet. Have the Gilets Jaunes punctured France’s depression and drift? How has ‘respectable opinion’ demonised them - and is there anything to the anti-Semitism accusations? Now that they have linked up with trade unions, how far can they go? Macron is on thin ice and European elections are coming up. What next for the 5th Republic? Readings: A Season of Discontent, Aurelie Dianara, Jacobin Forgotten France Rises Up, Le Monde Diplo France’s Class War, Le Monde Diplo Macron’s Selective Anti-Racism, Jacobin ------------ We are live in London on 21 March, to debate the future of Europe. Come join us: bungacast.eventbrite.com Like us? We accept tips. Go to Patreon.com/BungaCast Follow us @BungaCast on all social networks. | |||
| 23 Mar 2021 | Excerpt: /182/ Three Articles: Sporno-Vaxxo-Techno-Populism | 00:04:22 | |
In this latest Three Articles, we examine the rise of 'techno-populism', look at the EU's vaccine debacle, and question whether cinema - and popular culture in general - is being desexualised and pornified at the same time.
This episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
Readings:
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| 07 Mar 2019 | /65/ Bunga Gets Ultra-Real ft. Steve Hall | 01:07:21 | |
On crime and the far-right. Prof Steve Hall explains what 'ultra-realism' in criminology means - and why we need to get beyond liberal idealism. We also discuss the rise of the English far-right, the EDL - and how a narrative of betrayal coheres it. Why do middle-class liberals have such a horror of authority - and why it's essential that the Left reclaim it. How are so many contemporary ideologies no longer fit for purpose? Also: what is 'special liberty' and how does it differ from entitlement? Readings: Interview with Steve Hall, Injustice-Film The Rise of the Right: English Nationalism and the Transformation of Working-Class Politics (book) ----- BUNGA LIVE: bungacast.eventbrite.com Patreon: patreon.com/BungaCast Facebook: facebook.com/BungaCast Twitter: twitter.com/BungaCast Instagram: instagram.com/BungaCast Website: bungacast.com
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| 18 Mar 2019 | /66/ An Economics for the Many ft. James Meadway | 00:56:10 | |
On 'Corbynomics'. We talk to James Meadway, former advisor to the UK's Shadow Chancellor, about what a Corbyn government could and should do. What is the scope for manoeuver of a Left Government in 2019? What does a British 'Green New Deal' look like? And we talk Brexit, because of course.
#BungaLive is this Thursday (21 March) in London - reserve your ticket now: bungacast.eventbrite.com | |||
| 04 Apr 2019 | /67/ Legacies of Postmodernism ft. Catherine Liu | 00:59:34 | |
On whether we can salvage anything from postmodernism. Have we left postmodernity - and if so, can can we be properly dialectical about it: see it as progress and catastrophe all at once? Is there a moment of truth to postmodernism amidst all the falsity? We discuss the left intelligentsia's abandonment of materialism; phoney cultural populism; the demolition of Pruitt-Igoe; Knausgaard's six volume 'Min Kamp'; and the end of cultural rebellion. Readings:
If you like what we do, please support us. Go to Patreon.com/BungaCast | |||
| 18 Apr 2019 | /68/ Big Money Talk ft. Doug Henwood | 00:51:38 | |
On Modern Monetary Theory. Doug Henwood joins us to discuss whether MMT offers a fiscal alternative for Left governments. What is monetary sovereignty and do all states have it? What are MMT's prospects for states as different as the USA, Nigeria or Brazil? Is it a suspect economic remedy, too much of a quick fix? Are MMT proponents guilty of avoiding political confrontation? Readings Modern Monetary Theory Isn’t Helping, Doug Henwood, Jacobin MMT Is Already Helping, Pavlina R. Tcherneva, Jacobin Modern Money Theory 101: A Reply to Critics (pdf), Éric Tymoigne and L. Randall Wray Modern Money Theory (MMT) vs. Structural Keynesianism, Thomas Palley What Is Modern Monetary Theory and Why Is It So Important to the Green New Deal?, Jacob Weindling, Paste Magazine We can't print our own money. So please help us out: PATREON.COM/BUNGACAST | |||
| 18 Dec 2020 | /161/ Culture is Bad for You ft. Mark Taylor (UNLOCKED) | 01:09:54 | |
On “culture”.
We discuss who produces culture and who consumes it – and what those inequalities reveal about culture today. Also, we ask what’s the ploblem with culture anyway and end up defending “low culture” from Red Hot Chili Peppers (well, sorta) to food guys.
Reading:
Culture is Bad for You, Orian Brook, Dave O'Brien and Mark Taylor, Manchester UP
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| 03 Mar 2020 | Excerpt: /110/ Three Articles: De-democratising | 00:05:06 | |
In this latest Three Articles, we discuss American democracy and those who pretend to save it or undermine it. Sign up for access to the full episode: patreon.com/bungacast Readings:
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| 27 Apr 2019 | /69/ Boiled Lobsters ft. Angela Nagle | 00:54:25 | |
On Peterson vs Zizek. Did the 'debate of the century' live up to its billing? More importantly, what explains Peterson's appeal - and Zizek's? Why did the debate have such an odd, out of time feel? References: The Fool and the Madman, Jacobin critique of the debate Evaluating the Peterson-Zizek Debate, Doug Lain, Zero Books Enjoy what we do? Chip in to our patreon: patreon.com/BUNGACAST | |||
| 31 Aug 2021 | Excerpt: /212/ Three Articles: Middle-Class Anxieties | 00:07:28 | |
On net-zero, CCP nanny state, and optimised dating.
We start off discussing the HBO series "The White Lotus" before tackling three articles on middle-class anxieties: climate change and pressures on UK living standards; the Chinese state's crackdown on private tutoring; and women's attempt to avoid crappy men through 'Female Dating Strategy'.
The full episode is available to patrons only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
Articles:
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| 06 Apr 2021 | /185/ Discipline-Flourishing Democracy ft. Lee Jones | 00:55:48 | |
On the uprising in Myanmar, plus Covid state failure. Southeast Asia scholar (and Bunga recidivist) Lee Jones joins us to talk about the coup in Myanmar (and why the word “coup” can be misleading), and explains the nature of the forces opposing the military, in the context of the country’s recent transition to civilian rule. Then, from 40mins, we discuss how the UK failed in dealing with the pandemic, and how this applies across the West. Lee's recent work looks at the neoliberal "regulatory state" and its incapacities, so we compare the UK's failure with Korea's relative success. Readings:
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| 23 Jun 2020 | Excerpt: /130/ Three Articles: BLM | 00:04:44 | |
Full episode is for patrons only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
On this latest Three Articles, we discuss the global Black Lives Matter protests.
Reading:
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| 02 May 2019 | /70/ In Defence of Universalism ft. Kenan Malik | 00:47:24 | |
On migration and identity. The question of migration and borders has become increasingly fraught across different societies. Why has immigration become the means through which grievance is expressed? Where has 'white' identity come from? And how durable is identity politics as a force? Readings: Looking Closer to Home, Kenan Malik on EU and migration The History and Politics of White Identity, Kenan Malik
Follow us on Facebook / Twitter. Sign up on Patreon: patreon.com/bungacast
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| 18 Aug 2020 | /142/ Dollar Empire (2) ft. Daniel Bessner | 00:59:39 | |
On US foreign policy. Following on from our episode on the political-economy of dollar hegemony (no. 139), we turn to look at how the dollar underpins American empire. Is 'permawar' a product of structural factors, rather than merely the result of poor policy decisions? And how is this related to the global financial architecture? We also discuss how the current period fits into US history, how US foreign policy might evolve over the next four years, and what a left-wing alternative foreign policy might look like. Readings:
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| 07 Apr 2020 | /116/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (1) ft. Nick Frayn | 01:21:30 | |
In the first of an occasional series of episodes on the US presidential election and the Left, we talk to Nick Frayn, a volunteer with the Bernie Sanders campaign in New England. How have things gone on the campaign trail? What is next for the Democratic primaries delayed by the corona outbreak? Can Bernie regain ground in the primaries against Joe Biden? How will the corona crisis impact the Democratic primaries? Readings: | |||
| 16 May 2019 | /71/ Trustworthy Propaganda ft. Glenn Greenwald | 01:01:21 | |
On 'neoliberal order breakdown syndrome' and the media. Glenn Greenwald talks to us about Russiagate and fake news, and is unimpressed with same old propaganda. We discuss about left-wing self-criticism, Bolsonaro and transgression, and ask how to be sceptical without sliding into cynicism.
Subscribe to Aufhebunga Bunga at PATREON.COM/BUNGACAST | |||
| 30 May 2019 | /72/ Frankly Awesome Lefty Conversation ft. Aaron Bastani [UNLOCKED] | 01:13:09 | |
On 'Fully Automated Luxury Communism'. We talk about being pro-technology without being determinist. Does full automation mean the end of work? How do we craft a practical utopian vision? Plus some stuff about wolves and also Brexit.
Reading:
Fully Automated Luxury Communism, Verso Books
Subscribe to Aufhebunga Bunga at patreon.com/BUNGACAST
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| 21 Aug 2021 | Excerpt: /210/ Reading Club: Psychoanalysis & Spirit of Capitalism | 00:06:14 | |
We discuss Eli Zaretsky's essay, "Psychoanalysis and the Spirit of Capitalism" (also available as a chapter in his book Political Freud).
How convincing is Zaretsky’s idea that, as capitalism was becoming more organized and systematic, it also liberated relations between the sexes and enhanced a sense of individual subjectivity?
Was Freudianism a victim of its success? Did it ‘win’ and thereby make itself obsolete - socially if not intellectually? And what is today’s "spirit of capitalism"? Are we still within the spirit that was reshaped in the 1960s - the world of the New Left?
Reading Clubs are only for patrons $10 and up. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
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| 06 Jun 2019 | /74/ Order Not Freedom ft. Quinn Slobodian | 01:15:33 | |
On the unexpected origins of neoliberalism. We talk to Quinn Slobodian, author of Globalists, about how neoliberals look back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the League of Nations. Why does neoliberalism talk about freedom, but promote order? Is neoliberalism about more or less state - or is it about what kind of state? Plus why the genuine neoliberals didn’t care about the Cold War and how Murray Rothbard laid the ground for Trump. Readings:
Subscribe for access to the Synthesis Session, where the guys discuss the broader implications: patreon.com/bungacast | |||
| 31 Mar 2020 | Excerpt: /115/ Singapore Shangri-La ft. Lee Jones | 00:04:00 | |
This is a sample. The full episode is available by subscribing at patreon.com/bungacast Singapore is held up as a free-market utopia: rich, orderly and clean. But the reality is quite different. Why does Singapore exert such a magnetism for neoliberals, when its reality strays from orthodox prescriptions? What and who made this model 'global city', and how does its communist and anti-colonial past lead to its hyper-capitalist present? | |||
| 20 Jun 2019 | /76/ CaliBunga: Tech, Drugs & Capitalist Soul, Pt. 1 | 01:45:00 | |
Special multipart series on the Californian Ideology: the seemingly paradoxical hybrid of New Left and New Right ideas - the synthesis of hippies with yuppies, all tied together with the promise that technology might liberate us. In part one, we talk to Richard Barbrook about the Californian Ideology today before discussing health and mental illness with the 'States of Wellness' group at UC Irvine (Catherine Liu, Benjamin Kruger-Robins, Michael Mahoney, Thomas Williams). Thanks to UC Irvine School of Humanities for sponsoring this series. Readings:
Subscribe: patreon.com/BungaCast | |||
| 29 Jun 2021 | /200/ The World In One Country ft. Many Guests | 01:18:21 | |
On world history, 1900-2020. For our 200th episode special, we pose the question: "If you had to study the history of only one country from 1900-2020, and thereby understand the history of the whole world, which would you pick?" We invited 10 contributors to each pitch one country, whose particularities capture the universal sweep of world history from the start of the 20th century till now. Vote for which you think is best, and we'll have the top 3 back on to discuss in more depth: Link to voting page Running order:
Buy our book! Links to retailers Come to our London book launch! Event link | |||
| 20 Apr 2021 | Excerpt: /188/ The Huge Package State pt. 2 ft. Anton Jäger | 00:06:47 | |
On the end of the End of History and neo-feudalism. This episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast In a continuation of our discussion on the emerging transfer state, we ask whether the end of neoliberalism entails the end of the 'End of History'. What are the determinate features of the End of History that we are leaving behind? Which are still with us? Also, what to make of arguments that our future is neo- or techno-feudal? Do these terms make any sense? Or is it better to think of two alternate futures: Japanisation or Brazilianisation?
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| 04 Jul 2019 | /78/ CaliBunga: Tech, Drugs & Capitalist Soul, Pt. 3 | 01:19:37 | |
In part three, we move from the Californian Ideology to talk about the Californian reality: class, suburbs and social mobility. We meet up with Joel Kotkin to discuss the new Californian class structure and the end of the Californian dream. Also, more bar chat, as friend of the podcast, Tim Abrahams, joins us to chat about the idea of LA, Californian urbanism and mobility. #CaliBunga is a special multipart series on the Californian Ideology: the seemingly paradoxical hybrid of New Left and New Right ideas - the synthesis of hippies with yuppies, all tied together with the promise that technology might liberate us. Thanks to UC Irvine School of Humanities for sponsoring this series. Readings:
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| 22 Oct 2021 | Excerpt: OK Bunger! The Problem of Generations, pt. 5 | 00:20:21 | |
The fifth and final part of a series on generational consciousness and conflict. This is an excerpt. For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast In this episode, we examine the Millennials and Generation Z. Uniquely, generation war today seems to be a conflict over resources more than over values. Is there any basis for this, and what do Millennials actually want? With generational and class conflict seemingly bound together today, we analyse 'Generation Left' and 'Millennial Socialism'. And we ask what the effect of the pandemic may be on the creation of a Gen Z consciousness. Guests include:
Original music by: Jonny Mundey Additional music:
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| 20 Dec 2021 | Excerpt: /232/ Reading Club: Cold, Hard / Warm, Soft | 00:13:01 | |
On Eva Illouz's Cold Intimacies: The Making of Emotional Capitalism
How has the cold and hard world of bureaucratic, instrumental rationalism penetrated the intimate sphere of love and relationships? And how has open communication and emotional understanding been used to advance economic interests?
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This is a free sample. For the full episode, sign up at patreon.com/bungacast
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| 16 Feb 2021 | /176/ The Worst Class ft. Catherine Liu | 00:55:04 | |
On the Professional-Managerial Class.
Catherine Liu joins us to talk about the worst class in history (the PMC), and how and why they hoard all forms of secularised value. We discuss the development of the PMC as a class, figure out when it stopped being "heroic", and debate who the PMC'S leader might be. We conclude by asking whether the Left needs the PMC (or vice versa?).
The discussion will continue next week – focusing on recent unionising in professional workplaces, how the PMC brings up its children, and whether the "culture industry" is still a thing – in a subscriber-only episode on our patreon.
Readings:
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| 24 Jul 2019 | /79/ CaliBunga: Tech, Drugs & Capitalist Soul, Pt. 4 [UNLOCKED] | 00:56:24 | |
In part four, we broaden the scope, to talk about the Frankfurt School, the humanities and 'romantic anti-capitalism'. If modernity features a battle between romanticism and rationalism, then the hippies represented an attempt to re-enchant a disillusioned world. But as that spirit was incorporated into market dynamics, it became rationalised and commodified. George and Alex sat down with Catherine Liu and Tyrus Miller (Dean of the UCI School of Humanities, and expert on Lukács) to mull over these questions.
#CaliBunga is a special multipart series on the Californian Ideology: the seemingly paradoxical hybrid of New Left and New Right ideas - the synthesis of hippies with yuppies, all tied together with the promise that technology might liberate us.
Thanks to UC Irvine School of Humanities for sponsoring this series.
Subscribe for full access: patreon.com/bungacast
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| 18 Jul 2019 | /80/ CaliBunga: Tech, Drugs & Capitalist Soul, Pt.5 | 00:59:01 | |
In part five, we explore the professionalisation of friendship, by speaking to Dutch director and producer Menna Laura Meijer about her documentary on life coaching, Now Something Is Slowly Changing. The global rise of coaching seems to encapsulate many of the themes we've explored so far: an inward focus on the self, combined with marketisation, and bound together by ‘solutionism’ - quick fixes to deep social problems.
#CaliBunga is a special multipart series on the Californian Ideology: the seemingly paradoxical hybrid of New Left and New Right ideas - the synthesis of hippies with yuppies, all tied together with the promise that technology might liberate us.
Thanks to UC Irvine School of Humanities for sponsoring this series.
Links:
Now Something Is Slowly Changing, mint film office
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| 15 Dec 2020 | Excerpt: /166/ Aufhebonus Bonus (December) | 00:05:35 | |
This episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast We round off the year by previewing The End of the End of History and responding to your questions and criticisms, including Strasserism or left-conservatism, revolutionary memories, more on Covid and lockdowns, and other bits. | |||
| 01 Aug 2019 | /82/ Socialist Trumplandia ft. Eric Blanc | 01:00:35 | |
2018 saw a strike wave in the US, as anger was given material form. We talk to Eric Blanc about his book on the wave of teachers' strikes in otherwise 'conservative' states. How can this experience be broadened out to other sectors? Is education a site for future struggle? And what is the role of public opinion in trade union victories? We also try to recover some lost radical history of West Virginia and Oklahoma. Readings:
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| 12 Sep 2019 | /83/ Now It’s Syrizous [UNLOCKED] | 01:08:06 | |
Syriza lost the last Greek elections after 4 1/2 years in power. What happened to a party that, for a time, represented the European radical left's hopes? Did it achieve anything in power? Many talk about Tspiras' "betrayal" - is that the right way to look at it? And what are the wider consequences of this defeat: is time up for this wave of "left populists"?
Readings:
This episode was previously exclusive to patrons. To access all our content, please subscribe: patreon.com/BungaCast | |||
| 15 Aug 2019 | /84/ How To Fail Better ft. Adam Proctor | 01:07:29 | |
Scenario-planning for Bernie: what is success, what is productive failure? We attempt to "dream realistically" with Adam Proctor (Dead Pundits Society): how far can this wave of 'democratic socialism' go? Bernie will fail - he won't bring in socialism, so how do we make that failure something to build on? How do we avoid the risk of demoralisation? And most dangerous of all, how to not interpret failure as success? Plus bonus stuff on Syriza, Brexit and talking in platitudes. | |||
| 22 Aug 2019 | Excerpt: /85/ Reading Club No.1 | 00:04:16 | |
In our first Reading Club, we discuss Nancy Fraser's The Old Is Dying and the New Cannot Be Born (Verso, 2019) and take readers questions and contributions. Readings:
Listen to the whole episode by subscribing at patreon.com/BungaCast | |||
| 29 Aug 2019 | /86/ Monsters of the Interregnum ft. Rune Stahl | 01:01:59 | |
Why hasn't neoliberalism died? We talk to Rune Møller Stahl about his paper "Ruling the Interregnum" in which he examines previous interregnums, such as the 1920s or the 1970s, and the forces that led to the establishment of new orders. What points the way forward today: resilient neoliberalism, economic nationalism or left populism? Reading: Ruling the Interregnum: Politics and Ideology in Nonhegemonic Times, Rune Møller Stahl | |||