Cosmopod

Cosmonaut Magazine

Cosmopod is the official podcast of Cosmonaut Magazine, a project dedicated to expanding the project of scientific socialism in the 21st Century. In our feed we have a combination of podcast episodes and audio articles from our website.

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341 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes341

Newest first

Apr 15, 2024 · 2 hr 22 min
The Frankfurt School in Context (1923-69)
Exir, Toby and Jackson join for a discussion on the (in)famous Frankfurt School. They discuss the history of the Institute for Social Research from its founding as a think tank for the study of the workers' movement, through the turn to critical theory and empirical social research in the 1930s, its flight to America in the wake of the Nazis' rise to power, and its return to Germany after the Second World War. Focusing in on Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, and Herbert Marcuse, they use the trajectory of these thinkers and the Institute to consider questions of how intellectuals should relate to political movements, the relationship between theory and empirical research, and the possibility and desirability of intellectual independence. They also discuss some of the key ideas of the Frankfurt School, including the critique of instrumental reason, the concept of the totally administered society, and Marcuse's development of psychoanalytic ideas.
Apr 1, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
Mining and the Environment with Martin Lallana
Rudy joins Martín Lallana for an introductory discussion on mining. We talk about the importance of mining to capitalism, the ecological impacts of different kind of mining, the way that the materials extracted have changed along history focusing on the materials needed for an energy transition and the way the Ukranian war has changed the needs of European countries before discussing the possibilities to have more just forms of mining and the potentialities of "urban mining"
Mar 24, 2024 · 1 hr 3 min
Jihadism and Military Juntas in the Sahel with Alexander Thurston
Rob joins Alexander Thurston for a discussion on his work on the Sahel region, focusing on the interplay between radical Islamic groups, the civilian governments/military juntas of the regions and international players like the US and France. They discuss the social basis of the groups, the role of different countries and different armies, the reasons behind the military coups and their possible future paths as well as how much is not really known about these groups.
Mar 11, 2024 · 2 hr 33 min
[REMASTER] Communism in the Colours of France: The French Communist Party (1920-2024)
Steven, James and Rudy sit down for a long discussion on the French Communist Party from its inception all the way to its present state. We cover all the periods in its history: the Pre-WW2 Popular Front, the post WW2 entrance into government, its isolation, and its coming back into government with Mitterrand in the 80s, before discussing its decline and the reasons for it. References: M. Adereth - The French Communist party: A Critical History (1920-1984), from Comintern to "the colours of France" J. Friend - The Long Presidency: France in the Mitterrand Years J. T. Jackson - The Popular Front in France: Defending Democracy, 1934-38 D. Joly - The French Communist Party and the Algerian War R. Martelli, J. Vigreux, S. Wolikow - One Hundred Years of History of the French Communist Party: The Red Party
Mar 7, 2024 · 21 min
The Value of Dune: a Communistic Perspective
Rejecting recent interpretations in the U.S. socialist press as truistic, Jackson Albert Mann makes a case for a particular communistic reading of the first novel in Frank Herbert's Dune franchise. Read By: A Darlymple Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.
Mar 4, 2024 · 1 hr 14 min
Towards the Abyss: Ukraine from Maidan to War with Volodymyr Ishchenko
Rudy joins Volodymyr Ishchenko, author of Towards the Abyss: Ukraine from Maidan to War, for a discussion on Ukraine and the broader post-Soviet sphere. We discuss the formation of the Ukranian identity under the USSR, the story of Ukraine after independence through the Orange Revolution, Euromaidan and up to the recent war, and the failures of its elites to enact a political project. We also talk about the role of the far-right, whether the war was preventable, Military Keynsianism in Ukraine and Russia, and compare Euromaidan to the Belarus protests of 2020.
Feb 23, 2024 · 5 min
Letter: Llorente v. Schaeffer
Written By: Abner Dalrymple Read By: Will Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.
Feb 20, 2024 · 2 hr 4 min
Gene Bruskin: A Life in the Labor Movement
Aliyah VanPelt and Cliff Connolly sit down with longtime organizer Gene Bruskin to get his advice and hear stories from his time in the movement, including with US Labor Against the War.
Feb 15, 2024 · 33 min
The Korean Miracle's Rural Legacy
Alex Witherspoon, Yu Zhou, and Alle Fang give an account of socialist agriculture in rural North Korea, arguing that the difficulties faced by the country's economy have been primarily caused by deteriorating trade conditions. Read By: Allen Lanterman Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.
Feb 12, 2024 · 1 hr 36 min
The Mexican Revolution
Amelia, Carlos and Rudy sit down to discuss the revolutionary period of Mexico in the decade of 1910. We talk about the Porfiriato period which led up to the revolution, the conjecture which led to the events of 1910, the three stages of the revolutionary wars, and the diverse factions acting in each stage. We discuss the relevant figures of the revolution, including Francisco Madero, Emilio Zapata, Pancho Villa, the Flores Magón brothers, as well as the ultimate victors in the Sonora clan. We also talk about the end point of the war, and why the state-building faction was able to consolidate rule over Mexico. A second episode will discuss the consolidation of the revolutionary regime in Mexico up to the 1940s. Bibliography: J. Cockroft - Mexico: Class Formation, Capital Accumulation, and the State A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution: A Very Short Introduction A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution, Volume 1: Porfirians, Liberals, and Peasants A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution, Volume 2: Counter-revolution and Reconstruction A. Gilly - The Mexican Revolution J. Reed - Insurgent Mexico
Feb 5, 2024 · 51 min
Seeds of Power: The Global Food System and The Green Revolution with Raj Patel
Rudy joins Raj Patel for a discussion on the global food system. We discuss how food serves as a powerful educational tool, the paradox of global hunger amidst food abundance and obesity, linking it to the systemic issues in food production and consumption. We discuss producers, vendors and how supermarkets dictate what is cultivated and sold. We also talk about Raj's work on the Long Green Revolution, challenging the conventional view of the Green Revolution as a historical event and presenting it as an ongoing process. We dissect the impact of the Green Revolution, its role in geopolitics, and the emergence of a new Green Revolution and increased financialization in agriculture. The discussion extends to the topic of food sovereignty and food security, and the socio-economic fault lines within the global food system. Lastly, we discuss Raj's recent co-authored book, Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Justice providing a brief overview of its content and relevance in the context of contemporary health and societal challenges.
Feb 1, 2024 · 33 min
Just Another Kautsky Fan
Interpreting Stalin's fledgling revolutionary career through his later status as a brutal labor dictator obscures an early whole-hearted admiration for the works of Kautsky and Lenin. By Lawrence Parker. Read By Luke Pickrell Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.
Jan 22, 2024 · 1 hr 39 min
Captives: the History of Rikers Island and New York City with Jarrod Shanahan
Isaac and Jack join Jarrod Shanahan, an activist, educator, and the author of Captives: How Rikers Island Took New York City Hostage, for a wide-ranging conversation. We cover the last 70 years of New York City's political history from the lens of the city's jails. We discuss the various actors fighting for control in the city: the politicians and bureaucrats responsible for the administration of jails, the repressive jailers and their corrupt labor union, the revolutionary social movements struggling for liberation inside and outside prison, the non-profits brought in to plug the budget holes and keep the peace, and the capitalists profiting from it all. After examining the shifts in political hegemony within New York City - from liberal "penal welfarism" to the neoliberal "war on crime" to a resurgent, reactionary "revanchism" - we reflect on how this history informs our current organizing in the abolitionist and public sector union movements. We end with a discussion on the 2024 elections and Jarrod's most recent article for Hard Crackers, "Iowa Bluffs," focused on his experiences at a recent Trump rally in Dubuque, Iowa.
Jan 15, 2024 · 1 hr 30 min
Citizen Marx: Republicanism and the Formation of Karl Marx's Social and Political Thought with Bruno Leipold
Donald and Luke talk with Bruno Leipold about his forthcoming book, Citizen Marx: Republicanism and the Formation of Karl Marx's Social and Political Thought. Bruno touches on several topics including English Chartism, democratic republicanism, national constitutions, and the political development Marx and Engels's over the years. Bruno emphasizes the democratic republican foundation of Marxism and why it needs to be rediscovered.
Jan 4, 2024 · 1 hr 55 min
Solidarność and the Polish People's Republic
Chas, James, and Rudy delve into the history of the Polish People's Republic in this episode, focusing on the influential Solidarity movement. They explore communism's roots in Poland from the interwar period to WWII, highlighting the challenges posed by the Soviet invasion. The conversation covers the post-WWII liberation, the establishment of the Polish nation-state, and the diverse governmental shifts leading up to the 1980s. They also discuss how Solidarity emerges from the Workers' Defense Committee, leading to discussions on the events preceding martial law and the eventual decline of communism in 1980s Poland. They conclude by examining Solidarity's post-communist path and comparing the varied trajectories of the People's Republics. References: F. Bartel - The Triumph of Broken Promises: The End of the Cold War and the Rise of Neoliberalism J. M. Bloom - Seeing Through the Eyes of the Polish Revolution: Solidarity and the Struggle Against Communism in Poland F. Fejtö - A history of the people's democracies: Eastern Europe since Stalin P. J. Kenney - Rebuilding Poland: Workers and Communists, 1945–1950 D. Ost - Defeat of Solidarity: Anger And Politics In Postcommunist Europe D. Ost - Solidarity and the Politics of Anti-Politics: Opposition and Reform in Poland since 1968 A. J. Prazmowska - Civil War in Poland: 1942-1948 A. Szymanski - Class Struggle in Socialist Poland: With Comparisons to Yugoslavia
Dec 11, 2023 · 1 hr 5 min
The Algerian Revolution II (1965-99): Developmentalism, Marketization and War
Rob, Eric and Rudy continue their discussion of the Algerian revolution from the fall of Ben Bella to the end of the Black Decade (known in the West as the Algerian Civil War). We discuss the starting point of Boumedienne's government, the agrarian reform and the developmentalist program undertaken in industry, as well as the internal divisions of the FLN during this period which led to widespread sabotage of this developmentalist program. We then talk about Boumedienne's death, and the change in the direction of the country taken by his successor Benjadid, and how political liberalization was attempted to counteract decaying life quality. We discuss the underlying events and rifts that led to the start of the Civil War, as well as discuss why scholars question that it was a Civil War at all. We end by shortly discussing the character of the Algerian Government that came out of the Civil War. References: M. Bennoune - The Making of Contemporary Algeria, 1830-1987 J. Mcdougall - A History of Algeria K. Pfeifer - Agrarian Reform Under State Capitalism in Algeria H. Roberts - The Battlefield: Algeria 1988-2002, Studies in a Broken Polity E. Wolf - Peasant Wars of the Twentieth Century
Dec 7, 2023 · 35 min
Endless Muddle
Renzo Llorente critically responds to Gil Schaeffer's views on democratic rights and socialism. Read By: Will Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.
Nov 27, 2023 · 2 hr
Inside the CR-CPUSA/Red Guards: Cults, Violence and the Left
Gus, Donald and Isaac join Esra, author of the webside CR-CPUSA Exposed: Hub for Information and Recovery for a discussion on their experience inside the Committee to Reconstitute the Communist Party of the USA, also known as the Red Guards. We go into a lot of detail on how the CR-CPUSA operated, how it related to its locals and how it was basically centered around the personality of Jared Roark, also knon as Comrade Dallas. We talk about how the CR-CPUSA came to dissolve by a process initiated from its own membership and how that relates to other accounts of leaving cults. We then pivot to the term 'brainwashing', cultic studies and how people on the left can relate to this field. We finish with the often conflictual relationship between the Red Guards and other leftist movements and the role of violence and abusive persolaities in leftist organizations.
Nov 13, 2023 · 1 hr 47 min
Commune or Nothing!: Venezuela's Communal Movement with Chris Gilbert
Rudy and Christian join Chris Gilbert for a discussion on his new book Commune or Nothing! Venezuela's Communal Movement and its Socialist Project. We cover the history of the Venezuelan communal project, and how it relates to previous attempts of the government to build a socialist economy including the Venezuelan cooperative movement or the drive to build state-run industry. We discuss the ideas of István Mészáros on how the commune centers the communal control of the labor process, and attempts to solve problems found during the socialist transition, before pivoting to ground data on the communes, the economic relationships between them and towards the outside, the issues with voluntarism, the problem of attracting the youth and the structure of the new Communard Union. We finish with an outlook for the future and a discussion on how communes center all around human development and have a more mystical side to them.
Oct 30, 2023 · 1 hr 26 min
A Participant's History of the Students for a Democratic Society with Gil Schaeffer
Luke joins Gil Shaeffer, a former member of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and author of "You Can't Use Weatherman to Show Which Way the Wind Blew" to talk about the SDS, the New Left, and the centrality of democratic republicanism to Marxism. Gil discusses his path to joining SDS in the late 1960s, the impact of figures like C Wright Mills, the little-remembered March on Fort Dix, and the meaning of "participatory democracy." He explains how SDS and the New Left are presented in popular histories (including the work of Kirkpatrick Sale), and the motivation behind writing his history of the period. Gil ends by discussing the present moment and the ongoing struggle for a democratic revolution.