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Society & Culture

The Lack

Helen Rollins, Benjamin Studebaker, and Nina Power

The Lack is a weekly podcast from political theorist Benjamin Studebaker, philosopher Nina Power and filmmaker Helen Rollins. We take a work each week (film, poem, essay, book...) and relate it to a philosophical theme for a wide-ranging discussion about ideas, culture and society. Each week, there is an A-side public episode and a B-side, patreon only, private episode.

You can subscribe to our patreon at https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

Our email contact is thelackpodcast@gmail.com.

Our music is by Dom Kirtley.

Our graphics are by Bryce Behrman.

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  • 189 episodes
  • Updated Wednesday

Episodes189

Newest first
  • Apr 20, 2022 · 1 hr

    Mad Men

    This episode is on the television series Mad Men. To hear the B-side, subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Apr 7, 2022 · 58 min

    Peter’s Friends

    This episode is on the 1992 film, Peter's Friends. To hear the B side next week, subscribe on Patreon.

  • Mar 24, 2022 · 1 hr 4 min

    Malcolm in the Middle

    This episode is on the 00s American TV sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. To hear the B side, subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Mar 10, 2022 · 1 hr

    Don’t Look Up

    The week, we forced ourselves to watch Don't Look Up. To hear the B-side next week, subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Feb 23, 2022 · 1 hr 2 min

    Time Out & Denial

    This episode is on the 2001 film Time Out, directed by Laurent Cantet. The theme is denial. The B sides releases next week, and can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Feb 16, 2022 · 1 hr

    Possession (1981)

    This episode is on the 1981 film Possession. Benjamin makes reference to a piece by Helen Thompson, available here: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/S0895-993520200000027005/full/html

  • Feb 3, 2022 · 1 hr 2 min

    The Lighthouse

    This episode is on the 2019 film The Lighthouse, starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. To hear the B-side, subscribe on Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Jan 27, 2022 · 1 hr 1 min

    Riders of Justice

    This episode is on the 2020 Danish film Riders of Justice. To hear the B side, subscribe on Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Jan 20, 2022 · 1 hr 1 min

    France, the Media, and Notions of Self

    This episode is on the 2021 Bruno Dumont film, France. The discussion focuses on the media and the self, and there's also a lot of discussion of France the country. To hear the B-side, subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Jan 13, 2022 · 1 hr 2 min

    Brazil & Quixotism

    This episode is on the 1985 film Brazil, directed by Terry Gilliam. The theme is "quixotism". To hear the B side, subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Jan 6, 2022 · 1 hr 1 min

    The Carl Jung Episode

    This episode is on the work of Carl Jung. There's also some discussion of Donald Winnicott's review. To hear the B side, subscribe on Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Dec 29, 2021 · 59 min

    Blow-Up: Appearance and Reality

    This episode is on the 1966 film Blow-Up. The theme is "appearance and reality." To hear the B side, subscribe on Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Dec 22, 2021 · 1 hr 2 min

    Quentin Skinner‘s Genealogy of Liberty

    This episode is on a lecture given by Quentin Skinner. He's given it many times in many forms, but we used this one: https://youtu.be/PjQ-W2-fKUs To hear the B side, subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thelackpodcast

  • Dec 9, 2021 · 1 hr

    Caché, Gaze, & the Work of Michael Haneke

    This episode is on Caché, the 2005 film by Michael Haneke. There's also discussion of some of Haneke's other films, including The White Ribbon and The Piano Teacher. The theme is "gaze". To hear the B side, subscribe on Patreon.

  • Nov 26, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min

    Addicted to Ideology

    This episode is on the YouTube video "Addicted to Ideology? With Gabor Maté," by the YouTube Channel Rebel Wisdom. You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2YdpvnwtGc&ab_channel=RebelWisdom

  • Nov 10, 2021 · 1 hr 2 min

    Pig (2021)

    This episode is on Pig, the 2021 film starring Nicholas Cage.

  • Nov 4, 2021 · 1 hr

    Boomers

    This episode is on the book Boomers, by Helen Andrews. It discusses the uses and abuses of generational frames, and their use in telling the story of the professional class.

  • Oct 14, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min

    Vox Videos

    This episode is on the media outlet Vox. It discusses the relationship between knowledge and authority.