Casement's Leftovers

As Trump and Hegseth continue their crusade on Iran and the Middle East, American liberals clutch their pearls and insist that THIS ISN"T US! Casements are here to explain — politely and respectfually – that this very much is you, Yankee. We take a quick look back at the history of American imperialism from the occupations of Cuba and the Philippines in 1898, through the atrocities of Vietnam, and up to the present day. What is the true nature of America? Is it blue jeans and sitting on the porch? Or is it mass murder and regime change on an unprecedented scale? We then cast our wandering eye onto recent American actions in Iran and Venezuela, and have a little debate on where we think the American Empire is heading. Is Trump the final desperate outburst of an empire on its last legs, or is American tyranny here to stay? Books we recommended in the episode which just so happen to be written by former guests:Vijay Prashad - Washington Bullets Vincent Bevins - The Jakarta MethodThe photo is of the mass funeral for the 165 schoolgirls and staff killed by a U.S. strike on a girl's school in Minab, Iran. The outro music is Washington Bullets by The Clash. Support the show

Back in the halcyon days of 2022 Helen hit you with their grand political economic theory: money makes you a nonce. It's safe to say the world hasn't been the same since. In the wake of the latest "tranche" of Epstein files, we revisit this grand unifying theory of power and abuse. Along the way we talk about so many of your faves including William "Bill" Gates Gates, Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, Soon-Yi "Daughter-Wife" Previn, and Elon "Loser" Musk. How many ways can we reference the files to prove that we were right? There's only one way to find out! Support the show

We are joined by the excellent Nel Bonilla to discuss the current state of neoliberalism and the world in general. States and governments across the West increasingly appear to be gearing up for war, militarising their societies, and flooding public discourse with questions of defence and security. Where is all this leading, and does it mean the end of the old neoliberal order? Nel is a PhD candidate and a rising scholar of migration sociology, social geography, and conflict studies who looks to understand the links between human movements, urban dynamics, and the socio-political forces that shape our world. Her Substack is an excellent source for those looking to understand the dynamics currently shaping the world. Support the show

Recorded from deep in the hells of the bleakest January on record, Helen, Glen, and Matt ask: is it our fault we haven’t been recording any podcast episodes lately, or can we blame the world around us? In either case we're back now with a  deep dive on Davos and what it tells us about the state of (neo)liberalism today. Are the middle managers finally out of a job? We also talk about the more recent displays of naked power and imperialism from our Yank brothers across the pond in Minneapolis, Venezuela and beyond. Also, what does the reshaping of the global order mean for little old Ireland? We then grapple with just how difficult we’ve been finding it recently to fully engage with the crumbling world around us. Just how much news is enough news? How much awareness of the world’s horrors is enough awareness? Sound relatable? Come join us in the swamp. It’s warm, at least. Support the show

Happy Christmas one and all! Treat yourself to an early Christmas gift by listening to the latest episode of Casement's Leftovers, in which we discuss one of our favourite topics: gay identity. Have you ever wondered: if Glen is really from Tallaght, then why does he talk like THAT? Then wonder no more. We dive deep into the social construction of gayness and its interaction with class through discussion of two books, listed below. We finish up by asking: this Christmas, is it possible for us all to be happy?Warning: We get surprisingly sincere (for us) about spirituality, sexuality, class, Christmas, and happiness in this episode. This sincerity may shock, disturb, or maim. Books discussed:- Returning to Reims by Didier Eribon- How To Be Gay by David M. Halpernin Support the show

Due to holidays and other commitments, you get your pod a week EARLY this month! Lucky you! There was so much political news to catch up on that we said "actually, fuck that" and did a movie pod instead. It's interesting though: 'Eddington' and 'One Battle After Another', two big "political" thrillers grappling in different ways with the modern world, have come out this year to much fanfare and controversy. We discuss both and ask: what makes a film Marxist? Does it matter? There are light spoilers for both films in here, so here's a timestamp guide if you wanna avoid:00:00 - supermarkets, the presidential election, Olly Murs.24:08 - One Battle After Another35:42: Eddington53:53 onwards: we discuss the big twist at the heart of Eddington Support the show

That's right folks. Leo Varadkar — neoliberal prince of darkness, lover of packed lunches, and all-round messy bitch — has written a memoir. Helen and Matt read it so you (and Glen) don't have to. And you really, really don't have to. Listen in for all the goss on Leo's very normal childhood, the tough decisions he had to make in office, and his unabashed hatred and suspicion of all poor people! Truly a relatable masterpiece written by a regular, down to earth fellow. Not a damning indictment of the soul-sucking neoliberal mind virus at all! Support the show

2000s nostalgia is en vogue at the moment, so we decided to take a trip back in time to the golden era of the internet, and the time of 'New Atheism'. We talk Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens, and discuss how edgy attacks on religion swerved so seamlessly into right-wing populism and "defending Christian society". We then turn our attention to religion in Ireland, before spilling the proverbial on Mother Teresa and highlighting leftist currents of Catholicism in Latin America. Promise this episode is a lot more fun than the topic might suggest! Thank you again to all of our devoted followers who donated to the GoFundMe. This ep was recorded in person with brand new state-of-the-art equipment, so mucho thanks to ye xx"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:8. Support the show

What is the state of feminism today? What are the movement’s goals, aims, and demands? Is it even right to speak of a feminist “movement” at all?This one gets pretty feisty as Helen, Glen, and Matt debate the different strains of feminist thought of the past 50 years. We talk about TERFs, obviously, but also try to point modern feminism in a more socialist, materialist direction. We discuss Silvia Federici and the Wages For Housework movement, and Glen and Helen have a fight. Also, we forgot to mention on the pod, but thank you to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe for podcast equipment. The whole process was incredibly embarrassing for us but we were genuinely humbled by your generosity. You can all look forward to (hopefully) better audio quality in the near future. Love you lots xxSupport the show

Two episodes this month because you've all been so good. It's a loosey one today. Topics covered: Lena Dunham, Epstein and Israel, Tucker Carlson, Conor McGregor's shlong, the CATU protest, trans pride, and much much more. In the back half — for our real fans — we categorise our least favourite races, before standing up for the most discriminated against group of all: bald men. I love the em dash (—) and am sooooo mad that it's become a tell-tale sign of AI. Like when I used one earlier in this paragraph I got soooo self-conscious you would all think this episode description was written by AI. Isn't that horribleSupport the show