Bungacast

On Trump & radical right ideology. Jean-François Drolet, a leading researcher into the 'World of the Right', talks to Alex and Lee about Donald Trump's coveting of Greenland, and puts the move into its ideological context. What is the paleoconservative worldview, how is it different from the neoconservative one, and which is more influential in the Trump regime? How does paleoconservatism translate into actual foreign policy? What's in Trump's new National Security Strategy? Are we back to a 19th century-style 'spheres of influence' arrangement? Does the radical right's foreign policy lead back to a populist kind of isolationism – or to a 'civilisational nationalism'? Will Trump solidify the transatlantic alliance, or generate a rift? Links: /461/ Welcome to the World of the Right ft. Michael C. Williams World of the Right: Radical Conservatism and World Order (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2024). International Relations and the Geopolitics of the European New Right, European Journal of International Relations, JF Drolet From Critique to Reaction: The New Right, Critical Theory and International Relations, Journal of International Political Theory, JF Drolet & Michael C. Williams Trump’s 2025 National Security Strategy: Goodbye, Liberal International Order; Hello, Radical Right, Lee Jones, American Affairs (forthcoming  

Ryan Zickgraf, a contributing editor and on-the-ground reporter of immigration enforcement, recounts ICE activity in Minneapolis. He describes neighborhood tensions, federal tactics against protesters, and the shootings that escalated unrest. They explore how internal border enforcement reshapes citizenship, the Second Amendment implications, and whether a militarised interior is becoming inevitable.

Ricky Levitt, a New York psychoanalytic researcher, and Christie Offenbacher, a practicing psychoanalyst and SVA faculty member, discuss the so-called social turn in psychoanalysis. They debate whether attempts to fix broad social problems through therapy are immediate, urgent, or overreaching. They question professional limits, political claims, and how psychoanalytic concepts get translated into social cure-all claims.

On Southeast Asia's scam compounds. Mark Bo, organised-crime researcher and co-author of Scam, talks to Alex and Lee about his book, his experiences and why this fusion of gangsterism and speculation has taken root in the contemporary economy. What is the scale of the scam industry? How do scams like pig butchering, fish butchering, or law-enforcement impersonation work? How does organised crime structure itself on corporate lines? How does this fit with modern slavery? Do illicit zones signal the coming of a kind of "compound capitalism"? Is scamming a symptom of the death of the developmental state? The full episode is only available to subscribers. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast Links: Scam: Inside Southeast Asia’s Cybercrime Compounds, Ivan Franceschini, Ling Li, and Mark Bo, Verso  

On the making of independent India – and its lessons. Assistant professor of politics at The New School, Sandipto Dasgupta, talks to contributing editor Alex Gourevitch about this new book, Legalizing the Revolution: India and the Constitution of the Postcolony. Why was the postcolonial movement insufficiently anti-colonial? What is the difference between the legal and political meaning of popular sovereignty – and why does it matter? What was the hidden, repressive element to the Indian Constitution? Did post-colonial leaders create something novel, even heroic? Or did they fail even on their own terms? Where do the democratic and counter-revolutionary aspects of the Indian revolution express themselves? How do symbolic substitutes for genuine popular participation play themselves out in Modi's India? Links: Legalizing the Revolution: India and the Constitution of the Postcolony, Sandipto Dasgupta, Cambridge UP /198/ Universal India ft. Achin Vanaik /417/ Has India passed peak Modi? ft. Achin Vanaik  

Panagiotis Sotiris, an assistant professor at the University of the Aegean and a member of the Historical Materialism editorial board, dives into the complexities of class, nation, and popular sovereignty. He explores the relationship between class unity and migrant challenges in multicultural societies. Discussing Gramsci’s concepts, he distinguishes between nation-rhetoric and a people-nation based on social solidarity. He critiques right-wing nationalism and advocates for a hybrid approach that includes transformative social policies to reshape migration narratives and build inclusive communities.

The hosts dive into the world of American film, dissecting the paranoia and conspiracy themes in three influential 2025 movies. They debate whether Ari Aster's Eddington captures the chaos of the COVID era or succumbs to it. Discussions explore the political implications of hypermedia and the portrayal of archetypal characters. With sharp insights, they question the balance of entertainment and critique in cinema, all while reflecting on the global influence of American derangement.

Branko Milanovic discusses his insights on the rise of national market liberalism and its impact on global inequality. He analyzes how figures like Xi Jinping, Putin, and Trump share political trajectories shaped by these changes. The conversation delves into the concept of homoploutia, where elites blend high labor and capital incomes, reshaping societal hierarchies. Milanovic also explores the historical context of China's reforms and challenges assumptions about global democratization, all while questioning the effectiveness of current political movements.

Amber Trotter, a practicing psychologist and editor at Damage magazine, teams up with George Hoare, an editor and Gramsci co-author, to explore the crisis of authority and the phenomenon of over-medicalization. They discuss the rise in mental health diagnoses, linking it to societal changes and parenting styles. The duo questions whether capitalism contributes to mental distress, emphasizing the need for authority in navigating subjective issues. Their insights reveal a complex interplay between personal experience and systemic challenges in understanding mental health.

Ryan Zickgraf, a contributing editor focused on US politics and 'woke' debates, joins the discussion on the Democratic Party's challenges in the current political landscape. He argues that 'Big Woke' is losing power, and explores the emergence of 'dark woke' identity politics. Zickgraf highlights the influence of think tanks advocating for post-woke strategies, including economic populism and youth outreach initiatives. The conversation touches on how the Democrats might adapt to Trump's challenge and the potential for a significant electoral realignment.