Politics Theory Other

Jake Romm, a keen observer of political theory, dives deep into the controversial ties between Zionism and anti-semitism, highlighting influences of European colonialism. He discusses how Zionism has historically sought to undermine Palestinian identity rather than merely exploit their labor. The conversation also touches on themes of machismo in Israeli society, the fallout of the October 7th event on masculinity, and the grim possibility of a permanent occupation of Gaza, framed within the socio-political dynamics of the region.

Phil Burton-Cartledge joins PTO to discuss the first few weeks of Keir Starmer's Labour government. To get access to this episode of PTO Extra please consder becoming a £5 supporter on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother

Nesrine Malik, a Guardian columnist and author of *We Need New Stories*, delves into the recent wave of Islamophobia and racist violence in the UK following the tragic Southport stabbings. She discusses how the language used to describe these events can obscure the racial and religious dimensions involved. Malik also highlights the role of right-wing media in fueling divisive narratives, the importance of solidarity with Palestine in anti-fascist movements, and critiques the political climate's complicity in enabling such violence.

Richard Seymour returns to the show to respond to more listener's questions and to address the recent outbreak of racist and Islamophobic violence in the UK. Become a £5 supporter on patreon to get access to all episodes of PTO Extra: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother

Bue Rübner Hansen, an insightful essayist, explores the complex history of the German-Israeli alliance. The discussion reveals how public attitudes in Germany toward Israel vary widely, often influenced by political elites. Hansen examines the pervasive memory culture surrounding Nazism and the Holocaust, illustrating its impact on contemporary views, particularly regarding Palestinians. He also sheds light on the emergence of anti-German sentiments within the left and the marginalization of historical working-class opposition to the Nazis.

In today's episode Richard Seymour returns to answer some of the excellent questions sent in by PTO patrons. To become a PTO supporter go to patreon.com/poltheoryother

On January 22nd the new Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh was consecrated in a ceremony led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event kicked off Modi's election campaign that was widely expected to lead to a landslide for Modi and the BJP. Instead, the Hindu nationalist party lost 63 seats and the opposition coalition led by congress made significant gains. In today's episode I spoke with Radhika Desai about the causes of the electoral upset, the image and reality of the Indian economy and what the election results announced in June might mean for Indian Muslims.

Sebastian Budgen returns to the show to discuss the recent shock result in the French legislative elections that saw the left wing New Popular Front win the highest number of seats, beating both Emmanuel Macron's Ensemble and the far-right National Rally, who had been widely expected to emerge with the most deputies in the French parliament.

Today’s show is a crossover episode with our good friends over at the Macrodose podcast, which is hosted by economist James Meadway. In the episode James is joined by Richard Seymour to discuss the upcoming UK general election. We talked about the crisis in the Conservative Party and the prospects of a post-election merger with Nigel Farage's Reform party. We also discussed whether Farage's comments on Ukraine damage his electoral prospects, the likelihood of Labour implementing austerity and why - as James argues - the 4th of July is likely to be the last "normal" general election held in the UK.

Author Andy Beckett discusses his book 'The Searchers' about Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott, John McDonnell, and Ken Livingstone. They cover racism faced by Diane Abbott, admiration for Salvador Allende, and the future of Labour rebels amid the current political climate.