Emancipations Podcast
Society & Culture
About
Emancipations explores the intersection of Marxism, politics and philosophy. Hosted by Daniel Tutt (@DanielTutt).
Episodes
- Vulgar Marxism and the Dilemmas of Worker Education (feat. Edward Baring)
I’m pleased to welcome intellectual historian Edward Baring to the show for a conversation on the concept of “vulgar Marxism” and the different theories of worker education that Marxists have developed and debated over time. We discuss the…
- A Lacanian Theory of Cinema (feat. Helen Rollins)
I'm joined by filmmaker and theorist Helen Rollins for a discussion on her new book on psychoanalysis and cinema, Psychocinema . In this book Helen argues there is a fundamental relationship between the structure of psychoanalysis and that…
- How to Understand the Chaos of Donald Trump (feat. Paul Heideman)
How can we make sense of the logic behind Donald Trump and the spectacle of chaos that seems to follow him? What appears as disorder on the surface may in fact reveal deeper transformations within American politics and the structure of pow…
- Critical Theory After Habermas (feat. Philipp Felsch)
Joining me for his second appearance, Philipp Felsch explores the life and thought of Jürgen Habermas, one of the most influential philosophers of the modern era and Germany’s foremost living public intellectual. We trace Habermas's roots…
- Pierre Bourdieu's Critique of the Intellectual
We discuss Pierre Bourdieu's legacy and its implications for understanding intellectuals. You can find C. Derick Varn at VarnVlog . In addition to going through some of Bourdieu's key categories, these are the primary readings we discuss:…
- Gaza and Revolutionary Philosophy (feat. Yanis Iqbal)
My guest Yanis Iqbal is the author of The Sword and the Neck , a militant work of philosophy that insists Gaza must be approached not as a humanitarian "exception," but as a primary terrain of proletarian and anti-colonial struggle. Iqbal…
- Anti-Intellectualism in America (feat. C. Derick Varn)
We discuss the roots of anti-intellectualism in American life for the first episode in a four-part series co-created and presented with C. Derick Varn, "The Problem of Intellectuals." Learn more about C. Derick Varn by checking out his sho…
- Chinese Marxism (feat. Josef Gregory Mahoney)
I am joined by Dr. Josef Gregory Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University and Concurrent Professor of Marxism with Jiangsu’s top thinktank—the Institute for the Development of Socialism wit…
- Proletarian Accelerationism (feat. Mikey Downs, Nance and Grady Page)
My guests Mikey Downs, Nance and Grady Page are all accelerationists. We discuss the curious return of accelerationism in today's political moment and what it signals. We debate the politics in the philosophy of Nick Land and Curtis Yar…
- Reviving Anti-Imperialist Marxism (feat. Ali Kadri)
With guest co-host Benji Schoendorff, I sit down with Dr. Ali Kadri, a leading Marxist political economist and scholar of the Arab world to discuss his important new book The Accumulation of Waste: A Political Economy of Systemic Destructi…
- Accelerationism and Political Violence (feat. Grady Page)
Grady Page joins me for a philosophy salon on how accelerationist ideas influence contemporary struggles over technology, capitalism & the left. Read this Substack about the event: https://revolpress.substack.com/cp/180530252 If you benefi…
- Socialism Against Liberalism: The Political Philosophy of Jean-Claude Michéa (feat. Tony of 1Dime)
I'm joined by Tony Chamas, aka "Tony of @1Dimee " for a discussion on the philosopher Jean-Claude Michéa's theory of liberalism. Liberalism requires a unity between its economic and its cultural imperatives in order to remain intact as a…
- The Concept of Extimacy in the Work of Jacques Lacan (feat. Nadia Bou Ali & Surti Singh)
I am joined by Lacanian philosophers Nadia Bou Ali and Surti Singh to discuss the concept of "Extimacy" in the work of Jacques Lacan. In 1960, Lacan coined the neologism extimité (extimacy) to denote a structure of subjectivity in which th…
- Q & A Session
I've have hosted a number of interviews, symposiums, lectures and study groups this year. This is a Q & A session where I answer questions from patrons, listeners and supporters. If you benefit from my work please consider a donation to he…
- A Whole New World (The Archimedean Point, Episode 4)
In our latest episode of The Archimedean Point, we turn to Edward Said's theory of Orientalism and address its shortcomings from a Marxist perspective. We focus on Disney's Aladdin from the early 1990s as an example of pop-Orientalism, and…
- Žižek and the Left (feat. Cadell Last)
We are joined by philosopher Cadell Last, the host of Philosophy Portal to discuss his new article "No Marxism Without Žižek", ( https://bit.ly/46c4gnj ) a review of Flowers for Marx .
- Deleuze for Marxism? A Discussion with Alex Taek-Gwang Lee
I am joined by philosopher Alex Taek-Gwang Lee for a critical analysis and discussion on the legacy of Gilles Deleuze's thought, its influence on the existing left and the ways that the concepts Deleuze developed have interacted with the w…
- The Marxism of Domenico Losurdo - A Critical Discussion (feat. Ross Wolfe)
My guest is Ross Wolfe, a socialist historian and writer. In a recently published three-part essay entitled, "Against Losurdo" ( https://newintermag.com/against-losurdo ) Wolfe argues that Losurdo's work represents the re-introduction of S…
- How to Confront Political Despair (feat. Benjamin Studebaker)
I am joined by political theorist Benjamin Studebaker to discuss the retreat of the political and the concomitant rise in despair. How do we theorize this despair, and how does it differ from spiritual despair? Please read Studebaker's art…
- Michel Clouscard's Critique of Liberal-Libertarian Ideology (feat. Michael C. Behrent)
My guest is Michael C. Behrent, a historian of French intellectual history and a leading scholar of Michel Foucault. Behrent has been at the forefront of an important debate about the legacy of Foucault's thought, and specifically his poli…
- Can Ressentiment Be Revolutionary? (feat. Zahi Zalloua)
I am joined by philosopher and scholar Zahi Zalloua to discuss the politics of resentment, and how to theorize the problematic concept of "ressentiment" and whether this concept can be applied to emancipatory ends. Is ressentiment a politi…
- Palestine and the Political Economy of the Middle East (feat. Adam Hanieh)
My guest is the political economist Adam Hanieh, a foremost expert on the political economy of the Middle East, fossil capitalism and imperialism. We discuss the war on Gaza, the prospects of Palestinian statehood, the dominance of Gulf oi…
- Marxism and the Literary Left in America (feat. Alan Wald)
I am joined by Alan M. Wald to discuss his extensive work on the literary left and the history of intellectuals and the communist movement in America. We discuss Wald's new book of essays called "Bohemian Bolsheviks: Dispatches from the Cu…
- Socialist Realism and the Communist Ideal: On Mikhail Lifshits (feat. Angela Harutyunyan)
My guest is art historian and Marxist thinker Angela Harutyunyan, who has joined us to discus the work of the Marxist philosopher Mikhail Lifshits. Lifshits was an important Soviet Marxist thinker who developed a theory of aesthetics that…
- The History of Riots and the Left (feat. C. Derick Varn)
C. Derick Varn, host of the Varn Vlog is a Marxist theorist, poet and political commentator. Varn joins our show to discuss the protests and riots against ICE in Los Angeles and across the country that popped off in late spring and early…
- A Social History of Analytic Philosophy (feat. Christoph Schuringa)
Analytic philosophy is the leading form of philosophy in the English-speaking world and most academic philosophy departments are analytic. But what explains this power and what is the history of analytic philosophy. Where did it begin and…
- Gramsci's Theory of Bonapartism (feat. Francesca Antonini)
My guest is Dr. Francesca Antonini, a historian and scholar of Antonio Gramsci. Dr. Antonini teaches at the Ca' Foscari University in Venice Italy. Her latest book is an exhaustive study of Gramsci's theory of Bonapartism, and it is entitl…
- Analytic Marxism and the Future of Scientific Socialism (feat. Ben Burgis)
Ben Burgis joins us for a discussion on the analytic Marxism of G.A. Cohen and the implications of his reading of Marx for 21st century socialism. We discuss Burgis's essay in the new book Flowers for Marx available now with with Revol Pre…
- The Roots of Austerity and 20th Century Fascism (feat. Clara Mattei)
My guest Clara Mattei has written about austerity’s dark intellectual origins in her important new book The Capital Order: How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way for Fascism . We discuss the main ideas of this book and how the…
- Organizing the Working Class (feat. Sudip Bhattacharya)
My guest Sudip Bhattacharya studies and organizes the working class in New Jersey and he joins me to discuss the findings of his work. We explore some practical strategies for organizing the working class, the future of socialist politics…
- Restoring the Revolutionary Thought of Karl Kautsky (feat. Ian Szabo)
I am joined by Marxist historian Ian Szabo to discuss the revival of Karl Kautsky's revolutionary thought among contemporary Marxists. We discuss a recent article on Kautsky's theory of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and we address t…
- The Social Formation of the Far Right (The Archimedean Point)
Welcome to The Archimedean Point, a new series on the current political situation from a Marxist perspective. In our second episode, Daniel Tutt and Conrad Hamilton discuss the inadequacies of left-liberal accounts of racism and bigotry an…
- The Politics of Work and Class in Michael Mann's Thief (feat. Mtume Gant)
Welcome to a special crossover podcast discussion on Michael Mann's first major feature film Thief (1981). While Michael Mann is best known for films like HEAT and Last of the Mohicans , Thief is by far his most political film. The film ex…
- Genius After Psychoanalysis (feat. Daniel Cho)
I am joined by K. Daniel Cho to discuss his provocative new book Genius After Psychoanalysis: Freud and Lacan which argues that genius is not exceptional talent or intelligence but is related to and illuminated by the psychological concept…
- Economic Imperialism and Global Working Class Struggle (feat. Immanuel Ness)
My guest is Dr. Immanuel Ness, one of the foremost scholars of contemporary imperialism, workers’ social organization, Global South political economy, socialism and migration. We discuss the concept of economic imperialism in today's time…
- Rumors and Philosophy (feat. Mladen Dolar)
I am joined by the philosopher Mladen Dolar, one of the most important Lacanian philosophers working today. A founder of the Ljubljana school of psychoanalysis, Mladen Dolar has written important works on Hegel, Marx and numerous works on…
- The Working Class vs. Neofeudalism (feat. Jodi Dean)
I am joined by political theorist Jodi Dean to discuss her provocative new book Capital's Grave: Neofeudalism and the New Class Struggle . Jodi Dean is one of the most vocal proponents of the "neofeudal thesis", the idea that capitalism ha…
- Why Marxists Should Be Public Intellectuals (feat. Russell Jacoby)
My guest Russell Jacoby is credited with coining the concept "public intellectual." He has written extensively on socialism in America, western Marxism and Freudian Marxism. We begin with a discussion of his criticism of Domenico Losurdo's…
- Althusser and the Problem of the Petty Bourgeoisie (feat. Nicolas Villarreal)
We welcome socialist thinker and writer Nicolas D. Villarreal for a discussion on the thought of Louis Althusser, and how to navigate the political and ideological problems of the petty bourgeoisie. We begin with a discussion into whether…
- The Critique of Class Abstractionism (feat. Mike McCarthy)
My guest Michael A. McCarthy joins me to discuss his critique of "class abstractionism" or the tendency to theorize the working class in ways that result in vulgar and reductive conclusions. While McCarthy directs his critique to Vivek Chi…
- Debating Marxism - Daniel Tutt vs. Chris Cutrone
I have invited Chris Cutrone onto the show for a critical debate and discussion on our differences regarding Marxism in America, imperialism, interpretations of Nietzsche and the meaning of the left. Chris Cutrone is not someone that I agr…
- Jacques Rancière Interview on Emancipations
Please welcome Jacques Rancière to the Emancipations podcast. In the unlikely event you are not aware of the work of Jacques Rancière, he is seemingly impossible to classify as a thinker. He emerges from the May 68 moment, a student of Alt…
- Marx and the Struggle for Freedom (feat. Vanessa Wills & Daniel Tutt)
We are joined by Marxist philosophers Vanessa Wills and Daniel Tutt for a discussion moderated by Sam Greenhouse. This in-person podcast event delves into the philosophy of Marx and how Marx's thought relates to the ongoing quest for freed…
- Marx and the Problem of Inequality (feat. Branko Milanović)
We welcome Branko Milanović for a discussion on inequality and Marxism and his latest book Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War . A sweeping and original history of how economists across two centurie…
- The Origins of the Revolutionary Tradition in America (feat. Gerald Horne)
We are joined by Dr. Gerald Horne for a discussion on the meaning of the American Revolution and his extensive scholarship on re-assessing 1776 as a "counterrevoluton." At the heart of this discussion is the political and practical questio…
- The Different Forms of Class Struggle (Class Struggle Study Group Session I)
We turn to a study group on Domenico Losurdo's Class Struggle: A Political and Philosophical History , a crucial text for understanding class struggle within Marx and Engels’ thought that challenges populist understandings of class struggl…
- Why the Left Got High on Nietzsche — Daniel Tutt interview with Henry Holland from NietzschePOParts
A new interview with Henry Holland from Nietzsche POParts, a recently-founded Swiss magazine dedicated to debating Nietzsche's relevance today—essayistic yet grounded in the latest scholarship. Henry interviewed me on my book How to Read L…
- Why Losurdo's Western Marxism Matters (feat. Gabriel Rockhill)
We are joined by philosopher and Marxist intellectual Gabriel Rockhill to discuss the relevance and importance of the recently translated work, Western Marxism (Monthly Review Press, 2024) by Domenico Losurdo. In this discussion, we analyz…
- The Politics of Lacanian Structuralism (feat. Samo Tomšič)
We welcome Lacanian philosopher Samo Tomšič for a presentation and discussion on Lacan's relationship to structuralism and politics. We center this discussion around Seminar XVI, "From an Other to the Other" where we witness a shift in Lac…
- Schelling and Irrationalism (feat. Christopher Satoor)
We welcome philosopher Christopher Satoor for a discussion on the philosophy of Schelling, the great German idealist. We will focus our conversation on two Marxist critiques of Schelling in Lukács' The Destruction of Reason , to Engels' cr…