EPISODE · Oct 8, 2025 · 58 MIN
Quinn Slobodian on Capitalism, Democracy, and the Politics of Zones (Part 1)
from Democracy in Question? · host Graduate Institute, Geneva
Our guest: Quinn Slobodian Democracy in Question? is brought to you by:• Central European University: CEU• The Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy in Geneva: AHCD• The Podcast Company: scopeaudio Follow us on social media!• Central European University: @weareceu.bsky.social• Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy in Geneva: @ahcdemocracy.bsky.social Subscribe to the show. If you enjoyed what you listened to, you can support us by leaving a review and sharing our podcast in your networks! GLOSSARY Bantustan A Bantustan was one of ten territories designated by South Africa's apartheid government as "homelands" for Black African populations. Established during the mid-20th century, these areas were intended to segregate Black South Africans from political and economic life in the rest of the country. Each Bantustan was associated with a specific ethnic or linguistic group, such as the Zulu, Xhosa, or Tswana peoples. Although some were nominally granted "independence," none were recognized internationally, and they were largely dependent on the South African state for funding and security. Life in Bantustans was often marked by poverty, underdevelopment, and limited political rights, with residents stripped of South African citizenship to reinforce segregation. The Bantustan system was widely criticized as a tool of racial exclusion, designed to legitimize apartheid while maintaining white political and economic dominance. source
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What this episode covers
This episode explores the tension between democracy and capitalist markets. How could the fragmentation of national sovereignty offer a “solution” in the neoliberal imagination? What can experiment in special economic zones—from China to South Africa and Somalia—teach us about the far-right’s dismantling of democratic institutions in Europe and the U.S.? Tune in to hear Quinn Slobodian unravel the global circulation of market-driven governance and its consequences for democracy.
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Quinn Slobodian on Capitalism, Democracy, and the Politics of Zones (Part 1)
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