Political Philosophy Podcast

The strange historical reality behind the inspiration for so many political systems, & what we can learn from it.

Not being listened to was annoying, was it also unjust?

This history of, and modern threats to, this core American freedom

A recent article of mine generated significant engagement from all sides, including an extended critique from Silvaria, who argued I was wrong to try and separate conservatism and fascism. We sat down to discuss the debate.

The right is obsessed with declining birth rates, what, if anything, should be the liberal response?

My response to the latest round of NYTs articles

Breaking down Labour's lurch to the right, and what comes next?

What is bigotry, how should we think about it, and why a strategy of appeasement will never work.

My thoughts on the Manchester by-election

Greg & I have both recently argued that, as horrific as this moment is, it offer liberals an opportunity to push a different vision on immigration & reset the politics of the issue. We discuss what we're up against, the challenges facing us, what us winning might look like, and how we get there.

It's 1350 BC and the most powerful man on earth has lost his mind, closing the temples, moving the capital into the desert, and raving, terrifyingly, that there is only one god

Does the UK have Wine Moms? & other listener questions

What is academic tenure, what are the main arguments for or against it? Why has it gotten harder to get, and to what extent should public scholarship be a criteria for it? Deepa Das Acevedo discusses her book The War on Tenure.

Why are fascists so interested in fictional universes like Star Trek or Lord of the Rings? And is there a link between the rise of the far right and the decline in creativity in mainstream entertainment?

What is Fascism, what was its relationship to socialism historically, and what is it today?

What comes after the murder in Minneapolis.

Across the world mainline political parties have faced a challenge from the far-right. Across the world, they've struggled to offer a counter narrative on immigration. Why?

I recently published an article in The New Republic interviewing the American's who saw our democratic collapse coming -Cassandras, as I called them. I wanted to understand why some people got it, and others didn't. I'm joined by one of them, Irina (also my wife) who interviews me on the process of writing it and what I learn't.

Liberal Current's Editor in Chief Adam Gurri joins the podcast - How the centrist political media has enabled fascism, and what needs to be done differently. Support the Political Philosophy Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Support Liberal Currents: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-liberal-currents-startup-fund

An audio essay: Putting the UK's new anti-refugee policies in context, why they are both bad on their own terms, but also a big warning sign for our democracy. Where we're at, and why there is hope.

Tom & I debate if the current Labour Government is on the right track - are they right to give ground on cultural issues?

What is bioethics? Why do Black and white Americans experience such differential healthcare outcomes? And what are the drawbacks to social justice concepts from academia becoming mainstream?

I'm joined by the founder and director of The Good Law Project - the organisation fighting the UK's anti-trans bathroom ban in court. We cover rights and freedoms in the UK, the complex legal mess we find ourselves in, and how the rest of us should respond.

Measuring our anti-fascist preparedness vs the US, Video version: https://youtu.be/t8DEEUs-RFg?si=L8DDXCT5VTE82RTP

Originally a symbol of mobility, of escape and adventure, we have now built much of our world around the car. Has doing so liberated us? Moore & Kay argue that it has not.

Does my argument that the left should not threaten abstention survive Liam's case that we can't impose message discipline on online communities? An open free-form chat.

Liam Bright discusses his influential White Psychodrama paper & we give our takes on the various cultural products arising from white guilt. Is the era of 'high woke' over, and is there anything to be learn't from it?

James S. Fishkin, the Pioneer of deliberative polling joins the podcast. We discuss the nature of public opinion, how it can be changed, the positivities of consensus, 'activist disfunction' and can deliberation help cure our current democratic death spiral.

I recently wrote that liberalism must reject neutrality and instead embrace a comprehensive vision of what is good for people, one that takes the fight to fascism. I defend that view against concerns from Alec Crisman and we debate our very different visions about what liberals can - or should - try to achieve in the age of Trump.

The series continues, exploring the world the Bible was born into. Another genre of writing these texts existed within was the Ancient Near Eastern law code. We look at the most famous, focusing on sex, marriage, adultery, homosexuality, and offending cows.

From Ancient Egypt, to Ethiopia, to the Islamic tradition, Africa had a rich - & truly ancient - tradition of philosophy prior to European Colonization. Peter Adamson and Chike Jeffers join the podcast to discuss. Africana Philosophy from Ancient Egypt to the Nineteenth Century: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/africana-philosophy-from-ancient-egypt-to-the-nineteenth-century-9780198927174?cc=gb&lang=en& Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast

What is democracy and why is it failing? Natasha Piano joins the show to discuss her recent book, Democratic Elitism: The Founding Myth of American Political Science.

The first episode of my new, new format, history series - the Bible in its historic and literary context. We start in 1850 BC in ancient Babylon, with the epics that would evolve into the Genesis flood story.

A shot preview of a new series I'll be doing on the podcast

I take a range of questions on all things British politics.

Why Hillary vs Bernie still shapes our politics & how we can move past it.

Crime and criminality are central concepts in American political discourse - fears of crime, crime as code for race, or illegal immigration are all common issues. Now we have a movement running the country that is obsessed with crime, but also led by criminals, how do we make sense of that? Why is that so appealing to so many, and how do we talk them out of it? I'm joined by one of the best writers on the criminal justice system - Josie Duffy Rice - to discuss.

What the hell is up with Silicon Valley's lurch to the far-right? Dave Karpf joins to discuss

Why & how the Democratic Party needs to change. Samantha and I discuss our recent articles on what is going wrong for democrats, and what is going wrong for those who want to reform the party. The Crisis of Democratic Governance: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-crisis-of-democratic-governance/ Roadmap to American Reconstruction: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/roadmap-to-american-reconstruction/ Reforging America: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/reforging-america/ Why the Democratic Tea Party Failed (and How It Could Succeed): https://newrepublic.com/article/195300/democratic-tea-party-bernie-aoc-failed-succeed

The debate on if Trump is an existential fascist threat is now over. What, if anything, is to be learnt from it? Yes, It's Fascism https://www.liberalcurrents.com/yes-its-fascism/ Trump 'Alarmists' Were Right: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/trump-alarmists-were-right-we-should-say-so/ Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast

The EU from a political philosophy perspective - How do we justify it, is it legitimate, is there a 'democracy gap', & how will it weather the rising far-right?

Who was Rousseau? What is the 'general will'? What did he think was important when designing constitutions, and what does this tell us about freedom - and the possibility of freedom - today?

Moudhy Al-Rashid on the first kings in history - The origins of the institution, royal ideology & propaganda, & their use of violence & terror

How does the UK political system work, what role has immigration played in our politics, and are we at risk of a 'Trump moment' here?

What's wrong with the refugee debate in the UK? Does our process respect assylum seekers (or even attempt to)? Do refugees have an obligation to be grateful? And how do we even start to think ethically in such a warped informaiton environment?

I share a new political spectrum for the ati-trump coalition and use it to think through questions like: Why did the democtratic vote decline from 2020 to 2024, what's gone wrong for liberal messaging, how can the left win primaries, & what's (some) dems becoming much worse post-election?

A deep dive into all things Plato & The Republic with Dr Carol Atack. Particularly his description of tyranny and the tyrant, do they apply today, and how we might read Plato in the light of our current moment.

An in-depth look at the US-Israel relationship. What were the Biden administrations goals post October 7th, and how successful where they? How should we think about Trump's proposed plan, what is the thinking (or lack of) behind it, and why does it hold such appeal for some?

Everything Supreme Court - Theory and practice: How has the role of the court developed historically, how has it gained more power recently, how should we think about it, and what should we expect in Trump's second term?

In a patreon supporers only episode I take a range of audience questions on democratic messaging, my liberal currents articles, and how to make falafel that doesn't fall apart. This is a 10 minute preview of the episode - for the full thing, become a supporter on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/politicalphilosophypodcast