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Politics Theory Other

Politics Theory Other

Politics Theory Other 377 Episodes Oct 15, 2026

A podcast on radical politics, critical theory, and history. Hosted by Alex Doherty. The show explores topics from a leftist perspective, often featuring interviews with academics and activists. It aims to provide in-depth analysis of contemporary political issues through a theoretical lens.

Episodes

Posturing to the World - Britain's 'defence' budget w/ Khem Rogaly
Posturing to the World - Britain's 'defence' budget w/ Khem Rogaly Oct 15, 2026 00:56:31 In the midst of an ever increasing drumbeat of commentary predicting a major European war, and demands that military spending be increased to meet the threat posed by Russia, Khem Rogaly joins PTO to talk about the UK defence budget. We talked about how the military spending of the United States, the UK and their Nato allies compares with the spending of their adversaries, and why Britain and Fra
The unmaking of the Chinese working class w/ Teemu Ruskola
The unmaking of the Chinese working class w/ Teemu Ruskola Oct 8, 2026 00:46:37 Teemu Ruskola joins PTO to talk about his new book, 'The Unmaking of the Chinese Working Class: How Communism Built a Capitalist Superpower'. We talked about how China's remarkable economic rise was facilitated by the state's socialist inheritance and about the central role played by Chinese migrant workers. We went on to discuss the creation of a conventional capitalist labour market in China, a
Excerpt - Richard Seymour on the AI threat, the Sudan genocide, and the UK and Palestine
Excerpt - Richard Seymour on the AI threat, the Sudan genocide, and the UK and Palestine Oct 5, 2026 00:02:33 To listen to this episode of PTO Extra become a PTO sustainer at patreon.com/poltheoryother
What the UK owes to Yemen w/ David Wearing
What the UK owes to Yemen w/ David Wearing Oct 1, 2026 00:53:31 Between 2015 and 2022, a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states waged a devastating military campaign in Yemen, which - David Wearing argues in today's episode - was so severe that it resembles Israel's genocidal actions in Gaza. A key role in the Yemen conflict was played by British-built planes that were used to indiscriminately bomb the country, and contributed to what was described by the United
Iran and Yemen - uniting the straits w/ Séamus Malekafzali
Iran and Yemen - uniting the straits w/ Séamus Malekafzali Sep 24, 2026 00:47:00 Séamus Malekafzali returns to PTO to talk about the possibility of further escalation in the US war on Iran and about the prospects for a diplomatic settlement. We chatted about the position of the Gulf states, and recent comments from officials in Qatar and the UAE that called for a reset of relations with Iran. We went on to talk about the price of oil and the global and regional economic impact
Troop Movements w/ Tejasvi Nagaraja
Troop Movements w/ Tejasvi Nagaraja Sep 17, 2026 01:32:46 In the popular imagination WWII is still often seen in both the United States and Britain as a moment of great national consensus, where political differences and class struggle were set aside in the cause of defeating European Fascism and Japanese imperialism. But in his new book, 'Troop Movements', Tejasvi Nagaraja shows how the reality is much more complex, with military mobilisation and the w
Certainty in uncertain times w/ Natasha Lennard
Certainty in uncertain times w/ Natasha Lennard Sep 10, 2026 01:13:39 It's become commonplace to describe our current epoch in terms of "uncertain times", whether when talking about the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical ruptures, or the rapid rise of insurgent political forces. But Natasha Lennard argues that talk of uncertainty and doubt often masks the violent certainties that structure our world - from the seeming inviolability and permanence of property and border
Interregnum - Living in the Pyrocene
Interregnum - Living in the Pyrocene Sep 3, 2026 00:41:13 Richard returns to talk about this year's wildfires. We talked about the scale and extent of the wildfires, how they compare to recent years, and the threat of the so-called weather whiplash effect, with heatwaves and wildfires being followed by severe flooding. We also talked about how fire is impacting biodiversity, how better land use management could reduce the threat posed by wildfires, and w
[UNLOCKED] James Meadway on the economic costs of heatwaves
[UNLOCKED] James Meadway on the economic costs of heatwaves Aug 27, 2026 00:31:40 James Meadway joins PTO to discuss the report he recently authored for the Verdant think tank on the economic costs of the recent UK heatwaves. We talked about how the extreme weather hit productivity right across the economy - from construction workers and delivery drivers to office workers. And about how the increasing casualisation of the workforce makes UK workers increasingly vulnerable to th
Purple state revolution? w/ Maurice Weeks
Purple state revolution? w/ Maurice Weeks Aug 20, 2026 00:27:01 In the Wisconsin primary last week the socialist candidate Francesca Hong was narrowly defeated by her more centrist opponent. It's a result that some argue shows the limits of left politics in swing states and outside of Democrat voting heartlands - in spite of the prior victory of Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. To talk through both campaigns, and what they tell us about the viability of left politi
PTO Extra! - James Meadway on the economic costs of heatwaves
PTO Extra! - James Meadway on the economic costs of heatwaves Aug 18, 2026 00:01:55 If you'd like to hear the rest of this episode of PTO Extra! become a £5 patron at patreon.com/poltheoryother
Passing on the torch - Vietnam, Algeria, Palestine w/ Hamza Hamouchene
Passing on the torch - Vietnam, Algeria, Palestine w/ Hamza Hamouchene Aug 13, 2026 00:56:28 Although it's increasingly common to describe the Palestinian struggle for liberation in terms of a conflict with settler colonialism, it's more rare for Palestine to be situated in the broader context of anti-imperialist struggles of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and specifically the wars for liberation conducted by the FLN in Algeria and the Vietminh and the National Liberation Front i

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