Cosmopod

Cosmonaut Magazine

Cosmopod is the official podcast of Cosmonaut Magazine, a project dedicated to expanding the project of scientific socialism in the 21st Century. In our feed we have a combination of podcast episodes and audio articles from our website.

  1. 4D AGO

    The Border is a Mirror: Europe and the politics of migration with Iker Suarez

    In this episode, Rudy joins Iker Suárez, author of The Migrant Genocide: Toward a Third World Analysis of European Class Struggle, to delve into the politics of migration and borders in Europe, examining how imperialism, class, and race intersect in what our guest describes as a "genocide at sea." We explore who the people migrating to Europe are, why they move, and how their journeys expose the contradictions at the heart of European liberalism. Our guest argues that immigration today represents the return of Europe's colonial past, and critiques how both the right and the nominal left continue to enforce violent border regimes -from the Tarajal massacre to ongoing state repression- while masking them as "human rights" issues. We also discuss the limits of NGO-led antiracism, the weak state of immigrant organizing across Europe, how the concept of race is undeveloped, and how citizenship itself becomes a new class divide.

    1h 12m

  2. OCT 6

    What Is Missing From Your Understanding of Revolutionary Democratic Centralism

    Steve Bloom ruminates on the meaning and practice of democratic centralism, arguing that respect for minority positions is key to building a truly disciplined revolutionary formation. Reading: Felix Bauer

    30 min

  3. SEP 29

    Protest, Pop Culture and the Alt-Right: Jarrod Shanahan on a Decade of Upheaval

    On this episode of Cosmopod, Isaac and Jack talk with Jarrod Shanahan about his new book, Every Fire Needs a Little Bit of Help: A Decade of Rebellion, Reaction, and Morbid Symptoms. From Occupy to Black Lives Matter to the George Floyd Rebellion, Shanahan reflects on a decade of struggle, and shares his experiences with and analysis of Trumpism and the alt-right. We explore lessons from mass movements, the fate of abolitionist politics, pop culture's apocalyptic turn, the connections between today's cultural landscape and the 1970s, the legacies of Noel Ignatiev, and what it means to build revolutionary organization in a time of crisis. References: Don Hamerquist - A Brilliant Red Thread Elizabeth Henson - Phantom Pheminists The film Betrayed (1998)

    1h 48m

  4. SEP 26

    Towards 2026: The Fight for Recognition

    Carlos Campos Jr. analyzes the disunity of electoral campaigns pursued by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), argues for the strategic infrastructural integration of the organization's state-level electoral efforts, and provides a tentative plan for doing so. Reading: Felix Bauer

    40 min

  5. AUG 3

    D. R. Congo after Mobutu to the present with Jeremy Rich

    Rudy joins Jeremy Rich for a discussion on the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the late 80s to the present. We cover the decay of Mobutu's regime, the changes in the 90s, how the Rwandan Civil War prompted an invasion and the first and second Congo Wars, the factions involved in these wars including the special role of Rwanda and Paul Kagame. We discuss the transitions of power, from Mobutu, to the Kabilas, and to the present president Tshisekedi; the role of the U.S. and China, the recent rise in "rebel" activity and the outlook for the future. References: Orgs - Friends of the Congo (www.friendsofthecongo.org). Twitter: Gaeten-Dauphin Nzowo (@GNzowo) and Benedicte Njdoko (@babisema) Readings on the 1990-2020s: Jason Stearns's The War That Doesn't Say Its Name; writings by Kristof Titeca and Judith Verweijen. Cold War in DRC: Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, Patrice Lumumba; Piero Gleijses's books Visions of Freedom and Conflicting Missions; Pedro Monaville's Students of the World; James H. Smith's The Eyes of the World: Mining the Digital Age in the Eastern DR Congo

    1h 56m

  6. JUL 13

    Superman Through the Ages: Hero of the Zeitgeist

    Rudy sits down with Hank Kennedy, author of From Champion of the Oppressed to Truth, Justice, and the American Way: Who Took the Socialism Out of Superman? to discuss the surprising political journey of Superman, tracing his evolution from a Depression-era defender of the oppressed to a complex symbol shaped by changing American ideologies. We dive into the roots of Superman's creation by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, how Superman originally tackled social injustices head-on and follow his evolution from his early anti-authoritarian stances to his shifting roles in WWII, the Cold War, and beyond -including his emergence as a "SuperRepublican" in the 1980s and a more progressive figure in the 21st century. We also talk about the broader role of comics as a political tool in the left, and how they correspond to the Zeitgeist and culture.

    55 min

  7. MAY 14

    An Introduction To Kojin Karatani with Gabriel Tupinambá

    We join Gabriel Tupinambá from the Subset of Theoretical Practice for a discussion on the Japanese Marxist Kojin Karatani. We discuss what Karatani's project is, why we should care about it, before focusing on his magna opus The Structure of World History. We discuss his approach to modes of exchange, and why it is a novel lens, how communism fits on his scheme before mentioning some weak points. We end up with a discussion of how Gabriel´s reading of Karatani has affected his organizing.

    52 min

  8. APR 23

    How the US made Global Capitalism with Sam Gindin

    Ira and Rudy sit down with Sam Gindin to discuss the evolving nature of global capitalism through the lens of U.S. hegemony, neoliberalism, and emerging geopolitical shifts. We begin by analyzing Gindin's The Making of Global Capitalism, examining how the U.S.-led global order was constructed and whether it's synonymous with neoliberalism. From there, we delve into current trends—protectionism, supply chain reshoring, and regionalization—to ask whether these signal a break from neoliberal norms or a transformation into something new. We also assess the stability of U.S. dominance in a world where multipolarity is rising, before bringing the conversation home: how these global dynamics impact domestic labor and the potential for cross-border solidarity among labor and socialist movements.

    1h 15m
See All (330)

4.7
out of 5
91 Ratings

About

Cosmopod is the official podcast of Cosmonaut Magazine, a project dedicated to expanding the project of scientific socialism in the 21st Century. In our feed we have a combination of podcast episodes and audio articles from our website.

Information

  • Creator
    Cosmonaut Magazine
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    330
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Cosmopod

You Might Also Like