Militant Empathy

Militant Empathy
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Militant Empathy is a long-form podcast, where each episode tries to grapple with one big issue, like: why do we think about sex the way that we do? What does "justice" mean? Where did borders come from? What the f**k is mental health anyway? I pull on history, philosophy and general political science to shape each episode but the most important thing for me is always to make sure that somebody with absolutely zero subject matter expertise could still understand what I'm talking about. I truly believe that if you cannot explain something well to somebody who doesn't know your field, you do not know your field well enough yourself. The podcast runs in seasons and each season I'll release one episode a month, with a short break between seasons. You can catch episodes on all major podcasting platforms and also YouTube xoxo

Episodes

  1. On Sex

    12/06/2025

    On Sex

    In 1905 celebrated cocaine addict Sigmund Freud coined the term “psychic impotence” to describe a form of sexual disfunction he had observed in men who failed to realise their arousal because they viewed women in binary terms - either as saintly Madonnas who should not be sullied by their desires, or as sex crazed harlots with whom they should not debase themselves. It’s been some 120 years since the term Madonna-Whore complex was borne out of Freud’s theories, but I still have just a couple of things to say about it. In this feature length season finale episode I’m going to explore this binary stretching all the way back to biblical times - (yes, Biblical Times!). We’ll cover everything from Christian Creation myths, to the medical theories of the Ancient Greeks, the European Witch Hunts, Andrew Tate, the much beloved family friendly Disney classic, Pretty Woman, Trad Wives, and the very concept of demurité itself.

    1h 47m
  2. On Justice (ft chat about Jonah Hill, xQc & Sarah Schulman)

    11/08/2025

    On Justice (ft chat about Jonah Hill, xQc & Sarah Schulman)

    The term “justice” has suffixed a lot of political thought in the past decade - transformative justice, economic justice, social justice, environmental justice, reproductive justice, I could go on - but what do we actually mean by justice? And how far should we be willing to go to get it? In this episode, I’m going to take you on a bit of a rambling journey through a series of examples that I think open up some interesting ways of thinking about justice. We’ll be covering themes of ethical philosophy, cancel culture and, for some inexplicable reason, Jonah Hill and xQc. You can also expect lots of discussion of Sarah Schulman’s at times controversial book Conflict is Not Abuse - I hope you enjoy it, I really enjoyed making it.

    54 min
  3. On Police

    10/04/2025

    On Police

    Post-2020 it’s safe to say people’s views on “the police” as an institution have been… not so great. Every couple of years seems to herald in some new landmark investigation into police misconduct, and a rotating cast of government officials continue to make bold promises of “root and branch reform” every time a news story hits the headlines - but how did we actually get here? Why are the police like this? In this episode I will take a deep dive into the history of policing in Britain, specifically into the foundation of one of its leading forces: the Metropolitan Police. I’ll also take us into the present day and question the expanding role of the police in the realms of homelessness, mental illness and education.

    1h 2m
  4. Summer Break!

    SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Summer Break!

    We'll be back with you in a couple of months with some BANGERS, sorry about the wait, but it will be worth it.

    1 min
  5. On Borders

    07/05/2025

    On Borders

    Ever wondered what specifically happens to a person who gets the bubonic plague? Do you know specifically how bubonic plague is relates to the first forms of border control? Do you want to know? If so, then this episode is for you! If not, how does it feel to be a mentally healthy person? In this episode I take listeners through the history of borders and border control, paying particular attention to the history of British migration policy. Expect discussion of the plague (obviously), eugenics theory, Westphalian peace accords, Windrush migration and the Hostile Environment.

    59 min
  6. On Mental Health

    06/07/2025

    On Mental Health

    Ever stared blankly at the endless horizon and wondered “what the f*ck is ‘mental health’ anyway?”. Then this episode is for you! In this episode I take a look at modern discourses surrounding mental health, and dig down to the apparently endless calls to “protect our peace”. I touch on trends in the present like the so-called “corporatification of friendship”, and the ever present commodification of suffering, as well as explore the historical roots of psychiatry and its philosophical implications, with particular attention to the works of Michel Foucault.

    56 min
  7. On Strong Women

    05/03/2025

    On Strong Women

    In this episode I take a look at tropes surrounding "strong women". I explore where these tropes came from and what kinds of stories they can tell us, paying particular attention to black feminist thought from Sojourner Truth to bell hooks. In a perhaps uncharacteristically heartfelt episode, I ask for listeners to think about what implications these tropes have for different models of femininity. You can expect a healthy dose of imperial and medical history, psychology, and media studies. Given the subject matter this episode does explore some challenging themes including: medical misogyny, racism, slavery, genocide and sexual violence. As such, listener discretion is advised.

    56 min
  8. On Community

    04/05/2025

    On Community

    In this episode I take a look at the breakdown of community in the present day. I come at this question a bit sideways and explore the question of why community breaks down through the theories of three different philosophers: Karl Marx, Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard.

    1h 3m
  9. MILITANT EMPATHY SEASON 01 TRAILER

    SEASON 1 TRAILER

    MILITANT EMPATHY SEASON 01 TRAILER

    Militant Empathy is a new podcast for curious people, covering history, politics, philosophy, culture and vibes! Every month from April 5th 2025 there will be a new episode that'll take a stab at some of the big questions we face today. Questions like: why do communities fall apart? Where did borders come from? What do we mean when we talk about justice? Why are the police like this? What the hell is mental health anyway? If this sounds up your street stay tuned for launch xoxo

    1 min

Trailers

About

Militant Empathy is a long-form podcast, where each episode tries to grapple with one big issue, like: why do we think about sex the way that we do? What does "justice" mean? Where did borders come from? What the f**k is mental health anyway? I pull on history, philosophy and general political science to shape each episode but the most important thing for me is always to make sure that somebody with absolutely zero subject matter expertise could still understand what I'm talking about. I truly believe that if you cannot explain something well to somebody who doesn't know your field, you do not know your field well enough yourself. The podcast runs in seasons and each season I'll release one episode a month, with a short break between seasons. You can catch episodes on all major podcasting platforms and also YouTube xoxo

Information

  • Creator
    Militant Empathy
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Militant Empathy 2025
  • Show Website
    Militant Empathy