Best A Shantha Podcasts (2025)

1
How Kerala Eliminated Extreme Poverty (w/ Atul Chandra) 1:19:26

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1h ago1:19:26

1:19:26

In this episode, I talk to Atul Chandra about Kerala becoming the first Indian state that has eradicated extreme poverty. Throughout the conversation, we cover how Kerala’s socialist-oriented model of development over the past seven decades has laid the groundwork for this to take place, how exactly this program was conducted, how it compares to Ch…

1
Worldmaking After Empire with Adom Getachew 1:03:23

3d ago1:03:23

1:03:23

In this episode, I’m joined by political theorist Adom Getachew, author of Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination (Princeton University Press, 2019), to discuss the politics of ‘anticolonial worldmaking’ that swept across the Third World throughout the latter half of the 20th century, when Global South leaders envisioned …

1
Anti-Imperialist Political Education (w/ Pranay Somayajula – Return to Bandung) 1:35:06

7d ago1:35:06

1:35:06

In this collaborative episode between Return To Bandung and the Intl Solidarity pod, Pranay Somayajula and I discuss navigating Western academia as Third World Marxists, we try to work through what the aims of our two respective podcasts are, what political education really means, who our respective audiences are, what our methods are, and more.Pra…

1
The Future of Resistance against Zio-Imperialism (w/ Tara Alami) | West Asia Series #3 1:02:51

11d ago1:02:51

1:02:51

PLEASE SUPPORT: Lifeline4Gaza: ⁠https://lifeline4gaza.com/⁠ One of the Sameer Project's several campaigns across the Gaza Strip: https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject In this episode of our West Asia Series, we’re joined by Tara Alami for a discussion that covers the state of the “ceasefire” thus far, the state of Palestinian politics at this critical…

1
Anti-Imperialist Political Education with Ashwin Shantha (1-Year Anniversary Episode) 1:23:34

17d ago1:23:34

1:23:34

For this special one-year anniversary episode of Return to Bandung, I’m joined by my comrade Ashwin Shantha to discuss our shared project of anti-imperialist political education. In this conversation, posted as a collaborative episode with Ashwin’s excellent International Solidarity Podcast (itself a part of Ashwin’s larger Journal of International…

1
Urban Life in Socialist Cities in China (w/ Mimi Zhu) 47:46

21d ago47:46

47:46

In this episode, I talk to Mimi Zhu about what China’s cities are like ad what socialism has to do with the development of these cities. We touch on public infrastructure, women’s safety, urban-rural connectivity, public washrooms, public transit, electric vehicles and more. Mimi Zhu is the host of the Roughly Chinese podcast on Wave Media, which c…

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Gaza 'Peace' Plan and War with Iran? (w/ Max Ajl) | West Asia Series #2 1:10:59

29d ago1:10:59

1:10:59

PLEASE SUPPORT: Lifeline4Gaza: ⁠https://lifeline4gaza.com/⁠ One of the Sameer Project's several campaigns across the Gaza Strip: https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject In this 2nd episode of our West Asia Series, we talk with Max Ajl about Trump's so-called ‘peace’ plan and Hamas’ response to it, we discuss the two year anniversary of October 7, prospe…

1
Defending Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution with Cira Pascual Marquina and Chris Gilbert 1:09:47

1M ago1:09:47

1:09:47

In this episode, I’m joined by scholars Cira Pascual Marquina and Chris Gilbert, coauthors of Venezuela, The Present as Struggle: Voices from the Bolivarian Revolution (Monthly Review Press, 2020), to discuss the history and current situation of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution. Situating our discussion in the context of escalating imperialist att…

1
Patriarchy and Colonialism in South Asia (w/ Zahra Haider) 1:38:38

1M ago1:38:38

1:38:38

In this episode, I have a wide-ranging conversation with Zahra Haider on patriarchy in South Asia, particularly Pakistan, its connections with colonialism and imperialism, feminist resistance in South Asia against patriarchy, as well as patriarchy in the west and its connections to capitalism more broadly. Zahra Haider is a multidisciplinary artist…

1
Ground invasion of Gaza City begins (w/ Dimitri Lascaris) | West Asia Series #1 38:07

2M ago38:07

38:07

This is the first episode of our new West Asia series, which is dedicated to covering the latest developments out of Palestine and the Arab-Iranian region more broadly. Please support: Lifeline4Gaza: https://lifeline4gaza.com/ One of the Sameer Projects several campaigns across the Gaza Strip: https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject/ In this episode, we…

1
Imperialism and Global Inequality with Jason Hickel 1:11:57

2M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

In this episode, I’m joined by economic anthropologist Jason Hickel, author of The Divide: Global Inequality from Conquest to Free Markets (W.W. Norton, 2018), to discuss the complex and interconnected relationship between imperialism—both past and present—and global economic inequality. We examine why mainstream liberal frameworks for understandin…

1
80 Years Since the Victory Against Fascism in Asia (w/ Qiao Collective) 2:05:10

2M ago2:05:10

2:05:10

In this episode, I’m joined by 2 members of the Qiao Collective to discuss a number of things related to the 80th anniversary of the victory against fascism in Asia. We first discuss the new Chinese film ‘Dead to Rights’ whose story looks at the Nanjing massacre, a key moment of World War 2 in China. We then discuss China’s broader role in WW2 and …

1
Reviving the Bandung Spirit (Socialism 2025 Conference Lecture) 52:16

2M ago52:16

52:16

This is the recording of a lecture that I gave in July at the Socialism 2025 conference in Chicago, titled “‘This is the Human Race Speaking…’: Reviving the Bandung Spirit in a Multipolar World.” In the lecture, which I also published as an essay on Substack, I reflect on the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference and the legacies of the Third …

1
India's Place in a Multipolar World (w/ Radhika Desai) 1:10:32

2M ago1:10:32

1:10:32

In this episode, I am joined by renowned Marxist scholar Radhika Desai to discuss India’s place in the world today, and particularly among the global south. We start off the conversation assessing the US threat of tariffs against India for purchasing Russian oil, why this has caused crisis among Indian political circles, why India’s economy is vuln…

1
Why China's Socialist Development Threatens the West (w/ Carl Zha) 32:17

2M ago32:17

32:17

In this episode, Carl Zha and I discuss the long trajectory of China’s socialist development, struggles within the Communist Party of China, as well as the US’ attempts so far to ‘contain’ China’s development trajectory. Carl Zha (⁩@carlzha) hosts the Silk and Steel podcast on his Youtube channel; check it out if you haven't already. Journal of Int…

1
Building an Internationalist Left in a New Era of Global Politics (w/ Breht O'Shea from Revolutionary Left Radio) 1:55:55

3M ago1:55:55

1:55:55

In this latest episode, I'm joined by Breht O'Shea (who many of you will know as the host of Revolutionary Left Radio) for a pretty wide-ranging discussion. We talk about the state of the left in the global north amidst the Gaza genocide and its inability to effectively do something about it, we talk about broader global shifts taking place at the …

1
India: A History of the Left Movement and Class Struggle (w/ Jyotishman Mudiar) 1:50:16

3M ago1:50:16

1:50:16

Jyotishman Mudiar, host of India & Global Left, joins me this episode to discuss the history of the communist movement and the left in India. We discuss the labour and peasant agitations during the colonial period, the splits between the different Indian communist parties, the Maoist movement in India, the successes of people-oriented reforms at th…

1
The Long Transition Towards Socialism and the End of Capitalism (w/ Torkil Lauesen) 1:39:49

3M ago1:39:49

1:39:49

In this episode, we look at the history of class struggles on a world scale – including movements for decolonization and building socialism – and how to understand this history from our current moment. We discuss the changes that took place during the neoliberal period, how to understand our current political moment, and how to carry on the process…

1
The Politics of International Solidarity with Pawel Wargan 1:18:40

3M ago1:18:40

1:18:40

In this episode, I’m joined by Pawel Wargan, Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Progressive International, to discuss the past, present, and future of left internationalism and international solidarity. In this wide-ranging conversation, we unpack what ‘internationalism’ really means, how debates over internationalism have evolved on the left ov…

1
Situating the Gaza Genocide in Anti-Colonial History (w/ Raven from In Defense of Liberation) 1:06:56

3M ago1:06:56

1:06:56

In this episode, we look at recent developments in Gaza and the region – including the state of famine imposed by the israeli regime – and attempt to contextualize it within a broader history of colonialism/anti-colonialism. We also discuss the so-called 'ceasefire negotiations' that appear to pop up every now and then, giving people hope, but that…

1
Mark Carney's First 100ish Days as Prime Minister: A Paradigm Shift? (w/ Blueprints of Disruption) 1:48:48

3M ago1:48:48

1:48:48

In this episode, Jessa McLean of Blueprints of Disruption and I discuss recent developments in Canadian politics since the election of Mark Carney's Liberal government. We start by discussing Carney's two signature bills so far: the colonial and pro-fossil fuel Bill C-5 and the anti-migrant and pro-surveillance Bill C-2. We then discuss Canada's ne…

1
Development and Imperialism with Jayati Ghosh 59:50

4M ago59:50

59:50

In this episode, I’m joined by critical development economist Jayati Ghosh to discuss the complex relationship between imperialism and international development. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore the problematic assumptions underlying mainstream ideas of ‘development,’ why GDP is a profoundly inadequate measure of a country’s economic w…

1
The Global Struggle for Peace and Socialism (w/ Vijay Prashad) 53:13

4M ago53:13

53:13

Vijay Prashad joins me on this episode of the International Solidarity podcast for a wide-ranging discussion that covers the Iran-Israel conflict, the India-Pakistan conflict, Zohran Mamdani’s recent Democratic primary win, and the tasks of the global left today and prospects for socialism. Journal of International Solidarity Links Instagram: https…

1
Outsourcing Imperialism in Africa with Samar Al-Bulushi 1:10:34

4M ago1:10:34

1:10:34

In this episode, I’m joined by Samar Al-Bulushi, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at UC Irvine and author of War-Making as World-Making: Kenya, the United States, and the War on Terror (Stanford University Press, 2024), to discuss how the United States outsources the violence of empire to countries in the Global South—particularly in Africa—in t…

1
A Decolonial Perspective on 'Canadian Multiculturalism' 17:53

4M ago17:53

17:53

This episode features a recent presentation podcast host Ashwin gave at an academic conference earlier in June. The presentation takes a Marxist approach in analyzing how 'Canadian multiculturalism' as a phenomenon came about, its relationship to settler colonialism, what its contradictions are today, and what it reveals about decolonization on thi…

1
Colonizing Kashmir with Hafsa Kanjwal 1:05:31

5M ago1:05:31

1:05:31

In this episode, I’m joined by Hafsa Kanjwal, Professor of South Asian History at Lafayette College and author of Colonizing Kashmir: State-building Under Indian Occupation (Stanford University Press, 2023), to discuss the long and complex history of colonization and resistance in Kashmir. We explore how the rights and agency of the Kashmiri people…

1
The Politics of Decolonization with Priyamvada Gopal 1:03:41

5M ago1:03:41

1:03:41

In this episode, I’m joined by Priyamvada Gopal, Professor of Postcolonial Studies at the University of Cambridge and author of Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance and British Dissent (Verso, 2019), to discuss the complicated and often fraught politics of decolonization. We explore how the idea of ‘decolonization’ has evolved over time, the m…

1
Imperialism, Debt, and International Finance with Ndongo Samba Sylla and Farwa Sial 1:05:33

6M ago1:05:33

1:05:33

In this episode, I’m joined by critical development economists Ndongo Samba Sylla, Africa Region Director for Research and Policy at the International Development Economics Associates (IDEAs), and Farwa Sial, Asia Region Director for Research and Policy at IDEAS, to discuss the international financial system and its role in upholding empire. We exp…

1
Empire and the Polycrisis with Tim Sahay 1:09:12

6M ago1:09:12

1:09:12

In this episode, I’m joined by Tim Sahay, co-director of Johns Hopkins University’s Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab and co-editor of Phenomenal World’s The Polycrisis newsletter, to discuss the many interconnected crises facing our world today, from the climate crisis to the rise of the authoritarian far-right to the collapse of the liberal internat…

1
China's Path in the 21st Century (w/ Tings Chak) 1:08:57

6M ago1:08:57

1:08:57

Tings Chak joins me on this episode of the International Solidarity Pod to have a wide-ranging discussion on China's path in the 21st century. We discuss the poverty alleviation campaign in China and how it was conducted, the question of women’s liberation in China, and the future of the One Country, Two Systems policy in Hong Kong and Macau. "Serv…

1
The Politics of Liberation in Times of War (w/ In Defense of Liberation) 1:07:48

6M ago1:07:48

1:07:48

Raven from In Defense of Liberation joins me this episode for a wide-ranging conversation that covers the ongoing ge-nocidal war in Palestine and the global history of resistance and liberation struggles, among other things. In Defense of Liberation Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-defense-of-liberation/id1484422538 Journal of Inte…

1
Canadian Electoral Politics and the State of the Left (w/ Dimitri Lascaris) 55:45

6M ago55:45

55:45

In this latest episode of the pod, I was joined by lawyer and journalist Dimitri Lascaris to discuss the 2025 Canadian federal election. We touch on Canada’s place in the world, particularly as it relates to both the US and the genocide in Palestine, issues of housing and immigration in Canada, and the state of the Canadian left, and more. Reason2R…

1
Making Sense of Dollar Imperialism with Radhika Desai 58:14

6M ago58:14

58:14

In this episode, I’m joined by Radhika Desai, professor in the Department of Political Studies and director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group at the University of Manitoba, to discuss dollar imperialism and the key role that the U.S. dollar plays in upholding American dominance on the world stage. We dig into the history of the dollar syst…

1
The Global Rise of Hindutva and Contesting Hinduism from the Left (w/ Pranay Somayajula) 57:56

7M ago57:56

57:56

Pranay Somayajula of Hindus for Human Rights joins me to discuss the global rise of Hindutva and contesting Hinduism from the left. We discuss Islamophobia, the growing connections between Zionism and Hindutva, as well as the caste system and Brahminical patriarchy within Hinduism, among other things. - Hindus for Human Rights: https://www.hindusfo…

1
Imperialism and Resistance in West Africa with Black Alliance for Peace 52:12

7M ago52:12

52:12

In this episode, I’m joined by Netfa Freeman, Coordinating Committee member of the Black Alliance for Peace and Co-Coordinator of BAP’s Africa team, to discuss the history of imperialism and anticolonial resistance in West Africa, with a specific focus on the developments in the Sahel region over the last few years. Examining the ongoing legacies o…

1
China vs. India – Divergent Paths of Development (w/ India & Global Left) 57:00

7M ago57:00

57:00

Jyotishman from India & Global Left joins me this episode to discuss how China and India – two countries with many similarities – ended up developing so differently. We discuss their liberation struggles, patriarchy and class, the agrarian question, neoliberalism, Hindutva, and more. Check out India & Global Left's channel: https://www.youtube.com/…

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China's Role in the Global Order with Tings Chak 56:58

7M ago56:58

56:58

In this episode, I’m joined by Tings Chak, Art Director at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and Editor of Wenhua Zongheng: A Journal of Contemporary Chinese Thought, to discuss China’s role in the shifting global order. We examine the achievements of China’s socialist revolution, its meteoric rise on the world stage in recent decades, …

1
Imperialist War and Feminist Resistance in the Global South 1:12:05

7M ago1:12:05

1:12:05

This episode, we discuss how how western imperialism wages hybrid-war against women in the global south, and how this is resisted by them. Guests: Pilar Troya Fernandez, Harleen Kaur (Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research) REPORT (Imperialist War and Feminist Resistance in the Global South): https://thetricontinental.org/dossier-imperialist…

1
Imperialism and Resistance in Haiti with Black Alliance for Peace 53:17

8M ago53:17

53:17

In this episode, I’m joined by Erica Caines, Coordinating Committee member of the Black Alliance for Peace and Co-Coordinator of BAP’s Haiti/Americas team, to discuss the history of imperialism and anticolonial resistance in Haiti. We explore Haiti’s historical position as the world’s first Black republic, and the imperialist onslaught that has con…

1
Marxism and the Global South (w/ Vijay Prashad) 48:15

8M ago48:15

48:15

In this episode, we look at the legacy of Marxism across the global south as an ideology and practice of national liberation against imperialism, as well as the challenges faced by the global south today. In doing so, we cover Palestine, China, India, the Alliance of Sahel States in Africa, and more. Tricontinental Institute for Social Research: ht…

1
Origins of Canadian Settler Colonialism and Whiteness (w/ Dr. Phil Henderson) 1:34:37

8M ago1:34:37

1:34:37

In this first episode of the International Solidarity Pod, Dr. Phil Henderson discusses the how the confederation of Canada in 1867 marked a new trajectory for the dispossession of Indigenous peoples on the continent, and that the creation of 'whiteness' was an important development at this time. A central takeaway from this conversation is that 'C…

1
Indigenous Resistance in North America with Nick Estes 1:04:13

8M ago1:04:13

1:04:13

In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Estes—associate professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota, cofounder of The Red Nation, and author of Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance (Verso Books, 2019)—to discuss the long and rich history of In…

1
The Imperial Boomerang with Julian Go 59:22

9M ago59:22

59:22

In this episode, I’m joined by Julian Go, professor of sociology at the University of Chicago and author of Policing Empires: Race, Militarization and the Imperial Boomerang in the US and Great Britain (Oxford University Press, 2023), to discuss the intertwined relationship between imperialist violence abroad and fascism and state repression here a…

1
Making Sense of Settler Colonialism with Sai Englert 1:07:10

9M ago1:07:10

1:07:10

In this episode, I’m joined by Sai Englert, lecturer in the political economy of the Middle East at Leiden University’s Institute for Area Studies, to talk about the frequently invoked (but less frequently understood) concept of settler colonialism. We explore the nuances of what the term ‘settler colonialism’ really means, as well as how this phen…

1
Third Worldism and its Legacies with Vijay Prashad 57:35

10M ago57:35

57:35

Episode summary: In this episode, I’m joined by Vijay Prashad, Executive Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and author of forty books including The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World, to talk about the history and contemporary legacies of Third Worldism. We discuss the origins and trajectory of Third Worldi…

1
Building an Anti-Imperialist Cultural Front with Writers Against the War on Gaza 58:38

10M ago58:38

58:38

In this episode, I’m joined by Tiana Reid, an assistant professor of English at York University in Toronto and a member of Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG), to talk about WAWOG’s work organizing a revolutionary cultural front against Zionism and imperialism. We discuss the crucial role that cultural production and political education have hi…

1
Resisting Imperialism in Korea with Nodutdol 59:46

11M ago59:46

59:46

Episode summary: In this episode, I’m joined by Jia Hong, an organizer with Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, to discuss the history and contemporary politics of imperialism and anticolonial resistance in Korea. We dive into the long history of foreign imperialism in the peninsula, from the Japanese occupation in the early 20th century to …

1
Labor and Anti-Imperialist Politics with Alex Press 53:30

11M ago53:30

53:30

In this episode, I’m joined by Alex Press, a staff writer and labor reporter for Jacobin Magazine, to examine the complex relationship between the U.S. labor movement and anti-imperialist politics—its history, the current situation, and where we go from here. We discuss the historical entanglement of American labor with imperialism during the Cold …

1
The BRICS' Push for a Multipolar World 56:36

12M ago56:36

56:36

Episode summary: In this episode, I discuss the BRICS—what it is, where it came from, and what significance it holds for the future of international politics. Reflecting on the bloc’s history and the most recent BRICS summit that took place last month, I explore the BRICS’ relationship to the emerging multipolar world order, and tackle the question…

1
Visualizing Palestine with Aline Batarseh 1:06:49

1y ago1:06:49

1:06:49

In this episode, I’m joined by Aline Batarseh, Executive Director of Visualizing Palestine, to reflect on the past year of genocide and resistance in Palestine and beyond. We discuss the current state of the global Palestine solidarity movement, the importance of the information front in the fight against Israel's occupation and apartheid regime, a…