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The Nation Podcasts
Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
Episodes
The Nation PodcastsElection Protection: The ACLU’s $25M Project, plus Howard Zinn’s Life and Work
The ACLU is organizing thousands of volunteers, preparing to respond to 25 different ways Trump could try to subvert or sabotage the midterms. Deirdre…
The Nation PodcastsChud of the Rings w/ Bret Devereaux / Fighting Fascism
We all love making fun of fascists. But Dr. Bret Devereaux makes an art of it. Bret is a historian of antiquity and a Tolkien scholar, and he doesn’t suffer…
The Nation PodcastsHow Abdul El-Sayed Can Win Michigan, Plus an Election Protection Test Case / Start Making Sense
The Michigan Democratic senate primary provided a test of the power of AIPAC and big money. John Nichols has our analysis. Also: a rehearsal for the election…
The Nation PodcastsShopify’s Leaders Are Pushing Right-Wing Politics in Canada w/ Rachel Gilmore / Tech Won't Save Us
Canada has tech bros too, like Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke who has a new idea to link voting rights to how much income tax you paid. Rachel Gilmore joins Paris Marx…
The Nation PodcastsImperialist Realism w/ Danny Bessner / American Prestige
Derek welcomes back to the show his very own co-host, Danny Bessner, to talk about his new book, Imperialist Realism: Politics and Culture at the End of the…
The Nation PodcastsIs Animal Welfare the Next MAHA? w/ Astra Taylor / Fighting Fascism
Something weird is happening on the far right. MAGA influencers are calling out the pork industry. RFK Jr. is taking credit for militant animal rescue actions…
The Nation PodcastsThe Return of McCarthyism w/ Chris Lehmann / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Republicans are plummeting in the polls in the lead-up to the midterm thanks to the unpopularity of the Iran War and the attendant inflation. As my Nation…
The Nation PodcastsUS-Iran Air War Resumes, Sudanese Army Secures Kordofan Highway, Fujimori Takes Office in Peru / American Prestige
AP headquarters is seriously considering upgrading the video content to IMAX. In this week’s news: the U.S. and Iran resume strikes after a brief pause (3:25)…
The Nation PodcastsHow Cloud Giants Wield Their Power Against Us All w/ Cecilia Rikap / Tech Won't Save Us
As the power of big tech continues to grow, it's more important than ever to understand how these companies use infrastructure and intellectual monopolies to…
The Nation PodcastsWho’s Allowed Self-Determination? w/ Brad Simpson / American Prestige
Danny and Derek speak with historian Brad Simpson about the history and evolving meaning of self-determination in international politics and law. They talk…
- The Nation Podcasts
Election Protection for the Midterms, plus ‘The Odyssey’ for Filmgoers
An impressive alliance of groups have been preparing for months to counter Trump’s threats to Democrats in the midterms. Skye Perryman, President and CEO of…
The Nation PodcastsThe People Versus Big Oil w/ Jamie Henn / Fighting Fascism
In recent weeks, we’ve seen our skies engulfed in dystopian haze. We’ve had lethal heat waves ruin our Fourth of July cookouts. States have announced emergency…
The Nation PodcastsIran War Heats Up w/ Matt Duss / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
The purported ceasefire in the Iran War was always tenuous and now the war is not only heating up but entering a dangerous new phase. The Iranians have closed…
The Nation PodcastsIran War Kills US Troops, US-Saudi Arabia Strike Nuclear Deal, Zelensky Fires Top General / American Prestige
American Prestige HQ continues to roll the dice on iceberg lettuce. In this week’s news: Iranian strikes kill four U.S. service members in Jordan and Iraq, and…
The Nation PodcastsLibrarians Are Helping the Public Ditch AI w/ Hannah Cyrus & Alison Macrina / Tech Won't Save Us
Librarians are working harder than ever to support their neighborhoods—including by teaching and promoting digital literacy. Hannah Cyrus and Alison Macrina…
The Nation PodcastsHow the New Deal Invented the National Security State w/ Andrew Preston / American Prestige
Danny and Derek speak with historian Andrew Preston about the origins and development of the American national security state as we know it. They discuss the…
The Nation PodcastsThe Plan for November—and After / Start Making Sense
How are we going to defeat Trump and the Republicans and win control of Congress in the midterms? How are we going to win the White House in two years? Ben…
The Nation PodcastsBorderlands w/ Ken Salazar / Fighting Fascism
This one’s a little different. Aaron, Matt, and Jonathan talk with Ken Salazar—former US Senator from Colorado, Secretary of the Interior under Obama, and…
The Nation PodcastsFighting Monopoly Power w/ Zephyr Teachout / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Donald Trump is practicing crony capitalism on an unprecedented scale, with the government greenlighting major mergers that benefit the president’s friends…
The Nation PodcastsUS Resumes Iran War, DRC Ebola Outbreak Surges, Burnham Becomes UK PM / American Prestige
Canada’s wildfires rage on, so Danny and Derek are here to be your breath of fresh air. This week’s news: In Iran, the US reimposes its blockade and…
The Nation PodcastsTech Refusal Has a Very Long History w/ Thomas Dekeyser / Tech Won't Save Us
We are often told that resisting technological development is impossible and ‘progress’ is inevitable, but history says otherwise. Thomas Dekeyser joins Paris…
The Nation PodcastsThe Need for Responsible AI w/ Robert Wright / American Prestige
Danny and Derek welcome to the show journalist and author Robert Wright to talk about the potential and pitfalls of the AI revolution. They discuss how…
The Nation PodcastsTrump’s Renewed War, More ICE Killings, and Teaching American History / Start Making Sense
It’s been another bad week for Donald Trump – from the Strait or Homuz to the streets where ICE has killed more people, to the scheduled Senate hearings on…
The Nation PodcastsMaine After Platner w/ Eoin Higgins / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Graham Platner is withdrawing as the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine after a credible rape allegation was made against him (Platner denies the allegation)…
The Nation PodcastsDope Popes w/ Matt Sitman / Fighting Fascism
Back in May, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas”—a surprisingly forceful call-out of dehumanizing technology, Big Tech oligarchs…
The Nation PodcastsUS-Iran Ceasefire Collapses, Hamas Dissolves Gaza Government, Sudan’s El-Obeid Braces for RSF Assault / American Prestige
Danny and Derek’s FIFA officiating careers have been tragically cut short since Javier Milei’s checks started bouncing. In this week’s news: the NATO summit…
The Nation PodcastsRome and Ancient Iran w/ Jake Nabel / American Prestige
Danny and Derek are joined by Jake Nabel, Tombros early career professor of classical studies and assistant professor of classics and ancient Mediterranean…
The Nation PodcastsJamie Raskin: How to Fight Trump; plus Dems after Platner / Start Making Sense
Jamie Raskin, Democrat from Maryland, talks about Congress reforming the Supreme Court, and the House challenging Trump’s corruption. His article in the…
The Nation PodcastsFounding Myths w/ Tad Stoermer / Fighting Fascism
To celebrate the 250th, we’re looking back at the founding with Tad Stoermer, author of the NYTimes bestseller “A Resistance History of the United States.” Why…
The Nation PodcastsBonus - How the British Empire Lost America w/ Andrew Shankman / American Prestige
Danny and Derek are joined by historian Andrew Shankman to talk about the road to US independence from Great Britain. They discuss differences between Spanish…
The Nation PodcastsThe RAM Crisis is Coming for All Your Tech w/ Chris Person / Tech Won't Save Us
Public ire toward AI keeps growing as the data center boom continues to hit people’s pockets. Chris Person joins Paris Marx to discuss the soaring cost of…
The Nation PodcastsThe History of Iran’s Nuclear Program w/ Sina Azodi / American Prestige
Sina Azodi, assistant professor of Middle East politics and director of the Middle East Studies program at George Washington University, returns to the show to…
The Nation PodcastsWhat Trump Lost–and Won–with the Supremes; plus Haitians after TPS / Start Making Sense
Trump biggest losses in the Supreme Court rulings announced this week were on birthright citizenship—widely anticipated—and the voting rights case where the…
The Nation PodcastsFor the Union Makes Us Strong w/ Sara Nelson / Fighting Fascism
Sara Nelson is the President of the Association of Flight Attendants, and one of the most badass leaders in the labor movement today. But that doesn’t mean we…
The Nation PodcastsThe Triumph of Mamdani and the DSA w/ Ross Barkan / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had a very good night on Tuesday: a slate of candidates he endorsed won in Democratic primaries in both state and…
The Nation PodcastsIran Talks Advance, Starmer Resigns, Israel Targets Children in Gaza / American Prestige
Danny and Derek’s promised ring ceremony regrettably must be relocated from MSG due to a scheduling conflict. In this week’s news: The Iran negotiations show…
The Nation PodcastsData Center Opposition Is Uniting Communities w/ Saul Levin / Tech Won't Save Us
As tech companies race to build hyperscale data centers, communities are coming together to push back. Saul Levin joins Paris Marx to discuss how rising…
The Nation PodcastsHow Zionism Failed w/ Omer Bartov / American Prestige
Omer Bartov, Dean’s Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University, joins the program to talk about Zionism’s transformation from an…
The Nation PodcastsNorm Eisen: Fighting Trump’s Threats to Voting; plus Protest Success Stories / Start Making Sense
Election protection: defending Ohio’s biggest voter registration group, and blocking Trump’s attacks on voting by mail: Norm Eisen, co-counsel on the first…
The Nation PodcastsUS-Iran MoU Takes Effect, West Bank Settlement Expansion, Fujimori Leads Peru Election Count / American Prestige
Danny and Derek are in backchannel talks with the reflecting pool algae. In this week’s news: the United States and Iran sign a Memorandum of Understanding…
The Nation PodcastsA Practical Guide to Messing with Big Tech Oligarchs w/ Cory Doctorow / Fighting Fascism
Cory Doctorow, guy who coined the term enshittification, has been eviscerating Big Tech oligarchs for many years. He’s now turning his razor-sharp mind onto…
The Nation PodcastsMatt Taibbi and the New Threat to Free Speech w/ Eoin Higgins / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Journalist Eoin Higgins was recently sued for defamation by a fellow journalist Matt Taibbi, who is subject on criticism in Higgins’ book Owned: How Tech…
The Nation PodcastsCanada’s Government Is Rushing AI Adoption w/ Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood / Tech Won't Save Us
The Canadian government is going all in on AI, without understanding the real effects of the technology. Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood joins Paris Marx to discuss…
The Nation PodcastsWhy Harvard Won’t Settle; plus Struggles of Supermarket Workers / Start Making Sense
In his campaign against elite universities as centers of resistance, Trump hasn’t been able to force Harvard to submit. And it seems less likely now that they…
The Nation PodcastsHuman Prehistory and How Societies Rise and Fall w/ Patrick Wyman / American Prestige
Historian Patrick Wyman returns to the show to talk about the deep history of human societies and how they can inform the current moment. They explore new ways…
The Nation PodcastsTrumpism Abroad w/ American Prestige / Fighting Fascism
That’s right, friends... it’s another crossover episode! We were joined by Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison from American Prestige, a podcast that offers a…
The Nation PodcastsIs Bari Weiss Winning? W/ David Klion / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Bari Weiss has become a flashpoint of controversy in her position running CBS News. She’s fired half a dozen senior producers and correspondents at 60 Minutes…
The Nation PodcastsUS and Iran Exchange Fire, Pentagon Raises Israeli Spy Threat, Jihadist-Rebel Alliance Pressures Mali / American Prestige
The World Cup is upon us, so Danny and Derek are showering visiting players with crocheted NATO flags. In this week’s news: Israel and Iran exchange fire…
The Nation PodcastsSilicon Valley Is Turning Nurses Into Gig Workers w/ Katie J. Wells / Tech Won't Save Us
The Uber model is finally coming for healthcare. Katie J. Wells joins Paris Marx to discuss how much the healthcare gig apps resemble Uber’s rollout, why they…
The Nation PodcastsPrimary Elections from LA to Maine, plus AI "Poetry" / Start Making Sense
Democratic strength, and Democratic divisions, in primaries from L.A. to Maine—Harold Meyerson has our analysis of the week’s political developments. Also: Can…
The Nation PodcastsHondurasGate US Power in Latin America w/ José Luis Granados Ceja / American Prestige
Subscribe now for an ad-free experience. Danny and Derek welcome to the show José Luis Granados Ceja, head of the Latin America desk at DropSite News, for a…
The Nation PodcastsAn Antifascist Guide to the World Cup w/ Alex Shephard / Fighting Fascism
We swear to god, we haven’t turned into a sports podcast (despite all Matt’s efforts). But it turns out there’s a not-insignificant intersection between the…
The Nation PodcastsFighting Trump’s Corruption w/ Chris Lehmann / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Donald Trump is corrupt on a scale that puts all other criminal presidents, including Richard Nixon, to shame. One recent example is the so-called…
The Nation PodcastsUS-Iran Escalations, Israel Expands Lebanon Campaign, CIA Feuds With Intelligence Chief / American Prestige
There’s too much Knickerbocker news to fit here, but we do have other stories to report. This week: Iran and the U.S. exchange fire in the Gulf (2:00), plus…
The Nation PodcastsThe SpaceX IPO Gives Elon Musk Even More Power w/ Sean O’Kane / Tech Won't Save Us
SpaceX is finally going public, and it’s bad news for anyone who wants to rein in Elon Musk. Sean O’Kane joins Paris Marx to discuss the flimsy sci-fi ideas…
The Nation PodcastsThe Dems After Tuesday’s Primaries, plus Elmore Leonard’s Bad Guys / Start Making Sense
On this episode of Start Making Sense, John Nichols analyzes this week’s primary results in California and elsewhere, and, from the archives, Elmore Leonard…
The Nation PodcastsThe Dems After Tuesday’s Primaries, plus Elmore Leonard’s Bad Guys / Start Making Sense
California’s jungle primary on Tuesday set the stage for the next Democratic governor of the state, and primaries in Iowa, New Jersey and elsewhere tested the…
The Nation PodcastsDisneyland: Cold War Factory w/ Roland Betancourt / American Prestige
Danny and Derek speak with Roland Betancourt, Chancellor's Professor of Art History at UC Irvine, about Disneyland and the rise of automation in the US. They…
The Nation PodcastsMonopoly v. Democracy w/ Matt Stoller & Zephyr Teachout / Fighting Fascism
We often think of democracy as a political issue, rather than an economic one. Matt Stoller and Zephyr Teachout, two leaders in the anti-monopoly movement…
The Nation PodcastsWhy Big Oil Wants to Splinter Canada w/ Nora Loreto / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
The issue of Canada’s national unity is heading towards the ballot box as Alberta is having a referendum on the issue of separatism. I spoke with Canadian…