Upstream

Conversations and audio documentaries exploring a wide variety of themes pertaining to economics and politics, hosted by Della Z Duncan and Robert R. Raymond

Cuba Pt. 5: Under Siege w/ Manolo De Los Santos & Liz Oliva Fernández 05/05/2026

Cuba Pt. 5: Under Siege w/ Manolo De Los Santos & Liz Oliva Fernández In this episode, part 5 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by Manolo De Los Santos & Liz Oliva Fernández for a conversation exploring the current state of the island and how Cubans are responding to Trump's oil blockade. is a founder of the and a researcher at . He is the co-editor Viviremos: Venezuela vs. Hybrid War, Comrade of the Revolution: Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro, and Our Own Path to Socialism: Selected Speeches of Hugo Chávez. is a Havana-based journalist with (a U.S.-based independent media outlet) and the presenter of . The first half of the episode is our conversation with Manolo De Los Santos and begins with him recounting what he witnessed and experienced during his recent trips to Cuba. Manolo brings us up to date on the Trump regime's efforts to impose blockades and sanctions on Cuba and then describes what the impact of these assaults look like on the ground on the island. He then tells about the Cuban people's efforts at not just surviving these assaults but continuing to resist and build decentralized networks of support while also working on a centralized scale to continue to organize and build socialism. Finally we look at the global implications of the United States' efforts to subjugate Cuba and tie things together by understanding the war on Cuba as part of the opening salvos of a new Cold War with China. In the second half of our conversation Liz Oliva Fernández joins us from Cuba to go further into depth regarding what life is like on the island. We discuss the dynamics of energy and solar while being realistic about its short term limitations. We explore the violence that is imposed on Cuba by the United States and bring into relief the toll it has taken on the Cuban psyche. Liz tells us about the various efforts of the Cuban people to resist the United States and gives us a sense of both the exhaustion and the drive towards resistance that is present on the island today. Further resources: Related episodes: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40993730

[TEASER] The Long Transition Towards Socialism and the End of Capitalism w/ Torkil Lauesen 04/28/2026

[TEASER] The Long Transition Towards Socialism and the End of Capitalism w/ Torkil Lauesen This is a free preview of the episode "The Long Transition Towards Socialism and the End of Capitalism w/ Torkil Lauesen." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode we’re joined by Torkil Lauesen for a wide ranging conversation exploring what the transition towards socialism has looked historically like and continues to look like to this day. Torkil Lauesen is the author of multiple books including and —both published by the great folks at Iskra Books. Our conversation begins with an overview of Torkil's thesis in The Long Transition—that the shift between modes of production, be it feudalism and capitalism or capitalism and socialism, does not happen in short-term time frames but rather unfolds over longer periods of time in messy, overlapping fits and starts. The rest of the conversation follows the trajectory of the book by taking individual examples of revolutionary moments and attempts at building socialism and connecting them over time as nodes and learning lessons in the long struggle for socialism waged by revolutionaries across the globe. We begin with the largely unsuccessful revolutions of 1848 in Europe, looking at the "hungry 40s" which led to many social and national upheavals which ultimately did not result of socialist revolution but liberal reform. We explore the lessons learned from the Paris Commune and the emergence of the dictatorship of the proletariat as a crucial element in socialist revolutionary theory, the lessons learned from the failed European revolutions at the beginning of the 20th century, the rise of fascism and the betrayal of the social democrats, and the "socialism in one country" approach of the Soviet Union under Stalin. We then shift the conversation towards China, first exploring the Cultural Revolution and the lessons that process provided for the movement towards socialism, and then taking a deeper dive into China's role as a "transitionary state" somewhere between capitalism and socialism. Finally, Torkil reflects on China's ability to enter into an advanced stage of socialism and lays out the stakes on which this transition depends on. Further resources: , Torkil Lauesen , Torkil Lauesen , Marx , Lenin Related episodes: Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40877750

A Socialist California w/ Ramsey Robinson 04/21/2026

A Socialist California w/ Ramsey Robinson In this episode we're joined by for a conversation exploring the need for socialism in California (and beyond). Ramsey Robinson is a mental health social worker, organizer, and revolutionary based in San Francisco. He is running for Governor of California with the . The conversation begins with Ramsey discussing what compelled him to run for Governor of California with the Peace and Freedom Party, and in doing so we outline many of the problems facing US society—problems that stem from the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of one class and with the problems coming from this arrangement falling disproportionately onto the rest of us. We introduce the topic of liberation psychology and talk about how it has influenced Ramsey's work and politics—looking at how the mental health crisis in America is fueled by capitalism and what can be done about it. Ramsey then tells us about the Peace and Freedom Party—giving us a sense of its roots and also contrasting it with the Democratic Party, which Ramsey describes as being captured by the same ruling class that is responsible for all of our problems In opposition to this vision, Ramsey shares with us his vision of what a socialist California could look like and how we can get there. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40738435

[UNLOCKED] Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel 04/16/2026

[UNLOCKED] Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel This is an unlocked version of the episode "Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel." You can help to support our work and access Patreon-only episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: In this episode, part 17 of our ongoing series on Palestine, we're joined again by for a conversation on Palestine and the role that Palestinian liberation plays in the global fight against imperialism and capitalism. The conversation opens with a discussion on why Palestinian liberation is a threat to capitalism globally—we unpack the role that Palestine plays geopolitically in West Asia and the role that West Asia plays in global capital accumulation. We go on to talk about Israel's role as the US's proxy force and attack dog, not just in West Asia, but throughout the globe as well, from Argentina to Guatemala. We then talk about Trump's so-called "Board of Peace," and its vision for Gaza before discussing what's taking place in the West Bank and the official death of the Two State Solution. We then broaden the conversation out and situate what's happening in Palestine into the context of the United States' quest for geopolitical hegemony, what this means in terms of the Second Cold War with China, and the implications for Palestine, West Asia, and the world at large. Jason Hickel is a professor at the at the , the author of the books and . Further resources: Jason Hickel Jason Hickel Related episodes: Intermission music: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40900595

[TEASER] Iran Pt. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso 04/13/2026

[TEASER] Iran Pt. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Pt. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In Part 4 of our ongoing series on Iran, joins us to discuss the global implications of the war on Iran. Matteo Capasso is professor of Middle East Studies based in China and the editor of , a peer-reviewed Middle Eastern studies journal published by . Our conversation begins with a brief overview of the so-called ceasefire agreement, taking a zoomed out look instead of focusing on the details. Matteo then explains why this war is not just existential for the Islamic Republic of Iran, but for the United States and Israel as well, examining the war's implications on both the internal contradictions of the United States as well as the financial architecture of the unipolar world system. We bring back the lens and explore not just the regional implications of the war in terms of the Gulf states but also with Europe and, significantly, with China, which, when you zoom out far enough, plays a significant role in the United States' decision to go to war with Iran, as outlined in the United States' National Security Strategy document published in 2025. We then bring in Israel and the Great Israel project, tying it into our analysis and explaining how Palestine is emblematic of the contradictions that have led the United States and its imperial project into deep crisis. Matteo draws a line from the invasion of Iraq in 2003 to the overthrow of Libra, Syria, and the assaults on Lebanon and of course Palestine and explains how all of these assaults are part of a larger project and military strategy by the United States and its proxy force in the region—Israel. In closing, we take a closer look at China, comparing and contrasting China and Iran's models of sovereign development and exploring their current relationship with a dialectical and historical materialist analysis. We conclude with a look at the competing visions of a world order that can be contrasted between the United States and Israel—a vision based on genocide and the accumulation of waste—and the diverse visions embodied by states such as Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, or China, which present a path forward that looks much different from the death and destruction offered by the United States. Further resources: Related episodes: Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40764885

Cuba Pt. 4: Counterrevolution w/ Renzo Llorente 04/07/2026

Cuba Pt. 4: Counterrevolution w/ Renzo Llorente In this episode, part 4 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by Renzo Llorente for a conversation exploring the counterrevolution to Cuba's 1959 revolution and the various forms it took. Renzo Llorente is associate professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University-Madrid and the author of the books, The Political Theory of Che Guevara and The Political Thought of Fidel Castro. The conversation begins with a look at the current assault on Cuba from the Trump administration and situates it within the context of a long counterrevolution which has been by and large a bipartisan project since the revolution's inception. We then discuss why counterrevolution occurs in socialist societies and the toll that it takes on the revolutionary ambitions of societies attempting to lay the foundations for socialism. We look at examples of sabotage—from assassination attempts to economic disruption, examples of outright military excursions like the Bay of Pigs invasion, and more. We then look at how Cuba has been forced to respond to these perpetual attempts at counterrevolution often fueled and resourced by the imperialist powers, and why the degree of repression seen in Cuba can be understood as a direct and dialectical response to the United States' never ending quest to return Cuba to what it was before 1959. Specifically, we examine the concept of political prisoners and explore ways in which we can view political prisoners in Cuba as counterrevolutionaries. We examine multi-party versus one-party systems and discuss their potential for representation and democracy. And we explore the concept of a free press and how this is weaponized by the imperialist powers in not just Cuba, but in all states where imperialism is seeking a foothold. Finally, we discuss how counterrevolution has served to strengthen Cuba's resolve and determination to continue their long-fought battle for sovereignty. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: "Celos eternos" by Roberto Carcasses Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40690465

[TEASER] Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel 03/31/2026

[TEASER] Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel In this episode, part 17 of our ongoing series on Palestine, we're joined again by for a conversation on Palestine and the role that Palestinian liberation plays in the global fight against imperialism and capitalism. The conversation opens with a discussion on why Palestinian liberation is a threat to capitalism globally—we unpack the role that Palestine plays geopolitically in West Asia and the role that West Asia plays in global capital accumulation. We go on to talk about Israel's role as the US's proxy force and attack dog, not just in West Asia, but throughout the globe as well, from Argentina to Guatemala. We then talk about Trump's so-called "Board of Peace," and its vision for Gaza before discussing what's taking place in the West Bank and the official death of the Two State Solution. We then broaden the conversation out and situate what's happening in Palestine into the context of the United States' quest for geopolitical hegemony, what this means in terms of the Second Cold War with China, and the implications for Palestine, West Asia, and the world at large. Jason Hickel is a professor at the at the , the author of the books and . Further resources: Jason Hickel Jason Hickel Related episodes: Intermission music: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40682965

Cuba Pt. 3: Che Guevara and the Building of Socialism w/ Helen Yaffe 03/24/2026

Cuba Pt. 3: Che Guevara and the Building of Socialism w/ Helen Yaffe In this episode, part 3 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by for a conversation exploring Cuba's transition to socialism after the revolution through Che Guevara's contributions. Helen Yaffe is a professor of Latin American political economy at the University of Glasgow. She is the author of , and . She is also the cohost of the and the documentary . The episode begins with a brief introduction to Che Guevara—providing an overview of Che's life and biography. We then discuss what the Cuban revolutionaries inherited in terms of Cuba's semi-colonial economic and political state—unemployment, poverty, inequality, underdevelopment, and dependency. We talk about how socialism became the guiding light of revolutionary Cuba and how the revolutionary government became more radical in response to the United States' attempts to sabotage it. We discuss Che Guevara's role in developing the productive capacities of Cuba and his many roles ranging from President of the National Bank of Cuba to Head of Ministry of Industries (MININD). We also discuss his unique approach to laying the foundations of socialism in Cuba which put just as much emphasis on developing consciousness as developing materially. We contrast this with the Soviet system, which Che was critical of. We then explore the role of intellectual, political, and training education in the emerging socialist state of Cuba, which had experienced a mass emigration of managers and business owners after the revolution and had a working class which was accustomed to viewing labor as an exploitative endeavor and not as means of liberation. Finally, we explore Che's legacy and tie it into present day Cuba, which is still under siege by the imperialists. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: "Señor Martí" by Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40536410

[UNLOCKED] Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf 03/17/2026

[UNLOCKED] Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf This is an unlocked version of the episode "Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf." In Part 1 of our new series on Lebanon, Hussein Assaf joins us to discuss the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and the United States. is a journalist with Vocal Politics based out of Beirut. Our conversation begins with an update on the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and backed by the United States. We then talk about the political forces at play in Lebanon, giving a brief history of the political makeup of the country to help put the current assault in context. We talk about Hezbollah and the relationship it has with the Islamic Republic, unpacking the common talking point in the West that Hezbollah is an Iranian "regime" proxy and instead providing a more appropriate analysis (and in doing so, giving insight into how the United States treats its proxies). We close on a discussion on the information and psychological warfare that is a part of the US and Israel's assault on West Asia and on its own populations at home. Just a quick note: this episode is a bit of a non-traditional Part 1 to a series as it goes into a bit more depth into current events and is not as focused on a providing a more complete historical context for Lebanon like our other series do. If you want to understand what's happening at the moment, this is a great starting point. In the future we will provide even more historical context and take deeper dives into Lebanon's history and politics. Further resources: Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Lebanon Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40474110

Iran Pt. 3: The Empire vs. Iran w/ Bikrum Gill 03/10/2026

Iran Pt. 3: The Empire vs. Iran w/ Bikrum Gill In this episode, part 3 of our ongoing series on Iran, we're joined again by for a conversation exploring sovereignty and imperialism in Iran. Our conversation opens with an unpacking of the intersections and distinctions of imperialism, sovereignty, colonialism, and capitalism in a theoretical sense. Once these foundations are laid, we then apply this framework to Iran, answering the question of why Iran's sovereignty is so threatening to the United States. We then jump into current events and explore the thread that ties together the US's assault on Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, Palestine, etc.—and this brings China into the conversation. We talk about the construction of client states and why so many states in Latin America and West Asia have refused to intervene on behalf of Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, and Palestine. Finally, we discuss the Israeli-US war on Iran and what the resistance to it looks like both regionally and within Iran itself. Bikrum Gill is a faculty in political science and international relations and a scholar of international political economy. He's the author of The Political Ecology of Colonial Capitalism: Race, Nature, and Accumulation, published by Manchester University Press. Further resources: Black Skin, White Masks, by Franz Fanon The Wretched of the Earth, by Franz Fanon The Long Twentieth Century, by Giovanni Arrighi Related episodes: Intermission music: "Another War" by Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40358910

[UNLOCKED] Atlantic Slavery and the Plantation System w/ David McNally 03/03/2026

[UNLOCKED] Atlantic Slavery and the Plantation System w/ David McNally This is an unlocked version of the Patreon episode "Atlantic Slavery and the Plantation System w/ David McNally." You can support us through Patreon here: Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode we're joined by David McNally to discuss his new book, , a systematic Marxist account of the capitalist character of Atlantic slavery. is a radical socialist activist and award-winning scholar. He currently holds the Cullen Distinguished Professorship of History & Business at the University of Houston. The conversation opens with an introduction to the idea that the Atlantic slave system and the plantation system were forms of capitalism using the example of Barbados and George Washington in Virginia to explain the industrial-scale level of this system and its position in global capitalism as a node of commodity production. We explore the idea of modes of production and what Marx had to say about colonialism and slavery before we discuss race-making as a modality of capitalist discipline during slavery. We discuss the difference between constant and variable capital and why this is important in understanding the capitalist nature of the plantation system. We then discuss the nature of class conflict on the plantation, exploring how Atlantic bondpeople were the first workers of the industrial age to use the mass strike as a weapon of struggle and emancipation, and what this tells us about enslaved labor under capitalism. Finally, our conversation ends with an examination of the intersection of Marxism and revolutionary abolitionism in the US and how they dialectically informed one another. Further resources: , by David McNally Related episodes: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40037105

Cuba Pt. 2: ¡Viva la Revolución! w/ Manolo De Los Santos 02/24/2026

Cuba Pt. 2: ¡Viva la Revolución! w/ Manolo De Los Santos In this episode, part 2 of our new series on Cuba, we're joined again by for a conversation on Cuba's revolution.. Manolo De Los Santos is a founder of the People’s Forum and a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is the co-editor Viviremos: Venezuela vs. Hybrid War, Comrade of the Revolution: Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro, and Our Own Path to Socialism: Selected Speeches of Hugo Chávez. The conversation picks up where part 1 left off, in the early 50s, setting the stage for lead up to 26th of July Movement and introducing some of the main characters of the revolution, including of course Fidel Castro and Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Manolo tells us about the attack on the Moncada Barracks, Fidel's exile to Cuba where he meets Che and begins training, and their return on the Granma to Cuba's Sierra Maestra mountains where they reignite the revolutionary guerrilla army of the 26th of July Movement. We talk about the Battle of Santa Clara which led to Batista's overthrow on January 1st, 1958 and the triumph of the revolution. We explore the role of political education in the revolution and the role that the United States played in resisting the revolution. We then talk about the reforms that were initiated immediately after the revolution, the largest and most significant being land reform and de-privatization as well as some of the complexities of the early revolution such as elections. We analyze the Guantanamo Naval Base, notions of nonviolence and Cuba's material support of revolutionary movements across the globe. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: "Que Se Vayan" by Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40128560

[TEASER] The Political Economy of Love in Capitalism w/ Kristen Ghodsee 02/17/2026

[TEASER] The Political Economy of Love in Capitalism w/ Kristen Ghodsee This is an preview of the Patreon episode "The Political Economy of Love in Capitalism w/ Kristen Ghodsee." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode we're joined by Kristen Ghodsee to discuss the political economy of love in capitalism. Kristen Ghodsee is Professor of Russian and East European Studies and a member of the Graduate Group in Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the critically acclaimed author of Everyday Utopia: What 2,000 Years of Wild Experiments Can Teach Us About the Good Life, Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism and Red Valkyries: Feminist Lessons From Five Revolutionary Women. The conversation opens with an exploration of the three components of love and how capitalism co-opts, commodifies, and ultimately destroys them. We explore how different components of love, like attention and affection, are transformed from a use-value to an exchange-value in capitalism and how capitalism transforms and transactionalizes friendship and love. We also talk about the concept of "reciprocal flow" and how this is another component of relationality that is being distorted and corrupted by market relations and the commodification of everything. Finally, we end the conversation exploring what we can do to fight against the commodification of friendship and love and how we can incorporate activities that facilitate trust, social bonds, and relationality that is not dominated and dictated by capitalist relations of production. Further resources: Related episodes: Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39985775

The Intellectual World War w/ Gabriel Rockhill 02/13/2026

The Intellectual World War w/ Gabriel Rockhill In this episode we're joined by to discuss his new book, , which takes a fascinating dive into the world of anticommunist Marxism and the role that the CIA and other nefarious imperialist forces play in dividing and neutralizing the left. Gabriel Rockhill is a philosopher, cultural critic, and activist teaching Philosophy and Global Interdisciplinary Studies at Villanova University and he runs an educational nonprofit called the Critical Theory Workshop. He is the editor of multiple books, including Western Marxism: How it was Born, How it Died, How it can be Reborn, by the Italian Marxist Domenico Losurdo. The conversation opens with an overview of , orienting us towards Gabriel's analysis of bourgeois intellectual production and its role in perpetuating anticommunism among the left. We then bring in the Epstein files and discuss their relevance to our conversation before exploring what led to Gabriel writing about the intellectual world war and the process of putting this book together itself. We then introduce the idea of intellectual warfare and the role that the intellectual world war plays in shaping our ideologies in the most insidious and pervasive ways. We explore why the US empire must control our minds in such a way in order to maintain its hegemony, and what this looks like in practice. Gabriel then tells us about the political economy of knowledge production and the role of the imperial professional-managerial class plays in intellectual production. We then discuss real world examples of how the compatible left was used by the financial-state-intellectual complex in its global war against communism—from the Frankfurt School to Noam Chomsky and beyond. We end with a commemoration of a left figure who embodies the opposite of the compatible, anticommunist left: Michael Parenti. Further resources: Related episodes: (which includes an episode with Gabriel Rockhill) Intermission music: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/40025680

[TEASER] Iran Pt. 2: The Impacts of Economic Strangulation w/ Elina Xenophontos 02/06/2026

[TEASER] Iran Pt. 2: The Impacts of Economic Strangulation w/ Elina Xenophontos This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Pt. 2: The Impacts of Economic Strangulation w/ Elina Xenophontos." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In Part 2 of our ongoing series on Iran, Elina Xenophontos joins us to discuss the history and impacts of sanctions on Iran—including the impacts on the current crisis in the country. is an international law and economic globalisation specialist. She produces much of her own material on her Substack and is also featured regularly on the Colonial Outcasts podcast. Our conversation begins with a very deep dive into the history of the sanctions imposed on Iran from the 1979 Islamic Revolution to the present, providing a detailed understanding of exactly how the sanctions have impacted the Islamic Republic's economic and political spheres for the past half decade. We then situate the unrest in Iran in the context of the sanctions, urging those in the West to understand what's happening in Iran from a dialectical and historical materialist analysis which understands Iranian agency and grievances as a direct result of imperialist strangulation. Elina then gives us a 101 on the Islamic Republic's internal political forces and factions, outlining their tensions, dynamics, and ideological orientations. We then discuss Iran's political economy, discussing how the sanctions have shaped Iran's class dynamics and its society more broadly and how the sanctions are a barrier to working class organization and revolution in Iran because they engender a rentier economy not rooted in production but in survival and perpetual crisis. Further resources: Related episodes: Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39751755

[TEASER] Venezuela Pt. 6: The Empire Strikes w/ José Luis Granados Ceja and Andreína Chávez 02/03/2026

[TEASER] Venezuela Pt. 6: The Empire Strikes w/ José Luis Granados Ceja and Andreína Chávez This is an unlocked version of the Patreon episode "Venezuela Pt. 6: The Empire Strikes w/ José Luis Granados Ceja Andreína Chávez." You can listen to our entire 5-part series on Venezuela by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In Part 6 of our ongoing series on Venezuela, and join us to discuss the aftermath of the abduction of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and the United States' attempted takeover of Venezuela. José Luis Granados Ceja is a journalist with Drop Site News based in Mexico City who has been covering Venezuela for 20 years. Andreína Chávez is a Venezuelan journalist based in Caracas. Our conversation begins with an overview of the night of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores's kidnapping, told by Andreína who was in Caracas at the time. We also get an update on Maduro and Flores's detention in the United States and the charges they are facing. We then explore the US's intentions behind the kidnapping, the oil deals that are being "negotiated," and the rumors that Acting President Delcy Rodriguez was involved in the Special Forces operation (she wasn't) and that Chavismo is dead (it isn't). Andreína then gives us a bit of background on Maduro and his rise to the presidency, highlighting his working class background and underscoring his support among the Venezuelan people. We then zoom out and take a look at what this all means in terms of the Monroe Doctrine 2.0 and what it means in the context of the new Cold War. Finally, we discuss the implications for the globe as the United States rips off its mask and escalates its campaign of terror at home and abroad. Further resources: Related episodes: Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39942850

Cuba Pt. 1: Before the Revolution w/ Manolo De Los Santos 01/29/2026

Cuba Pt. 1: Before the Revolution w/ Manolo De Los Santos In this episode, part 1 of our new series on Cuba, joins us to explore Cuba before the Cuban revolution. Manolo De Los Santos is a founder of the People’s Forum and a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is the co-editor Viviremos: Venezuela vs. Hybrid War, Comrade of the Revolution: Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro, and Our Own Path to Socialism: Selected Speeches of Hugo Chávez. The conversation opens with an exploration of Cuba's Indigenous peoples and their culture and practice of resistance to European colonialism which continues to this day. We then talk about the early history of the Caribbean and Cuba's position in the Atlantic slave trade and early industrial plantation capitalism as well as some of the many rebellions led by enslaved Africans on the island of Cuba. Manolo also tells us about Cuba's "independence" in 1902, or what he refers to as a false independence and the imposition of US imperialism on the island. We then introduce Fulgencio Batista and the period of dictatorship beginning in the 1930s which inaugurated an era of "paradise" in Cuba—paradise for US corporations and for the political and military elites surrounding Batista. We talk about the social inequality and repression in Cuba during this period as well as the development of the tourism industry which was a model that was later exported across the world. We conclude with the lead up to the Cuban Revolution and the material conditions which led to it. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, ¡Viva la Revolución, where we'll take a deep dive into Cuba's revolution. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39864430

[UNLOCKED] How Fascism Works (a Michael Parenti Reading) 01/24/2026

[TEASER] Alliance of Sahel States Pt. 4: The Life, Politics and Legacies of Thomas Sankara w/ Amber Murrey 01/21/2026

[TEASER] Alliance of Sahel States Pt. 4: The Life, Politics and Legacies of Thomas Sankara w/ Amber Murrey This is a free preview of the episode "Alliance of Sahel States Pt. 4: The Life, Politics and Legacies of Thomas Sankara w/ Amber Murrey." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, Part 4 of our series on the Alliance of Sahel States, Amber Murrey joins us for a conversation on Thomas Sankara. In this conversation, we discuss Sankara's early life and how his experience with French colonialism shaped his politics and philosophies. We talk about how those philosophies were implemented into policy after a 1983 coup d'etat that put him into the presidency. We explore his fight against French imperialism and for sovereignty of the Burkinabé population. We discuss his assassination, who was responsible, and why it's more important than ever for us to share about his work and uplift his legacy here in the West. Amber Murrey is Associate Professor in Human Geography, Fellow and Tutor at Mansfield College, and Director of Undergraduate Studies for Geography & the Environment at the University of Oxford. taught at universities in Ethiopia, Egypt, Cameroon, the US. Amber is also the editor of 'A Certain Amount of Madness': The Life, Politics and Legacies of Thomas Sankara and Associate Editor of The African Geographical Review. Further resources: Related episodes: Artwork: Sanyika Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/38256620

US Labor & Imperialism Pt. 2: Zionism w/ Jeff Schuhrke (Palestine Pt. 16) 01/13/2026

US Labor & Imperialism Pt. 2: Zionism w/ Jeff Schuhrke (Palestine Pt. 16) In this episode, part 2 of our 2-part miniseries on US labor and imperialism, Jeff Schuhrke joins us to take a deep dive into his new book, No Neutrals There, exploring US labor's support of Zionism. Jeff Schuhrke is a labor historian, journalist, union activist, and assistant professor at the Harry Van Arsdale Jr School of Labor Studies, SUNY Empire State University. He’s the author of Blue-Collar Empire: The Untold Story of US Labor's Global Anticommunist Crusade, and No Neutrals There: US Labor, Zionism, and the Struggle for Palestine. The conversation opens with a history of Zionism, looking at the rise of Zionism and crucially contrasting it to the Jewish Labor Bund and their different approach to Jewish emancipation. We then present a history of the settler-colonial project which became Israel, looking at the labor landscape in Palestine during the first half of the 20th century (the Great Arab Revolt, WWII, the period of the Holocaust) and exploring US labor's role in supporting the Zionist project ideologically, financially, and even militarily throughout the Nakba and the creation of the State of Israel. We then talk about how US labor's support (specifically the AFL-CIO's) for Zionism after the creation of the state of Israel, providing billions of dollars of support and lobbying on behalf of Israel, providing crucial early support. of this miniseries took a deep dive into Jeff's book Blue-Collar Empire, looking at US labor's role in supporting imperialism and anticommunism. Further resources: Related episodes: Please Donate: Help Ismail and his family survive in Gaza — a note from Ismail's fundraiser: Intermission music: (Please support their for a Palestinian family) Cover art: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39193515

[UNLOCKED] Immigration, ICE, and Working Class Rebellion w/ Cecilia Guerrero 01/08/2026

[UNLOCKED] Immigration, ICE, and Working Class Rebellion w/ Cecilia Guerrero Note: We have unlocked this Patreon episode which originally aired on Jun 23, 2025 It’s easy to get lost in the narratives that are fed to us by the very same institutions that oppress us. Whether liberal institutions or far right ones, there’s always something crucial missing—some component of analysis that’s left unaddressed, some root cause that remains misidentified or distorted. And the reason is because when it comes to the class war that we are all engaged in—whether we like it or not—the issues of class, of imperialism, and of monopoly capitalism are never, ever part of the mainstream discussion. So, what are the root causes of immigration? What do the ICE terror campaigns look like on the ground in cities like LA or Nashville? What happens when we apply a materialist lens to the conversation about mass deportations and conversation about the scapegoating of the more vulnerable groups in society? And what happens when we shift the frame from the more liberal, rights-based approach to activism to one based on unified, solidaristic class struggle? Well, we’ve brought back on the perfect guest to help us unpack some of these pressing questions. Cecilia Guerrero is Chair and Founding Member of , an organization based in Nashville, Tennessee, which incubates and trains young people and workers within advanced sectors of the working class to build and lead their own class struggle organizations. In this episode, we talk about the terror campaign being waged on immigrants throughout the country and the responses coming from working class communities who are standing up for themselves and standing in solidarity with the oppressed and exploited classes across the globe. We talk about ICE, the role that immigration plays in the imperialist global system, the attempts by liberal institutions to co-opt and neutralize our radical movements, and what the MAGA right gets wrong about the root cause of their immiseration. Further resources: Related episodes: Artwork: CPSU propaganda poster Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39654830

[BONUS] The Turn of the Year (or A Solstice Celebration) w/ Manda Scott and Nathalie Nahai 12/30/2025

[BONUS] The Turn of the Year (or A Solstice Celebration) w/ Manda Scott and Nathalie Nahai Happy Holidays! In this annual tradition, Della is joined by two fellow podcast hosts to reflect on insights and questions from the past year and share visions for the year ahead. They discuss how to not get stuck in embitterment, concerns and questions about AI, and where they are currently finding hope in these dark times. Manda Scott is a novelist, smallholder, and host of the podcast, which showcases individuals and organizations at the emerging edge of our world to set the foundation for a future we’d be proud to leave to the generations that come after us. Manda’s latest novel, Any Human Power, is out now and available . Nathalie Nahai is a behavior science advisor, author and host of the podcast , which focuses on psychology, technology, and human behavior. Nathalie is the author of and is also the founder of , a project that offers curated gastronomical gatherings that explore how we can thrive in times of turbulence and change. One of Della’s offerings in the new year is a course she designed about how to cultivate regenerative livelihoods. She created this course with insights that she has found most helpful in bringing Upstream theories and ideas into people’s lives as a Right Livelihood coach. Whether you are in a livelihood transition, want to be in community with others trying to find meaningful work, or you just want to know more about work as a vehicle for post capitalist systems change, this course is a great fit. It includes live sessions, engaging module materials and activities including Upstream episodes, and a lively discussion forum to bring the material to life. Click to learn more and to register and use “FRIENDS-20” for 20% off the course fee. Thank you to the Accidental Gods team for editing this episode. Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39534670

[TEASER] Reconnecting to the Land and to Place 12/23/2025

[TEASER] Reconnecting to the Land and to Place This is a free preview of the episode "Reconnecting to the Land and to Place." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, part of our ongoing Patreon reading series, Robbie reads an essay titled “The Place, The Region, The Commons” by the poet, author, an environmental activist Gary Snyder. The episode begins with an update on Robbie's life—which goes into specifics about health issues involving long COVID, ME/CFS, CIRS, as well as housing, mold, and other issues that impact our health under capitalism. He then begins reading “The Place, The Region, The Commons," interspersing the reading with many thoughts, reflections, and criticisms along the way. The essay argues for bioregionalism—the idea that we should center place in our how we organize society and understand ourselves. Through compelling prose and beautifully descriptive language, Gary Snyder lays out an argument for coming back to nature and the wild while taking many interesting side paths. What are the commons and what happened to them? How can industrial society reconnect to the land? How can we balance social needs with environmental needs? And what are the real boundaries we should be paying attention to? These are just some of the questions explored in this reading. Further resources: yi Related episodes: Cover art: "something" by Robert Raymond (MS Paint) Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39437025

US Labor & Imperialism Pt. 1: the War Against Communism w/ Jeff Schuhrke 12/16/2025

US Labor & Imperialism Pt. 1: the War Against Communism w/ Jeff Schuhrke In this episode, part 1 of a 2-part miniseries on US labor and imperialism, joins us for a conversation on how US labor aided and at times even led the US's global fight against communism throughout much of the 20th century. Jeff Schuhrke is a labor historian, journalist, union activist, and assistant professor at the Harry Van Arsdale Jr School of Labor Studies, SUNY Empire State University. He’s the author of Blue-Collar Empire: The Untold Story of US Labor's Global Anticommunist Crusade, and No Neutrals There: US Labor, Zionism, and the Struggle for Palestine. In this conversation we take a deep dive into Jeff's book Blue-Collar Empire, exploring US labor's role in fighting global communism during the 20th century. The conversation opens with a history of the early US labor movement, anchored by the AFL, the CIO, and the IWW which all presented different approaches and ideological orientations towards labor and capital. We then look at how labor was systematically deradicalized over the course of the first half the 21st century, leading to a mostly anticommunist, class-collaborationist labor movement by the post-WWII era. We then look at how the AFL-CIO and its various arms participated and at times led the global war against communism abroad, participating in sabotage campaigns and in outright regime change operations led by the CIA and the State Department—from France to Guyana to Brazil to Chile to Vietnam to the USSR. Finally, we explore how US labor's anticommunist, pro-imperialist positions throughout the 20th century impacted the US proletariat and the international working class more broadly. of this miniseries takes a deep dive into Jeff's book No Neutrals There, looking at US labor's role in supporting Zionism and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: Cover art: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39135495

[TEASER] Mexico Pt. 2: Morena and The Fourth Transformation w/ Stephanie Weatherbee Brito 12/09/2025

[TEASER] Mexico Pt. 2: Morena and The Fourth Transformation w/ Stephanie Weatherbee Brito This is a free preview of the episode "[TEASER] Mexico Pt. 2: Morena and The Fourth Transformation w/ Stephanie Weatherbee Brito." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In Part 2 of this new series, we're joined by Stephanie Weatherbee Brito to discuss the rise of Morena and Mexico's Fourth Transformation. Stephanie Weatherbee is a popular educator and coordinator for the secretariat of the International Peoples’ Assembly. Stephanie is also an occasional researcher with Tricontinental, where she recently co-authored the excellent Tricontinental dossier “Mexico and the Fourth Transformation.” We begin the conversation with a brief overview of the history and conditions which led to the rise of Morena and its leaders Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum. We talk about neoliberalism as a counterrevolution and how Morena is fighting against it both as an economic policy and as an ideology. We discuss Morena’s attempts at social reforms and some of the policies it has been implementing, its attempts to contend with the United States, and some of the internal challenges it faces. Finally, we discuss the path forward and what the future of Mexico might look like under Morena’s leadership. Further resources: Related episodes: The cover art for this episode comes from the Tricontinental Dossier, where they write that "The artworks in this dossier are from the mural series Los Nadies (The Nobodies), created by Colectivo Subterráneos in Oaxaca, Mexico. Founded in 2021 to democratise art as a tool for social transformation, the collective draws on Mexico’s graphic tradition – from the Taller de Gráfica Popular (People’s Graphic Workshop) to Mexican muralism – as well as the 2006 Popular Teachers’ Movement of Oaxaca. Inspired by Eduardo Galeano’s poem of the same name, the series includes prints and murals that highlight indigenous and mestizo peoples forgotten under colonial rule and modern capitalism, confronting the historical debt to the marginalised and amplifying voices that demand justice in a Mexico under transformation." Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39212170

A World out of Balance: Introducing Doughnut 3.0 w/ Andrew Fanning 12/02/2025

A World out of Balance: Introducing Doughnut 3.0 w/ Andrew Fanning Patreon: www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast Mazlo: https://donate.mazloweb.com/donate/xsKGfZHZFXvoNMzVKaSvH In this episode we’re joined by Andrew Fanning for a conversation about doughnuts…no, not that kind of doughnut. We’re talking about Kate Raworth’s famous Doughnut from Doughnut Economics. Andrew Fanning is an ecological economist exploring how to move our interconnected societies towards the goal of meeting the needs of all people within the means of the living planet. He is particularly interested in finding ways to visualise progress towards this goal in data. Andrew is Research & Data Analysis Lead at , where he co-creates metrics and research-related tools that make visible the core concepts of Doughnut Economics, and convenes spaces to connect scholars putting these concepts into action. His research has been published in leading journals, such as Nature and Lancet Planetary Health, and he leads the ongoing development of an interactive website entitled ', which makes indicators tracking the social shortfall and ecological overshoot of countries visible and widely accessible. In this conversation, we get the latest progress report about our global economic system through Doughnut 3.0, we explore how environmental degradation and social deprivation differs among countries in the imperial core and the periphery, and we hear about ways communities are responding to Doughnut Economics to bring local and global economies into greater balance. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39129040

[TEASER] Mexico Pt. 1: A Socialist Introduction w/ Cecilia Guerrero 11/25/2025

[TEASER] Mexico Pt. 1: A Socialist Introduction w/ Cecilia Guerrero This is a free preview of the episode "Mexcio Pt. 1: A Socialist Introduction w/ Cecilia Guerrero." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In Part 1 of this new series, we're joined by Cecilia Guerrero for a socialist introduction to Mexico. Cecilia Guerrero is chair and founding member of , an organization based in Nashville, Tennessee which incubates and trains young people and workers within advanced sectors of the working class to build and lead their own class struggle organizations. We begin the conversation with a peak into the deeper history looking at the various civilizations present in Mesoamerica prior to Spanish colonization. We then explore the colonial period, the War of Independence, the War of Reform, and the Mexican Revolution from with a historical materialist analysis. We talk about the US's imperialist ambitions in Mexico starting with the Mexican-American War, the imposition of NAFTA, and the drug cartels. We explore the Mexican left—both anarchist and socialist—and the recent rise in center-left politics with the The National Regeneration Movement, or Morena and the presidencies of Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum. We end looking at the United States' recent aggression towards Mexico and threats of invasion by the Trump regime. Further resources: Related episodes: Cover art: "The History of Mexico" by Diego Rivera Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/39061905

From the Frontlines: Tenant Organizing w/ Josh Poe and Tara Raghuveer 11/18/2025

From the Frontlines: Tenant Organizing w/ Josh Poe and Tara Raghuveer In this episode, part of our ongoing From the Frontlines series, and Josh Poe join us for a conversation about tenant organizing. Tara Raghuveer is a tenant organizer with KC Tenants based in Kansas City, Missouri and with the Tenant Union Federation. Josh Poe is the organizing director with the Kentucky Tenant Union, formerly known as the Louisville Tenant Union and organizes with the Tenant Union Federation along with Tara. Our conversation opens with a introduction to tenants unions before diving into the specific work that is being done by our guests. We discuss some of the ongoing fights being waged against private equity and corporate landlords by the Kentucky Tenants Union across the state of Kentucky and by the Tenant Union Federation across the country. We explore the root causes of skyrocketing rents and the housing crisis, the idealogical and legal barriers to organizing in the south, and some of the false and real solutions. Finally, we explore what a logical and humane housing system could look like. Further resources: Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series Intermission music: "Forest Floor" by Witchdream Mansion Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/38758285

[TEASER] Imperialism in the Twenty-First Century w/ John Smith 11/11/2025

[TEASER] Imperialism in the Twenty-First Century w/ John Smith This is a free preview of the episode "Imperialism in the Twenty-First Century w/ John Smith." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. The core capitalist countries no longer need to rely on military force and colonialism to increasingly extract profits from workers in the Global South. Of course, as we see daily, violence is still utilized—but it’s not the primary way in which imperialism now functions. Imperialism in the 21st century works through market mechanisms—not just through superexploitation, uneven exchange, and other economic instruments of empire that keep the Global North’s boot firmly on the rest of the world’s neck. So, how does it all work, exactly? Well, we’ve brought on the perfect guest to walk us through it all. John Smith is the author of Imperialism in the Twenty-First Century: Globalization, Super-Exploitation, and Capitalism's Final Crisis, published by Monthly Review Press. In this conversation, John helps us to understand the way that imperialism works in the 21st century. We talk about the history of imperialism and how capitalism co-opted imperialism and made it its own. We trace a commodity through the circuits of capitalism to help us understand how imperialism functions, we talk about super exploitation, revolutionary subjects, the crisis of capitalism, and much more. Further resources: Related episodes: Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/37464265

China Pt. 8: Mao Zedong and Maoism with Yueran Zhang 11/04/2025

China Pt. 8: Mao Zedong and Maoism with Yueran Zhang In Part 8 of we're joined by Yueren Zhang to discuss Mao Zedong and the political philosophy of Maoism. Yueran Zhang is Assistant Professor in the department of sociology at the University of Chicago. He specializes in the comparative studies of capitalism, socialism, and transitions in between, with a special emphasis on political economy and the dynamics of development in the Global South. The conversation opens by presenting a biographical and historical overview of Mao Zedong, the context in which the Chinese Revolution occured, and Mao's role in the Chinese Revolution. We then introduce Maoism as a philosophy and political practice and take a deep dive into how Mao's philosophy shaped his political practice—using the cultural revolution and building mass movements as examples. We explore Mao and his relationship to Deng Xiaoping, China's political system and whether we can view China as a socialist or capitalist state (Yueren holds a very different view from most of our previous guests in this episode), the role that Mao's political practice and philosophy plays in modern day revolutionary movements, and much more. Producer's note: Our China series is a Patreon series, but we've published this episode publicly. The episode itself is completely fine to listen to as a standalone. If you like what you hear and want to hear more, the entire series is available on Patreon and covers a wide range of topics and perspectives which complement this episode. Further resources: (Jason Hickel) Related episodes: (includes an introduction to Marxism-Leninism) (includes a basic introduction to Maosim) Intermission music: "The Way That You Slope Your Shoulders" by Witchdream Mansion Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you’ll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/bb336368-b933-4b06-88b6-e51256ac6d81/id/38895140

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