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 Ep 9: Conjuring up the Red Menace w/ Charisse Burden-Stelly 08/11/2026

Cuba Ep 9: Conjuring up the Red Menace w/ Charisse Burden-Stelly In this episode we're joined by for a conversation on Cuba and the long history of US red scares through the lens of the US Department of State's recent report on Cuba: "" Charisse Burden-Stelly is an associate professor of African American studies at Wayne State University, a member of the , Movement Builders, and the . She’s the author of Black Scare/Red Scare: Theorizing Capitalist Racism in the United States. The conversation opens with an outline of the US State Department report as well as the related “National Security Presidential Memorandum 7: Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence”—more commonly referred to as NSPM-7. We go through the report and examine some of its contents and some of the claims it makes and then explore what the purpose of this report is, asking: why Cuba, and why now? Dr. CBS then introduces her thesis in Black Scare / Red Scare, looking at how anti-Blackness and anticommunism are combined by the repressive state apparatus to conjure up a red/Black menace, tying that thesis directly to the State Department report. We explore the actual history of cultural exchange between Black radicals and activists in the U.S. and Cuba, going on to highlight the deep hypocricy within the report in terms of the U.S.'s attemps to sabotoage and terrorize Cuba since 1959. We then zoom out and explore Dr. CBS's argument in Black Scare / Red Scare that anticommunism cannot be viewed as a limited phenomenon that pops up every so often, but rather, that it must be understood as a mode of governance in the United States that is ongoing and pervasive. We close looking at what this current red scare means for the left and what solidarity within the left and by the left for the victims of capitalism and imperialism can look like. Further resources: , Charisse Burden-Stelly , Charisse Burden-Stelly Related episodes: (Michael Parenti Reading) (Michael Parenti Reading) Intermission music: Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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. 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/42246070

[TEASER] Inventing Reality: The Politics of News Media 07/21/2026

[TEASER] Inventing Reality: The Politics of News Media This is a free preview of the episode "Inventing Reality: The Politics of News Media" You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly 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 of our , Robbie reads and provides real-time analysis of the opening chapter of the classic book, Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media by Michael Parenti. The text explores the role that the media play in capitalism using a materialist, Marxist-Leninist analysis. The reading begins with Robbie comparing and contrasting Inventing Reality with the better-known book on a similar topic, Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman's Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. Robbie highlights the main antagonisms between Chomsky and Parenti in their approach to this topic and explores why these antagonisms exist. Robbie then dives into Inventing Reality, providing real-time analysis and commentary throughout. He presents Parenti's thesis and introduction to the content of the book before getting into some examples of how the media function under capitalism. Robbie uses the example of Skydance Media's merger with Paramount Global and the impact this had on CBS news and editorial coverage to explain Parenti's thesis on right-wing bias in the media. The text explores how the mainstream media covers race, gender, and class, and how this coverage is a result of the class position of those who own and control the media. This also explains why the mainstream media rarely if ever explore the structural causes of many of the issues they report on in society. Parenti explores the conservative nature of mainstream media through a variety examples, including coverage of candidates for political office. Robbie reads Parenti's analysis and then applies it to our current time, connecting the dots from the 1980s and 1990s when Parenti was writing the book to the present. Robbie takes the example of skewed coverage of third-party candidates during elections to again parse out the differences between Inventing Reality and Manufacturing Consent, introducing Chomsky's concept of "structural filters" and contrasting it with Parenti's emphasis on property relations and class-struggle. The reading ends with an exploration of how the media set the parameters around what is acceptable and not acceptable to discuss publicly—framing the limits of allowable discourse in a way that does not require them to always be controlling our minds in an Orwellian sense. Parenti argues that it's often much easier and more effective for our ruling class to set the ideological tone and issue agenda with a much more insidious, subtle form of control than the nakedly brutish tactics of overt oppression. 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/42044480

Sudan Ep. 1: The Unconscious Revolution w/ Mohamed Khougali 07/14/2026

Sudan Ep. 1: The Unconscious Revolution w/ Mohamed Khougali In this episode we're joined by Mohamed Khougali for a conversation exploring the history and politics of Sudan from the perspective of a Sudanese psychotherapist who participated in the 2018-2019 revolution. Mohamed Khougali is a socialist who was part of the Sudanese revolution of 2019. He's the author of Politically Unconscious: The Psychic Aftermath of the Sudanese Revolution, published by Iskra Books. He is currently residing in Germany, where he started the Black Radicals to incorporate the Black Radical Tradition into the German Left. The conversation opens with an overview of Politically Unconscious and then dives into Mohamed's work as a psychotherapist and his approach of praxis psychotherapy. We then take some time to orient ourselves to Sudan geographically and give some important context around its regions before we begin to explore Sudanese history. We discuss Sudan's history beginning with the Anglo-Egyptian colonization period which lasted from the late 19th century to 1956. He discusses how this period shifted property, governing, and class relations in Sudan and paved the way for Sudan's contemporary conflicts. We discuss the resistance to colonialism and the formation of the Sudanese National Liberation Movement which later became the Communist Party of Sudan. We go on to talk about Sudanese independence, the quick overthrow of its new parliament by its first dictator, and then the emergence of neoliberalism in Sudan. Mohamed then talks about the financialization of Sudan—Khartoum in particular—and how this shaped and reshaped property relations and the lives of people in both the cities and rural areas. He talks about rebellions in the South and the West, the formation of the Jangaweed, which later turned into the Rapid Support Forces (or RSF), and the immiseration, racialization, and violence that resulted from these processes. We end by discussing the 2018-2019 revolution, how it was seized, and where Sudan is now. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: “Ana lstu ri’deedan” by Atbarawi We’ll be off for the next couple of weeks for our summer break, so unless you’re a Patreon subscriber this will be the last episode until August 10th. For Patreon subscribers, we’ve got an episode for you next week and then we’ll be taking a break there also until mid-August. We’ve got some really exciting episodes planned for the weeks we‘re back so stay tuned! 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/41573615

[TEASER] 250 Years of Bourgeois Democracy w/ August Nimtz 07/05/2026

[TEASER] 250 Years of Bourgeois Democracy w/ August Nimtz This is a free preview of the episode "250 Years of Bourgeois Democracy w/ August Nimtz" You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get 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, August Nimtz joins us to discuss 250 years of bourgeois democracy. August Nimtz is professor of political science and African American and African studies and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of many books including The Ballot, the Streets, or Both? From Marx and Engels to Lenin and the October Revolution, which we had him on to speak about back in 2023, and most recently, Black Marxism: A Marxist Critique. Our conversation begins by revisiting our last conversation with August and providing a brief synopsis of The Ballot, the Streets, or Both?, setting the record straight on the intentions of the book in order to clear up some misunderstandings that many democratic socialists (particularly those of DSA) have around Marx, Engels, and Lenin's views on electoralism. In the process August discusses the recent victories of progressive candidates in Democratic primaries in the context of the two diseases of bourgeois politics: voting fetishism and parliamentary cretinism, which he says organizations and progressive politicians such as DSA and Bernie Sanders are afflicted with. We then take a deep dive into the history of the American Revolution, looking at the differences between the Revolution of 1776 and the writing of the Constitution—which August describes as a form of counterrevolution. We explore the creation of the proletariat as the first class in history that has the ability to emancipate humanity and explore bourgeois democracy—particularly what the bourgeois revolution required in order for capitalism to flourish, including certain rights intended for the emerging bourgeoisie. We then fast-forward to the present and explore how Donald Trump is an embodiment of American capitalism—a perfect example of the ideals put forth in the Constitution and the most authentic capitalist who has ever been in the White House. We discuss how Trump is capitalism's chicken coming home to roost. We end by talking about the "Great American State Fair" and survey the mood of the country, questioning whether the anger that people feel right now can be channeled into a constructive direction. 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/41926340

The Democratic Party w/ Cecilia Guerrero 06/30/2026

The Democratic Party w/ Cecilia Guerrero In this episode Cecilia Guerrero joins us to pick apart the sordid origins and class orientation of the Democratic Party. 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. The conversation opens with a history of the Democratic Party, which is also a history of the development of US capitalism. Cecilia takes us back to the formation of the Democratic Party and describes the role it played in opposition to the Republican Party during slavery and up to the Civil War. She then outlines how the party shifted and evolved up through the Robber Barron days around the turn of the century up to WWI. We then explore how the Communist Party of the USA (CPUSA), despite its successful origins, succumbed to opportunism and failed to be a vehicle for the working class in the United States. This resulted in the New Deal Democratic alliance being widely recognized as a working class party, despite, of course, being nothing of the sort. This shift paved the way for Franklin D. Roosevelt's program of throwing crumbs to the working class while working on behalf of the bourgeoisie to reform and stabilize capitalism. Cecilia goes on to describe how the Democratic Party has now fully embraced the role that it took on under FDR—promising watered down reforms to an increasingly exploited and immiserated proletariat as a release valve for their anger while never delivering meaningful change. She describes how the Democratic Party inserts itself into radical movements only to co-opt and neutralize them, providing examples from Ferguson to Nashville, where she herself organizes. We then discuss the Democrats role in upholding imperialism through their history of supporting imperial exploit, particularly their uncompromising reliance on sanctions, predatory development schemes, and other forms of economic warfare. Finally, we discuss what needs to happen in order for us to break out of this two-party duopoly of capitalism and build a party that truly represents the working class. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: "The Democrats" by Carsie Blanton 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/41808130

[TEASER] Iran Ep. 5: Is the US-Iran Deal a Trap for Iran? w/ Elina Xenophontos 06/23/2026

[TEASER] Iran Ep. 5: Is the US-Iran Deal a Trap for Iran? w/ Elina Xenophontos This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Pt. 5: Is the US-Iran Deal a Trap for Iran? 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 biweekly 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. Although the episodes build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone In Part 5 of our ongoing series on Iran, Elina Xenophontos joins us to discuss the US-Iran deal and what it could mean for Iran's economic sovereignty. is an international law and economic globalization 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 brief overview of how Iran and the United States got to this point, leading up to the current deal that is being negotiated. Elina unpacks the various terms of the current agreement before discussing how one element of it, the $300 billion reconstruction and economic development fund, is an attempt to impose a form of neocolonial imperialism onto Iran by injecting Western capital into Iran's strategic sectors. We tie this agreement into the broader geopolitical context, looking at how the United States is attempting to sustain itself, maintain its global hegemony, and prevent China's growing influence and tying in Venezuela and Cuba. Elina outlines the strategic role that Iran plays in China's Belt and Road Initiative and how the United States is attempting to disrupt China's growing influence. Elina then describes the threats to the petrodollar posed by Iran's strategic alliances and how the United States is attempting to intervene in these alliances. We end by discussing how this deal potentially threatens Iran’s anti-imperialist unity and its role in the Axis of Resistance and explore how this deal and Iran's potential liberalization are being grappled with internally by the Islamic Republic's different political factions. 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/41707260

Honorable Harvest: Indigenous Economics w/ Gregg Castro 06/16/2026

Honorable Harvest: Indigenous Economics w/ Gregg Castro The hyper-individual, anti-collectivist ideology that defines and permeates Western societies has profound consequences in multiple realms, from mental health to ecological health to economic health—it's a way of living and thinking that has stained our society from the start. No one knows this more than those individuals and cultures who have, for thousands of years, practiced life in a different way. And among those are many Indigenous cultures and nations which have prioritized a way of life that emphasizes the collective over the individual—not erasing the individual, but weaving the individual back into the fabric of society and the web of life. One of the defining questions of our time is this: how can we learn from Indigenous wisdom to reimagine the world? How can we reimagine the scarcity, competition, and hoarding that defines Western society and replace these values with reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude? And how does connecting with the natural world help us as we reimagine? This is the question asked in the latest book by Robin Wall Kimmerer: The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World. And we've brought on a terrific guest to help us unpack Robin's book and share their own wisdom and experience in relation to it. Gregg Castro is the Culture Director for the and a writer and activist within the California Indigenous community focusing on issues regarding cultural preservation, protection, education and traditional practices. In this conversation, Della and Gregg talk about their insights and takeaways from The Serviceberry while sharing about their own experiences. Gregg tells us about his childhood growing up in the South San Francisco Bay Area—a region once known for its vast orchards—and talks about how the natural world and the traditional wisdom of his ancestors has shaped his life and his values. They talk about key takeaways from the Indigenous practices and principles of the potlatch, the honorable harvest, and seven generation thinking. And finally, they explore how we can all unplug, unwind, and contribute to a more just and beautiful world based on the lessons of nature and Indigenous wisdom. Further Resources Related Episodes: Intermission music: Artwork: 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/41626525

[TEASER] China Ep. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun 06/09/2026

[TEASER] China Ep. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun This is a free preview of the episode "China Ep. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get 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. Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun join us for a conversation on Taiwan. Charles Xu is a member of and . Feiyang Sun is a member of . Our conversation begins with an introduction to Taiwan geographically and historically prior to the modern period and into the early modern period, including the colonization by Japan in the early 20th century—disputing certain Taiwan separatist arguments along the way. We then revisit the Chinese Civil War, discussing the Communist Party of China (CPC) and The Kuomintang (KMT) as opposing forces and situating Taiwan within this history up to the revolution in 1949, including the KMT's retreat to Taiwan and the terror campaign that ensued on the island. We discuss the role that the United States played in this history leading up to the revolution, and then the emergence of Taiwan as a counterrevolutionary force for US imperialism during the Cold War and into the present. We explore what KMT rule in Taiwan looked like until the transition out of martial law in the 1980s and the contending class conflicts and political landscape of Taiwan into contemporary times. We then discuss the "One China" policy, the tensions between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) in Taipei both domestically and internationally, and introduce the Taiwanese independence movement. We then discuss the military exercises in the South China Sea, United States arms sales to Taiwan, and other current events before concluding on why the question of Taiwan is a crucial one for the Western, anti-imperialist left. Further resources: The two main demographic groups on Taiwan that Charles mentions are the běnshěngrén (本省人) and the wàishěngrén (外省人). More on Taiwan's demographics (Qiao Collective) (Qiao Collective) Related episodes: Thank you to Qiao Collective for the cover art. 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/41460045

The Rise (and Fall) of the US Dollar w/ Fadhel Kaboub 06/02/2026

The Rise (and Fall) of the US Dollar w/ Fadhel Kaboub In this episode we're joined by Fadhel Kaboub for a conversation about the US dollar, its hegemony over the globe, and the emerging challenges to this hegemony. is a Tunisian-American economist, professor of economics at Denison University, president of the , and author of on substack. The conversation opens with a historical overview of how the US dollar became the dominant global currency and the power that this brought with it—exploring the petrodollar, the use of sanctions, and other neocolonial mechanisms upheld by the dollar. We then introduce BRICS and exploring how BRICS challenges US dollar hegemony and the limitations to this challenge. Fadhel then unpacks the ways that US dollar hegemony is and can continue to be challenges through focusing on food sovereignty, energy sovereignty, and industrial/technological sovereignty, which Fadhel unpacks in depth. We then explore some examples of attempts to achieve this kind of sovereignty, beginning with the Alliance of Sahel States and their successes and challenges in seeking sovereignty but looking also at Iran, Cuba, and China. We explore some concrete examples of how not just the dollar but other colonial currencies both past and present have been utilized to subjugate people and states in the Global South, focusing on the CFA Franc. Fadhel then gives us a sense of the better world that can exist outside of the neocolonial, imperialist structures that dominate today and how that world can be achieved in a concrete way. 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/41364780

[TEASER] Cuba Ep. 8: Lessons from the Fall of the USSR w/ Helen Yaffe 05/26/2026

[TEASER] Cuba Ep. 8: Lessons from the Fall of the USSR w/ Helen Yaffe This is a free preview of the episode "Cuba Ep. 8: Lessons from the Fall of the USSR w/ Helen Yaffe." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly 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 8 of our ongoing Cuba series, we’re joined again by Helen Yaffe for a conversation exploring the lessons Cuba learned from the crisis brought on by the fall of the USSR—known as Cuba's "special period". Helen Yaffe is a professor of Latin American political economy at the University of Glasgow. She is the author of , and Che Guevara: The Economics of Revolution. She is also the cohost of the and the documentary “Cuba’s life task: combating climate change.” Our conversation begins with an introduction to Cuba's "special period", the period of economic crisis in Cuba which occurred as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Helen gives us some context on how closely entwined Cuba's economy was to its primary trading partner, the Soviet Union, before describing how this partnership was impacted in 1991 and what this meant for Cuba more broadly. Before we discuss the ways that Cuba adapted to the loss of the USSR, we discuss how the United States took advantage of the crisis in 1991 to strengthen sanctions through mechanisms like the Torricelli Act and the Helms-Burton Act while also engaging in outright terrorism out of Miami—including the "Brothers to the Rescue" incident (and the CIA-trained terrorist network within which it was situated) that serves as the pretext for the Trump administration's recent indictment of Raúl Castro. Helen then goes on to describe in more detail the impacts on Cuba of the fall of the USSR and takes some time to talk about how Cubans adapted in the midst of this crisis, drawing from both her scholarly work and also from her experience living in Cuba during this period. We end by discussing the Cuban medical brigades and how this program adapted in the post-Soviet era, particularly in shaping Cuba's relationship with many states in Latin America and reshaping its own economy, before drawing lessons for the current crisis facing Cuba. Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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/41427740

Cuba Ep. 7: How Cuban Socialism Works w/ Helen Yaffe 05/19/2026

Cuba Ep. 7: How Cuban Socialism Works w/ Helen Yaffe joins us for a conversation exploring what the attempts to build socialism in Cuba look like in a practical sense—from housing to food distribution to economic management. 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 by bringing back the lens and exploring what we mean when we talk about socialism and communism and transitional states, inserting the centrality of development and underdevelopment into the conversation of building socialism and situating Cuba into this framework. We break down the main components of Cuban socialism, which include central planning, the decentralization of feedback mechanisms (deep democracy), the commitment to social welfare with a particular emphasis on medical advancements and technology, science, etc. We then break down how these components existed within the different stages of Cuba’s attempts to lay the foundations for socialism, focusing on the different experiments with their economic management system from the 1960s to the early 1990s as Cuba pulled towards and then away from the Soviet economic management model and what this meant. We then explore the concept of motivation and salaries and how this works under socialism without profit incentives or wage incentives or other material incentives, exploring how Cuba navigated these issues by focusing specifically on its salary system. We go on to discuss the complexities of how housing and food distribution is arranged under Cuba's socialist system and the challenges that Cuba faced during the period leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union, which is where we will pick up the conversation with Helen next week in our Patreon episode exploring Cuba's "Special Period." Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. Further resources: Related episodes: Intermission music: “Baila con mi Rumba” by Roberto Carcassés 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/41232465

[TEASER] Cuba Ep. 6: The Political Thought of Fidel Castro w/ Renzo Llorente 05/12/2026

[TEASER] Cuba Ep. 6: The Political Thought of Fidel Castro w/ Renzo Llorente This is a free preview of the episode "Cuba Ep. 6: The Political Thought of Fidel Castro w/ Renzo Llorente." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get 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. Renzo Llorente join us for a conversation on the political thought of Fidel Castro. 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, which we'll be discussing in today's episode. Our conversation begins with a brief introduction to Fidel Castro before diving into his political thought. Renzo gives us a sense of how Fidel was radicalized and how Marxism-Leninism and anti-imperialism became part of his ideological makeup. We explore his views on Latin America and his belief that Latin America should form a unified bloc similar to what the European Union is. We then discuss his views on religion before comparing and contrasting his overall ideological orientation with that driving the Soviet Union—exploring how Cuba both adopted and rejected aspects of the Soviet model of socialism (this exploration dovetails with Ep. 3 of this series, where we explore Che Guevara's contributions to building socialism in Cuba with Helen Yaffe). Renzo then takes some time to explore the similarities and differences between Fidel Castro and Joseph Stalin—responding to claims from both the left and the right that Fidel was a "Stalinist" or that his leadership resembled Stalin's in the most negative ways of Stalin's leadership. We then explore what Fidel actually thought of Stalin and how he viewed the term "Stalinism." We end with an exploration of Fidel's ecological approach to Marxism, his views on racial justice and gender oppression, and his approach to undoing the racism present that stained pre-revolutionary Cuba. 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/41133930

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

Cuba Ep. 5: Under Siege w/ Manolo De Los Santos & Liz Oliva Fernández Manolo De Los Santos & Liz Oliva Fernández join us 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. Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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 Ep. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel 04/16/2026

[UNLOCKED] Palestine Ep. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel This is an unlocked version of the episode "Palestine Ep. 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 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 Ep. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso 04/13/2026

[TEASER] Iran Ep. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Ep. 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 biweekly 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. 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. Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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 Ep. 4: Counterrevolution w/ Renzo Llorente 04/07/2026

Cuba Ep. 4: Counterrevolution w/ Renzo Llorente Renzo Llorente joins us 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 Ep. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel 03/31/2026

[TEASER] Palestine Ep. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel In this episode, 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 . Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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 Ep. 3: Che Guevara and the Building of Socialism w/ Helen Yaffe 03/24/2026

Cuba Ep. 3: Che Guevara and the Building of Socialism w/ Helen Yaffe joins us 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 that was accustomed to viewing labor as an exploitative endeavor and not as a 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 Ep. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf 03/17/2026

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

Iran Ep. 3: The Empire vs. Iran w/ Bikrum Gill Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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 Ep. 2: ¡Viva la Revolución! w/ Manolo De Los Santos 02/24/2026

Cuba Ep. 2: ¡Viva la Revolución! w/ Manolo De Los Santos joins us for a conversation on 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 coeditor 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 Episode 1 left off, in the early 50s, setting the stage for the lead up to the 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 Ep. 2: The Impacts of Economic Strangulation w/ Elina Xenophontos 02/06/2026

[TEASER] Iran Ep. 2: The Impacts of Economic Strangulation w/ Elina Xenophontos This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Ep. 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 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. 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 globalization 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 that 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. Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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 Ep. 6: The Empire Strikes w/ José Luis Granados Ceja and Andreína Chávez 02/03/2026

[TEASER] Venezuela Ep. 6: The Empire Strikes w/ José Luis Granados Ceja and Andreína Chávez This is an unlocked version of the Patreon episode "Venezuela Ep. 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 biweekly 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. 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. Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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 Ep. 1: Before the Revolution w/ Manolo De Los Santos 01/29/2026

Cuba Ep. 1: Before the Revolution w/ Manolo De Los Santos 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. Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. 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

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