The global politics podcast at the end of the End of History. Join us as we chart a course beyond the age of ’bunga bunga’.
Episodes
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
On sectarianism & identitarianism.
Karl Sharro (@KarlreMarks) is back on Bunga to talk to us about his essay "The Retreat from Universalism in the Middle East and the World".
Lebanon has been used as a model for other Middle Eastern countries, even though its confessional system is a disaster. But Lebanese-style sectarianism isn't a form of 'feudal' backwardness – in fact it represents a precursor of the multicultural and identitarian politics in the West.
Who are the enemies of universalism today, East and West? And what sort of political projects are capable of rejuvenating secular universalism?
See also:
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Buy our book: The End of the End of History
Subscribe to the podcast: patreon.com/Bungacast
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
On world history, 1900-2020.
For our 200th episode special, we pose the question: "If you had to study the history of only one country from 1900-2020, and thereby understand the history of the whole world, which would you pick?"
We invited 10 contributors to each pitch one country, whose particularities capture the universal sweep of world history from the start of the 20th century till now.
Vote for which you think is best, and we'll have the top 3 back on to discuss in more depth: Link to voting page
Running order:
- (18:20) Germany - Dominik Leusder
- (23:02) Greece - Jonas Kyratzes
- (27:57) India - David Adler
- (33:46) Indonesia - Vincent Bevins
- (38:25) Iraq - Liam Meissner
- (44:03) Italy - David Broder
- (49:19) Mexico - Roger Lancaster
- (54:01) Taiwan - Nic Johnson
- (59:44) Turkey - Arash Azizi
- (01:04:32) Yugoslavia - Lily Lynch
Buy our book! Links to retailers
Come to our London book launch! Event link
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
On Lebanon's crisis.
We call up Rima Majed in Beirut to talk us through the aftermath of the enormous explosion and ensuing protests. How has Lebanon's history since the civil war created such a profound, multi-layered crisis? We cover the desperate economic situation and the October 2019 revolt, before going deep on the politics of sectarianism, the regional scenario impacting Lebanon, the legacy of the Arab Spring, and the risks of foreign intervention.
Running Order:
- Beirut explosion and protests - (07:04)
- Lebanese history 1990-today - (23:53)
- Economic crisis - (38:05)
- Sectarianism - (51:16)
- Regional scenario and foreign intervention - (01:04:54)
- International solidarity - (01:24:38)
–> For donations & help for local organisations other than the Red Cross: Google Doc
Readings (all Rima Majed):
- Lebanon’s ‘October Revolution’ must go on!, openDemocracy
- The Political (or Social) Economy of Sectarianism in Lebanon, Middle East Institute
- Financial Collapse, Revolution, and Pandemic: Where are the Unions?, LCPS
- Why the Lebanese support the same sectarian leaders, al Jazeera
- Lebanon's October Revolution: Hope in the Midst of Crisis, Princeton
- Understanding the October Uprisings in Iraq and Lebanon, Global Dialogue ISA
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
Thursday Nov 07, 2019
Rojava offered the hope that a progressive, multiethnic politics might be salvaged from the ashes of Syria’s civil war. Now the Turkish assault on northern Syria looks set to crush the Kurds and a radical experiment in the region.
We talk to two British volunteers in Rojava about the prospects that the political structures set up there might be saved.
- Dani Ellis (@lapinesque): engineer; civil defence volunteer, International Commune (@communeint)
- Alexander Norton: deputy features editor, Morning Star; revolutionary volunteer, International Freedom Battalion
Running order
- (05:27) - Dani interview
- (41:39) - Alexander interview
- (01:27:51) - Final discussion
Readings & Links:
- Internationalist Commune
- Rojava Information Center
- America abandons the Kurds, Tom Stevenson, LRB
- Russia and Turkey reach deal on Syrian border, Financial Times
- European leftists are rejecting the Kurds over their reliance on the US. It is just another disgusting betrayal, Slavoj Zizek, The Independent
- "Turkey Is Reviving Islamic State in Rojava", Rosa Burç & Kerem Schamberger, Jacobin
Glossary:
- YPG: Yekîneyên Parastina Gel (People's Defence Corps); PYD’s armed wing in Syria
- YPJ: Yekîneyên Parastina Jin (Women's Protection Units); all-female militia
- PYD: Partiya Yekîtiya Demokrat (Democratic Union Party); Syrian Kurdish affiliate of the PKK
- SDF: Syrian Democratic Forces; alliance composed primarily of Kurdish, Arab and Assyrian/Syriac militias, led by the YPG
- PKK: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan (Kurdistan Workers' Party); Kurdish party in Turkey founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan. Started armed insurgency in 1984, thousands of fighters in northern Iraq and Turkey
- IFB: International Freedom Battalion; armed group of foreign leftists fighting for the YPG in support of the Rojava Revolution
- MLKP: Marxist-Leninist Communist Party, Turkey
- TEV-DEM: Movement for a Democratic Society; umbrella organisation in northern Syria, aims at organising Syrian society within the democratic confederalist system
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
- Impeachment is regime suicide, Daniel McCarthy, Spectator USA
- Centrist-child syndrome, Shuja Haider, The Outline
- The US is now betraying the Kurds for the eight time, Jon Schwarz, The Intercept
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
In which we learn the extent to which the protests challenge the Islamic Republic itself. Also, why such little support from the Western Left?
Wednesday Nov 29, 2017
Wednesday Nov 29, 2017
In which we chat new alt-media, the US left, and Trump's Middle East policy
Wednesday May 31, 2017
Wednesday May 31, 2017
Episode Six: In which we consult the orb for insight into the roots of jihadism. Also too much talk about fantasy bots.
Monday May 08, 2017
Monday May 08, 2017
Episode Three: In which we ask what's up with the new 'International Brigades' joining the Kurds, and venture a Spanish pronunciation of 'Rojava'.