Podcast · Society & Culture

Emancipations Podcast

by Daniel Tutt · English · Society & Culture

Emancipations explores the intersection of Marxism, politics and philosophy. Hosted by Daniel Tutt. Join our study groups and support us at https://www.patreon.com/c/emancipations

New episodes: Several times a week
Typical length: 1 hr 49 min
Latest: 8 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 40 min

A Marxist History of Slavery and Capitalism (feat. David McNally)

Was Atlantic slavery a capitalist system or a pre-capitalist system? If we understand Atlantic slavery (16th - 19th centuries) as a distinct capitalist system of domination, what does this tell us about capitalism as such, and what does it tell us bout how slavery was overthrown and eventually abolished? My guest, David McNally has written a provocative and important new book entitled Slavery and Capitalism that argues enslaved people formed a modern working class whose resistance was a form of labor struggle. We discuss the concepts of slavery as imposing a form of "social death," and how…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E161 · 8 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 49 min
Marxian Totality: Inverting Hegel to Expound Worldly Matters (feat. Kaveh Boveiri)
I'm joined by Marxist philosopher Kaveh Boveiri to discuss the concept of totality in Hegel and Marx. The center of our conversation is Dr. Boveiri's new book Marxian Totality: Inverting Hegel to Expound Worldly Matters. We also address the war on Iran and how the Iranian left is responding to US and Israel imperialism. We begin by addressing the misconceptions of totality in atomistic rationalism and organicist conceptions before moving to a discussion on Hegel's concept of totality from the Science of Logic, Lukács's idea of totality in History and Class Consciousness, and we introduce the…
E160 · 8 Oct 2026 · 2 hr 2 min
The Concept of the Drive in Psychoanalysis (feat. Andrew Flores)
I am joined by Andrew Flores, a Lacanian psychoanalyst in formation and host of The Parallax Viewer to discuss the psychoanalytic concept of the drive. In this wide-ranging discussion, we introduce the four key elements that make up the drive, we discuss its pre-history before Freud, and we elaborate on its importance in psychoanalytic thought more generally. SUGGESTED READINGS: Works by Freud Three Essays on Sexuality, Ch. 2 on "infantile sexuality" Instincts and their Vicissitudes Beyond the Pleasure Principle Works by Lacan: Seminar II chapters 3 and 4 Seminar IV chapters 2, 3, and 7…
E159 · 23 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 44 min
The Kojève We Never Read (feat. Igor Shoikhedbrod)
Alexandre Kojève's influence on intellectual life has been massive. His ideas have shaped major 20th century thinkers from Leo Strauss, Jacques Lacan to Georges Bataille. Today, most of us are familiar with Kojève's thought through his widely commented upon lectures delivered in Paris, 1933 - 1937 and subsequently published as the Introduction to the Reading of Hegel: Lectures on the Phenomenology of Spirit. This is the text that Francis Fukuyama re-interpreted in his infamous End of History and the Last Man essay and book. But Kojève seldom published his works and this has resulted in a…
E158 · 23 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 38 min
The History of Materialism from Lange to Plekhanov (feat. C. Derick Varn & Daniel Tutt)
We begin a new three-part series on the history of materialism in Marxist thought by examining the 19th-century materialism controversy and the broader philosophical debates surrounding materialism at the moment Marx and Engels entered the intellectual scene. To set the social and political context to these debates, we focus on two important books on materialism from the mid to late 19th century: the neo-Kantian philosopher Friedrich Albert Lange's The History of Materialism and Critique of Its Present Importance (1865) and the founder of Russian Marxism, Georgi Plekhanov's The Development…
E157 · 17 Sep 2026 · 50 min
Confronting Hyperpolitics and Its Limits (feat. Anton Jäger)
My guest Anton Jäger is the author of Hyperpolitics: Extreme Politicization without Political Consequences, a provocative new polemic on the impasses of our political moment. In this conversation, we discuss the core thesis of the book and its implications for socialist politics. We also address the critics to the book and Jäger articulates his vision for an alternative direction for leftwing politics in a hyperpolitical age. Get a copy of Hyperpolitics: https://bit.ly/4tQMhx6 Anton Jäger is a Lecturer in Politics at Oxford and an opinion writer for the New York Times. He is the co-author…
E156 · 14 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 35 min
Ernesto Laclau and the Making of Post-Marxism (feat. Oliver Marchart)
I'm very pleased to welcome the philosopher Oliver Marchart to discuss the thought of Ernesto Laclau and his book Thinking Antagonism: Political Ontology After Laclau. In this work, Marchart proposes that Laclau's thought be supplemented and expanded with a robust account of political ontology. Marchart is known for his incisive studies on contemporary political philosophers and for developing the concept of "post-foundational political thought." We begin with a discussion on Laclau's thought and the philosophers that influenced him, from Derrida, Lacan, Althusser, Heidegger, Schmitt to…
E155 · 14 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 24 min
The Rise, Fall and Return of Lacan (feat. Judith Gurewich)
I am pleased to welcome Judith Gurewich, a pioneering figure in the introduction and development of Lacanian thought in the United States for a wide-ranging conversation on her work and insights into Lacanian psychoanalysis. Trained as a sociologist at Brandeis University and a practicing Lacanian psychoanalyst, Gurewich has played a central role in shaping the landscape of psychoanalytic publishing and theoretical production in America. We discuss her intellectual and professional trajectory, from her early engagement with Lacan to her work as a publisher and analyst, and reflect on the…
E154 · 14 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 24 min
The Concept of Worldview Marxism (feat. Mathilde Chevallier)
I'm joined by Mathilde Chevallier to discuss the philosophical concept of "weltanschauung" and the importance of the concept in post-Kantian thought and Marxist philosophy. We discuss the origins of the concept in Kant and how it is defined as a "world-intuition" in the sense of contemplation of the world given to the senses. The concept of worldview is connected to Kant's aesthetic forms of judgment and lies at the basis of how we come to understand truth, justice, beauty and meaning. We introduce how the concept is theorized by figures like Schelling, Hegel and later Neo-Kantian…
E153 · 2 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 39 min
Ideology and Class After Althusser: An Introduction to Göran Therborn (feat. Mike McCarthy)
I am joined by Mike McCarthy for a discussion on "The Ideology of Power and the Power of Ideology" by the Marxist sociologist Göran Therborn. First published in 1980, this work stands as a masterpiece. We situate Therborn’s contribution and underscore its originality and importance within the history of Marxism. We then address the key arguments and propositions of the text, from the critique of false consciousness, the ideological formation of human subjects, to the basis of historical materialism in any given ideology, to the ways that class overdetermines all ideologies. Mike McCarthy is…
E152 · 2 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
Mary Wild on the Art of Podcasting & Psychoanalyzing Horror Movies
I'm joined by podcaster and psychoanalytic theorist Mary Wild to discuss her new book, Psychoanalysing Horror Cinema. We discuss Mary's method of analyzing film through a psychoanalytic perspective, what the main concepts she brings to bear in her analysis of films and how she goes about podcasting. This interview is full of tips for anyone interested in starting their own podcast. Get a copy of Mary Wild's new book: https://bit.ly/4lEe94q Mary Wild, aka, the 'Freudian Cinephile' is a pop psychoanalyst and film theorist. Wild has presented the "Projections" lectures at Freud Museum London,…
E151 · 2 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 50 min
How Should We Read Nietzsche’s Politics? A Critical Dialogue
I’m joined by Keegan Kjeldsen, host of The Nietzsche Podcast for a critical dialogue on the politics of Nietzsche. This is the second discussion I have had with Keegan and I enjoyed both times. It has been quite the experience to engage with Nietzscheans after publishing my book, How to Read Like a Parasite. There is little to prepare you for writing a polemical work. It throws you to the whims of pure intellectual combat. The last two years have been incredibly eye opening and interesting. In the event that you have not read my book—or even if you have—I want to draw your attention to a new…
E150 · 12 May 2026 · 1 hr 43 min
Vulgar Marxism and the Dilemmas of Worker Education (feat. Edward Baring)
I’m pleased to welcome intellectual historian Edward Baring to the show for a conversation on the concept of “vulgar Marxism” and the different theories of worker education that Marxists have developed and debated over time. We discuss the origins of the accusation of "vulgar Marxism" and how it is juxtaposed with "genteel Marxism." We then dive into the world of Second International Marxism and the various theories of worker education that grew during this period from 1891–1931. This discussion is inspired by Baring's new book, Vulgar Marxism: Revolutionary Politics and the Dilemmas of…
E149 · 11 May 2026 · 1 hr 59 min
A Lacanian Theory of Cinema (feat. Helen Rollins)
I'm joined by filmmaker and theorist Helen Rollins for a discussion on her new book on psychoanalysis and cinema, Psychocinema. In this book Helen argues there is a fundamental relationship between the structure of psychoanalysis and that of cinema. Cinema acts upon the viewer like psychoanalysis upon the analysand and can expose them to the universal lack inherent in their desire. This process undermines the unconscious logic of capitalism, which relies on a promise in fulfillment. We also discuss Helen's experiences in the film industry, her many film projects…
E148 · 11 May 2026 · 1 hr 41 min
How to Understand the Chaos of Donald Trump (feat. Paul Heideman)
How can we make sense of the logic behind Donald Trump and the spectacle of chaos that seems to follow him? What appears as disorder on the surface may in fact reveal deeper transformations within American politics and the structure of power itself. I’m joined by American historian Paul Heideman for a critical discussion of Trump’s politics and a sober assessment of the dynamics shaping the second Trump presidency. In this episode of Emancipations, Heideman analyzes our present conjuncture by looking at the past 40 years of American bourgeois politics, with particular focus on how the…
E147 · 13 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
Critical Theory After Habermas (feat. Philipp Felsch)
Joining me for his second appearance, Philipp Felsch explores the life and thought of Jürgen Habermas, one of the most influential philosophers of the modern era and Germany’s foremost living public intellectual. We trace Habermas's roots in the Marxist tradition, his role in the Frankfurt School, relationship to Adorno and Horkheimer, to his influential presence during the May 68 period across West Germany. We discuss why Habermas’s theory of the public sphere has been so influential, and why he came to be so widely revered as a philosopher, especially within American academia. We then…
E146 · 13 Mar 2026 · 2 hr 50 min
Pierre Bourdieu's Critique of the Intellectual
We discuss Pierre Bourdieu's legacy and its implications for understanding intellectuals. You can find C. Derick Varn at VarnVlog. In addition to going through some of Bourdieu's key categories, these are the primary readings we discuss: Pascalian Meditations by Pierre Bourdieu Homo Academicus by Pierre Bourdieu The Political Ontology of Martin Heidegger by Pierre Bourdieu "The Role of the Intellectual in the Modern World" by Pierre Bourdieu Distinction by Pierre Bourdieu
E145 · 2 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Gaza and Revolutionary Philosophy (feat. Yanis Iqbal)
My guest Yanis Iqbal is the author of The Sword and the Neck, a militant work of philosophy that insists Gaza must be approached not as a humanitarian "exception," but as a primary terrain of proletarian and anti-colonial struggle. Iqbal develops an incisive critique of contemporary leftwing philosophers Slavoj Žižek, Ètienne Balibar and the wider tradition of post-colonial thought in the wake of October 7th and the subsequent genocide in Gaza. In this interview we discuss Iqbal's core ideas, the limits of post-colonial thought and the role of Marxist practice in the Palestinian liberation…
E144 · 27 Feb 2026 · 2 hr 28 min
Anti-Intellectualism in America (feat. C. Derick Varn)
We discuss the roots of anti-intellectualism in American life for the first episode in a four-part series co-created and presented with C. Derick Varn, "The Problem of Intellectuals." Learn more about C. Derick Varn by checking out his show "VarnVlog" https://www.patreon.com/c/varnvlog/posts These are the primary readings we discuss: Anti-Intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter The American Intellectual Elite by Charles Kadushin The New Radicalism in America: The Intellectual as Social Type by Christopher Lasch The Future of Intellectuals and the Rise of the New Class by Alvin…
E143 · 23 Feb 2026 · 2 hr 22 min
Chinese Marxism (feat. Josef Gregory Mahoney)
I am joined by Dr. Josef Gregory Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University and Concurrent Professor of Marxism with Jiangsu’s top thinktank—the Institute for the Development of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a critical discussion and analysis of Marxism in China and the tradition of Chinese Marxism. We examine the ideological differences within the Chinese Communist Party from the time of Mao to the present, the main differences between Soviet and Chinese forms of Marxism, the core of Xi Jinping's thought, the impact of the "reform…
E142 · 11 Feb 2026 · 2 hr 44 min
Proletarian Accelerationism (feat. Mikey Downs, Nance and Grady Page)
My guests Mikey Downs, Nance‪‬ and Grady Page are all accelerationists. We discuss the curious return of accelerationism in today's political moment and what it signals. We debate the politics in the philosophy of Nick Land and Curtis Yarvin. My guests find Land's thought to be generative and important, and they insist that Land is not a fascist thinker. We debate that precise point and dive into the core of what my guests find so incisive in the wider accelerationist movement. -- If you benefit from my work please consider a donation: paypal.me/danieltutt1 You can also become a Patron to…
E141 · 11 Feb 2026 · 2 hr 8 min
Reviving Anti-Imperialist Marxism (feat. Ali Kadri)
With guest co-host Benji Schoendorff, I sit down with Dr. Ali Kadri, a leading Marxist political economist and scholar of the Arab world to discuss his important new book The Accumulation of Waste: A Political Economy of Systemic Destruction (2023). In this interview we discuss Kadri's critique of Western Marxism, the question of revolutionary consciousness today, class issues, imperialism and its status and dynamics, the role of the anti-imperialist struggle and Dr. Kadri discusses his influences in contemporary Marxism. In his book The Accumulation of Waste, Kadri traces how capitalism,…
E140 · 31 Dec 2025 · 2 hr 18 min
Accelerationism and Political Violence (feat. Grady Page)
Grady Page joins me for a philosophy salon on how accelerationist ideas influence contemporary struggles over technology, capitalism & the left. Read this Substack about the event: https://revolpress.substack.com/cp/180530252 If you benefit from my work please consider a donation: paypal.me/danieltutt1 You can also become a Patron to gain early access to all of my interviews and videos: www.patreon.com/emancipations
E139 · 24 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 22 min
Socialism Against Liberalism: The Political Philosophy of Jean-Claude Michéa (feat. Tony of 1Dime)
I'm joined by Tony Chamas, aka "Tony of ‪@1Dimee‬" for a discussion on the philosopher Jean-Claude Michéa's theory of liberalism. Liberalism requires a unity between its economic and its cultural imperatives in order to remain intact as a ruling political ideology. What role does the left play in keeping this unity intact? We will argue that when the left becomes the stewards of cultural liberalism they participate in the pacification of class struggle politics and this prevents the left from remaining true to a socialist vision of politics. We discuss and debate how to best address this…
E138 · 17 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 23 min
The Concept of Extimacy in the Work of Jacques Lacan (feat. Nadia Bou Ali & Surti Singh)
I am joined by Lacanian philosophers Nadia Bou Ali and Surti Singh to discuss the concept of "Extimacy" in the work of Jacques Lacan. In 1960, Lacan coined the neologism extimité (extimacy) to denote a structure of subjectivity in which the most intimate, internal core is already external, thus complicating the traditional philosophical dualisms and binaries that have informed traditional notions of subjectivity. We discuss what this idea helps us to think in terms of philosophy, culture and politics. This conversation is based on a new collection of essays co-edited by Nadia and Surti…
E137 · 15 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 25 min
Q & A Session
I've have hosted a number of interviews, symposiums, lectures and study groups this year. This is a Q & A session where I answer questions from patrons, listeners and supporters. If you benefit from my work please consider a donation to help defray the costs of organizing all of these events: paypal.me/danieltutt1 You can also become a Patron to gain early access to all of my interviews and videos: https://www.patreon.com/c/emancipations
E136 · 8 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 48 min
A Whole New World (The Archimedean Point, Episode 4)
In our latest episode of The Archimedean Point, we turn to Edward Said's theory of Orientalism and address its shortcomings from a Marxist perspective. We focus on Disney's Aladdin from the early 1990s as an example of pop-Orientalism, and we argue that Aladdin offers an allegory for the remaking of Middle Eastern society by capitalism. -- If you benefit from my work please consider a donation: paypal.me/danieltutt1 You can also become a Patron to gain early access to all of my interviews and videos: www.patreon.com/emancipations
E135 · 8 Dec 2025 · 2 hr 3 min
Žižek and the Left (feat. Cadell Last)
We are joined by philosopher Cadell Last, the host of ‪Philosophy Portal‬ to discuss his new article "No Marxism Without Žižek", (https://bit.ly/46c4gnj) a review of Flowers for Marx.
E134 · 4 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 50 min
Deleuze for Marxism? A Discussion with Alex Taek-Gwang Lee
I am joined by philosopher Alex Taek-Gwang Lee for a critical analysis and discussion on the legacy of Gilles Deleuze's thought, its influence on the existing left and the ways that the concepts Deleuze developed have interacted with the wider Marxist tradition. This conversation will consider Dr. Lee's recent book Communism After Deleuze, published with Bloomsbury https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/communism-after-deleuze-9781350474048. Please support me on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/emancipations
E133 · 4 Dec 2025 · 2 hr 4 min
The Marxism of Domenico Losurdo - A Critical Discussion (feat. Ross Wolfe)
My guest is Ross Wolfe, a socialist historian and writer. In a recently published three-part essay entitled, "Against Losurdo" (https://newintermag.com/against-losurdo) Wolfe argues that Losurdo's work represents the re-introduction of Stalinism in contemporary Marxism. We discuss and debate Losurdo's work, with a focus on his book Western Marxism and his works on Hegel and Nietzsche. To watch the study sessions we hosted on Losurdo's Western Marxism, please go here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE03jn2k3GYCRd7dnBOAKBN-H-F-wGzYa&si=zkRb8GeYoi_Nc2Gv Support my work on Patreon by…

About Emancipations Podcast

Emancipations explores the intersection of Marxism, politics and philosophy. Hosted by Daniel Tutt. Join our study groups and support us at https://www.patreon.com/c/emancipations

Emancipations Podcast is a English society & culture podcast from Daniel Tutt. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Daniel Tutt
Language: English
Category: Society & Culture
New episodes: Several times a week
Typical length: 1 hr 49 min
Latest episode: 8 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1496860192

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