Cable Street
42 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsIn 1936, British citizens defeated fascism in the famous Battle of Cable Street. Almost a century later, far-right fascist forces are back. Cable Street explores the current global rise of the far-right and fascism and how progressives and the left should respond.Join your host Geoff Sharpe as we answer these and other questions.Cable Street is brought to you by the The Cable. Visit thecable.co to learn more.
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Episodes
#35 - Centrism is a Bridge to Nowhere
April 19, 2019 11:00 - 55 minutes - 25.6 MBThis week I'm joined by the other co-founder here at The Cable, Taylor Scollon, to talk about this week world. We discuss the unhinged attacks on Ilhan Omar, new polling on a progressive American agenda, the vacuousness of Mayor Pete, what Finish elections can teach us about today's politics and a segment called The Book Club™ (patent pending) where we talk about books we're reading this week.
#34 - Don't Share That Meme w/ Leslie Hahner and Heather Woods
April 04, 2019 13:00 - 50 minutes - 23.3 MBIn 2016 you were likely subjected to pepe memes - that little green frog with the shit-eating grin. It turns out he was a far-right trojan horse used to propagate far-right ideas. Memes are huge part of politics, especially on the far-right. These people who otherwise would be considered extremists, have increasingly used memes, or meme magic, or memetic warfare (the list goes on) to subversively push their far-right ideology on otherwise normal people. Memes are themselves not inherently ...
(Teaser) #33 - The Fight for Public Education w/ Lois Weiner
March 22, 2019 10:00 - 7 minutes - 3.55 MBThis is a sneak peek of our members-only episode. To get access to all members content, join The Cable today. Teachers in America are leading the fight against neo-Liberalism and the erosion of public institutions. Strikes in West Virginia, Oakland, Los Angeles and Chicago have to lead to real improvements in public schools. Teachers unions are winning and winning big. Who are these people leading these fights? Is this part of a union resurgence around in America? And what does this tell ...
#32 - Meet the Sunrise Movement w/ Miles Goodrich
March 08, 2019 17:00 - 37 minutes - 17.1 MBIt's not a stretch to say the Green New Deal, a radical proposal to address climate change and inequality, would not be where it is today without the efforts of the Sunrise Movement. They're an upstart environmental activist group lead by young people uniting to solve climate change and, in the process, are upending American politics. I had the pleasure of chatting with Sunrise Movement organizer Mile Goodrich and the author of The Climate Movement's Decades-Long Path to the Green New deal...
#31 - Building Momentum w/ Natasha Josette
March 01, 2019 13:00 - 49 minutes - 22.9 MBPolitical parties are stale, old and white. Big bold progressive ideas that are reshaping politics and, hopefully, the world are not necessarily coming from traditional political parties. And if they are, it's because of insurgent political forces, many times powered by outside groups. It's clear that these outside groups are exerting an incredible amount of influence to drive political party agendas, including groups like the Justice Democratcs who helped elect Alexandria Ocasio Cortez an...
(Unlocked) #13: Why Progressives Suck at Storytelling w/ Richard Sandbrook
February 14, 2019 13:00 - 43 minutes - 20.2 MBHere's a member's-only episode from last August 2018. Why are progressives bad at storytelling? Is there a way to harness left-wing nationalism that isn't xenophobic or insular? And is the left too concerned with definitions instead of winning? In this episode of Cable Street, I’m joined by professor Richard Sandbrook to discuss how progressives must harness nationalism and storytelling to win elections. I encourage everyone to listen to Episode 29 before or after this one. In it David Ad...
#30 - The Nordic Model w. Mikko Kuisma
February 08, 2019 16:00 - 33 minutes - 15.3 MBEurope is under siege by populist right-wing political movements. But Nordic countries have withstood much of the political pressure we see throughout Europe. Why is that? One theory I have is because of the nordic welfare state. I've wanted to explore this idea, and learn more about the nordic welfare state model, for a long time. My guest in this episode is Mikko Kuisma. He's a Research Fellow in Comparative Public Policy from University of Tübingen who specializes in political economy of...
#29 - Why Left-Wing Nationalism Isn’t the Answer w/ David Adler
January 22, 2019 13:00 - 56 minutes - 25.8 MBRight-wing nationalism opposes refugees, immigrants and outsiders and is arguably the fundamental feature that defines modern right-wing western political parties and movements. So why is the left trying to copy them? David Adler from Diem25 joins me to explain the rise of left-wing nationalism in places like Germany and France, why these leaders are embracing it, why it’s wrong and how it ignores the very traditions left-wing movements were founded upon. We also discuss why we must focus...
(Teaser) #28 - Is Transnationalism the Answer to Defeating Far-Right Authoritarianism? w/ Daphne Büllesbach
January 11, 2019 13:00 - 10 minutes - 4.76 MBThis is a teaser clip of a members-only episode. If you want access to the full episode, subscribe to Cable Street for as little as $5 per month. Borders define our world, for good and bad. Far-right authoritarian leaders and political parties increasingly use borders as a weapon to further their own quest for power. Unfortunately, progressive responses have verged on outright adoption of that frame, delineating groups as friend and enemy based on where they were born. Results show adopti...
#27 - Looking Forward to 2019: The Ideas
January 07, 2019 14:00 - 1 hour - 29.2 MBThe 2020 democratic primary is quickly approaching. The UK could be plunged into an election. Far-right parties are ascendent in the European elections. In this look-forward to 2019, I share the interesting and important ideas that I believe that will shape power, politics and policy throughout 2019. Scroll down to see the full list. This episode is the very first interview on Cable Street (how time flies!). I talk to pollster Frank Graves about popuslim, the far-right, anti-elite attitudes...
#26 - Looking Forward to 2019: The Leaders
December 27, 2018 17:00 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MBHi all. 2019 is shaping up to be a tumultuous year. The far-right is gaining power around the world, the economy is facing headwinds, Trump is going crazy - you get the idea. Rather than look back at 2018, I want to look to the future. Over the next few days, I'll be sharing older episodes on topics I believe will shape 2019 and beyond. This first episode is about leaders who will play a major role in world politics in 2019. This first episode is an interview with Edwin Ackerman from Syr...
#25 - What do the Yellow Vests Want? w/ Katy Lee
December 18, 2018 14:00 - 31 minutes - 14.5 MBKaty Lee from Agence France-Presse joins me to discuss the yellow vest movement. She's a reporter living in Paris who has first-hand experience covering these protests. The movement began as a response to French President Emmanuel Macron's increase in the gas tax. But is has grown far beyond that. Rather than a protest against climate change, Katy explains the yellow vests are fundamentally a response to growing inequality and austerity that have disproportionately targeted the poor and mid...
BONUS - Debunking Misinformation About the UN Migration Compact w/ Sharry Aiken
December 11, 2018 17:00 - 32 minutes - 14.8 MBWhy is it a bonus? Because I'm dropping another episode later this week. So stay tuned! Lots of misinformation is flying around about the United Nations Global Migration Compact that was passed this week. Immigration and refugee lawyer Sharry Aiken joins the show again (our first repeat guest!) to break down the facts and debunk far-right misinformation about the Compact. Sharry is an Associate Professor at Queen’s Law with a cross appointment to Cultural Studies. She is an expert on immi...
#24 - Trouble in Poland w/ Christian Davies
November 29, 2018 12:00 - 1 hour - 31.7 MBNationalism apps, Nelson Mandela and a radicalized youth movement - welcome to Poland's far-right political movement. Christian Davies is a writer for the Guardian and is based out of Poland. He joins me to discuss how Poland is careening ever closer to far-right authoritarianism. In fact, it may be farther along the path than countries like Hungary which receive far more media coverage. Yet there's also signs of hope (shocking I know!). We talk about how EU integration has radicalized a ...
(UNLOCKED) #9: Death of Democracy w/ Benjamin Hett
November 23, 2018 14:00 - 43 minutes - 20.1 MBUnlocked means I'm making a members-only episode available to everyone. Enjoy! Episode Description Can history explain the future? If not, it sure looks similar. Historian Benjamin Hett painstakingly outlines Hitler's rise to power and the conditions that led to the fall of the Weimar Republic, including the rise of globalization, post-World War One myths and the failure of existing norms and political parties. The conditions chronicled by Hett appear eerily similar to our current politi...
Family Compact Teaser - Anti-Semitism in Canada w/ Bernie Farber
November 13, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 2.65 MBIn this teaser clip from our other podcast Family Compact, Geoff speaks with media commentator, activist and Anti-Hate Canada Chair Bernie Farber about the history of anti-Semitism in Canada and how it's evolved over time. This clip is about Bernie's personal experience growing up with anti-Semitism in Ottawa, Canada. Show Notes Listen to the episode on iTunes Listen on other podcast networks
#23 - Fighting Fascism w/ Mark Bray
November 05, 2018 05:00 - 38 minutes - 17.5 MBIt's doubtful our grandparents fighting in WW2 expected fascism to return almost 80 years later, but here we are... In this episode of Cable Street, I talk to Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, about the rise of fascism around the world. He explains the historical context of fascism and Antifa, why there is no moral equivalency between the two, and why centrist political forces and liberal democratic institutions struggle to deal with the rise of fascism within their o...
#22 - A Path Forward for Refugees w/ François Crépeau
October 25, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 29 MBThis podcast can be depressing. I promise this episode isn't as bad! My guest this week is François Crépeau. He's a professor from McGill and is the Director for the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism. François joined me to discuss the complex issues surrounding refugees and asylum seekers. Between 2011 and 2017, François was the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants where he gained first-hand experience meeting asylum seekers and visiting refugee camp...
#21 - Brazil’s Trump, But Worse w/ Alex Hochuli
October 12, 2018 04:00 - 49 minutes - 22.8 MBThat title isn’t a lie. Brazil is on the cusp of electing Jair Bolsonaro as President, a man who many are calling a fascist. Alex Hochuli joins me to explain Brazilian politics, the rise of Jair Bolsonaro, what his election means for Brazil and why the most popular politician in Brazil is locked up in prison. Show Notes Alex Hochuli - Twitter, Website Alex’s podcast Aufhebunga Bunga Brazil’s Ultra-Politics Brazil’s Anti-Politics Election
(Teaser) #20 - Deutschland Dabbles with the Far-Right w/ Cynthia Miller-Idriss
October 08, 2018 04:00 - 4 minutes - 2.04 MB<p>In this week's members-only episode, <a href="https://thecable.co/join/">available only to Cable members</a>, Geoff sits down with Cynthia Miller-Idriss for part 2 (or part 1 since this part was recorded first) of our interview, where they discuss the state of German politics.</p> <p>Like the rest of Europe, far-right populism is rising in Germany. Cynthia gives a detailed overview of German politics, the far-right AFD, the failure of traditional German political parties, and a far-right ...
#19 - Branding the Far-Right w/ Cynthia Miller-Idriss
September 25, 2018 04:00 - 21 minutes - 9.84 MBIn episode #19, I talk to cultural sociologist professor and far-right expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss about how the far-right uses branding to normalize their ideas and messages. This is part 2 of my interview with Cynthia. Part 1 is an update on German politics, the far-right AFD's growing power and how a German city called Chemnitz is at the epicentre of Germany's rising far-right movement. To access Part 1 of my interview with Cynthia, you must purchase a Cable membership. It costs as lit...
#18 - Free Speech in the Age of Internet Monopolies w/ Yasha Levine
September 18, 2018 04:00 - 51 minutes - 23.5 MBHow do we reconcile free speech, internet monopolies and stopping far-right ideas from spreading? That's the question I try to answer with my guest Yasha Levine. Yasha is a journalist and author of Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet. Yasha explains the internet's conception and connection to government and the military, how it's shaping politics, and why he's concerned about internet monopolies' power to censor people - even someone like Alex Jones. Later this...
(Teaser) #18: Free Speech in the Age of Internet Monopolies w/ Yasha Levine
September 17, 2018 04:00 - 8 minutes - 3.82 MBGet your survival gear and dietary supplements ready, cus we're talking about Alex Jones Listen to an excerpt from tomorrow's podcast with investigative journalist and author Yasha Levine. He explains why the censorship power of big social media companies is so problematic, even when applied to someone like Infowars' Alex Jones. Make sure to rate and review us on your favourite podcast network :) Subscribe to Family Compact, our new show about Canadian politics. This week we interview the...
(Teaser) Family Compact Ep. #4: Notwithstand By Me
September 14, 2018 04:00 - 3 minutes - 1.89 MBListen to a teaser clip from the newest episode of Family Compact, our show on Canadian politics Listen to Episode #4 Subscribe to Family Compact
#17 - Queer Eye for the Alt-Right Guy with Laurie Penny
September 07, 2018 04:00 - 46 minutes - 21.5 MBWhat does the show Queer Eye have to do with the far-right? Quite alot. In this episode of Cable Street I chat with writer and activist Laurie Penny abotu her article The Queer Art of Failing Better. We discuss populism and the far-right as a gendered issue, whether the message of Queer Eye offers a path forward for dealing with the far-right, and the dangers of people like Jordan Peterson. Every episode includes a members-only analysis that explores each podcast topic. In this week’s analy...
Family Compact Episode 2: ConservaCon Ft. Scaachi Koul
August 31, 2018 04:00 - 44 minutes - 20.7 MBWe launched a new pod about Canadian politics. If you hate Canadian punditry, you might enjoy this. Taylor & Geoff discuss what happened at last weekend's Conservative Convention and their courageous stand against... giving citizenship to people born here? Then Geoff sits down with Buzzfeed Canada writer and author Scaachi Koul to discuss her close call at Rebel Live and the pathological tendencies of Canada's right wing. Sorry about the cicadas. --- Want more from The Cable? Become a subsc...
#16: Why Did Progressive Parties Abandon Working-Class Voters? - Tom O'Grady
August 14, 2018 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.6 MBIn the 1990s, progressive parties turned away from working-class policies and embraced more rightwing ideas. So why did this happen? Political scientist Tom O'Grady thinks he has the answer. His analysis shows that the type of elected official matters a great deal. The decline of working class politicians, and the rise of the careerist managerial-class can help explain it. We also talk about his fascinating analysis about how politicians can shape public opinion, and why progressives need ...
#15: Is Abdul El-Sayed the Answer to Far-Right Populism? - Maximillian Alvarez
August 06, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 27.6 MBIs a 33-year-old progressive Muslim doctor the answer to far-right populism? On August 7th, Michigan Democrats will choose their candidate for Governor. The race is between establishment Democratic candidate Gretchen Whitmer, and Abdul El-Sayed, a man many are calling the face of a new progressive vision for America. By the time you listen to this, the primary may be over. But El-Sayed's impact won't be forgotten. In this episode of Cable Street, I chat with Maximillian Alvarez, a columnist...
#14: Italy's Donald Trump with Vito Laterza
August 02, 2018 04:00 - 51 minutes - 23.7 MBWhile the world watches America burn, the world's eighth largest economy just elected a populist party. And they have their own version of Donald Trump... Anti-immigrant rhetoric, fake news, a populist comedian? While some far-right populist themes are similar, Italy has its own unique brand of politics. In this episode of Cable Street, we sit down Vito Laterza to discuss Italian politics, populist leader Matteo Salvini, the Five Star Movement and what Italy's rightward, anti-immigrant shif...
#13 Teaser: Why Progressives Suck at Telling Stories - Richard Sandbrook
July 27, 2018 04:00 - 24 minutes - 11.5 MBWhy are progressives bad at storytelling? How can we harness leftwing nationalism? And is the left too concerned with definitions instead of winning? In this episode of Cable Street, I’m joined by professor Richard Sandbrook to discuss why progressives must harness nationalism and storytelling to win more elections.
#12: Monopolies are Destroying The World - Matt Stoller
July 25, 2018 04:00 - 55 minutes - 25.4 MBIn this episode of Cable Street, I'm joined by Matt Stoller discuss how the rise of monopolies has contributed to income inequality. Matt is a Fellow at the Open Markets Institute, and an expert on monopolies, and has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, The New Republic, Vice, and Salon. Matt argues that the root cause of income inequality and the rise of populist politics is due to the power and influence of monopolistic companies. Companies like Amazon, Facebook and Wal...
#11 Teaser: Eastern Autocrats - Lucan Way
July 19, 2018 04:00 - 4 minutes - 2.02 MBThis is a teaser for a members-only episode of Cable Street. Members get access to our weekly members-only episode, exclusive videos, a members-only community and monthly updates from The Cable founders. Become a Cable member for as little as $4.16 per month at thecable.co/join Use the code CableStreet at checkout to get your first month for only $1. Political Scientist Lucan Way from the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy discusses why some democracies are backsliding toward...
#10: Avocado Toast Authoritarians? - David Coletto
July 17, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 29 MBLow paying jobs. Deeply in debt. Can't afford a home. Refuse to vote. Love avocado toast. These are just a few of the characteristics used to describe millennials in the western world. Another characteristic? Anti-democratic. At least that's according to one research study that showed younger people no longer have faith in democratic institutions. To discuss how millennials are shaping governments around the world, I sat down with researcher David Coletto from Abacus Data. We discussed how ...
#9 Teaser: Death of Democracy - Benjamin Carter Hett
July 12, 2018 04:00 - 2 minutes - 1.26 MBThis is a teaser for a members-only episode of Cable Street. Members get access to our weekly members-only episode, exclusive videos, a members-only community and monthly updates from The Cable founders. Become a Cable member for as little as $4.16 per month at thecable.co/join Use the code CableStreet at checkout to get your first month for only $1. Historian Benjamin Hett joins Cable Street to discuss his new book called Death of Democracy, which chronicles how Hitler took power in Weim...
#8: How Tall is Ben Shapiro? - Nathan Bernard
July 10, 2018 04:00 - 59 minutes - 27.4 MBIs satire an effective way to criticize the far-right? In this wide-ranging interview, internet provocateur Nathan Bernard explains his approach to critiquing the far-right, why censorship is ineffective and the differences between far-right YouTube personalities like Jordan Peterson and Mike Cernovich. Show Notes Bernard Media - https://bernardmedia.org/ Apple iWatch Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMLXfF5s_N8
#7: Reporting From the Frontlines of Hate - Martin Patriquin
July 05, 2018 04:00 - 28 minutes - 13.1 MBAs white supremacy and neo-Nazis increase their activities, so too has the coverage of their actions. In this episode of Cable Street, I chat with reporter Martin Patriquin about his work covering neo-Nazis. We discuss how reporters research neo-Nazi networks, the pressure reporters face in response to their stories, the response from these groups, and how reporting on issues has a real-world impact on fighting hate. The Racist Podcaster Who Started a Neo-Nazi Coffee Company to Fund White N...
#6: López Obrador vs The Mafia of Power - Edwin Ackerman
July 03, 2018 04:00 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MBIn this episode of Cable Street, I talk to Edwin Ackerman from Syracuse University about his piece for Jacobin called "A Potential Breakthrough in Mexico". We discuss the history of Mexican politics and the current political landscape, the role of corruption in this campaign, whether he is actually a populist candidate and the unique characteristics of Lopez Obrador that made his supporters hopefull and warry of the man they call AMLO. A Potential Breakthrough in Mexico - https://jacobinma...
#5: Remember the Name Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - Raina Lipsitz
June 30, 2018 04:00 - 34 minutes - 15.8 MBHow did Democratic candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old socialist written off by the establishment, defeat the fourth most powerful Democratic member of the House of Representatives? Does her victory herald a new left-wing populist movement in America? In this episode of Cable Street, I chat with journalist Raina Lipsitz from the Nation about her story "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fights the Power". We discuss unique factors that propelled Ocasio-Cortez, discuss whether this is r...
#4: BONUS - Canada Doesn't Need a Wall - Sharry Aiken
June 28, 2018 04:00 - 40 minutes - 18.5 MBI'm joined by Sharry Aiken, Associate Professor at Queen’s Law and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Centre for International Justice, to discuss Canadian and American immigration policy. We discuss why it's incorrect to call asylum seekers "illegals", Trump's family separation policy and the need for a progressive approach to borders.
#2: I Was a White Supremacist - Brad Galloway
June 19, 2018 04:00 - 37 minutes - 17.1 MBI sit down with Brad Galloway, an ex-white supremacist skinhead, to talk about his experience in the far-right, how the movement is changing, how he got out, and the different ways we can deal with both the far-right movement at-large, as well as individuals involved in it. For more information on Brad, you can read the following stories: CBC Skinhead Documentary: http://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/episodes/skinhead Neo-Nazis Can Be Deradicalised and Make Amends: https://www.vice.com/en_au/arti...
#1: Northern Populism - Frank Graves
June 18, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 29.2 MBIn the very first episode of Cable Street, I sit down with pollster Frank Graves to discuss his research on populism in Canada. We cover some of the biggest questions about populism, including whether it could happen in Canada (hint: it can and is), the populism gender divide, and the continuing erosion of Canada's middle class. This episode is a great starting-off point for anyone looking to understand the forces driving populism in Canada, America and around the world. Here's a link to Fra...
Introducing "Cable Street"
June 01, 2018 04:00 - 1 minute - 734 KBWelcome to Cable Street. a podcast that critically explores the rise of populism and far-right movements around the world.