Political Philosophy Podcast

What are the books that didn't get included in the New Testament? A big, fun, deep-dive into all things early Christianity and non-canon with Eric Vanden Eykel.

In a final election think piece I argue that the danger the US political system faces is not easily understood through the mechanical-newtonian visualisation we have of it. Instead, I see how things look using a much older metaphor - the body politic

Kristen Monroe discusses conservative opposition to Trump from the perspective of political phycology - why so many republicans have capitulated, what made the difference for those who didn't, and what should our moral evaluation of the MAGA movement be.

Part 2 of my conversation with Derek Guy - A broader look at pluralism in fashion, liberal freedom and its discontents, in which Derek challenges my Millite liberalism from a communitarian perspective.

I'm joined by Derek Guy (AKA Menswear Guy) to take on the intersection of fashion history & the history of political thought. Derek argues the suit is a creation of liberalism, but was also killed by liberalism, & we discuss what that means for how we see the tradition & ourselves.

Matt McManus is back on the podcast to discuss liberal socialism throughout history from early antecedents, to Mill, Thomas Paine, and Rawls, as well as the neoliberal critique of it by Hayek & others. Pre-order Liberal Socialism: https://t.co/0r9ZVpLF2i

The history of unions, including antecedent forms of worker organisation, the different justifications for them, and how these relate to values like equality, freedom, and democracy.

I develop an original account of the increasing gender voting gap & relate it to why some people are much more alive to the dangers of the populist right than others.

Rawls, religion, the reasonable & unreasonable, and what are our obligations when liberal democracy is under threat? Do we have a duty to try and persuade people out of the populist right?

Following a tumultuous month in American politics, I take a range of audience questions on all things USA.

Most Americans know the outsized influence big corporations and the wealthy can have on our democracy. What does it look like to build a theory of liberal democracy based on avoiding that? Samuel Bagg and I get into that, the ethics of voting, and the reality of activism.

How has equality been thought about throughout human history? Is there a final definition of the term? Does it have a potential dark side, and how does its history compare to that of freedom? Darrin McMahon joins the podcast to discuss.

What defines the modern American right? Matt McManus argues we should understand the movement as fundementally about hierarchy, we then get into a general conversation about the Biden administration and the direction of the US Left.

Kevin Vallier returns to the podcast to breakdown the lastest intelectual movement on the relgious right - intergralism. What is it, where did it come from, and what should liberals and conservatives make of it?

I'm joined by Amanda Podany, author of Weavers, Scribes, and Kings, to chat all things Ancient Near East. From her 'microhistory' method, to the culture, religion, gender norms, politics, and even food of the period. (After a longish pause in episodes I'm coming back with two at once!)

After a content creation sabbatical, the podcast is back! Friend of the Podcast Philip Pettit returns to discuss his latest book - the State - we discuss his genealogy of norms, laws, and nations.

I'm Joined by Jonathan Jowlands for an in-depth discussion of historical Jesus research. We cover the history of the 'quest' and the different worldviews we both bring to it. Jonathan lays out a view for including theological perspectives, and I defend a 'history only' approach.

Why did democrats exceed expectations in the midterms, and what does that mean for America's increasingly unstable democracy? I give some overall reactions and analysis in this solo episode.

I'm joined by Virginia Mantouvalou to discuss her upcoming book on worker's rights. We look at how state rules and regulations can make workers at risk of explotation, and the role of human rights in addressing these injustices.

An extended episode in which I take on one of the most significant historical mysteries of all time: What happened at, and after, the death of Jesus? What did Paul see, or claim to have seen? How and why the gospel accounts differ, and my best guess on the reality behind it all.

I'm joined by Alfred Mele to discuss his latest book - Free Will: An Opinionated guide. We cover how philosophers think about these issues and some common examples, then discuss our general thoughts on both compatibilism and libertarian free will.

A blockbuster all-in-one-take listener questions episode covering the queen, Mark's gospel, Liz Truss, reconciling individualism with social justice, & the midterms.

An in-depth deep dive into how we might deduce the time of writing of the anonymous, undated, genre-defying documents we call the four canonical gospels.

A deep dive into J S Mill's relationship with socialism with Helen McCabe. We cover Mill's moral foundations, pre-Marxian Socialism, the nature and history of liberalism and socialism, their interpretation today, and if Mill's vision is a realizable one. Website: https://www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast

A deep dive into the philosophy of reparations with Olúfẹmi O. Táíwò. We cover the context & questions asked, Rawls, Nozick, arguments for equality, & harm repair vs constructivst accounts of reparations. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKq83FUsCIM&t=3365s

I'm joined by Joel Baden to discuss the theological and moral system behind the sacrifice laws in Leviticus, as well the history and composition of the Pentateuch. Watch this interview on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmTP8SeQuco&t=2694s

An interview I did on the Elucidations Podcast. The episode is an introduction to J S Mil''s political philosophy; who he was, his place in the liberal tradition, the liberty principle, and utility vs rights based approaches to liberal pluralism.

A back and forth interview with Jack Symes of the Panpsycast Philosophy podcast on his new book Philosophers on Consciousness: Talking about the Mind. We start with our reflections on doing public philosophy and how we respond to criticism, the move on to the philosophy of consciousness. We end with a discussion of how we think about our minds might impact our thoughts on morality and I'm challenged with a trolley problem: One human being vs five Vulcans who think, but do not feel pleasure or pain. Audio version of this video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UG3vf3OWcA&t=3197s

For the last episode of 2021 I take on audience questions on political elites, islamic terrorism, orthodox marxism, and the US left and Joe Biden.

I'm joined by Noah Feldman to discuss his latest book The Broken Constitution. We discuss how the American constitution was made in debates and compromises over slavery and remade by Lincoln.

Robert Talisse returns to the podcast to discuss his latest book - Sustaining democracy. We also discuss liberalism and the role of imagination in politics (and this time we agree!)

American technology policy expert Alec Ross joins the podcast the discuss the future of the world economy and the political risks of failing to address inequality and concentrations of corporate power.

Why do theories of the end of the political and economic order feel so intuitive to some people, and so unintuitive to others? I draw on early Christian history and dehumanization theory to create a novel account.

Magdi Semrau joins me to discuss the politics of covid. Are the many restrictions due to the pandemic philosophically justifiable? Why have the political left and political right interpreted the crisis so differently and what does this tell us about the nature of conservatism and the future of liberalism?

Is modern social justice activism a threat to free speech, or the project of liberal democracy more broadly? Thomas Prosser and I offer differing interpretations of this new ideological project.

A short promo episode for my first book- 'What is Freedom? conversations with Historians, Philosophers, & Activists' published with OUP, out November, and available to pre-order now.  Featuring a foreword by Cecile Fabre and an introduction by me, the book includes contributions from Elizabeth Anderson, Mary Frances Berry, Ian Dunt, Michael Freeden, Nancy Hirschmann, Omar Khan, Dale Martin, Orlando Patterson, Phillip Pettit, John Skorupski, Peter Tatchell, and Zephyr Teachout. Pre-order on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0197572227/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_DTPBVTGX5YJHMPE1ZBQ0 OUP:  https://global.oup.com/academic/product/what-is-freedom-9780197572221?lang=en&cc=us (Patreon's won't be charged for this, it's not a full episode)

Is J S Mill's liberty principle bad political philosophy because he fails to define harm? I try to give this 'conventional' read a fair shake while also giving you my own view that the principle is . . . good, actually. On Liberty by Aquarusa - https://aquarusa.wordpress.com/2021/08/02/on-liberty-1859/ Website - https://www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com Patreon -

A history of abortion law in America from Roe to the present with analysis of the key issues raised in legal and political philosophy. Website: https://www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast

Molly Ball joins the Podcast to discuss her new book, Pelosi. We cover the career of the first woman Speaker of the house, divisions on the left, and the skill of governance. Pelosi: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pelosi-Molly-Ball/dp/1250252865 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Blog: https://www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/blog

A crossover episode with Alexis Papazoglou of The Philosopher & The News Podcast. We discuss Brexit and Freedom, Berlin's positive and negative distinction, and J S Mill.

Ian Dunt returns to the podcast for a pig picture talk on liberalism - What is it's future after trump, how does/should the ideology manage conflict, what are the differences between the UK and US left? We cover a lot and end on an uncharacteristically (for us) optimistic note.

Can the political theory of time help us make sense of our feeling that 2020 was a uniquely bad - and in some ways unreal - year?

Taking on audience questions I give a retrospective on the Trump era, my analysis of it, what I think lies ahead, and where progressives should go from here.

In part two I look at the different mindsets people approach voting with and develop an argument against seeing the act as expressive of an individual identity.

Audio of my live event with Roosevelt University

A quick promo of an upcoming live event this Friday (October 23rd, 2020). I will be moderating a (remote) panel discussion with Ian Dunt, Susan Nieman, and David Faris titled 'The US Election in a Global Context.' During this live virtual discussion, political experts from the United States, United Kingdom and Germany will offer a global perspective on the 2020 election. Panelists will explore what we can learn from other countries about opposition parties, stolen elections and responses to the pandemic. For more information and to register: https://www.roosevelt.edu/news-events/events#!view/event/date/20201023/event_id/111939 (This is not a full episode, just a promo, Patreons will not be charged for it)

Ahead of the 2020 presidential election I take on the heated debate on whether leftists should give their support to democrats which whom they may not fully align. I produced an extended analysis of the different issues that are raised in this debate, in this first part I look at political institutions.

I'm joined by Seth Masket to discuss his latest book, Learning from Loss, in which he looks at the various narratives democrats constructed after their defeat in 2016. We consider both how true those narratives where, how they impacted the 2020 primary, and how they might shape a Biden administration.

I refine my account of humiliation and develop a series of original arguments for the moral value of republican freedom based on it.

I discuss the phycology and politics of dehumanization with David Livingstone Smith. We also cover what ancient people's meant by 'clean' and 'unclean' in a religious context & dehumanization in contemporary US politics.

I'm joined by Professor Heather Widdows to discuss beauty as an ethical ideal. We cover the benefits and costs of an increasingly globalized ideal of beauty, the limitations of current liberalism, and how to theorize shame and humiliation. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Store: https://teespring.com/stores/political-philosophy-podcast

Elizabeth Anderson, Elizabeth Cohen, Angie Maxwell, and David Faris return to the podcast for a group discussion on US democracy, representation, polarization, & political narratives. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/political-philosophy-podcast

I'm joined by the conservative scholar of defense & foreign policy James Kurth. We discuss the contradictions of the American empire & its ideological justifications. We then use this discussion to situate the Trump presidency in a historical context. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/political-philosophy-podcast

I present an original account of how my J S Mill Style liberalism might fit together with my 'Neo-Machiavellian' Republicanism. The context is a consideration of social norms around speech and violence but I develop this into a larger theory of how to normatively understand American politics. BRAND NEW: We now have a store where you can buy Political Philosophy Podcast merchandise! https://teespring.com/stores/political-philosophy-podcast

I take on a range of audience questions from winning political campaigns, rights and COVID, political forgiveness, & more. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast

Is moral grandstanding harmful? Is it something a virtuous person would do? I'm joined by Justin Tosi and Brandon Warmke to discuss their book on the issue. Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Pre-Order Grandstanding: https://t.co/jJjqd1xs7P?amp=1

What explains Biden's strong black support in the 2020 primary? What can progressives do better in our platform, candidates, rhetoric, and ideological presentation?

Does democracy have to be a matter of simply electing representatives? I'm joined by Hélène Landemore to discuss the problems with libertarianism, democracy in the workplace, & alternate models of democratic decision making.

I was part of a panel discussion of left-wing new media producers. We covered the IDW, the left, free speech, & liberalism vs the left. Participants: Embrace the Void https://voidpod.com/ Chrisiousity: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn1b... https://twitter.com/chrisiousity The Poplar Tapes: https://thepoplartapes.podbean.com/ https://twitter.com/ThePoplarTapes Jerb the Humanist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmE8... https://twitter.com/Jerbivore

I discuss the ethical and epistemic issues surrounding disability with Tom Shakespeare: we cover the medical and social models, eugenics, disability and sexuality, standpoint epistemology, social justice, and the nature of knowledge.

I'm joined by professor Kimberly Hamlin to discuss her latest book: Free Thinker: Sex, Suffrage, and the Extraordinary Life of Helen Hamilton Gardener. We cover the concept of a "fallen woman', women's suffrage, the relations between feminism, atheism, evolution & race. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Website: https://www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/

In part 3 of the series, I look at how the Persian empire ended. Setting the stage I go into huge detail on theories of ancient warfare, warrior societies, & cover the backstory of Philip of Macedon. Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Website: https://www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/

What is the conception of Freedom in the work of Hannah Arendt? How could this be used to justify, or criticize, modern protest movements?

What enabled the Sanders campaign to attract the support that it did? I consider this question using a variety of analytic frameworks. I also consider the differences/ dividing lines between Sanders & Warren & end looking at the future challenges & opportunities for left-wing ideologies.

What is the role of moral and political philosophy in policymaking? Should we try to apply ethical theories broadly or look at each case as they come up? I discuss this, and more, with Jonathan Wolff.

In part 2 of the series, I explore the aftermath of the collapse of the Assyrian Empire and the extraordinary rise of Cyrus of Persia. I go into considerable detail on ancient society and religion, as well as considering how this history is presented in popular culture.

The first part of a multipart series looking at ideology in the ancient world. I start by looking at the royal pronouncements of Ashurbanipal from a Marxist, hermeneutic, and finally domination theory perspective.

Is politics everything? Have we lost our civil society institutions? Is there any hope left for a shared liberal consensus? I take on these questions, and more, in part 2 with Robert Talisse. I also celebrate the podcast's 100th episode and preview my upcoming solo series 'Ideologies of the Ancients.'

What are we ultimately disputing when we disagree politically? Is progress across moral and political divides possible, and if so when? I get into a spontaneous lively conversion with Robert Talise on the epistemic foundations of political pluralism.

THOMAS HOBBES With Arash Abizadeh by Toby Buckle

RIGHTS & NEO - LIBERALISM With Samuel Moyn by Toby Buckle

How did issues of rape and sexual violence emerge as central concerns for second-wave feminists? I discuss the intellectual history fo feminism, the role of art in that history, & its legacy today, with PEN award-winning author Nancy Princenthal.

Should democrats be considering potentialy disruptive ideas like court packing, adding states, or abolishing the filibuster? Would doing so be justified, and can we win if we dont?

I develop an original account of internal party divides. Using the 2016 primary, the 2019 UK election, and the Tea Party movement as case studies I try to offer a fresh take on many of the most contentious disagreements we have on the left.

Can politics move beyond a state of institutionalized aggression? Should liberalism be justified by appeals to a conception of the good or by public reason?

I'm joined by the historian David Farber to discuss the social and political history of the crack epidemic. We discuss the drug's history, the panic surrounding it, the political response to it, and how that informed our current politics. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Buy 'Crack: Rock Cocaine, Street Capitalism, and Decade of Greed': https://www.amazon.com/Crack-Cocaine-Street-Capitalism-Decade/dp/1108425275

I'm joined by congressional candidate Chris Armitage. We discuss his run, criminal justice reform, the progressive movement, Bernie's candidacy, the Bernie or bust phenomenon, and optimism for the future. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Armitage for Congress: https://armitageforcongress.com Donate to Chris's campaign: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/armitage-for-congress-1?refcode=web-donate-box

Should academia be political? Does social-justice have a place on Campus? Does anti-foundationalism imply a particular view of these culture war issues? Stanley Fish and I discuss.

Is free speech a coherent idea? is there a neutral standard to decide if something is hate speech? How should we conceptualize liberalism, and how should we argue for it in the age of Trump? Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Buy The First https://www.amazon.com/First-Speech-Campus-Religious-Post-Truth/dp/1982115246

Has the Senate been a barrier to progressive reform in America? Is it an institution at odds with our current political culture? I discuss this as well as impeachment, partisanship, and post 2020 with the senior senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PoliticalPhilosophyPodcast Desk 88: https://www.amazon.com/Desk-88-Progressive-Senators-Changed/dp/0374138214

Do we have special obligations towards fellow citizens? Is self-determination valuable? Can national identity be threatened by large scale immigration? I'm joined by David Miller to discuss these, and other, issues.

I take on a range of audience questions and comments from my economic inequality episode: Diminishing marginal returns, poverty vs inequality, long run growth, and the morality of capitalism.

I develop an original account how how different political cultures, & different ways of conceptualizing politics, have developed in the US and UK. How they have recently become inversions of each other. And argue that the current chaos is the shape fo things to come.

Is the current distribution of ecumenic resources in the US morally defensible? How should a mature moral or political theory think about this? I give my personal views.

I field listener questions including: language, ideology, booking guests, volunteering, and am I an anti-white racist?

What is ‘Positivism’ and why was it so important so Adorno to label Popper as one? Popper’s response, and what can we learn from this failure to communicate?

I revisit an acrimonious exchange between two very different public intellectuals. The first part sets the stage with the intellectual history.

Should we justify liberalism from appeals to political precepts or normative understandings of human nature? I consider two ways of thinking about liberalism's philosophical foundations.

How do we enforce rights under uncertainty? Does America's long history of human rights violations prevent it from acting as a force for good today?

Cécile Fabre returns to the podcast to discuss her latest book, Economic Statecraft. We discuss rights, property rights, free trade, sanctions, conditional aid, and conditional borrowing.

I develop an original account of humiliation and argue that including it in the neo-republican ideological project enriches its structure and makes it more intuitive and relevant.

Time. Founding moments. legitimacy. Commensuration. Liberal Democracy. The State. Immigration. Criminal Justice.

The historical and ideological factors behind Trump's meteoric rise in 2016, divisions on the left, & I go on a rant.

How did appeals to racism, sexism, and religion shape American party politics and conservative ideology?

DIVERSIFYING THE CANNON With Elizabeth Anderson by Toby Buckle

Is corporate power of form of government? How does it affect our lives and freedom?  Professor Elizabeth Anderson joins the podcast discuss.

Social geography. Space. Politics. Immigration. Race. Segregation. Racism. Trump. 2020. Ideology. Integration.

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FREEDOM by Toby Buckle

Brexit. Liberalism. J S Mill. Free speech. Living truths. Liberal democracy. Europe. Tony Blair. Journalism. Consent of the governed. Far right parties. Anti-liberalism. The future of Europe.