Podcast appearances and mentions of alex colas

In the last episode of this second season, committee member Alex Colas is joined by Kolja Lindner to discuss Lindner's 2022 book, 'Marx, Marxism, and the Problem of Eurocentrism'. To learn more about the Deutscher Prize, please visit our website: www.deutscherprize.org.uk/wp/

In our third episode, committee member Alex Colas is joined by Maïa Pal to discusses themes from Pal's 2020 book, Jurisdictional Accumulation: An Early Modern History of Law, Empires, and Capital.  Thanks to the Lipman-Miliband Trust for helping to fund this initiative: www.lipman-miliband.org.uk

Aside from occasionally popping up as a topic, for example in relation to plastics, oil-spills, or occasional references to melting glaciers, the oceans are often a "forgotten space" for many otherwise inspiring social movements. But the oceans have had a central and changing role across different moments. The global ocean has through the centuries served as a trade route, strategic space, fish bank and supply chain for the modern capitalist economy. While sea beds are drilled for their fossil fuels and minerals, and coastlines developed for real estate and leisure, the oceans continue to absorb the toxic discharges of our carbon civilisation—warming, expanding, and acidifying the blue water part of the planet in ways that will bring unpredictable but irreversible consequences for the rest of the biosphere. Here at the State of power podcast, we are concerned with the ways in which power functions, on land and on the sea. With the United Nations Oceans Conference coming up between 27 June and 1 July, we thought this would be as good a time as any to take a closer look at  the oceans that make up more than 70% of our planet's surface. What is the relation between contemporary social, environmental, climate, economic crises and the oceans? Also, who is benefitting from all of this exploitation of the oceans,  and how? Who are the capitalists at sea and what are their strategies?  What types of acts of resistance and struggle exist against these interests - historically and today? Liam Campling and Alex Colas,  are the authors of the book, Capitalism and the Sea: The Maritime Factor in the Making of the Modern World In their book, which deals with the political economy, ecology and geopolitics of the sea, the authors argue that the earth's geographical separation into land and sea has significant consequences for capitalist development. The distinctive features of this mode of production continuously seek to transcend the land-sea binary in an incessant quest for profit, engendering new alignments of sovereignty, exploitation and appropriation in the capture and coding of maritime spaces and resources. Here they are in conversation with Mads Barbesgaard,  who is a researcher with TNI working on struggles around the use and control of land and ocean resources in the midst of the energy transition. Mads is also a senior lecturer at the Department of Human Geography, at Lund University in Sweden. Image source: Ships in a Storm on a Rocky Coast by Jan Porcellis. Oil on canvas, 1614-1618, Hallwyl Museum/ Wikimedia

The consumption of food and drink is much more than what we put in our mouth. Food and drink have been a focal point of modern social theory since the inception of agrarian capitalism and the industrial revolution. The origins of food and drink are rather complex. The construction of food and drink as authentic to a specific region is even more complex. Join us for a discussion with Alex Colas, Jason Edwards, Jane Levi, and Sami Zubaida about their book Food, Politics, and Society Social Theory and the Modern Food System(University of California Press, 2018). Together we will learn more about the history and sociology of how various ideas and practices shape human understanding and organization of the production, processing, preparation, serving, and consumption of food and drink in modern society. The authors divide this book into twelve chapters and draw on a wide range of historical and empirical illustrations to provide a concise, informed, and accessible survey of the interaction between social theory as well as food and drink. They provide a perfect interview for a wide range of discipline as long been a focal point of modern social theory. Michael O. Johnston is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is currently conducting research on the placemaking associated with the development of farmers’ market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The consumption of food and drink is much more than what we put in our mouth. Food and drink have been a focal point of modern social theory since the inception of agrarian capitalism and the industrial revolution. The origins of food and drink are rather complex. The construction of food and drink as authentic to a specific region is even more complex. Join us for a discussion with Alex Colas, Jason Edwards, Jane Levi, and Sami Zubaida about their book Food, Politics, and Society Social Theory and the Modern Food System(University of California Press, 2018). Together we will learn more about the history and sociology of how various ideas and practices shape human understanding and organization of the production, processing, preparation, serving, and consumption of food and drink in modern society. The authors divide this book into twelve chapters and draw on a wide range of historical and empirical illustrations to provide a concise, informed, and accessible survey of the interaction between social theory as well as food and drink. They provide a perfect interview for a wide range of discipline as long been a focal point of modern social theory. Michael O. Johnston is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is currently conducting research on the placemaking associated with the development of farmers’ market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The consumption of food and drink is much more than what we put in our mouth. Food and drink have been a focal point of modern social theory since the inception of agrarian capitalism and the industrial revolution. The origins of food and drink are rather complex. The construction of food and drink as authentic to a specific region is even more complex. Join us for a discussion with Alex Colas, Jason Edwards, Jane Levi, and Sami Zubaida about their book Food, Politics, and Society Social Theory and the Modern Food System(University of California Press, 2018). Together we will learn more about the history and sociology of how various ideas and practices shape human understanding and organization of the production, processing, preparation, serving, and consumption of food and drink in modern society. The authors divide this book into twelve chapters and draw on a wide range of historical and empirical illustrations to provide a concise, informed, and accessible survey of the interaction between social theory as well as food and drink. They provide a perfect interview for a wide range of discipline as long been a focal point of modern social theory. Michael O. Johnston is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is currently conducting research on the placemaking associated with the development of farmers’ market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The consumption of food and drink is much more than what we put in our mouth. Food and drink have been a focal point of modern social theory since the inception of agrarian capitalism and the industrial revolution. The origins of food and drink are rather complex. The construction of food and drink as authentic to a specific region is even more complex. Join us for a discussion with Alex Colas, Jason Edwards, Jane Levi, and Sami Zubaida about their book Food, Politics, and Society Social Theory and the Modern Food System(University of California Press, 2018). Together we will learn more about the history and sociology of how various ideas and practices shape human understanding and organization of the production, processing, preparation, serving, and consumption of food and drink in modern society. The authors divide this book into twelve chapters and draw on a wide range of historical and empirical illustrations to provide a concise, informed, and accessible survey of the interaction between social theory as well as food and drink. They provide a perfect interview for a wide range of discipline as long been a focal point of modern social theory. Michael O. Johnston is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is currently conducting research on the placemaking associated with the development of farmers’ market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The consumption of food and drink is much more than what we put in our mouth. Food and drink have been a focal point of modern social theory since the inception of agrarian capitalism and the industrial revolution. The origins of food and drink are rather complex. The construction of food and drink as authentic to a specific region is even more complex. Join us for a discussion with Alex Colas, Jason Edwards, Jane Levi, and Sami Zubaida about their book Food, Politics, and Society Social Theory and the Modern Food System(University of California Press, 2018). Together we will learn more about the history and sociology of how various ideas and practices shape human understanding and organization of the production, processing, preparation, serving, and consumption of food and drink in modern society. The authors divide this book into twelve chapters and draw on a wide range of historical and empirical illustrations to provide a concise, informed, and accessible survey of the interaction between social theory as well as food and drink. They provide a perfect interview for a wide range of discipline as long been a focal point of modern social theory. Michael O. Johnston is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University. He is currently conducting research on the placemaking associated with the development of farmers’ market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Staff from the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College and special guest David Goodhart discuss the populist backlash in Western politics. This debate features Professor Eric Kaufmann, Dr Sam Ashenden, Dr Jason Edwards and special guest David Goodhart, founding editor of Prospect magazine and head of the Demography, Immigration and Integration Unit at Policy Exchange. Dr Alex Colas, Head of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck, chairs the event. Facebook: www.facebook.com/BirkbeckPolitics/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/birkbeck-dept-of-politics Twitter: www.twitter.com/bbkpolitics Centre website: www.csbppl.com Department website: www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/

Staff from the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College and special guest David Goodhart discuss the populist backlash in Western politics. This debate features Professor Eric Kaufmann, Dr Sam Ashenden, Dr Jason Edwards and special guest David Goodhart, founding editor of Prospect magazine and head of the Demography, Immigration and Integration Unit at Policy Exchange. Dr Alex Colas, Head of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck, chairs the event. Facebook: www.facebook.com/BirkbeckPolitics/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/birkbeck-dept-of-politics Twitter: www.twitter.com/bbkpolitics Centre website: www.csbppl.com Department website: www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/

“A World in Crisis: Climate Change, Violence, Demography and the Global Economy” Staff debate with Alex Colas, Aideen Foley, Ali Guven, Eric Kaufmann and David Styan. Chaired by Deborah Mabbett. The ongoing political turmoil in Brazil and Turkey is symptomatic of local and regional crises within and around many of the emerging powers in the Global South. With no clear end to the wars in the greater Middle East, and unequal and uneven development still prevalent across many parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, the world seems to be facing a period of continuous uncertainty. If we add to this the intractable crisis of climate change and the predicted population growth of our planet to 11 billion by the end of the century, a sense of impending doom appears hard to avoid. A panel of Politics faculty, joined by our Geography colleague Aideen Foley, will address these and related issues through the prisms of international security, political economy, environmental politics and political demography. Drawing one their teaching and research expertise in these areas, they will analyse the dynamics and extent of these various crises, and debate the prospects of a more optimistic future.

As part of the Birkbeck Department of Politics Workshop Week, we convened a staff debate on the topic of A World in Crisis. The panel features Birkbeck staff members Alex Colas, Aideen Foley, Ali Guven, Eric Kaufmann and David Styan. It is chaired by Deborah Mabbett. The ongoing political turmoil in Brazil and Turkey is symptomatic of local and regional crises within and around many of the emerging powers in the Global South. With no clear end to the wars in the greater Middle East, and unequal and uneven development still prevalent across many parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, the world seems to be facing a period of continuous uncertainty. If we add to this the intractable crisis of climate change and the predicted population growth of our planet to 11 billion by the end of the century, a sense of impending doom appears hard to avoid. Our panel addresses these and related issues through the prisms of international security, political economy, environmental politics and political demography. Drawing one their teaching and research expertise in these areas, they will analyse the dynamics and extent of these various crises, and debate the prospects of a more optimistic future.

Former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne and a panel of Birkbeck academics discuss his newest book on British entrepreneurs and the history and future direction of British capitalism in general. Liam Byrne has held a wide variety of roles in government, serving in the Home Office, 10 Downing Street and finally the Treasury, where he was Chief Secretary in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. He is the author of over 20 books and pamphlets, including Turning to Face the East, published in 2013, where he argues that greater ties with China will be key to Britain’s future prosperity. Liam appears in this talk with a panel of academics from Birkbeck’s Department of Politics: Dr Jason Edwards and Professor Deborah Mabbett, as well as Dr Alex Colas, who chairs the discussion. Jason Edwards is a lecturer in politics in the Department of Politics, Birkbeck. Jason is a political theorist with interests in political sociology and the history of political thought. Jason is an expert in radical politics. His book The Radical Attitude and Modern Political Theory (London: Palgrave Macmillan) was published in 2007 and he continues to return to the theme throughout his writing. Deborah Mabbett is Professor of Public Policy in the Department of Politics, Birkbeck. Deborah writes and researches on a wide range of issues related to welfare and inequality. She has wide experience of public policy in practice, particularly in the field of social security, having worked at various times for the New Zealand Treasury and the World Bank, as well as undertaking consultancy and research for public bodies in the UK and the European Union. Facebook: www.facebook.com/BirkbeckPolitics/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/birkbeck-dept-of-politics Twitter: www.twitter.com/bbkpolitics Centre website: www.csbppl.com Department website: www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/

From 2013, Dr Alex Colas presents a roundtable debate on the subject of politics, profits and power, the first in a series titled the Bloomsbury Debates. Panellists: Fabrice Weissman (Coordinator and Research Director of MSF CRASH); Sarah Collinson (Humanitarian Policy Group ODI London; Stephen Hopgood (Reader in International Relations, SOAS).

Interviewees discuss how the Department of Politics celebrated its 40th anniversary, and how a new project is investigating the links between Down’s syndrome and dementia. Dr Alex Colas, of the Department of Politics, describes the events staged for the landmark birthday, including Professor Deborah Mabbett’s lecture about austerity under Margaret Thatcher and the Coalition Government, and a talk he chaired about the dilemmas of humanitarianism (0:00-7:26). Professor Annette Karmiloff-Smith, of the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, continues by explaining exciting new research to see whether understanding Down’s syndrome can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Birkbeck is part of the new £2.5m London Down’s Syndrome Consortium funded by the Wellcome Trust (7:27-16:04). http://www.bbk.ac.uk/news/birkbeck-voices-podcast/birkbeck-voices-podcast-december-2012

The abiding rhetoric of US foreign policy is 'freedom and democracy': "We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom." [President Barack Obama, 2nd term inauguration speech]. But as David Sylvan, Professor of International Relations, and Former Head of the Political Science Department at Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, co-author of the book US Foreign Policy in Perspective: Clients, Enemies and Empire, explains to Craig Barfoot, it really isn't quite like that.   Much of US foreign policy (as even the CIA would concede, says Professor Sylvan) revolves around acquiring clients, maintaining clients and engaging in hostile policies against enemies deemed to threaten them.  It is a peculiarly American form of imperialism. Ranging over examples -  from US support for a monarchy in Saudi Arabia,           its support for coup against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende in Chile (when Henry Kissinger said, 'I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its people'),              its role in persuading Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines to step down, and its support for the military in Egypt, Professor Sylvan paints a picture of a US  foreign policy based on maintaining the status quo in its client states. Change is almost always seen as threatening. The book argues that having all these client states was not a grand planned strategy but one that emerged because of the policy instruments available to policymakers. That the US bureaucratic instruments themselves have created and maintained the situation of a client state empire. Nevertheless although the US client empire differs from the European Empires of the 19th and 20th centuries in many respects (there is no direct government, for example), there are many similarities - US bases are sited in client countries, the US ambassador often has enhanced access to the client government and will often lecture it on such things as domestic spending or agricultural reform. This book has a dedicated website featuring additional case studies and data sets, Notes: You might also be interested in Risa Arai's podcast Empire: The features of American global power in which she talks to Dr Alex Colas of Birbeck, University of London.