Emancipations Podcast

Adieu Lacan - Interview with Filmmaker Richard Ledes

We sit down with filmmaker Richard Ledes to discuss the process of making his film Adieu Lacan, which depicts a successful psychoanalytic intervention by Lacan. Ledes is a fascinating filmmaker who has been compared to David Lynch and his most well-known film is Fred Won't Move Out. Adieu Lacan is available on VOD and is definitely a must-watch! 

Circumcision and Psychoanalysis feat. Jordan Osserman

We are pleased to welcome writer and thinker Jordan Osserman to the show to discuss circumcision and his new book Circumcision on the Couch: The Cultural, Psychological, and Gendered Dimensions of the World's Oldest Surgery which has recently been published by Bloomsbury. Join us at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/torsiongroups to get access to our seminars, writing and early release of our shows. 

The Lacanian Left, Self-Help, and the Family feat. Richard Seymour

We sit down with the prolific writer and thinker Richard Seymour, Co-Founder of Salvage Magazine and author of The Meaning of David Cameron (2010), Unhitched (2013), Against Austerity (2014) and Corbyn: The Strange Rebirth of Radical Politics (2016). Since 2013, Seymour has turned to Lacanian theory in his writing and analysis of contemporary politics. We discuss what he finds valuable in psychoanalytic theory, the recent fractures over the trans movement in the Lacanian field, the patriarchy question, Oedipal politics, family abolition, meritocracy and Richard's next book project The Little Red Self-Help Book. We conclude with a discussion on the future of the far right. If you like this conversation and might be willing to pitch in to support us, please become a member of our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/torsiongroups 

Lasch Beyond the Culture War - A Conversation with Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn

We are very pleased to sit down with American historian and cultural critic Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn to discuss her work on the history of race relations in America and the legacy of her father, the historian and critic Christopher Lasch. Christopher Lasch's thought has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years and one of the big questions that surrounds his work is how we understand his political vision and what the core of his critique of liberalism and American elites really amounts to. In this sneak-peak of an interview, we get a bit closer to answering this elusive question and we learn more about the real Lasch.  To listen to our full interview with Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn please become a member of our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/posts/65598099). In addition to this clip on the legacy of Christopher Lasch, we also discuss her work Race Experts: How Racial Etiquette, Sensitivity Training, and New Age Therapy Hijacked the Civil Rights Revolution and her work Ars Vitae: On the Fate of Inwardness and the Return of the Ancient Arts of Living which talks about spirituality and new modes of living in our society.

Decolonial Psychoanalysis feat. Robert Beshara

We are joined by artist, writer and educator Robert Beshara to discuss his work in critical psychology, Islamophobia, Freud and Said and how to understand racial capitalism, solidarity and comradeship. This is an oft-inspiring conversation that touches on a lot of very important debates and concepts in contemporary politics. One of the many highlights include Robert's discussion of the highly misunderstood the thinker Edward Said had with psychoanalysis. This is a great conversation and I hope you all benefit form it! To listen to the full interview check out our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/posts/decolonial-freud-64587307  Also, be sure to check out Dr. Robert Beshara's books, films and other work at his website.

Myths in Crisis: Prometheus, Gaia, and Marxism

We welcome philosophers Landon Frim and Harrison Fluss to the show for a discussion on how to navigate the ecological crisis in philosophy. This episode originally appeared on the Zer0 Books YouTube channel. Support our work for $3 - $10 a month at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/torsiongroups Fluss and Frim argue the two dominant strains of thinking ecology today, Accelerationism and Gaian philosophies are ultimately inadequate frameworks because they reject the human frame as grounding politics; each seeks to subordinate the human in favor of a wholly alien other, either in the form of an anarchic nature or a dynamic technology. To transcend this strange coincidence of opposites, Fluss and Frim make the positive case for a Marxist humanism that is rationalist without being anthropocentric. This conversation is centered around their new book Prometheus and Gaia: Technology, Ecology and Anti-Humanism.  

Class Struggle in the History of Psychoanalysis (feat. Hannah Proctor)

Please go to our Patreon to listen to the final 30 minutes of this conversation https://www.patreon.com/torsiongroups and get access to our other interviews, seminars and more. Our guest for today's episode is Hannah Proctor, writer, historian and thinker of the history of psychoanalysis. Hannah has written extensively on early Soviet era psychoanalysis and psychology and her Substack Unconsciousness Raising focuses on lesser known psychoanalytic thinkers.  In this conversation, we discuss early Soviet psychoanalysts, Wilhelm Reich and Herbert Marcuse on revolution, her work on political burnout and more. 

The petit-bourgeois habitus *TEASER*

Listen to the full interview with cultural theorist Marc James Léger, author of The Neoliberal Undead at https://www.patreon.com/posts/63587198

How to be a Marxist with Tijana Okić

We are joined by philosopher Tijana Okić for a spirited conversation on what it means to be a Marxist today. What are the common problems we face when it comes to holding a Marxist position today? Is Marxism reducible to the correct philological and textual analysis of Marx's thought? What are we to make of the epistemological break between the early Marx's work on alienation to his later notions of exploitation? Does Marxism become irrelevant when we abandon a theory of alienation? We also discuss the working class today and how to best theorize class in our wider commitment to the class struggle. We conclude with a discussion of the urgent geopolitical crisis of the war Russia has waged on Ukraine. Tijana brings a sophisticated and passionate socialist perspective. Please consider becoming a Patron for $3 per month at https://www.patreon.com/torsiongroups. We post new interviews, seminars and study group opportunities frequently. Our guest Tijana Okić is a philosopher with an interest in history and historiography. Her research interests are primarily related to social and political philosophy, in their historic and systematic development. Tijana is a dedicated feminist with an interest in feminist theory both generally and specifically as well as the politics of debt and austerity.

Teaser: Interview with Adrian Johnston on Today’s Hegel Renaissance

We sit down with American philosopher Adrian Johnston, one of the most creative and interesting philosophers working today. To listen to the entire conversation where Adrian succinctly defines "transcendental materialism" in less than two minutes(!) and we discuss the new Hegel renaissance in contemporary philosophy and Adrian's philosophical differences with Zizek. You can listen to this interview for just $2 at our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/posts/63046361.

Can American socialists reform the Democratic Party? Interview with Doug Greene

We sit down with historian Doug Greene to discuss the important history of American socialism and the over 70 years of attempts to "realign" the Democratic Party. Should socialists cooperate with the Democratic Party? To explore this important question, Doug Greene tells us about the ideas and vision of Michael Harrington, the founder of the largest socialist organization in America, the DSA. Harrington's ideas inform the "common sense" of America's contemporary left and they are at the core of why the American working class has been prevented, time and again, from independently forming a worker's party or effectively challenging the absolute dominance of capital and the ruling class.  Support Doug Greene:  Doug's Patreon: "I Read It So You Don't Have To!" https://www.patreon.com/enaa_doug_blanqui?fan_landing=  Doug's blog http://blanquist.blogspot.com  Doug's book A Failure of Vision on Michael Harrington https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/zer0-books/our-books/failure-vision-michael-harrington-democratic-socialism   

Psychiatry and Trauma with Vincenzo Di Nicola

We are joined by Dr. Vincenzo Di Nicola to discuss modern psychiatry and his work on trauma, family therapy and the philosophical underpinnings of psychiatry. We discuss the prevalence of trauma discourse, the philosophy of Alain Badiou, why social dynamics are often ignored by modern psychiatry and psychology, and we examine the history of the "anti-psychiatry movement" with special focus on R.D. Laing, Jacques Lacan and Frantz Fanon. Vincenzo Di Nicola is an Italian-Canadian psychologist, psychiatrist and family therapist, and philosopher of mind. Di Nicola is a tenured Full Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry & Addiction Medicine at the University of Montreal, where he founded and directs the postgraduate course on Psychiatry and the Humanities, and Clinical Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The George Washington University, where he gave The 4th Annual Stokes Endowment Lecture in 2013.

The Concept is a Weapon - Interview with French philosopher Mehdi Belhaj Kacem

We sat down with French philosopher Mehdi Belhaj Kacem who the late David Graeber praised as one of the most important philosophers living today. In this interview, we discuss Kacem’s reading habits, what inspires him in the world of thought, how he derived his philosophical concepts, what qualifies as truly radical in our age and why he broke up with his former mentor Alain Badiou. Kacem is, similar to Giorgio Agamben, a major critic of the way the ruling class is managing the pandemic and he is not shy to share his views. In this wide-ranging conversation, we catch a glimpse of a deeply inventive and creative mind and we get advice for how to do philosophy outside of conventional institutions.   This interview was conducted on Thursday December 9th, 2021, by Daniel Tutt. Translation and interpretation assistance provided by Saad Boutayeb. To read the English transcripts of this interview which include two additional questions not covered in the podcast go here to download. For the transcriptions in French please go here to download.  Music: "Banned in D.C." by Bad Brains

Psychoanalysis and the Love of Arabic with Nadia Bou Ali

We are honored to be joined by Nadia Bou Ali, practicing psychoanalyst and Assistant Professor at the Civilization Studies Program at the American University of Beirut. We discuss Nadia's new work Psychoanalysis and the Love of Arabic: Hall of Mirrors - a work of Lacanian theory, comparative literature and political theory. We discuss the main themes of this work and raise questions about Lacan's contribution to the study of literature, psychoanalysis and liberalism, tolerance, the birth of Arab modernity and the two fascinating literary figures that she analyzes in this work: Ahmad Faris Shidyaq (1805-87) and Butrus al-Bustani (1819-83). This is a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation - definitely not to be missed! Interview and discussion conducted by Daniel Tutt To purchase this book please visit https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/...

Deciphering Nietzsche/anism Part III with Carl Sachs

We are joined by philosopher Carl Sachs, Professor of Philosophy at Marymount University and all around great human being. Carl did his Ph.D. on Nietzsche and has spent a great deal of time with Nietzsche's thought over the years. In this discussion, we analyze the achievement of Domenico Losurdo's massive book Nietzsche, the Aristocratic Rebel: Intellectual Biography and Critical Balance Sheet.  Will the world of philosophy embrace Losurdo's new perspective on Nietzsche? What does Losurdo say that changes our understanding of Nietzsche? Is Losurdo's perspective and analysis of the core of Nietzsche right? We discuss these questions and more in this very enlightening episode!  Carl Sachs is the author of Intentionality and Myths of the Given: Between Pragmatism and Phenomenology (Routledge 2015), Co-Founder and Vice President of the Wilfrid Sellars Society and Professor of Philosophy at Marymount University. Find him on Twitter at @carl_b_sachs.

Trotskyism Today with Ian Parker

Marxist theorist, literary critic, military leader and exiled opponent of Stalin, Leon Trotsky is one of the most important figures of 20th century Marxism. But how are Trotsky's ideas being lived out today by revolutionary socialists? To help us understand Trotskyism, its history and legacy today we are joined by Ian Parker, Lacanian psychoanalyst and revolutionary socialist. He has written over 25 books to his name and he works in the fields of critical psychology, Marxist psychology, and psychoanalytic theory.  Parker is a fellow of the British psychological society, Emeritus Professor at the University of Leicester, and the managing editor of the Annual Review of Critical Psychology. Parker is also a practicing psychoanalyst analyst. For those interested, you can see Ian Parker and his co-author David Pavón-Cuellár this Friday November 12th at 2 pm EST for a conference hosted by Study Groups on Psychoanalysis and Politics centered around their new work, Revolution: Critical Psychology for Liberation movements. Join us with speakers Isabel Millar, Gabriel Tupinambá and Nadia Bou Ali to discuss this work at 2 pm this coming Friday November 12th - RSVP (on Zoom): https://psychoanalysis-revolution.eventbrite.com In this episode, we discuss history of Trotskyism and its main ideas and how Trotsky’s ideas can help us address creeping fascism and build and world that has gone beyond capitalism.  Chip in $5 - $10 to support us and help keep us going: https://t.co/hBNOnpQKnp?amp=1

The Last Days of the Dialectic with Robert Boncardo and Bryan Cooke

We are joined by philosophers Robert Boncardo and Bryan Cooke to discuss the philosophical and political thought of Alain Badiou. Boncardo and Cooke's research is shedding light on how Badiou's concrete political militancy from 1969 - 1981 shaped his first major work Theory of the Subject (1982).  We discuss the communist group Badiou was part of from 1969 - 1981 UCFML, the SONACOTRA Rent Strike, Badiou's relation to Maoism and how these more practical activities serve as a crucial backdrop for understanding the otherwise enigmatic concepts Badiou develops in Theory of the Subject. Enjoy!

Deciphering Nietzsche/anism Part II

We continue to probe Nietzsche and Nietzsche/anism, picking up on some problems and questions that were opened in our last interview with Geoff Waite. We begin with a reading of Nietzsche from two radically different positions: Georges Bataille and György Lukács. We then go on to discuss Nietzsche and Marx, consciousness, antihumanism, antiphilosophy, liberation, Nietzsche's politics and more. Does Nietzsche/anism address a real problem that Marxism can’t account for? Or must we work to discard all traces of Nietzsche/anism in order to champion a more liberated world and a more egalitarian version of philosophy?

Deciphering Nietzsche/anism with Geoff Waite

We seek relief from our "Nietzsche fever" with Nietzsche scholar Geoff Waite, professor of German Studies at Cornell University. How does one go about reading Nietzsche? How does one get out of Nietzsche's system, and not fall into its abyss? The influence of Nietzsche is arguably more profound than even Freud or Marx. Nietzsche/anism has "won" in the sense that a world of rank order and capitalist exploitation is all around us. In that sense, Nietzsche/anism is the air that we breathe. It is necessary for the left to read Nietzsche because to do so is to understand the enemy, to understand the profoundly elusive and esoteric strategy he developed in his philosophy. In this conversation, we discuss the legacy of Nietzsche for today's left, how to read Nietzsche, the recent 1,000 page translation of Aristocratic Rebel by the Marxist historian and philosopher Domenico Losurdo, and Geoff's strategy for deciphering Nietzsche/anism.  Geoff Waite is the author of Nietzsche′s Corps/e Aesthetics, Politics, Prophecy, or, the Spectacular Technoculture of Everyday Life Warning: this may be a conversation for everyone and no one Music: "Your Red Dress" by Alaska in Winter and Mihâly Vig's music from Béla Tarr's film "A Torinoi Lo" (The Turin Horse) Photo: The "Yung Nietzsche" (without beard, lol) 

Episode 29: A Manifesto for the Working Class with Cynthia Cruz

We are joined by writer and thinker Cynthia Cruz for a heartfelt and real conversation about the working class. Cynthia has written an incredible new book called The Melancholia of Class: A Manifesto for the Working Class (Repeater Books, 2021). We discuss the experiences of being working class, of leaving one's class roots, alienation, working class artists and the current status of the working class in America.  As Cruz writes, "to be working-class in a middle-class world is to be a ghost. Excluded, marginalised, and subjected to violence, the working class is also deemed by those in power to not exist." This conversation is not to be missed!!  Music: Joy Division "The Eternal" 

Episode 28: Cuteness and Cringe - A Lacanian Theory of Online Culture

Daniel (@danieltutt) and Mike (@mcrumps) are joined by Bonni Rambatan (@bonni07) and Jacob Johanssen (@Jacob_PhD) to discuss their forthcoming book Event Horizon: Sexuality, Politics, Online Culture, and the Limits of Capitalism.  We discuss Bonni and Jacob's theory of online culture, a Lacanian analysis of social media, trolling, incels, and a theory of why the Internet is all about cuteness. Music: Alice Coltrane - "Reflection on Creation and Space" (A Five Year View) LP 1973  

Episode 27: Spirituality and Politics with Dr. Walaa Quisay

Join us for an in depth and heartfelt conversation on contemporary Islamic spirituality and politics with Dr. Walaa Quisay, Ph.D. University of Oxford. Dr. Quisay's research looks at the Neo-Traditionalist Islamic movement, one of the most prominent Islamic intellectual and spiritual movements in the west. In this interview, co-host Daniel Tutt (@danieltutt) and Dr. Walaa Quisay examine how this movement thinks politics and justice, the origins of Islamism, how it differs from Neo-Traditionalism, whether Neo-Traditionalism is primarily a western movement, how it understands Marxism and Islamist movements, and how younger Muslims that are drawn to this movement are grappling with their subjectivities and with the political realities of the world. We also discuss Walaa's new research on Egypt post-Arab Spring.  Enjoy! *Music: "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan

Episode 26: The Adventure of Poetry with Tim Lavenz

Daniel and Mike are joined by poet and philosopher Tim Lavenz (https://fragilekeys.com) to discuss the mysteries of poetry. What exactly is the 'old quarrel' between philosophy and poetry? What is the mystery of poetry? What are poetry's limitations: what can't it do or decide? Bio for Tim Lavenz: Tim has many creative essays on the topic of poetry (and much else) on his website, fragilekeys.com, and runs a YouTube channel called Experimentum Vocis, which houses his poetry readings and talks. He began writing poems as a teenager thanks to an online rap battles forum. His inquiry into the essence of poetry began at the Iowa Writer's Workshop circa 2007 and has intensified since. The readings mentioned in the episode can be found here. Alain Badiou "Language, Thought, Poetry" Jean Paulhan "Key to Poetry" Handout with excerpts from John Keats and Hart Crane. *Music: "Caledonia Soul Music" by Van Morrison 

Episode 25: The Lukács Hour with Daniel Lopez

Daniel interviews Daniel Lopez, Jacobin Editor and author of Lukács: Praxis and the Absolute https://brill.com/view/title/56328 Topics of Discussion Include: Who is Lukács, and his revival, introductions. Lukács the Worldview Marxist (also what is Worldview Marxism?), The proletariat today, A bio of Lukács, Faith and Praxis, Reification, Moralism, Tragedy, Lukács and Marx, Antimonies, Trotsky, Nietzsche, future projects and much more   Music: Big in Japan by Tom Waits

Episode 24: Coda on Trump

.@mcrumps and @DanielTutt meet in the Vampire Bunker for an episode of catching up and chatting. Chatting about what? Well, the ruins of the Trump era, covering everything from the public sphere, the potential end of austerity, Bernie's Mittens, and the absolute state of the right, to how posting has changed and how it has changed us (or not), class in contemporary capitalism, and what a break between american socialism and liberalism would look like. Music: 'Canticle' by Les Hommes

Episode 23: Protagonists of Love with Mari Ruti

.@DanielTutt and @mcrumps talk brass tacks with Mari Ruti, philosopher and author of many books including ‘ Envy and Other Bad Feelings’ In this episode they discuss Ruti’s influences, her project more generally, Lacan, hurdles to teaching theory, Jordan Peterson, lack, the Sinthome, paranoid vs reparative modes of reading, the problem with self-help, ‘wild analysis’ and autodidacts, Chris Lasch, Eric Santner. Lacanian Psychoanalysis, protagonists of love, and upcoming works

Episode 22: Adam Bartlett Interview

@DanielTutt interviews Adam Bartlett, where they discuss- Ruminations on Australia and personal recollections, discussion on Adam’s book on Badiou and Plato: unpacking sophism, badiou’s reading of plato, representational thinking, the republic, ‘the event’, the allegory of the cave, Badiou’s Philosophy, and ‘neoliberalism’   Read "Badiou and Plato" by A.J Bartlett Music: Like  Like A Ship by Pastor T.L. Barrett

Episode 21 Twitch Stream: The Steps of Capital, Qanon and Anti-Recovery

@DanielTutt and @mcrumps interview @FSmecker and @DrSeanWitters on the phenomena known as 'Qanon'. In this episode we discuss: alcoholics anonymous and alanon, Qanon as addicts, addicts as symptoms of capitalism, the anti-steps to success, anti anti-fascism, L Ron Hubbard, castration, Q and violence, and post trump bonapartism. As well, a ship gets built, we enter Mike’s comment zone, and take questions from the audience.

Episode 20 Ishay Landa Part 2: Nietzschean Overture

@DanielTutt interviews Ishay Landa, author of The Apprentice's Sorcerer: Liberal Tradition and Fascism, Fascism and the Masses: The Revolt Against the Last Humans, The Overman in the Marketplace: Nietzschean Heroism in Popular Culture and player of the harmonica! Part 2 of this 2 part episode focuses on Landa’s work on Nietzsche, Nietzsche’s politics, Nietzche’s connection to 20th century fascism, left Nietzscheanism, Badiou, and future projects. Song: "Full Moon" by Eden Ahbez

Episode 19 Ishay Landa Part 1: The Apprentice’s Sorcerer

@DanielTutt interviews Ishay Landa, author of The Apprentice's Sorcerer: Liberal Tradition and Fascism, Fascism and the Masses: The Revolt Against the Last Humans, The Overman in the Marketplace: Nietzschean Heroism in Popular Culture and player of the harmonica! Part 1 of this 2 part episode focuses on Fascism and liberalism, neoliberalism vs liberalism, discourse of fascism- identity and race, contemporary crisis of liberalism, the 4 myths of fascism, individualism, origins of fascism, and fascism today. Song "Simba" by Les Baxter