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It was good while it lasted
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Helen and Matt finally conclude their famed Berlin trilogy by speaking to Caoimhe of The Irish Bloc Berlin. A "Berlin-based platform for Irish solidarity with Palestine", the Irish Bloc has been on the frontlines of opposition to Germany's continued support for Israel and the Berlin police's brutal repression tactics. We talk to Caoimhe about the group's organising efforts, but also dig deeper into just why Germany is so fucked.
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We continue our German urlaub with a very simple question: what the fuck is going on in Europe??
There is no one better to help us with this burning question than Ciarån from the fantastic Corner SpÀti podcast. Ciarån (like somebody else we know) is an Irish podcaster currently living in Berlin, but he also happens to be the only person in the world who actually understands the EU (editor's note: we fact-checked this, it's true).
Recorded from Matt's safehouse in the heart of the European empire, we discuss an array of topics such as odd socks, our favourite flags, and the benefits of drink-driving, before CiarĂĄn answers all of our questions about Europe, like: what is Ursula von der Leyen's actual *job?* What's a "fiscal transfer"? And who the fuck are Volt?
Make sure to check out Corner SpÀti for all your European needs and tune in next week for the conclusion of our Berlin Trilogy!Support the show
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The housing crisis is the definitive social issue of our time, affecting almost everybody across the West in varied and horrifying ways. But how do we go about. solving it?
One seemingly novel idea has been put forward by housing activists in Berlin: simply take properties out of the hands of the massive landlords and place them back under tenant control. In this, the first in our mini-series of episodes recorded live from Mattâs bedroom in Berlin, Matt and Helen speak to Danielle of Right 2 The City / 'Deutsche Wohnen & Co. enteignen' about the 2021 referendum on the expropriation of over 200,000 properties in Germanyâs capital. Whatâs the thinking behind this move? What has happened since? And can we learn anything from this mass movement that we can apply to the situation in Ireland?Support the show
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The moment you've all been waiting for: Helen's first solo episode! They're joined by Mark Malone from The Hope & Courage Collective (formerly The Far Right Observatory) to talk about the far right in Ireland.
They talk about the influence of the British far right, the key actors and funders, the gains they made in the local elections and crucially; how to tackle them.
(We had a few technical issues recording this so it's not the cleanest listen: please forgive us.)Support the show
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The whole gang is back together for a quick catch-up and a dive into what each has been reading. Glen brings us on a culinary trip through the history of Ireland via Margaret Hickey's Ireland's Green Larder., Helen finds God in John Dominic Crossan's Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, and Matt disproves the labour theory of value through the divine power of tunes in Jacques Attali's Noise: A Political Economy of Music.
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Helenâs on holiday this week but Glen and Matt bravely soldier on without them, as the news isnât going to react to itself. Tune in to the worldâs only male-exclusive podcast as we perform our semi-regular temperature check on the state of Western civilisation.
The U.K. is having an election, the U.S. is entering a home, and Germanyâs brain is unfortunately gone totally kaput. We also talk about Ireland recognising Palestine and the reactions to the ICC potentially issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others. Come join us in the testosterone tank, wonât you?Support the show
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During the middle of the 20th century, the Third World movement represented the desires of billions for agency and justice. As the old colonial empires collapsed and new power structures were emerging, there was a brief moment of hope for a world in which the Global South stood strong, united and liberated. This was until the collapse of the Soviet Union and the solidification of US-led liberal capitalist democracy as the dominant global system seemed to put an end to these hopes.
However, things are now changing again. At the same time as China and other large economies are helping to shift the global centre of gravity away from North America, a new global movement has sprung up in support for Palestine against the genocidal campaign being waged by Israel. We speak to Indian Marxist historian, author and public intellectual Vijay Prashad about the newfound confidence of the nations in the Global South, and the potential for a new Third World political project.
This is a wide-ranging conversation that touches on the history of colonialism, the politics of resistance and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Vijay also surprised us by having an extensive knowledge on the post-colonial history of Ireland, so we also speak about Ireland's role in the dynamics of this brave new world.
Make sure to check out Vijay's books and follow him on Instagram at @possiblehistory
The outro music is Ennio Morricone's 'Tema di Ali' from the 1966 film The Battle of Algiers.Support the show
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What happens when scions, aristos, tycoons, speculators, moguls and tech gets thrown into a blender? Weâre living it.
In this episode of Casementâs Leftovers; Helen, Matt and Glen come together to chat Techno-feudalism. When so many of the global hyper rich are treated like deities and given unprecedented access to policy and power, can the serfs push back? What organisational strategies have worked in the past? Is blowing the taxi driver a way of avoiding the sticky fingers of capital? And why does Elon look like that?
Answering the big questions with small minded answers. Listen to your mamâs favourite inverts, right here.Support the show
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Leo Varadkar has resigned, and we couldnât be more upset about it
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With an almighty Helen-shaped hole to fill, Glen and Matt recruit culture journalist Gary Grimes for a Boys Only episode on Pitchfork, and the culture media landscape in general. We talk lay-offs, the devaluing of culture writing, the changing tide of popular music, the artifice of celebrity, the cancer of fake authenticity, Stan culture, and the future of music & culture journalism. Do people even read articles anymore? How do you get a celeb to agree to an interview? And â obviously â what would Mark Fisher think of it all?
Gary is a freelance journalist with words in the likes of Rolling Stone, The Economist, The i, W, Dazed, Interview, Attitude, Wallpaper*, The Face and HeadStuff. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram @gary_is_hipSupport the show
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Last Friday, January 26th, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its provisional ruling in South Africaâs case against Israel, ruling that there is a âsignificant risk of Genocideâ in Gaza. Both supporters of Palestine and Israel have declared the outcome of the case as a victory, while there has been disappointment that there was no order for an immediate and total ceasefire. So what are we to make of the ICJâs ruling? Can we expect Israel to change its behaviour? And if not, what must we do to force them to?
With us to help us answer these questions is Dr. Thomas MacManus, Senior Lecturer in State Crime at Queen Mary University London and Acting Director of the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI). Tom is an expert in international law and was able to explain and contextualise the ICJâs ruling for us, while remaining focused on what the rest of us â ie. those concerned about the situation in Palestine â can and must do now.Following this, Helen, Glen & Matt expand a bit of some of the key arguments from the interview, and get into a discussion about Palestine and the utility of international law, while also trying to point a hopeful way forward for the pro-Palestinian movement and the people of Gaza.
Outro Music: Issam Hajali - KhobsSupport the show
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Bob Cratchit. Ron Weasley. Daniel Blake. Working class characters are often painted as humble folk, morally pure and deserving of our sympathy. But what if they're...not?
Join us as we discuss truly progressive portrayals of the working class in film. Instead of patronising, what if films instead gave people agency over their own lives? Instead of portraying poverty as a purifying force, what if films were honest about the negative consequences of oppression on the subject? What if â and bear with me here â but what if working class people were sometimes bad?
We start our first episode of 2024 with a quick discussion on the Golden Globes and Academy Awards, before jumping into a chat about a number of films, some which we think do the working class a disservice, and others that we feel are much more honest and human in their portrayals. Up for discussion are:
The films of Ken Loach and Shane Meadows, including I, Daniel Blake (2016), Sorry We Missed You (2019) and This Is England (2006);Meantime (1983);Saltburn (2023);The films of Bong Joon-ho, including Snowpiercer (2013) and Parasite (2019);Fallen Leaves (2023);Red Rocket (2021);Harry Potter;Pride (2014);The Royle Family (TV sitcom);The Full Monty (1997);Brechtian theatre;The films of Jean-Luv Godard;Together (2000).Support the show
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Ever wondered why so many gays throughout history are so tragic, resilient and brave? This month Casement's Leftovers set fire to condescending stereotypes with incomparable author and historian Huw Lemmey.
Huw -along with his co-host and author Ben Miller- have released the essential read; "Bad Gays", which explores identity formation and some of the more icky homosexuals which didn't make the draft for Pride month martyrs. Helen and Glen chat with Huw about awful gays, how same sex attraction has been characterised throughout history and what terrible dead queens can tell us about queers today.
This christmas be sure to play this episode around conservative family members. Maybe turn it into a drinking game. Every time we say a slur, you take a shot?
Merry Christmas to you and yours!Support the show
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The decade from 2010-2020 saw more mass protests around the world than at any other point in history. But why did, so often, these huge movements result in the exact opposite of what they had set out to achieve?
We are joined by American writer and journalist Vincent Bevins (of The Jakarta Method) to discuss his new book, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution. We have long been fans of Bevins' work, and we were delighted to be joined by him as we try to make sense of a decade of contention.
From SĂ€o Paolo to Hong Kong and from Cairo to Kyiv, the decade saw mass explosions of people taking to the streets. What were these protests about, and what did they ultimately achieve? What lessons can we learn from a decade which saw regimes topple â only to be replaced by something worse? And, most importantly, how can we finally bring Joseph Kony to justice?
Catch Vincent talk about his book at Connolly Books TONIGHT, November 30th .
If We Burn is available everywhere now, including in audiobook form.
Last few tickets for next week's live show, Thursday Dec 7th.Support the show
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Happy Halloween! Weâre bringing you the scariest thing imaginable: an off-the-cuff episode. Glen, Matt and Helen challenge each other to watch their favourite horror movies (except Glen who doesnât understand genres) and lap up each otherâs reviews. We talk Freudian fears of violence and technology on the collective subconscious (guess the director), the limits of experimental arthouse horror and the bone-chilling terror of ending up cringe when you were going for camp.
17:30: Videodrome (1983)
52:30: Skinamarink (2022)
01:13:25: Interview With The Vampire (1994)
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On reclaiming the history of the 1970s rent strikes
We were delighted to be joined by Fiadh Tubridy & Aisling Hedderman from CATU to discuss the latest CATU publication Rent Strike, which tells the untold story of one of the great Irish tenants' struggles. We discuss the details of NATO (National Association of Tenants Organisations) and the success of the rent strikes themselves, but also we try to apply the learnings to the modern day: what can we learn from the rent strikers of the 70s? What's different now? And what's the most disgusting but legal thing you are allowed to throw at the GardaĂ?
This was a really insightful and enjoyable conversation about housing and organising but also about community, history and connection. Hope you enjoy x
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Buy Rent Strike at Connolly Books
Tickets for our Christmas showSupport the show
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On a critique of political economy for Ireland
We were delighted to welcome researcher & author Conor McCabe on to the podcast to discuss the political economy of Ireland and its importance for the Irish left. This is a long but incredibly insightful discussion, as Conor refocuses our attention to the things that matter: who has power in Ireland? What is the real class makeup of the country? And why is everything about cows?
Conor is a fantastic writer, educator and researcher who guides us through the works of great thinkers like James Connolly and Peadar O Donnell before offering a brilliant analysis of the economic and political situation of Ireland today. How can we reconcile Ireland's dual role as both victim and beneficiary of imperialism? Why have the Irish left abandoned consciousness-raising in favour of moral points scoring? And why should all good Marxist analysis follow the example of The Wire?
Conor's excellent book Sins of the Father
Casement's Christmas Cabaret Party TICKETS
Outro Music: Christy Moore - James Connolly
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For tickets to CCCP: Click Here.
Pumpkin spiced lube, cable knit harness' and eating soup for fun. Start off October properly by letting your overheard, smoking area nightmare unravel before your ears. What was supposed to be a thoughtful meditation on American Imperialism and the "Fall"-ification of Irish Autumn culture turns into a series of bust ups, tantrums, rants, embarrassing childhood reveals, and unwanted advice from the unqualified.Support the show
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We are joined by The Ditch investigative journalist Paulie Doyle to set the record straight on the latest silly season media obsession: CRIME. Is Dublin really more unsafe than it was before? Why do the media seem so hell-bent on generating a moral panic about it? And just exactly how much money is Putin giving to The Ditch?
Itâs a wide-ranging conversation that touches on class, violence, criminal podcasts (not this one), the media, gangland and more. We also ask Paulie about The Ditch and how its model of investigative journalism differs so massively from what we see in the mainstream media.
Make sure check to out Paulieâs great reporting in places like The Ditch, VICE and Jacobin.
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- Se mer
