Pilot Projects And Sunset Dates

In episode 6 of extracts, hosts Sarah Comyn and Megan Kuster are in conversation with Ignacio Acosta, who is an artist and researcher working with photography and video in territories under pressure from extractive industries. His collaborative documentary practice, use of drone technology and camera traps, and immersive installations aim to help audiences build a connection to the places impacted by extractive industry and contribute to activist social movements trying to project sites at risk of large scale mining.

Find out more about Ignacio Acosta's work on his website: http://ignacioacosta.com

They recorded the conversation with Ignacio on 19 November 2024. 

About Extracts

EXTRACTS is a podcast series about how artists are working to reimagine the potential futures of mined, excavated, and extractivist landscapes hosted by Sarah Comyn and Megan Kuster.

The music is from the South African performance art ensemble ‘The Brother Moves On’. We gratefully acknowledge the UCD Humanities Institute and UCD’s College of Arts & Humanities Research Strands Seed Funding scheme for funding this project.

The music is from the South African performance art ensemble ‘The Brother Moves On’.
We gratefully acknowledge the UCD Humanities Institute and UCD’s College of Arts & Humanities Research Strands Seed Funding scheme for funding this project.

Extracts - Episode 6. Ignacio Acosta

In episode 7 of Extracts, hosts Sarah Comyn and Megan Kuster are in conversation with interdisciplinary artist Jeanine Oleson (Associate Professor of Sculpture at Rutgers University) about her work on copper and more recent projects.

Jeanine’s art work invites audiences into multi-sensory experiences, often drawing on wry humour and absurdity as a mode of expressing critiques of mastery. In this episode, Jeanine speaks about her interest in labour and workers’ rights, how growing up in a port city developed around the fishing and forestry industries in the US state of Oregon influenced her development as an artist, how copper became the protagonist of her ‘CONduct/(or conDUCT) Matters’ project, and the process of filming at Chino Mine, one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the United States. 

In the show, Jeanine mentions a historic 1954 film based on an actual strike against the Empire Zinc Mine in New Mexico, and the film is called Salt of the Earth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk3-As0yh3k

You can find out more about Jeanine Oleson's work on her website: https://www.jeanineoleson.com

The conversation with Jeanine was recorded on 19 November 2024. 

About Extracts

EXTRACTS is a podcast series about how artists are working to reimagine the potential futures of mined, excavated, and extractivist landscapes hosted by Sarah Comyn and Megan Kuster.

The music is from the South African performance art ensemble ‘The Brother Moves On’. We gratefully acknowledge the UCD Humanities Institute and UCD’s College of Arts & Humanities Research Strands Seed Funding scheme for funding this project.

The music is from the South African performance art ensemble ‘The Brother Moves On’.
We gratefully acknowledge the UCD Humanities Institute and UCD’s College of Arts & Humanities Research Strands Seed Funding scheme for funding this project.


Extracts - Episode 7. Jeanine Oleson

About the Lecture:
"Our democracy is getting self-destroyed, for it abused the rights of freedom and of equality; for it taught the citizens to regard insolence as a right, illegality as freedom, impertinence as equality, and anarchy as happiness." Isocrates, Athenian orator (436-338 BC)
Democracy first emerged in ancient Athens in 507 BC following a long turbulent period of aristocracy and tyranny, when a nexus of intertwined geopolitical, sociopolitical, economic, and cultural developments led to the morphogenesis of this new political constitution. Athenian Democracy formulated the political ideology and fundamental principles that were later canonized by modern democracies, formalized defensive mechanisms against undue concentration of power and employed innovative integrative mechanisms to propagate its ideology and educate the citizens. Pathogenic traits-catalysts, however, such as the extreme polarization between mass and elite, demagogy, populism, failure of justice, apathy, and poor education caused extensive political ankylosis. Internal corrosion and changing historical conditions caused the decline and fall of Democracy three centuries later.Isocrates’ aphorism, therefore, rings alarmingly all too pragmatic and relevant today, 250 years since the resurgence of Democracy in the modern era. Are we running a similar cycle, repeating old mistakes, standing at the same juncture, heading towards the same dead end? To navigate forward, find solutions, and shape our future, we need first to study our past.

About the Speaker:
With over 35 years of experience in archaeology, teaching, and administration, Prof. Christofilis Maggidis is a faculty member at the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C., President of the Mycenaean Foundation, and Field Director of Excavations at Mycenae and Lamia. 

Throughout his career, Prof. Maggidis has combined academic leadership with a commitment to innovative teaching and interdisciplinary research. He earned the BA at the University of Athens, the Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, and completed postdoctoral research at Brown University.  

Prof. Maggidis taught at Campus College and the University of Indianapolis, Athens, Greece, and held the distinguished Christopher Roberts Chair in Archaeology at Dickinson College for two decades, where he created and chaired the Department of Archaeology, designed the archaeology academic curriculum, and directed study abroad programs. In 2022 Prof. Maggidis joined the Institute of World Politics in Washington D.C. where he teaches at graduate level and directs "Hermes," the Institute's study abroad program in Greece.

His research focuses on Minoan and Mycenaean archaeology, Classical Greek art and architecture, and archaeological methodology. With 40 years of field experience, Prof. Maggidis has led excavations at prominent sites in Greece, including Mycenae, Glas, and the Spercheios Valley, making significant discoveries and directing acclaimed field schools that trained over 450 students from 44 universities worldwide.

Maggidis has secured substantial external and institutional funding for his research and fieldwork ($2.8million), and his findings have been widely disseminated in scholarly publications and international media. His scholarly publications comprise 26 articles, numerous field reports, one book submitted for publication and three forthcoming books. Furthermore, Prof. Maggidis has presented 45 international conference papers and delivered 42 invited lectures at prestigious universities and institutes worldwide.

The Demise of Democracy? Lessons from Ancient Athens on the Ideology and Pathology of Democracy

Last week democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election. His election campaign was bolstered by a slick social media campaign, seen by millions in his city and beyond. 

Politicians in the UK have taken inspiration, with figures like Zarah Sultana and Zack Polanski raking in the views on TikTok. But these progressive voices are a drop in the ocean compared to the reach of right-wing voices like Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage and Andrew Tate.  

So, why are right-wing influencers so successful online? What lessons do the left need to learn about digital strategy? And do we even have a hope when some of the biggest social media platforms are owned by right-wing billionaires? 

This week Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Will Davies, professor of political economy at Goldsmiths, and Dunya Kamal, social media specialist working at the Trades Union Congress, to discuss.

Follow our Instagram: www.instagram.com/neweconomicspod/
Follow our Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@neweconomicspod

Produced by Katrina Gaffney and Margaret Welsh.

The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future

New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

Music by Lee Rosevere, Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org/m... used under Creative Commons licence: cre​ativecom​mons​.org/​l​i​c​e​n​s​e​s​/​b​y​-​n​c​/4.0/.

Why the right wins online - and what the left needs to learn

Overview
Book talk and signing with Capt. Bryan Leese on At Sea Against the Soviet Fleet—the evolution of U.S. naval intelligence in the Cold War.

***This lecture is sponsored by the IWP IAFIE Alpha Student Chapter***

About the Lecture:
At Sea Against the Soviet Fleet examines the critical transformation of naval intelligence during a pivotal era marked by the Cold War and the Vietnam conflict. Bryan Leese meticulously details how U.S. Navy operational intelligence evolved to meet the complexities of modern naval warfare, particularly in response to the increasing threats posed by the Soviet Navy. Structured into four main parts, this book begins by examining the Vietnam War and the institutionalization of shipboard operational intelligence, or what Navy intelligence calls Opintel. The book highlights the establishment of Integrated Operational Intelligence Centers as part of the RA-5C Vigilante program and the innovative strategies that emerged in air combat and targeting.

Leese goes on to underscore the necessity of Opintel to the U.S. Navy’s close and distant blockade strategy in the 1960s and 1970s. He delves into the decentralization of intelligence processes, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and the need to prevent surprise attacks. This evolution is framed within the transition to the Navy’s Ocean Surveillance Information System, a decentralized and responsive operational intelligence system. The ongoing developments of shipboard intelligence capabilities are explored, demonstrating how these advancements empowered naval commanders.

In the 1970s, the organizations evolved as the revolutionary Opintel adaptations of the 1960s that leveraged cooperation without hierarchy became formalized. Leese highlights the revolution to evolution process by introducing Opintel support to shipboard tactical decisions to integrate operational intelligence into comprehensive naval strategies. Capturing the essence of this transformative period, the author discusses the cultural dynamics within the Navy that fostered innovation and interdepartmental collaboration. These developments not only contributed to maintaining a strategic edge over the Soviet Union, but also laid the groundwork for future naval operations in the digital age.

Leese’s work reveals the intricate interplay between technology, strategy, and personnel in creating an effective intelligence framework that allows the U.S. Navy to assert influence at sea, setting conditions for sea control in conflict. By blending rich archival research with firsthand accounts, this book offers a nuanced understanding of how the Navy adapted to an ever-changing operational landscape, ultimately preserving peace while navigating the complexities of high-stakes maritime conflict.

About the Speaker:
Capt. Bryan Leese, USN (Ret.), was a career naval intelligence officer with extensive experience in operational intelligence, including key roles supporting ground combat operations and tours at sea, including as the N2 (head of intelligence) of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group. He has held senior positions across the intelligence community, most notably as Chair, Defense Intelligence Department at the National Intelligence University, and as Branch Chief, Transregional and then North/West Africa in J2 (Joint Intelligence) Africa Command, during the 2011–2012 crisis in Libya. Before joining the Joint Forces Staff College in September 2023, Dr. Leese served on the faculty of the U.S. Naval War College’s Joint Military Operations Department. He holds a PhD in war studies from King’s College London and lives in Chesapeake, Virginia, with his wife, Elizabeth.
**Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduat...

***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/W...

At Sea Against the Soviet Fleet, A Conversation with the Author

It’s a new technology that everyone’s desperate to get a piece of. CEOs say it’s going to change how we work, access information, and even relate to each other. Investors are showering companies with money - even when they aren’t turning a profit.

You might think this is the story of artificial intelligence. But it’s actually what happened during the dotcom bubble, back in the late nineties. When the frenzy of investment ended, the bubble burst. Companies went bust and trillions of dollars of investment capital evaporated.

Today, AI companies are raising over a trillion dollars in investment, with very little revenue to show for it. 

Is the dotcom bubble a vision of our future? Has the AI hype outpaced its profits? And if the bubble bursts - what does it mean for the rest of us?

This week Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Eleanor Shearer, senior research fellow at Common Wealth and Carsten Jung, interim associate director for economic policy and AI at the Institute for Public Policy Research. 

Follow our Instagram: www.instagram.com/neweconomicspod/
Follow our Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@neweconomicspod

Produced by Katrina Gaffney and Margaret Welsh.

The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future

New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

Is the AI bubble about to burst?


After months of rumours, speculation and gossip, today the chancellor finally delivered her autumn budget - but not before an accidental leak of the budget document rendered the whole speech somewhat pointless. Alongside billions of pounds of tax rises came the long-awaited end of the two-child benefit cap.

But our public services have been decimated by years of austerity, and the cost of living crisis hasn’t gone anywhere. It doesn’t seem like this budget will rocket us into an era of joy and prosperity any time soon. 

So, did progressives get the wealth taxes they have been demanding? Will the bond markets be popping champagne this evening? And why has the chancellor found it so hard to turn our economy around? 

Hannah Peaker, deputy chief executive at the New Economics Foundation, is joined by James Meadway, host of Macrodose, and Carys Afoko, host of Over the Top Under the Radar, for a special cross over episode.

Follow our Instagram: www.instagram.com/neweconomicspod/
Follow our Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@neweconomicspod

Produced by Planet B Productions with support from Margaret Welsh and Katrina Gaffney.

The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future

New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

Music by Lee Rosevere, Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org/m... used under Creative Commons licence: cre​ativecom​mons​.org/​l​i​c​e​n​s​e​s​/​b​y​-​n​c​/4.0/.

What to make of the autumn budget - with James Meadway and Carys Afoko

The Critical Minerals Symposium was organised by Dr Gigi Tang and Katie Donnelly, and took place in UCD Humanities Institute on November 7, 2025. 

The keynote lecture 'Quarry of Thought - Minerality and AI' was given by Associate Professor Tom Nurmi, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

The podcast also features some opening remarks by Associate Professor Sarah Comyn from UCD.

Quarry of Thought: Minerality and AI. Critical Minerals Symposium Keynote by Tom Nurmi

Recording of a talk at the HI by Professor Sarah Colvin (Cambridge) entitled 'Haunting Times - Ghosted Memory and Epistemic Revenants in Zhadan's Ukraine (Voroshilovgrad, 2010) and Bulawayo's Zimbabwe (Glory, 2022).

Serhiy Zhadan’s novel Voroshilovgrad (2010) is set in a fictional Ukraine in the early 2000s, an imaginative world where the dead and the living intermingle; NoViolet Bulawayo’s Glory (2022) in a fictional Zimbabwe in the 2010s, where the protagonist encounters ghosts from a past that has not been dealt with. The talk and discussion will consider how the novels expose the repressive practice of epistemic ghosting and stage the resistant practice of epistemic haunting. Those who have been ghosted return, bringing (back) memories and history that complicate linear and singular memory management.

Sarah Colvin held chairs at the universities of Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Warwick before becoming Schröder Professor of German at the University of Cambridge in 2014. Her research and teaching interests include the areas of literary aesthetics, cultural production and social justice, the political novel and prisoner writing as well as narrative theory and narrative ethics. She is PI of the Cambridge team for the Horizon Europe project Cartography of the Political Novel in Europe (www.caponeu.eu). Her recent publications include the monographs Literature and Epistemic Injustice: Power and Resistance in the Contemporary Novel (Routledge 2026) and Shadowland: The Story of Germany Told by its Prisoners (Reaktion Books 2022) and the edited collections Epistemic Justice and Creative Agency: Global Perspectives on Literature and Film (with Stephanie Galasso, Routledge 2023) and Sharon Dodua Otoo: Literature, Politics, Possibility (with Tara Talwar Windsor, Wiley 2024).

Sarah Colvin. Haunting Times - Ghosted Memory and Epistemic Revenants in Zhadan's Ukraine and Bulawayo's Zimbabwe.

Two years’ ago, the UN human rights high commissioner issued the UK with a warning. He said that new restrictions being imposed on the right to protest were deeply troubling. Two years’ later, we have a new government in charge and now the police are due to get even more powers to restrict repeat protests, like the central London Palestine solidarity demos.

That’s not all - this government also wants to introduce digital ID cards, facial recognition technology in town centres, shrink the number of trials by jury, and water down the European Convention on Human Rights. 

Why have pro-Palestine demos prompted protest restrictions? What are the human rights laws our prime minister wants to constrain? And should we be afraid of becoming a surveillance state?

Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Sotez Chowdhury, director of activism and education at Amnesty International UK, to discuss. 

Follow our Instagram: www.instagram.com/neweconomicspod/
Follow our Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@neweconomicspod

Produced by Katrina Gaffney and Margaret Welsh.

The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future

New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

Music by Lee Rosevere, Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org/m... used under Creative Commons licence: cre​ativecom​mons​.org/​l​i​c​e​n​s​e​s​/​b​y​-​n​c​/4.0/.

Is this government threatening our basic freedoms?

The CAP·impact podcast is production of the Capital Center for Law & Policy at McGeorge School of Law. Host Jon Wainwright talks with law professors around the United States about developments flying under the radar in law and policy at the state and local levels.

Pilot Projects And Sunset Dates

McGeorge Capital Center for Law & Policy

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