Jeff doesn't really know anything about the death of Michael Brown, or the opera The Death of Klinghoffer. So, knowing an equal amount about each, he joins the mob. Well, mobs. Theater critics patrol Ferguson, cop-shooting-unarmed-people critics enjoy a trip to the opera, and everything is better. Or worse. At least shaken up.

Jeff Dorchen joins the angry mob outside America's racial opera house.

Zac Chapman and Nairuti Shastry discuss their article at The Forge, "Will the Revolution Be Funded?," which is against big philanthropy and argues for community 'self-funding.'

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access weekly bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Will the Revolution Be Funded? / Zac Chapman & Nairuti Shastry

Liz Pelly joins This Is Hell! to discuss her Harper's cover article titled "The Ghosts in the Machine: Spotify's Plot Against Musicians," excerpted from her new book, Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist (One Signal Publishers). An all-new Moment of Truth with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Liz's article: https://harpers.org/archive/2025/01/the-ghosts-in-the-machine-liz-pelly-spotify-musicians/

And her book: https://lizpelly.info/book

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

Spotify's Plot Against Musicians / Liz Pelly

Disinformation and far-right digital media scholar Becca Lewis, who posted The Guardian article, “‘Headed for technofascism’: the rightwing roots of Silicon Valley."

Check out Becca Lewis new Guardian piece at this link: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2025/jan/29/silicon-valley-rightwing-technofascism?fbclid=IwY2xjawIYf-tleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHc2nPsngc-4BdtZ_VAwm84lbBIMTOkq8WaTAvn1nYmXhUWlgWa_lfeyW2w_aem_L7nLbYIVbWoIlBoxR9OKLw

Becca served as an expert witness in the defamation lawsuits brought against Alex Jones by parents of Sandy Hook shooting victims. She is currently writing a book on the rise of reactionary politics in Silicon Valley and online.

Keep TiH! free and completely listener supported by subscribing to our weekly bonus Patreon podcast or visiting thisishell.com/pages/support

How Technofacism is Rooted in Silicon Valley / Becca Lewis

Mike German, co-author with Beth Zasloff of the new book, "Policing White Supremacy: The Enemy Within," returns to This is Hell! Mike is a former FBI agent who went undercover in the far right whtie supremacsit movement and has appeared on the show a couple of times. "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Mike's book here: https://thenewpress.com/books/policing-white-supremacy

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Law Enforcement Needs to Get Serious About the Far Right / Mike German

Chuck is out of action this week COVID, so we are featuring past interviews with upcoming guests who all have new books coming out on the days we are scheduled to interview them in upcoming weeks. Today's episode features two listener-favorite historians. First up is Quinn Slobodian on his 2023 book "Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy." Greg Grandin follows with a discussion of his Pulitzer Prize-winning 2020 book "The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America."

A classic Moment of Truth with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Chuck has Covid pt. 2: Technoauthoritarian Frontiers / Quinn Slobodian & Greg Grandin

Physicist Erald Kolasi returns to “This Is Hell!” to talk about his new book, "The Physics of Capitalism: How a New Political Ecology Can Change the World”, published by the Monthly Review.

Check out Erald’s book here: https://monthlyreview.org/product/the-physics-of-capitalism-how-a-new-political-ecology-can-change-the-world/

Keep TiH! free and completely listener supported by subscribing to our weekly bonus Patreon podcast: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

A New Political Ecology Is Needed to Change the World / Erald Kolasi

Historian Timothy W. Ryback joins us to discuss his Atlantic essays, "How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days: He used the constitution to shatter the constitution," "The Oligarchs Who Came to Regret Supporting Hitler They helped him in pursuit of profit. Many ended up in concentration camps," and, "‘Herr Hitler, Do You Really Believe Me Capable of Such a Dirty Trick?’ The chancellor rewarded loyalty with loyalty. Until he didn’t."

Timothy is director of the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation in The Hague. He is the author of several books on Hitler’s Germany, most recently, "Takeover: Hitler’s Final Rise to Power."

"The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Timothy's writing at The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/timothy-w-ryback/ 
Check out his new book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/727483/takeover-by-timothy-w-ryback/

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Hitler's Takeover Was Completely Constitutional / Timothy Ryback

Journalist and cultural critic Kristen Martin joins “This Is Hell!” to talk about her new book, "The Sun Won’t Come Out Tomorrow: The Dark History of American Orphanhood”, published by the Bold Type Books.

Check out Kristen’s book here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-martin/the-sun-wont-come-out-tomorrow/9781645030348/?lens=bold-type-books

Visit Kristen’s website: https://www.kristenmartin.net/

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The Dark History of American Orphanhood / Kristen Martin

Labor scholar Eric Blanc joins us to discuss his new book published just today by the University of California Press titled, "We Are the Union: How Worker-to-Worker Organizing Is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big." "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Eric's book here: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/we-are-the-union/paper

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Worker-to-Worker Organizing / Eric Blanc

Award-winning author Omar El Akkad joins “This Is Hell!” to talk about his new book, "One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This”, published by the Penguin Books.

Check out Omar’s book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/777485/one-day-everyone-will-have-always-been-against-this-by-omar-el-akkad/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI9NZpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRHlIY5dAk3hrnB8dk0wOc9P_cL3vOlRO6pa78Ux07cr9tv4PR_GhwkMrg_aem_ltRUIYUqFxKHG-AUz9rHsg

Keep TiH! free and completely listener supported by subscribing to our weekly bonus Patreon podcast or visiting thisishell.com/pages/support

Sustaining a Politics of Extermination and Climate Chaos / Omar El Akkad

Lindsay Koshgarian joins us to discuss the Institute for Policy Studies report, "The High Moral Stakes of the Policy Battles Raging in Washington." "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out their report here: https://ips-dc.org/summary-high-moral-stakes/

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

MAGA Rule by the Numbers / Lindsay Koshgarian

Tanner Mirrlees on the new Cost of War paper from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University entitled, "The Militarization of Movies and Television." "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Tanner's writing here: https://home.watson.brown.edu/research/research-briefs/militarization-movies-and-tv

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Covertly Manufacturing Consent for US Imperialism and Militarism in Hollywood / Tanner Mirrlees

Noliwe Rooks returns to This Is Hell! to discuss her recent book, "Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children" from Penguin. "Rotten History" from Renaldo Migaldi follows the interview.

Check out Noliwe's book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/721962/integrated-by-noliwe-rooks/

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

How School Integration Failed Black Students / Noliwe Rooks

Award-winning author Pankaj Mishra returns to “This Is Hell!” to talk about his new book, “The World After Gaza: A History”, published by the Penguin Random House.

Check out Pankaj’s book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/780437/the-world-after-gaza-by-pankaj-mishra/

Keep TiH! free and completely listener supported by subscribing to our weekly bonus Patreon podcast or visiting thisishell.com/pages/support

How Will History Judge Us After Gaza / Pankaj Mishra

Valeria Graziano, Marcell Mars and Tomislav Medak discuss their book, "Pirate Care: Acts Against the Criminalization of Solidarity." "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen and "Rotten History" by Renaldo Migaldi both follow the interview.

Check out their book here: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745349800/pirate-care/

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Pirate Care / Valeria Graziano and Tomislav Medak

Author Quinn Slobodian returns to “This Is Hell!” to talk about his new book, “Hayek’s Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right”, published by Zone Books.

Check out Quinn’s book here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9781890951917?srsltid=AfmBOopa361sL5mow9Y4zSXDsHQXyvTQBZ0YZASHJvW-UyhbliOMShxt

Keep TiH! free and completely listener supported by subscribing to our weekly bonus Patreon podcast or visiting thisishell.com/pages/support

Neoliberalism Turning To Nature To Defend Inequality / Quinn Slobodian

Alec Karakatsanis returns to talk about his new book, “Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News.” Alec founded the Civil Rights Corps, an organization that challenges systemic injustices in the U.S. legal system. "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Alec's book here: https://thenewpress.org/books/copaganda/

Copaganda / Alec Karakatsanis

Chris Hedges discusses his new book, "A Genocide Foretold: Reporting on Survival and Resistance in Occupied Palestine."

Check out Chris's book here: https://www.sevenstories.com/books/4716-a-genocide-foretold

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

A Genocide Foretold / Chris Hedges

Malcolm Harris Returns to This Is Hell! to discuss his new book, "What's Left: Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis." "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Malcolm's book here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/malcolm-harris/whats-left/9780316577410/?lens=little-brown

What Paths Remain for Preventing Climate Apocalypse? / Malcolm Harris

Greg Grandin returns to This Is Hell! to discuss his new book, "America, América: A New History of the New World." "Rotten History" from Renaldo Migaldi follows the interview.

Check out Greg's book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747326/america-america-by-greg-grandin/

A New History of the New World / Greg Grandin

Academic and author Jodi Dean returns to This Is Hell! to talk about her new book, "Capital's Grave: Neofeudalism and the New Class Struggle" published by Verso Books.
https://www.versobooks.com/products/3144-capital-s-grave

We also have a new “This Week in Rotten History”.

Keep our website with a more than ten-year archive of past shows absolutely free, and our show completely listener supported, refusing all advertising and corporate foundation money by following us on Patreon at patreon.com/thisishell and get all sorts of bonus content.

Neofeudalism and the New Class Struggle / Jodi Dean

Historian Andrew Hartman returns to This Is Hell! to discuss his new book from University of Chicago Press, "Karl Marx in America." "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Andrew's book here: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/K/bo245100866.html

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Marx in America / Andrew Hartman

Sophie Lewis returns to This Is Hell! to discuss her new book, "Enemy Feminisms: TERFs, Policewomen, and Girlbosses Against Liberation" from Haymarket Books. "This Week in Rotten History" from Renaldo Migaldi follows the interview.

Check out Sophie's book here: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2440-enemy-feminisms

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Enemy Feminisms / Sophie Lewis

Sociologist Cedric de Leon joins us to discuss his new book, "Freedom Train: Black Politics and the Story of Interracial Labor Solidarity" from University of California Press. "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Cedric's book here: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/freedom-train/paper

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Interracial Labor Solidarity in the United States / Cedric de Leon

Sociologist Cedric de Leon joins us to discuss his new book, "Freedom Train: Black Politics and the Story of Interracial Labor Solidarity" from University of California Press. 

Check out Cedric's book here: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/freedom-train/paper

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Lihi Yona and Itamar Mann join us to discuss their recent UCLA Law Review piece, "Defending Jews From the Definition of Antisemitism." A special 10th anniversary installment of "This Week in Rotten History" from Renaldo Migaldi follows the interview.

Check out Lihi and Itamar's piece here: https://www.uclalawreview.org/defending-jews-from-the-definition-of-antisemitism/

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Overbroad Antisemitism Definitions Discipline the Jewish Diaspora / Lihi Yona & Itamar Mann

Lihi Yona and Itamar Mann join us to discuss their recent UCLA Law Review piece, "Defending Jews From the Definition of Antisemitism." 

Check out Lihi and Itamar's piece here: https://www.uclalawreview.org/defending-jews-from-the-definition-of-antisemitism/

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell

Candice Bernd returns to This Is Hell! to discuss her recent writing at The American Prospect, "The Crypto Racket." After the interview, we hear a classic "Moment of Truth" from Jeff Dorchen.

Check out Candice's article here: https://prospect.org/power/2025-05-09-crypto-racket-texas-bitcoin-mining/



Subsidizing Crypto in the Climate Crisis / Candice Bernd

Candice Bernd returns to This Is Hell! to discuss her recent writing at The American Prospect, "The Crypto Racket." 

Check out Candice's article here: https://prospect.org/power/2025-05-09-crypto-racket-texas-bitcoin-mining/

Dr. Emily M. Bender and Dr. Alex Hanna come on the show to talk about their new book “The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want” published but LitHub. The book tackles the pitfalls of AI and why it’s so crucial to understand the capitalist greed that is manipulating AI behind the scenes. https://thecon.ai/

A new installment of “This Week In Rotten History” from Renaldo Migaldi follows the interview.

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

Recognizing AI Hype and How People Can Fight Back / Emily Bender and Alex Hanna

Dr. Emily M. Bender and Dr. Alex Hanna Dr. Emily M. Bender and Dr. Alex Hanna come on the show to talk about their new book “The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want” published but LitHub. The book tackles the pitfalls of AI and why it’s so crucial to understand the capitalist greed that is manipulating AI behind the scenes. https://thecon.ai/

A new installment of “This Week In Rotten History” from Renaldo Migaldi follows the interview.

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

Mariah Parker joins us to discuss her chapter in the new co-authored book, "No Cop City, No Cop World: Lessons from the Movement." A classic "Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Mariah's new book here: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/events/717-no-cop-city-no-cop-world

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

Atlanta's Cop City Brought to You by Southern Capital / Mariah Parker

Mariah Parker joins us to discuss her chapter in the new co-authored book, "No Cop City, No Cop World: Lessons from the Movement." 

Check out Mariah's new book here: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/events/717-no-cop-city-no-cop-world

Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

Researcher Christian Sorensen on his book "Understanding the War Industry" from Clarity Press.

https://www.claritypress.com/product/understanding-the-war-industry/

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