What ‘Off The Rails’ Capitalism Really Means

Have we entered the final phase of our economy’s long unwind?

In recent years, observers from the worlds of politics, the media, academia, finance, and think-tanks have described the current political and economic moment as unprecedented, marked by “broken guardrails” and a sense that things are “unhinged.” Recourse to these analogies has only intensified since November 2016, as the actions and statements associated with the Trump administration ...
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What ‘Off The Rails’ Capitalism Really Means

Kamala Harris Is Not a Red-Baiter, She’s Just Not a Socialist (Like Most Americans)

Defeating Trump Politically, Part 4

In recent columns I have celebrated the energy and ideas brought into the Democratic party by newly-elected young leftists, defended them from criticism, condemned the red-baiting of the left, and explained how and why “socialism” has played an important role in the history of American democracy, and ought not to ...
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Kamala Harris Is Not a Red-Baiter, She’s Just Not a Socialist (Like Most Americans)

Karl Lagerfeld, the Pledge of Allegiance, and Lee Radziwill

Past Present Episode 168

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the life and legacy of Karl Lagerfeld, controversies over the Pledge of Allegiance, and the death of Lee Radziwill. Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: Karl Lagerfeld, one of the most prolific designers of our era, has died. Natalia referred to ...
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Karl Lagerfeld, the Pledge of Allegiance, and Lee Radziwill

Why Does Patriarchy Persist?

A review of Carol Gilligan and Naomi Snider’s book on the price of patriarchy

There are books that do what they set out to do: they make their points clearly, they argue something new, they uncover something for us. Carol Gilligan and Naomi Snider’s new book, Why Does Patriarchy Persist?,  does more than that. It is a spark. It is something like a book-length speech ...
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Why Does Patriarchy Persist?

American Socialism Is Nothing to Be Afraid About

Defeating Trump Politically, Part 3

Note: A shorter version of this piece was published yesterday at The Daily Beast here. Thanks to Michael Tomasky for his help. Socialism has captured the attention of American elites in a big way. On the right, it is clear that Donald Trump and his Republican followers are intent on using Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ...
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American Socialism Is Nothing to Be Afraid About

‘It Can’t Come Soon Enough’: Creating Retirement Security For New York Workers

A Q&A with New School economist and retirement expert Teresa Ghilarducci.

Urban Matters: You’re one of the leading authorities on retirement in America, so let’s get your opinion of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recently proposed “retirement security plan” for New Yorkers. But first give us a snapshot of how many New Yorkers are approaching retirement, and how financially prepared they are. Ghilarducci:In ...
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‘It Can’t Come Soon Enough’: Creating Retirement Security For New York Workers

Teacher Insurgency

What Are The Strategic Challenges?

The following post was the basis for a talk by Leo Casey, the Executive Director of the Albert Shanker Institute, which was delivered at “The Future of American Labor” conference held February 8th and 9th in Washington, D.C. There is every reason to celebrate the “Teacher Spring” strikes of 2018 and the more ...
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Teacher Insurgency

Transversal Democracy in Spain

An interview with Clara Ramas San Miguel 

This year marks the five-year anniversary of the emergence of the Spanish progressive political party Podemos, which was successful in translating the social demands of the 15-M movement against austerity into a coherent progressive political platform. Since then, Podemos has gained seats in the European Parliament and has erected alliances with progressive mayors in major ...
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Transversal Democracy in Spain

The Potential of the Queer

On José Esteban Muñoz 

“I was a spy in the house of gender normativity.” - José Esteban Muñoz I too have been a spy in the house of gender normativity. This is what I saw: Work, eat, breed. That, in effect, is how production and consumption are supposed to operate. You have to do work in ...
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The Potential of the Queer

A Multi-Campus University in Exile

Then and now

The New School opened on February 10, 1919 in the name of academic freedom -- a cause it heroically defended a second time when Hitler rose to power. In April 1933, Alvin Johnson, the New School’s director, called on American intellectuals to protest the dismissal of hundreds of professors in ...
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A Multi-Campus University in Exile

Love and Hope in the New Left

A Review of Making History, Making Blintzes: How Two Red Diaper Babies Found Each Other and Discovered America

In the summer of 1974 Dick Flacks, a sociologist at the University of California at Santa Barbara, published an article entitled “Making History vs. Making Life: Dilemmas of an American Left” in the political quarterly,Working Papers for a New Society. Long defunct, the publication Working Papers was distinguished, among other things, for ...
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Love and Hope in the New Left

New Blood Brings New Energy to the Democratic Party

Defeating Trump Politically Part 2

“I really like the new crop of young people who were just elected to Congress. They now need to stop acting like young people. It’s time to do that.”--Aaron Sorkin, self-important screenwriter of television shows about politics “What . . . really distinguishes this generation . . . is its determination ...
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