Turbulence
Turbulence

Turbulence is a podcast about the end of the American empire, or the end of the world—whichever comes first. Join Dylan Saba, Séamus Malekafzali, and M Ceniza as they navigate the geopolitical chaos of a world-system in flux. <br/><br/><a href="https://turbulencepod.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">turbulencepod.substack.com</a>

José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth of Soberanía join us to discuss a potential US military assault on Cuba, updates from Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, and the prospects for left internationalism in Latin America.Check out José Luis and Kurt’s podcast, Soberanía.Works mentioned: Despite Trump’s Oil Blockade, the Quiet Resistance of Daily Life Continues in Cuba; Hondurasgate; AMLO Wants a United Latin America; US Sanctions and the Sharp Rise in Infant Mortality in Cuba.José Luis Granados Ceja is a journalist and political analyst based in Mexico City. He is co-host of the Mexican public television show Sin Muros, and currently covers Latin America for Drop Site News, and writes a monthly opinion column for the Mexico Solidarity Project. Follow him on Twitter @granadoscejaKurt William Hackbarth is a writer, playwright, journalist, and translator. He is co-host of the program Sin Muros on Canal Once TV and a panelist on Masiosare, a co-production of Canal Once and Canal 22. He is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast, as well as its interview program El Taller. He is the Mexico correspondent for Jacobin magazine and a regular contributor to Breakthrough News. He is the author of the books We Interrupt This Program (Editorial Ficticia, 2012), Symphony #1 (Matanga Taller-Editorial, 2019; second edition, 2025), and Journey to Monpratior (Matanga Taller-Editorial, 2022). Follow him on Twitter @kurthackbarth We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the scandalous reporting about a former Iranian president, the perils of situation monitoring, international outrage at Itamar Ben-Gvir, and what Abu Mohammad al-Julani’s fragrant encounter with Donald Trump means for the future of greater Israel.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That mean…
Aamer joins us to discuss the repressive crackdowns in Bahrain amidst the Iran war, the popular uprising in 2011, the history of leftist and Islamist movements in the country, and the shifting geopolitics of the Gulf.Works mentioned: The View from Bahrain, Shouting in the DarkAamer is a writer and researcher whose work focuses on the Gulf. He looks at the Gulf states’ roles in broader geopolitical issues with a special focus on Bahrain.He can be found on X/Twitter @IbnKhulthum.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss Trump’s visit to Beijing, negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, the budding UAE-Israel alliance, and advancements in Hezbollah’s drone warfare.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news a…
Salman Abu Sitta joins us to discuss his memories of the Nakba, a practical program for the return of Palestinian refugees, Zionist continuities with the Nazis, and the meaning of intergenerational resistance.Texts mentioned: Mapping My Return, The Atlas of Palestine (1917-1966), I could have been one of those who broke through the siege on October 7, Point of No Return.Dr. Salman Abu Sitta is a Palestinian historian, geographer, and researcher. He is the president of the Palestine Land Society in London. He has authored hundreds of papers on Palestinian refugee affairs.To support Palestinians in Gaza, consider donating through The Sameer Project.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
Navid Zarrinnal joins us from Tehran to discuss the popular mobilizations in support of the war effort, national resilience in the face of economic siege, the prospects of diplomacy with the West, and Iranian support for the Axis of Resistance.Navid Zarrinnal holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University’s Department of Middle East Studies, and has taught in the Global South for the past three years. He is currently based in Tehran and his war updates can be viewed on Instagram @navidwahramanIntro clip with subtitles: We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss Trump’s most recent “plan” for the Iran war, the price of oil, the UAE leaving OPEC, Haredi anti-draft riots in Israel, and the latest updates from Gaza.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Basil Farraj joins us to discuss Israeli carceral violence, the evolution of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement, and the life and thought of Walid Daqqa.Texts mentioned: “Parallel Time”: Cultural Productions from the Small Prison to the Large Prison; My Father Is One of Thousands Disappeared in Israel’s Prisons.Basil Farraj is the Director of the Ibrahim Abu Lughod Institute of International Studies, and an assistant professor of Philosophy and Cultural Studies at Birzeit University.Basil is working to establish a fellowship specifically for research on Israel’s carceral regime. To support that effort, donate at this link and select “Ibrahim Abu Lughod Institute Donations” from the drop down menu “Programs/Campaigns.”We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe continue our coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran with a discussion of Trump’s unilateral ceasefire extension, the US naval blockade, the prospects for renewed hostilities, and the looming economic crisis.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 …
Adam Hanieh joins us to discuss the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, how the petrodollar system shaped US-Gulf relations, the role of oil in US foreign policy, the economic rise of China, and what the war on Iran means for the climate crisis.Texts discussed: Crude Capitalism, Venezuela’s Oil in the Grip of US Empire. Also check out Hanieh’s latest in the FT, The Coming Global Food Crisis.Adam Hanieh is Director of the SOAS Middle East Institute and Professor in the Development Studies Department at SOAS, University of London. His current research looks at the interplay of fossil fuels, capitalism, and the climate emergency, with a particular focus on the Gulf states of the Middle East. He is the author of four books, including Money, Markets, and Monarchies: The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Political Economy of the Contemporary Middle East (Cambridge University Press, 2018), which won the 2019 British International Studies Association IPE Group Book Prize and Crude Capitalism: Oil, Corporate Power, and the Making of the World Market (Verso 2024), which was co-winner of the 2025 Best Book by an International Scholar, Global and Transnational Section of the American Sociological Association.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe continue our coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran with a discussion of the diplomatic smoke and mirrors around renewed ceasefire talks, the US blockade outside the Strait of Hormuz, and the Israel-Lebanon direct negotiations.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Karim Makdisi joins us to discuss the recent widespread Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the re-emergence of Hezbollah as an active fighting force in the broader regional war, what the Lebanese government is hoping to achieve with diplomacy, and the future of Israel’s struggle for hegemony.Karim Makdisi is an Associate Professor of international politics at the American University of Beirut, and the co-host of the Makdisi Street Podcast. His research focuses on the international politics of the Middle East, politics and history of the United Nations, and disarmament. He is currently working on a book project centered around Israel’s 2006 war on Lebanon.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe continue our coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran with a discussion of the “ceasefire” “agreement” brokered by Pakistan, the rescue operation following the downing of an American fighter jet, and Israel’s genocidal attacks on Lebanon.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
In the second installment of our Political Economy of Genocide series, we are joined by Tim Barker to discuss the role of the defense industry in the US economy, how the trade in weapons shapes foreign policy, and whether the war on Iran is following a capitalist logic.Texts mentioned: Merchants of Death by H.C. Engelbrecht & F.C. Hanighen; How To Ensure Israel Has the Weapons it Needs; The Inside Story of How the Navy Spent Billions on the “Little Crappy Ship”; Adjusting Certain Delegations Under the Defense Production Act. See also Weapons of the Week #4: White Phosphorus.Tim Barker is a historian who writes the Substack Origins of Our Time. His book on the political economy of the Cold War is forthcoming from Verso.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe continue our coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran with a discussion of the strategic landscape, Trump’s address to the nation, and whether the US is about to do something extremely stupid.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Laleh Khalili joins us to discuss the mechanics, strategy, and economics of Iran’s wartime closure of the Strait of Hormuz.Laleh Khalili is a professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and the author or editor of seven books, including Heroes and Martyrs of Palestine: The Politics of National Commemoration (Cambridge 2007), Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula (Verso 2020), and Extractive Capitalism: How Commodities and Cronyism Drive the Global Economy (Profile Books 2025).We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comDarryl Li joins us to discuss his work deconstructing the concept of the “foreign fighter” and how ideology shapes our perception of who is fighting for what on battlefields from Palestine, to Afghanistan, to Syria, and beyond.Darryl Li is an anthropologist and legal scholar thinking mostly about questions of war, law, migration, empire, and racialization in the currents between the Middle East, South Asia, and the Balkans. He is the author of The Universal Enemy: Jihad, Empire, and the Challenge of Solidarity (Stanford University Press, 2020), an ethnographic and archival study of "jihadist foreign fighters" in the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
We continue our coverage of what’s been called the “The Ramadan War” with a discussion of the strategic landscape, the supposed ceasefire negotiations, Iran’s development of the “Hormuz weapon,” and the prospects of a US ground invasion.This is a special public release of our News of the Week series, which is usually available exclusively to paid subscribers.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe continue our coverage of the Iran war with a discussion of shifting US and Israeli strategies, attacks on energy infrastructure, the assassination of Ali Larijani, and Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon.Please consider donating to support families displaced from southern Lebanon here, here, here, and here.We’re committed to independence and will n…
Darryl Li joins us to assess the post-October 7 conjuncture, the US-Israel relationship, and the new regional order emerging out of the Iran war.This is the first part of a two part conversation. Part 2, where we discuss Darryl’s work deconstructing the concept of the “foreign fighter,” will be available as an exclusive for paid subscribers on April 3.Texts mentioned: Arghiri Emmanuel, White-Settler Colonialism and the Myth of Investment Imperialism.Darryl Li is an anthropologist and legal scholar thinking mostly about questions of war, law, migration, empire, and racialization in the currents between the Middle East, South Asia, and the Balkans. He is the author of The Universal Enemy: Jihad, Empire, and the Challenge of Solidarity (Stanford University Press, 2020), an ethnographic and archival study of “jihadist foreign fighters” in the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe continue our coverage of the Iran war with a discussion of the new Supreme Leader, Iranian and American strategic narratives, the Axis of Resistance, and the war’s global economic fallout.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subsc…
Helen Yaffe joins us to discuss the Trump administration’s escalating attacks on Cuba, the country’s history of medical internationalism, and Che Guevara’s developmentalist socialism.Helen Yaffe is a Professor of Latin American Political Economy at the University of Glasgow, specialising on Cuba. Since 1995, she has spent time living and researching in Cuba. She is the author of Che Guevara: The Economics of Revolution (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) and We Are Cuba! How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World (Yale, 2020). She co-hosts Cuba Analysis podcast https://linktr.ee/cuba.analysis and has co-produced three documentaries, including Cuba & Covid-19: Public Health, Science, and Solidarity (2020) and Cuba’s Life Task: Combatting Climate Change (2021).Twitter/X: @HelenYaffe People from around the world can support or join the Nuestra América Convoy, for which people will travel to Havana by land, air and sea, for a mass mobilization on March 21.Fundraising links:* Let Cuba Live is purchasing solar panels* Saving Lives Campaign and Global Health Partners are procuring medical equipment* The Hatuey Project provides cancer medicines for Cuban childrenWe’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the rapidly expanding scope, duration, and intensity of the Iran war.Please consider donating to support families displaced from southern Lebanon here, here, here, and here.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
We discuss the US and Israel’s war of aggression on Iran that has dragged the entire region into chaos.This is a special public release of our News of the Week series, which is usually available exclusively to paid subscribers.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the killing of “El Mencho” in Jalisco, an attempted gusano infiltration of Cuba, a looming war with Iran, SCOTUS knocking down Trump’s tariffs, cases against the Prairieland 19 in Texas and Pal Action in the UK, and Snowgazi in New York City.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
In the first installment of our Political Economy of Genocide series, we are joined by Edward Ongweso Jr. to discuss the use of artificial intelligence in war, Silicon Valley’s relationship with Israel, and ongoing resistance within the industry.Texts mentioned: The Eye of the Master by Matteo PasquinelliEdward Ongweso Jr. is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, NY. Most of his work centers around tech criticism, labor and financial reporting, and book reviews. From 2019 to 2023, he was a staff writer at Motherboard, the technology section at VICE News. After leaving VICE, he was a Reporter-in-Residence at the Omidiyar Network and a guest columnist for The Nation. In 2023, He joined Logic(s) as a columnist and finance editor. In 2024, he became a Senior Researcher at Security in Context, where he focuses on artificial intelligence.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the legal troubles of the British royal family, the inaugural Board of Peace summit, a new military base in Gaza, AOC and Marco Rubio’s performances at the Munich Security Conference, and the US military buildup around Iran.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Stuart Schrader joins us to discuss the Cold War origins of modern policing, the ongoing ICE and CBP deployments, and Zohran Mamdani’s attempts to reform the NYPD.Stuart Schrader is an associate professor of history at Johns Hopkins University, where he is the founding director of the Chloe Center for the Critical Study of Racism, Immigration, and Colonialism. He is the author of Blue Power: How Police Organized to Protect and Serve Themselves, to be published by Basic Books in April 2026. He is also the author of Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing. He lives in Brooklyn.Twitter/X: @stschrader1 Read the full statement from the family of Jabez Chakraborty here.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the blockade of Cuba, the US-Iran negotiations, an anti-immigration plebiscite in Switzerland, ICE’s prospective mass detention centers, and CBP shooting down a party balloon with a laser in El Paso. We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Andreas Krieg joins us to discuss the United Arab Emirates’ regional rivalry with Saudi Arabia, its cultivation of an ‘Axis of Secessionists,’ and what its network-centric geopolitical approach portends for the future of the world system.Texts mentioned: A Thousand Plateaus by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari.Dr. Andreas Krieg is an associate professor at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London and a Fellow at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies. His research focuses on network-centric statecraft, information operations, and security dynamics across the Middle East. He has been seconded to the Royal College of Defence Studies since 2018. Dr. Krieg has published extensively on networked statecraft, proxy warfare, and the weaponization of narratives, with a particular emphasis on Gulf security and the geopolitical rivalry between regional actors. He is the author and coauthor of several books, including Subversion, Surrogate Warfare and Socio-Political Order & Security in the Arab World. He is the director of the London-based geostrategic risk consultancy MENA analytica since 2019.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the US-Iran negotiations in Muscat, the end of nuclear non-proliferation, the assassination of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in Libya, oil deals in Syria, and what the Epstein files have revealed about our ruling class.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-fu…
Abby Martin of Empire Files joins us to discuss the devastating environmental impacts of US militarism, the murder-suicide pact embraced by our ruling class, and Israel’s ecocide in Gaza. Check out Abby’s new film, Earth’s Greatest Enemy, which is on tour now. Abby’s art is available here.Abby Martin is an investigative journalist, filmmaker, and activist whose work focuses on U.S. militarism, empire, and the political economy of war. She is the creator and host of Empire Files, an independently produced documentary series examining US foreign policy, corporate power, and global resistance movements.Works referenced: The Sunlight Managers by Sofia MenemenlisWe’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comIn part two of our conversation with Jake Romm, we discuss October 7th and its aftermath, and how counter-systemic movements such as Hamas and Ansarallah have attempted to redeem the emancipatory promise of international law. We also discuss Jake’s work with the Hind Rajab Foundation, an organization committed to pursuing legal accountability for the perpetrators of the Gaza genocide. Jake Romm is a New York City based writer and the Associate Editor of Protean Magazine. He is the U.S. Representative for the Hind Rajab Foundation.To support the work of the Hind Rajab Foundation, you can contribute here. We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Jake Romm joins us to discuss the construction of the liberal international order, the latent imperialism of just war theory, and the legal infrastructure of the war on terror. This is part one of a two part conversation. Part two—in which we cover October 7th, the collapse of the liberal international order, and Jake’s work with the Hind Rajab Foundation—will be released for paid subscribers on January 30th.Works referenced: Acts Harmful to the Enemy by Jake Romm and Dylan Saba, Why Trump’s Venezuela Attacks Matter So Much by Jake Romm, America, América by Greg Grandin, A History of Bombing by Sven Lindqvist, Kill Anything that Moves by Nick Turse. Also check out Jake’s piece Against the Wound.Jake Romm is a New York City based writer and the Associate Editor of Protean Magazine. He is the U.S. Representative for the Hind Rajab Foundation.To support the work of the Hind Rajab Foundation, you can contribute here.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the state of the world order as seen from Davos, Ahmed al-Sharaa’s campaign against the Kurds in Syria, the growing possibility of a US military attack on Iran, and the unveiling of Jared Kushner’s Gaza reconstruction plan.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely…
Abdaljawad Omar joins us to discuss life under occupation in the West Bank, Israel’s strategy of permanence through crisis, and what Palestinian resistance represents from the perspective of world revolution.Works discussed: Israel Seeks Redemption in the Gaza Ruins; The Grammar of Resistance: Rethinking Palestine Beyond Pity and Fear; The Anxiety of Liberation.Abdaljawad Omar is a Palestinian writer based in Ramallah, Palestine. He lectures in the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Studies at Birzeit University and holds a PhD in interdisciplinary social sciences focused on Palestinian resistance. Omar writes and publishes widely on political theory, decolonial thought, colonialism, and contemporary Palestinian life.To support Palestinians in Gaza, consider donating through The Sameer Project.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the Tony Dokoupil Century of Humiliation, NATO’s troop buildup in Greenland, anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis, the criminal investigation into Jerome Powell, and the latest developments in Gaza.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
José Luis Granados Ceja joins us to discuss the abduction of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, the US’s long war on the Bolivarian Revolution, and what to expect next from the Trump administration in Latin America.José Luis Granados Ceja is a journalist and political analyst based in Mexico City. He previously worked as a staff writer for teleSUR and currently covers Latin America for Drop Site News. He is the co-founder of the Soberanía podcast and a presenter on the show Sin Muros on Mexico’s Canal Once. His stories focus on contemporary political issues and cover social movements, elections, and human rights in Latin America.Follow him on social media: @GranadosCeja We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the abduction of Nicolás Maduro, the murder of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, the protests in Iran, and the collapse of the UAE-backed secessionist project in southern Yemen.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Samar Al-Bulushi joins us to discuss Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, US intervention in the Horn of Africa, and why the Red Sea corridor has become such a hotspot in the rapidly shifting global order.Works mentioned: Israel, Ethiopia and the Somali questionSamar Al-Bulushi is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at UC Irvine. She is the author of War-Making as Worldmaking: Kenya, the United States, and the War on Terror (Stanford University Press, 2024). Her analysis on militarism and imperialism in Africa has been featured in The Intercept, Al-Jazeera, Teen Vogue, Jacobin, Democracy Now! and Africa is a Country.Twitter: @samar42 Bluesky: @samar42.bsky.social We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or take money from institutions. That means Turbulence is entirely listener-funded.For $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to weekly news analysis bonus episodes, where we respond to events as they unfold, follow up on previous discussions, and draw connections across the conflicts shaping our world.Most importantly, paid subscriptions make it possible for us to keep doing this work independently, week after week.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss Trump’s threatened blockade of Venezuelan oil, the expanded Muslim ban, Bari Weiss’s town hall with Erika Kirk, and the latest FBI sting operation.Congratulations to Dan for winning our first book giveaway! We’ll be sending you our copy of Orisanmi Burton’s Tip of the Spear.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Adom Getachew joins us to discuss self-determination, pan-Africanism, and the life and thought of Marcus Garvey. Check out Getachew’s book, Worldmaking After Empire, here.Adom Getachew is Professor of Political Science and Race, Diaspora & Indigeneity at the University of Chicago. She is the author of Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination (2019) and co-editor, with Jennifer Pitts, of W. E. B. Du Bois: International Thought (2022). As part of a four-member curatorial team, she curated the exhibition Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica and co-edited the accompanying catalogue. She is currently working on a second book on the intellectual origins and political practices of Garveyism. Her public writing has appeared in Dissent, Foreign Affairs, the London Review of Books, the Nation, the New York Review of Books, and the New York Times.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comIn our first Q&A livestream, we were joined by Hassan from Episode 4: Sudan in the World System to answer questions about Salafism in the Sahel, Dubai influencers, Chinese foreign policy, developments in South Yemen, and more.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Rania Khalek joins us to discuss the history of Hezbollah, Lebanon’s struggle for sovereignty in the face of US interference and Israeli aggression, and the country’s current political dilemmas. Watch Khalek’s documentary with Breakthrough News on Israel’s 2024 pager attacks here.Rania Khalek is an award-winning Lebanese-American journalist and host of Dispatches on Breakthrough News, where she investigates the global consequences of imperialism, war, and systemic oppression. With over a decade of frontline reporting from conflict zones and marginalized communities, her work has been featured in The Nation, The Intercept, Al Jazeera, FAIR, and The Electronic Intifada, where she served on the editorial board.X: @RaniaKhalek IG: @RaniaKhalekIn this episode, we mentioned the campaign to support one of our movement elders, Xinachtli (Alvaro Hernández), who is being killed by the Texas carceral system. X is the longest-held Indigenous political prisoner and has suffered over 23 years of his imprisonment in solitary confinement. Urgent action is needed to save his life.Sign up for the phone/email blast: bit.ly/xphoneblastSign the support letter: tinyurl.com/xsupportletterFor updates and to donate to Xinachtli’s campaign, visit their instagram page: @freexinachtlinow or website.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the death of Yasser Abu Shabab, Netanyahu’s corruption charges, the upcoming Houthi invasion of the Golan Heights, Hegseth’s double tap, and Trump’s racist tirade against Somalis.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will have access to regular new roundup bonus episodes. Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Our friend Rob Ashlar joins us to discuss the myths and realities of the Axis of Resistance, Iranian grand strategy, and the unifying power of the Palestinian cause.Rob Ashlar is an independent researcher and reporter covering jihadist movements, particularly in West Africa and the Middle East. His primary subjects are Al Qaida in the Sahel and Islamic State during the Iraqi Insurgency. Rob also focuses on Middle Eastern geopolitics, most recently the nature of the US–Israel relationship.Twitter/X: https://x.com/RashmanTheHorseSubstack: https://robashlar.substack.com/For more on Strategic Accelerationism: https://robashlar.substack.com/p/guest-post-strategic-accelerationismIf you’re able, please consider donating to Rob’s friend Mahmoud in Gaza.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will have access to regular new roundup bonus episodes. Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek VenkatramanMix: Jasper Saba This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss Jair Bolsonaro’s failed attempt to escape from house arrest, former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz’s sensational book tour, and the Trump-Mamdani White House summit.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit turbulencepod.substack.comWe discuss the McDonald’s Summit, the Donroe Doctrine, Mohammad bin Salman at the White House, and the United Nations Security Council formally endorsing Trump’s Gaza plan. We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman
Our friend Hassan joins us to discuss the devastating civil war in Sudan, the geopolitical strategy of the United Arab Emirates, and US counter-rationality as a hegemon in decline. Check out Hassan's 2022 piece on the Sudanese revolution, Where is Sudan? Refracting the Globe Through Bilad al-Dahab.If you are able, please consider donating to one of the following fundraisers to support relief efforts in Sudan:https://www.gofundme.com/f/fight-hunger-in-sudan-the-khartoum-kitchen-appealhttps://sudanfunds.com/https://www.sudansolidarity.com/We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek VenkatramanMix: Jasper Saba This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
We discuss Kazakhstan joining the Abraham Accords, the absurd failure of Saudi Arabia’s Neom, Jolani’s White House visit, and offer a critical assessment of the Mamdani mayoral victory on our first news roundup bonus episode. This is a teaser for our news roundup bonus episode. Subscribe here for access to the full version. We're committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Follow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
Orisanmi Burton joins us to discuss the legacy of Assata Shakur, the prison as a form of warfare, and transnational solidarity between Black and Palestinian revolutionary struggles. Texts discussed: Assata is Welcome Here, Tip of the Spear, and Fugitive Solidarities. Please consider donating to the commissary of Tarek Bazrouk and this fundraiser for Jakhi McCray, two political prisoners mentioned in this episode. Orisanmi Burton researches and writes about the collision between Black radical politics and state repression. He is the author of Tip of the Spear: Black Radicalism, Prison Repression, and the Long Attica Revolt (UC Press 2023).Clips at 22:30 and 1:13:21 found in the documentary ATTICA (1974). We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get regular bonus episodes, which will usually be news roundups (but may also include bonus interviews). Paid subscribers will also have access to monthly livestreams, book giveaways, and Q&A. Most importantly, our paid subscribers help us keep this project going.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek VenkatramanMix: Jasper Saba This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
Alexander Aviña joins us to discuss Israel’s Cold War involvement in Latin America, the invention of “narcoterrorism,” and the potential for solidarity between the pro-Palestine and anti-ICE movements. Check out Aviña’s work with the Anti-Imperialist Scholars Collective. Alexander Aviña is an Associate Professor of History at Arizona State University. He is a historian of modern Mexico and Latin America currently writing a book on the intersection between political radicalism, state terrorism and drug wars in Cold War Mexico. He is the author of Specters of Revolution: Peasant Guerrillas in the Cold War Mexican Countryside (Oxford U Press, 2014). Twitter/X: @Alexander_AvinaWebsite: alexanderavina.comWe’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get an early release of our intro episode, access to a launch day live stream on 10/28 with special guests, and more bonus content to come.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek VenkatramanMix: Jasper Saba This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
Laleh Khalili joins us to discuss Ansarallah’s naval blockade in support of Palestine, the politics and history of the commodities trade in the Arabian Peninsula, and "counter-logistical" strategies of resistance. Check out Khalili’s new book Extractive Capitalism: How Commodities and Cronyism Drive the Global Economy and her previous book Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula, both of which featured heavily in our discussion. Also mentioned: The World for Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders who Barter the Earth’s Resources. Laleh Khalili is a professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and the author or editor of seven books, including Heroes and Martyrs of Palestine: The Politics of National Commemoration (Cambridge 2007), Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula (Verso 2020), and Extractive Capitalism: How Commodities and Cronyism Drive the Global Economy (Profile Books 2025). Twitter/X: @LalehKhaliliWe’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get an early release of our intro episode, access to a launch day live stream on 10/28 with special guests, and more bonus content to come.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_podTheme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek Venkatraman This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
Audio: George Habash speaks on U.S. role in Palestine and Lebanon, January 1979.Theme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)Art: Vivek VenkatramanThe American Century is ending. So far, the world order emerging in its wake has been defined by geopolitical chaos and rolling, interconnected crises—in a word: Turbulence. Whether these crises ultimately produce a new superpower, a new multipolar world, or simply more and more chaos remains open to the forces of historical contingency.This podcast is our attempt to make sense of a world in flux. What is going on? What fresh hells await us? And what the f**k, if anything, can we do about it? These are the questions we seek to answer. In the long tail of the so-called Global War on Terror—and particularly in the post October 7 world—much of these questions will lead us to the Middle East. But we’ll be going elsewhere in the periphery, and will certainly be coming back home to the core.The situation is bad, and is sure to get worse. But if there is a way out, we’ll be trying to find it. We hope you’ll join us.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get an early release of our intro episode, access to a launch day live stream on 10/28 with special guests, and more bonus content to come.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_pod This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe
Audio: George Habash speaks on U.S. role in Palestine and Lebanon, January 1979.Theme: Eye for an Eye, Haram (2017)The American Century is ending. So far, the world order emerging in its wake has been defined by geopolitical chaos and rolling, interconnected crises—in a word: Turbulence. Whether these crises ultimately produce a new superpower, a new multipolar world, or simply more and more chaos remains open to the forces of historical contingency.This podcast is our attempt to make sense of a world in flux. What is going on? What fresh hells await us? And what the f**k, if anything, can we do about it? These are the questions we seek to answer. In the long tail of the so-called Global War on Terror—and particularly in the post October 7 world—much of these questions will lead us to the Middle East. But we’ll be going elsewhere in the periphery, and will certainly be coming back home to the core.The situation is bad, and is sure to get worse. But if there is a way out, we’ll be trying to find it. We hope you’ll join us.We’re committed to independence and will never run ads or have institutional affiliations. That means we’re entirely listener funded.For $5, paid subscribers will get an early release of our intro episode, access to a launch day live stream on 10/28 with special guests, and more bonus content to come.Subscribe today at turbulencepod.substack.comFollow along on Twitter/X and Instagram @turbulence_pod This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit turbulencepod.substack.com/subscribe