I was honored to speak with Jacquie L’uqman and Sean Blackmon about the bourgeois media, its awesome power of mind management, the state and capitalist interests driving it, how it contributes to fascist movements, the all-important fight back, and more…
This two-part interview with Jennifer Ponce de León to discuss our respective work on aesthetics and politics with Leandro Martínez Depietri was just released as part of the Bienalsur podcast (in English). We discuss our past publications, Jennifer’s recent book, and our current book project together, engaging with the following themes: the historical materialist analysis of culture, the bourgeois concept and practice of art, the function of culture in actually existing socialism, the compositional model of ideology, and the overall role of culture as a weapon of class warfare. A special thanks to Leandro for making this happen, and for being such a great interlocutor!
I was thrilled to talk with Jacqueline Luqman on @TheRealNews about my ongoing research on fascism, which has appeared in Liberation School, Black Agenda Report & CounterPunch (click here for the list of articles). The interview is entitled “The History of Postwar Fascism Needs to Be Retold,” and here’s the abstract (click here to listen):
“Popular understandings of what fascism is, where it came from, and how it was ‘defeated’ have hindered our collective ability to identify and fight fascist threats beyond those that existed in Western Europe a century ago. In the latest installment of her ongoing series investigating the contours of fascism in the past and present, Jacqueline Luqman speaks with philosopher, cultural critic, and political theorist Gabriel Rockhill about the need to understand how the political and economic systems that produced European fascism did not disappear after World War II. Rockhill is Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University, founder and director of the Critical Theory Workshop/Atelier de Théorie Critique, former Directeur de programme at the Collège International de Philosophie, and the author/editor of numerous scholarly books in English and French.”
I was honored to have a wide-ranging conversation about the history of critical theory, fascism, the U.S. National Security State, Social Democracy and the Third International.
Honored to be featured on one of my favorite podcasts to discuss my recent Liberation School article on the fascist plot to overthrow the US government in 1934 and how it relates to the capitalist ruling class’s backing of fascist movements today. This is followed by an important discussion of Moise’s assassination in Haiti. Click here to listen, and please don’t hesitate to circulate and support this podcast–it’s one of the best!
I was honored to be featured on Jules Taylor’s podcast “No Easy Answers.” Click here to listen. We had a wide-ranging conversation about fascism and anti-communism, and we also discussed my research into the US National Security State and the promotion of French philosophy within the global theory industry.
I was honored to be invited to speak on “A Public Affair” about my recent series of four articles on fascism and liberalism. Click here to listen.
Description: “Fascism seems to have risen up zombie-like from the past, but philosopher and political theorist Gabriel Rockhill argues that it’s been with us all along.
Today on the show, Allen traces a counter-history of fascism—including its relationships to liberalism, capitalism, and colonialism and how we understand/misunderstand its role in the U.S.—with Gabriel Rockhill.”
I was invited to discuss my recent articles on fascism (see below) on the podcast “Clearing the FOG” with Margaret Flowers. Click here to listen.
Description: With the presidential election coming up, there is a lot of focus on how the election will go and who will win. One thing is certain, no matter which corporate candidate wins, the people and the planet will lose. To understand where we are and how we got here, I speak with Gabriel Rockhill, a philosopher, author and activist. He explains the connections between our governance structure and capitalism and how both liberal democracy and fascism–in a sort of good cop/bad cop relationship–are used to protect the profits of the few while exploiting the many.
The articles mentioned in the interview are listed here:
Fascism: Now You See It, Now You Don’t!
Liberalism and Fascism: Partners in Crime
The U.S. Did Not Defeat Fascism in WWII, It Discretely Internationalized It
I had the opportunity to discuss the current French strike and contextualize it in relationship to global class struggle on “Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen.” Click here to listen (description below). This discussion is partially based on my article in CounterPunch, “Understanding France’s General Strike in the Context of the Yellow Vests and Global Class Warfare.”
Massive French Strike: What You Haven’t Heard
There’s been no coverage in America of the extended turmoil engulfing France since early December. But it is huge, and it is a major intensification of a worldwide struggle against neoliberal globalism. As Macron’s government and so many others aim at privatization of public services protestors are shutting down the French economy. On this show France expert Professor Gabriel Rockhill explains how the current labor action arises from the context of the Yellow Vest movements. And how established labor leaders are being overpowered by the rank and file who demand a genuinely democratic government instead of top down austerity. And how have the police reacted? According to Rockhill, France has greatly increased its police budget and they are now at the cutting edge of advanced militarized police technology. The police regularly attack peaceful crowds, a lot of injuries have occurred. And he explains that this economic and political struggle is part of the global fight against climate change, protecting the bioshphere for humans and other species.
I was honored to be invited by C.S. Soong on KPFA’s “Against the Grain” to discuss my publications on the Yellow Vests. Click here to listen to or download the episode, which can also be listened to here:
Here is the description of the interview online:
Yellow Vest Realities and Reactions
The Yellow Vests have shaken the French political establishment to its core. What are the protesters’ grievances, and how has the uprising been viewed by intellectuals on the left? Gabriel Rockhill describes and assesses the Yellow Vests movement, the Macron regime’s reaction to it, and the French intelligentsia’s opinions of it.
Gabriel Rockhill, “The Failure of the French Intelligentsia? Intellectuals and Uprisings in the Case of the Yellow Vests” The Philosophical Salon
Gabriel Rockhill, “Spectacular Violence as a Weapon of War Against the Yellow Vests” CounterPunch
Étienne Dolet and the Radical Education Department, “Ten Lessons from the Yellow Vests” It’s Going Down
