Bungacast

Latest Episodes:

/559/ Global Jihad: 9/11 at 25 ft. Philip Cunliffe Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

On the complex connections between globalisation and political Islam.

The OG Bunga Boys reflect on the quarter-century since that spectacular terrorist attack, and talk about Phil's recent essay on the waning of Islamism.

Whatever happened to 'solving' Islamic radicalism through moderate conservatism?
Is the end of globalisation also the end of global jihad? Why?
Why did Islamism fail in pursuit of state power?
Will the Left back 'Islamopopulism'?

For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

Links:

The Man Who Was Friday: Global Islamism after Unipolarity, Philip Cunliffe, American Affairs
The Interventionist Future of the DSA, Philip Cunliffe, Compact
NOW UNLOCKED: /355/ F***ing and shooting are not the same

/558/ Sewer Socialism, or Left in the Toilet? ft. Ross Barkan Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

On Zohran Mamdani.

Writer Ross Barkan, author of The Revolutionary on the New York mayor, talks to Ryan Zickgraf and Alex Hochuli about what Mamdani means for the Left.

How did Mamdani mute cultural progressivism to focus concentrate on rent, transport, childcare and food?
Is municipal socialism part of a strategy to rebuild national power, or is it a retreat to the cities after the failure of Bernie?
Is the New York strategy replicable elsewhere in the US?
How is Mamdani different from AOC?
Is Mamdani a populist, not a socialist?
Is the rentier, rather than the worker, the subject of politics?

Links:

Zohran Mamdani and the Remaking of American Politics, Ross Barkan
Ross Barkan on Mamdani and where DSA goes from here, Current Affairs
The New Socialist Revolution, Ross Barkan
NYC-DSA endorsement and platform overview
How Mamdani used social media to build a movement, The Washington Post
Brandon Johnson: Sewer Bill socialist, Ryan Zickgraf

/557/ Letters to the Editors: Aug 2026 Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

We deal with your questions, comments and criticisms from the past month.

Key issues:

How big a deal, historically, is the US's failure in Iran?
Is populism rooted in resentment and/or cynicism?
Why is fascism not the right label for Trump?
How to debate immigration?
Are NGOs and international organisations actually relevant?

For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

Links:

/152/ I Can't Believe It's Not Weimar ft. David Broder
Debating the F-Word, Bunk History
The National Interest in Women’s Freedom, The Northern Star
The Civic Foundations of Fascism in Europe, Dylan Riley

Where's Bungacast? Nowhere...Everywhere Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Taking a short break – back in late August.

/556/ World Cup 2026: Stick to Politics ft. Many Guests Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

On politics and football.

Alex is joined by Karl Sharro, Juan David Rojas, Tim Abrahams, and Euan Marshall to pick over the stories of this World Cup.

If the World Cup is a branding exercise for the hosts, what exactly is the USA selling here? And Mexico? Canada?
Are conspiracy theories good, actually?
Is Argentina evil? Should you support the global South against the colonisers?
Are evangelicals responsible for Brazilian failure?
Do you need central planning to become good at football?
When 23% of players at the WC are foreign born, how can globalisation be ending?

>> For more like this, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast <<

Links:

Football won’t rescue the nation, Alex Hochuli, Africa Is a Country
Note to Leftists, Do Not Squander The World Cup!, Juan Rojas, Substack
Blood ties and opportunity: Why more World Cup players than ever are not representing their birth nations, BBC

/555/ Who Denies US Empire? ft. Daniel Bessner Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

On 'imperialist realism'.

Daniel Bessner, historian, is back on to discuss the relation between US foreign policy and ideology. He talks to Alex and Lee about his forthcoming book and other writings.

Why has acceptance of imperialism accompanied declining support for empire?
What is the US's sense of mission and how does this coexist with cynicism?
Is US politics stuck between liberal guilt and conservative suprematism?
Does nothing ever actually change? Is the US even a democracy?
What would an effective anti-imperialist politics look like?

The full episode is for subscribers only, sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

Links:

Power without Ideology, Daniel Bessner, The Ideas Letter
Imperialist Realism: Politics and Culture at the End of the American Century, Daniel Bessner, Zer0 Books
/464/ Decline Under The Donald ft. Daniel Bessner

UNLOCKED: /551/ Reading Club: Mythologies ft. Catherine Liu Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

On Roland Barthes' Mythologies.

(This is an unlocked episode from our Reading Club. Subscribe for more like this.)

Alex, George, and contributing editor Catherine Liu delve into Barthes' 1957 classic to understand the form of ideology critique it proposes – and particularly as it relates to left and right.

If the bourgeoisie generates myth, is revolution a cathartic act that gets us beyond myth?
Is the direct producer also unable to speak myth, or is this a romanticisation?
What are predominant left-wing myths today? Is "left vs right" a myth of sorts?
Is the critic of myths condemned to live a "theoretical sociality"? Should people just be allowed to enjoy things?

/554/ Capitalism Is When the State... ft. Corey Robin Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

On writing the history of capitalism.

Political theorist Corey Robin talks to Alex H and Alex G about what is wrong with Sven Beckert's monumental new Capitalism: A Global History.

Have historians returned to writing about big themes and grand narratives?
Why does Beckert date capitalism's emergence to 12th century Arabia?
Is capitalism essentially about free markets and free trade – or about the state, coercion, violence?
If capitalism has no beginning and no end, then does that mean we're still at the end of History?

Links:

The Long Revolution, Corey Robin (review of Sven Beckert), The Nation
/481/ Everything is Plausible: Oligarchy – or Worse ft. Corey Robin

/553/ Energy Sovereignty = Political Independence? ft. Benjamin Bradlow Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

On global shortages and their political consequences.

Benjamin Bradlow, assistant professor of sociology and international affairs at Princeton, talks to Alex and Lee about the world-historic impact of the Hormuz Strait closure.

How will shortages – beyond oil and gas – reverberate through global supply chains?
Why are markets so sanguine about all this? Are financial economic elites too insulated from consequences?
Will China be the big beneficiary as more countries turn to importing its tech for renewables?
Do countries want to trade dependency on the Middle East or US for dependency on China?
Would a world of energy autarky be more or less peaceful?
Are "electrostates" a thing?

For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

Links:

The Winners and Losers of the Iran Energy Shock, Benjamin Bradlow, Foreign Affairs
The energy crisis may just be starting, Martin Wolf, FT

/552/ Bunga Live: Is History Back (Baby)? Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Audio from the live event held at Verdurin, London, on 28 May 2026.

The OG Bunga Boys - Alex, George, and Phil - present their takes, followed by responses from contributing editor Lee Jones and friend-of-the-pod Nina Power - and audience questions.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected