Upstream

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Documentary #5: The Call For A New Economy Mar 21, 2017

Show notes

Bellowing out in the songs of eco-village choirs and reverberating down city streets through the chants of the 99%, the call for a new economy echoes out over the dying gasps of late capitalism. From energy co-operatives in Spain that are literally bringing power to the local level, to a small school hidden deep in the English moors that is redesigning the study of economics, to a vast coalition in North America that is challenging domination by the 1%, this episode of Upstream explores the movement for a new economy. Our story begins in 1984, just outside of the G7 World Economic Summit in London, where a small group convened a counter summit to challenge the ideas and theories that dominated mainstream economics. We follow the ripples of this seminal event as they radiate out through the world and on into our current era of Trump & Brexit. This lineage traces back to the work of the renegade economist E. F. Schumacher (1911-1977). You'll hear from him, as well as many of the other people and organizations on the cutting-edge of this broad movement that is working to revolutionize the way we think about what the economy is, the way economics is taught, and the way we embody new economics in practice. Featuring: Tim Crabtree - Senior Lecturer at Schumacher College Aniol Esteban - Program Director of The New Economics Foundation E. F. Schumacher - From the archives of the Schumacher Center for New Economics Satish Kumar - Founder of Schumacher College & Editor of Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine Jonathan Dawson - Coordinator of the Economics for Transition M. A. Program at Schumacher College Kate Raworth - Author of Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist Katherine Trebeck - Senior Researcher at Oxfam Eli Feghali - Director of Communications and Online Organizing for the New Economy Coalition Andres Montesinos - Coordinator at Som Energia Isabel Benitez - Coordinator of the New Economy & Social Innovation Forum Music: Lanterns (theme music) Amonie Tapes and Topographies Owu Kou Woo Haunted Haus Cover image by Robert Raymond Also, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show on iTunes. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/upstream/id1082594532?mt=2

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African American Co-ops with Jessica Gordon Nembhard Feb 15, 2017

Show notes

In this Upstream Conversation we spoke with Professor Jessica Gordon Nembhard, author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice. We spoke with her about the history of solidarity economics--particularly worker co-operatives--within the African American community. We travel in time from the era of slavery, through to Jim Crow segregation, share-cropping, and finally within the modern day prison industrial complex, looking at how cooperatives have formed in prisons in Puerto Rico. What can we learn for the United States, where African Americans comprise one-third of the prison population? We also spoke about the intersection of capitalism and racism. How do capitalism and racism support each other? And how can the act of participating in cooperative economics chisel away the power of capitalism? Jessica was also featured in our episode on Solidarity Economics. To listen to that episode, visit: http://upstreampodcast.org/solidarityeconomy

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

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You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Platform Cooperativism with Trebor Scholz Feb 05, 2017

Show notes

In this Upstream Conversation we spoke with scholar and activist Trebor Scholz, who is an Associate Professor of Culture & Media at the New School for Liberal Arts & co-editor of the book, Ours to Hack and to Own: The Rise of Platform Cooperativism, a New Vision for the Future of Work and a Fairer Internet. Trebor has a very wide breadth of knowledge in the field of digital labor, and is able to articulate a very strong critique of the modern day digital landscape. He walks us through how the internet has hit rock bottom, exemplified as it is these days by extreme power concentration, high levels of worker exploitation, and a lack of privacy. But Trebor is also able to draw a very compelling picture of how things could be different. What would #Uber look like if it had cooperative values? What if residents owned #Airbnb? And what role might a universal basic income play in the near future? Darkness and uncertainty loom ahead. Trebor's insights are a flash of light that illuminate and begin to guide us through these tumultuous times.

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

The Solidarity Economy with Cheyenna Weber Jan 30, 2017

Show notes

In this Upstream Conversation with spoke with Cheyenna Weber, co-founder of SolidarityNYC and a lead organizer of the Cooperative Economics Alliance of NYC. We spoke with her about the solidarity economy, where it came from, where it is right now, and where it might be headed. How did solidarity manifest during the Occupy Wall Street movement? Why is it important that we view co-operatives, credit unions, and other forms of alternative economics as part of a broader movement? What is the role of personal and cultural transformation in the movement? This interview is a part of our exploration of the Solidarity Economy. To listen to our Episode on The Solidarity Economy, visit upstreampodcast.org/solidarityeconomy For more information: Solidarity NYC: solidaritynyc.org CEANYC: https://gocoopnyc.com/

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Documetary #4: The Solidarity Economy Jan 13, 2017

Show notes

In this episode we explore a phenomenon that has existed throughout centuries both within and alongside Capitalism. Wherever relationships have been based on reciprocity, sustainability, and democratic governance you'll find the Solidarity Economy. We learn of it's origin and about how it is strengthened by countermovements and during times of crisis. We follow its presence throughout the history of a particular marginalized community in the U.S., celebrating the courage of African American cooperative thought and practice. We then paint a picture of a modern solidarity response to economic austerity. And finally, we dream about it's potential in the face of ecological peril and plan for what it will take to grow the Solidarity Economy to serve as a movement of movements. Featuring: Michael Ventura - Co-author with James Hillman of We've Had a Hundred Years of Psychotherapy – And the World's Getting Worse, columnist of Letters at 3AM with the Austin Chronicle Caroline Woolard - Artist & organizer whose work explores intersections between art and the solidarity economy Michael Lewis - Soildarity economy researcher; Co-author of The Resilience Imperative Pat Conaty - Research associate Cooperatives UK, Co-author of The Resilience Imperative Jessica Gordon Nembard - Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development, author of Collective Courage: A history of African-American Cooperative Economic Thought & Practice Biba Schoenmaker - Co-Founder of Broodfonds Makers Stuart Field - Founder of Breadfunds UK Jos Veldhuizen - Member of Broodfunds, Amsterdam Music: Robert Raymond (witchdreammasion bandcamp) Lanterns (lanternsss.bandcamp.com) Chris Zabriskie (chriszabriskie.com) Jörgen UNOM JG (unomjg.nl) Cover image by Bethan Mure

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Sneak Peak: Racism & capitalism (Jessica Gordon Nembhard) Jan 05, 2017

Show notes

You're listening to a Sneak Peak of our Solidarity Economy episode with scholar & activist Jessica Gordon Nembard, Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development in the Department of Africana Studies at John Jay College in New York City. Professor Nembhard is the author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice. She will be featured in our upcoming Solidarity Economy episode in collaboration with STIR Magazine, to be released Jan 15th, 2017. For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org Facebook.com/upstreampodcast Twitter: @upstreampodcast Instagram.com/upstreampodcast Together we can be a force for positive change: please like, comment on, and share this interview.

Election 2016 Aftermath with Doug Henwood Jan 01, 2017

Show notes

In this Upstream Conversation we spoke with author and journalist Doug Henwood. Doug wrote a book about Hillary Clinton called My Turn: Hillary Clinton Targets the Presidency, which is a critique of Hillary Clinton and her policies from the left of the political spectrum. We spoke with him about the response to his book, his thoughts on the Democratic Party and the election, the economic forecast of the Trump administration, the state of the economy, and much more.

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

The Recession isn't Over, but is Capitalism? with Richard Wolff Dec 17, 2016

Show notes

Unemployment is down and the stock market is up. So we're in a recovery, right? Many politicians & economists would like us to think that, but in this Conversation, Professor Richard D. Wolff explains how this couldn't be farther from the truth. Not only is the recession that started in 2008 far from over, but we might actually be witnessing the collapse of capitalism as we know it. Professor Richard Wolff studied economics at Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. He is the author of the recent book Capitalism's Crisis Deepens, the founder of Democracy @ Work, host of the radio program Economic Update, and is currently teaching at the New School University in NYC.

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Documentary #3: Betrayal & Solidarity In Greece Oct 01, 2016

Show notes

Greece was all over the news in 2014 and 2015. You might remember hearing about the new radical left party Syriza, the referendum, the violence in the streets, the German banks, the flamboyant finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. So what happened? Mistrusting the mainstream narrative coming from western media outlets, and suspicious of the abrupt end of most news coverage we decided we'd travel to Athens and see for ourselves what was going on in the aftermath of the tumultuous events which have been building up over the last few years in Greece. From the streets of Athens with our host Yianni Litovchenko from Alternative Tours of Athens, to the apartment of the Greek activist Maria Scordialos, to the economic analysis of James K. Galbraith, to the Refugee Accommodation and Solidarity Space City Plaza. Join us. Featuring: Maria Scordialos - Greek activist and co-founder of The Living Wholeness Institute James Galbraith - American economist, founding DiEM25 member, and advisor to Yannis Varoufakis Yianni Litovchenko - Member of the Alternative Tours of Athens cooperative Margarita - Volunteer at the Refugee Accommodation & Solidarity Space City Plaza Music: The Rembetika Hipsters A. Kostis (Thanks to Olvido Records)

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Art of Hosting with Maria Scordialos Oct 01, 2016

Show notes

Maria Scordialos is a Greek activist, co-initiator of The Art of Hosting, and founder of the Living Wholeness Institute, which runs the Axladitsa retreat and workshop center. We spoke about the Greek debt crisis, her experience living in Athens before, during, and after the referendum, gentrification and inequality, and her experiences working with governments.

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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