5 - A.K. 47 - Sexual Relations and the Class Struggle

Kristen Ghodsee reads the first part of Alexandra Kollontai's 1921 text: "The Workers Opposition." Mentioned in this episode are these upcoming events: Online - How To Academy, August 3 (6:00pm GMT)Online - Second Life Book Club, August 9 (12:00pm Pacific Time)In person - Society for Ethical Culture Sunday Platform, August 13 (11:00am EDT)In person - Half King Reading Series, August 15, (7:00pm EDT)Send us a text Thanks so much for listening. This podcast has no Patreon-type account an...

27 Heinä 202321min

On the eve of a possible UPS strike in the United States, Kristen Ghodsee reads a 1968 introduction to Alexandra Kollontai's 1921 pamphlet written in support of the Workers Opposition. This was a fundamental critique of Bolshevism from within the Party ranks, which was squashed and ended Kollontai's political career in the USSR. Mentioned in this episode: Total Liberation Podcast with Mexie (Livestream), “Building Utopia with Dr. Kristen Ghodsee,” July 7, 2023Upstream Podcast, “Everyda...

10 Heinä 202325min

Kristen Ghodsee reads Cathy Porter's 1980 translation of Kollontai's 1922 short story, "Conversation Piece," about a woman having to choose between the man she loves romantically and the man she loves intellectually and spiritually. Mentioned in this episode: Listen to Kristen Ghodsee on the New York Times's Ezra Klein Show (also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc). Full transcript hereRead a 2000-word abstract from Everyday Utopia in Jacobin MagazineWatch the Everyday Utopia boo...

11 Kesä 202321min

Kristen Ghodsee reads an April 25, 1982 review of a [then] new English translation of Alexandra Kollontai's collection, "A Great Love," translated by Cathy Porter. Mentioned in this episode are: A list of utopian summer reading recommendations at Literary Hub.com. A new podcast interview at Revolutionary Left Radio. An excerpt of Everyday Utopia in Penn Today. Send us a text Thanks so much for listening. This podcast has no Patreon-type account and receives no funding. There ...

17 Touko 202319min

Kristen Ghodsee reads an article about the creation in 2019 of the Kollontai Vodka Antisessista by a group of self-managed workers in Milan. Sales from this vodka are used to finance a autonomist literary cafe in Bari. The whole project is a wonderful example of the contemporary legacy of Kollontai and her continuing inspiration for feminists and activists around the world. In Italy, buy Kollontai Vodka here (The proceeds from the sale of the vodka will finance mutual aid projects for women ...

26 Huhti 202316min

Kristen Ghodsee reads the second half of a biographical article written by the American Katharine Anthony and published in The North American Review in September 1930. At this point in time, Kollontai was serving as the Soviet ambassador to Norway, and Katharine Anthony was introducing Kollontai to an American audience as a feminist and women's rights activist, and playing down her connections to the Bolsheviks. Please help me with the pre-order campaign for Everyday Utopia! If you are in N...

18 Huhti 202319min

Kristen Ghodsee reads the first half of a biographical article written by the American Katharine Anthony and published in The North American Review in September 1930. At this point in time, Kollontai was serving as the Soviet ambassador to Norway, and Katharine Anthony was introducing Kollontai to an American audience as a feminist and women's rights activist, and playing down her connections to the Bolsheviks. Please help me with the pre-order campaign for Everyday Utopia! If you are in No...

11 Huhti 202319min

To celebrate International Women's Day in 2023, Kristen Ghodsee reads an abridged version of Clara Zetkin's article on the official establishment of March 8 as International Communist Women's Day. The article is from International Press Correspondence, Vol. 2 No. 18, published on 8 March 1922. Clara Zetkin was the leader of the women's section of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Germany, and a close friend and mentor to Alexandra Kollontai when the latter was in exile in Western E...

8 Maalis 202319min