38 - A.K. 47 - Theses on Communist Morality in the Sphere of Marital Relations II
Kristen R. Ghodsee reads and discusses part two of Alexandra Kollontai's 1921 essay, "Theses on Communist Morality in the Sphere of Marital Relations." This essay is a precursor to "Make Way for Winged Eros" where Kollontai develops her Marxist understanding of marriage and the family as being part of the ideological superstructure, which is determined by the base of economic relations. Kollontai argues that the demise of capitalism will usher forth new definitions of the family. She argues t...
9 Marras 201916min
37 - A.K. 47 - Theses on Communist Morality in the Sphere of Marital Relations I
Kristen R. Ghodsee reads and discusses part one of Alexandra Kollontai's 1921 essay, "Theses on Communist Morality in the Sphere of Marital Relations." This essay is a precursor to "Make Way for Winged Eros" where Kollontai develops her Marxist understanding of marriage and the family as being part of the ideological superstructure, which is determined by the base of economic relations. Kollontai argues that the demise of capitalism will usher forth new definitions of the family. She argues t...
31 Loka 201916min
36 - A.K. 47 - Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman - Discussion II
In this episode, Kristen Ghodsee gives some more context to Alexandra Kollontai's life by reading from the texts of two women who knew her personally: the American Louise Bryant and the Spaniard Isabel de Palencia. Based on her personal meeting with Kollontai in the early years of the revolution, Louise Bryant wrote about Kollontai in her 1918 book, Six Red Months in Russia, and in her 1923 book, Mirrors of Moscow. Isabel de Palencia knew Kollontai in Stockholm where they were both diplomats ...
28 Loka 201917min
35 - A.K. 47 - Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman - Discussion I
In this episode, Kristen Ghodsee discusses the title and content of Alexandra Kollontai's 1926 book, The Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman, with her 17-year-old daughter. Particularly salient is the question of trolls and haters in politics, and whether having a lot of critics actually amplifies one's message. This memoir was written as Kollontai began her diplomatic career when she was 54-years-old and a veteran of the revolution. Lenin was already dead, Stalin was sei...
20 Loka 201917min
34 - A.K. 47 - Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman VII
In this seventh episode of Season Two, Kristen Ghodsee reads the final section of Alexandra Kollontai's 1926 memoir: The Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman. In this portion of the memoir, Kollontai speaks about her work during and after the Civil War and the beginning of her diplomatic career in Norway. Once again, her ideas on love and sexuality fall afoul of her party comrades and she struggles against the conservatism of Russian society. This memoir was wr...
11 Loka 201916min
33 - A.K. 47 - Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman VI
In this sixth episode of Season Two, Kristen Ghodsee reads Part VI of Alexandra Kollontai's 1926 memoir: The Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman. In this portion of the memoir, Kollontai speaks about her work as Commissar of Social Welfare during the early years of the Soviet regime. She again mentions the many attacks against her: the threatening letters and all of the vitriol she dealt with as the only woman in the government. This memoir was written as Koll...
5 Loka 201916min
32 - A.K. 47 - Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman V
In this fifth episode of Season Two, Kristen Ghodsee reads Part V of Alexandra Kollontai's 1926 memoir: The Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman. In this portion of the memoir, Kollontai speaks about her work in New York and her return to Russia in March 1917. She also discusses getting trolled by the newspapers in St. Petersburg and the many insults and indignities she suffered as a prominent Bolshevik woman, which attests to the fact that the masses have always desp...
27 Syys 201916min
31 - A.K. 47 - Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman Part IV
In this fourth episode of Season Two, Kristen Ghodsee reads Part IV of Alexandra Kollontai's 1926 memoir: The Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman. In this portion of the memoir, Kollontai speaks about her time in exile in Western Europe, going to jail in Sweden, lecturing in America, and joining the Bolsheviks in 1915. She also has a short aside on her own love life and the joys and frustrations of being an independent woman. This memoir was written as Kollont...
20 Syys 201916min
