Conter Radio

In this episode we discuss chapter two of A People's History of Scotland, “The Wars of Independence.” Offering fresh perspectives on William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Mary Queen of Scotts, host Sara Bennett is joined by author Chris Bambery to explore one of the most tumultuous periods in Scottish history—the two wars of independence. Sara and Chris discuss how power was wielded in feudal Sco...

Introducing a People's History of Scotland, a new Conter podcast. Music by Ewan McLennan, "Song of the Lower Classes" from the album "Stories Still Untold."

Some trade union leaders have always advanced pro-war politics. But now they also advance the foreign policy views of a new global middle class.

The Scottish Greens co-leader is an outspoken proponent of free trade, despite its decades-long record of global inequality and environmental destruction.

This week, David Jamieson reviews 'This is Only the Beginning' by Michael Chessum - a book that offers a window into the world of left-right syncretism, and the campaign that killed Corbynism.

The Ukrainian summer offensive has failed to launch, and the Nato powers are losing confidence. But how did some convince themselves of the fantasy of a war of good against fascism - and what will they think next?

We spoke to Tara McCormick, lecturer in international relations at the University of Leicester, about the emergence of humanitarian intervention after the Cold War. What are its origins and key ideas, and what does it suggest about class structure in modern society? Further, we discuss how the doctrine somehow survived the failure of the war on terror, and rehabilitated itself in Ukraine.

We speak to Samuel McIlhagga, a writer and researcher on the economics and sociology of the British elite, about whether Britain is in decline. Would decline point to the break-up, or reconsolidation of the state?

The return of New Labour's Scottish stalwarts tells us much about the morbidity of our politics.

With Spain’s snap election on the horizon, the left coalition government of centre-left PSOE and left-wing Podemos is at risk of defeat by the right-wing Popular Party (PP) and far-right Vox. The Spanish left is also taking on a new form for this election, with Sumar displacing Podemos as the dominant force. And for the Catalan independence movement, this election is also a litmus test of how stro...

Cat and David discuss Mhairi Black, the rise and rise of the centrist bro podcast, and nostalgia.

We spoke to Branko Marcetic - one of the US' leading anti-war journalists - about the US establishment's proxy-war with Russia, its growing hostility to China, and why the liberal wing of the elites has become the most warlike.

After Brexit, does Britain still need to escape member-statehood? Have elites given up rule? Does the working class need to constitute a new nation before it can think about socialism? We spoke to Philip Cunliffe, co-author of 'Taking Control: Sovereignty and Democracy After Brexit' about the democratic challenge to Global Britain. For the full podcast, including debates about Ireland, Scotland an...

In Mhairi Black, SNP leaders cultivated an ersatz socialist to attract voters. But what are the real tenets of this socialism?

Caroline Lucas, who entered politics as a Eurosceptic opponent of globalisation, exited as a warrior for the status quo. Her journey has been shared by so many on the left. How do we explain this?

After Sturgeon's arrest, we don't know where operation Branchform will lead. But we do know that the myths of Devolution era Scotland as a land of liberal good governance and enlightened order are baseless.

We are witnessing an historic turning point. The US can no longer pose its interests as universal, and is increasingly exposed as a self-interested actor, argues radical journalist and executive director of the Tricontinental Institute, Vijay Prashad. Speaking to Alice Kinghorn-Grey and Ben Wray, he draws out key shifts from recent imperial controversies, and points towards a more contested global...

Supporters called it speaking truth to power. Opponents called it fascist. But NatCon showed that the trivial obsessions of the culture war have polarised politics and demoted the big questions of our time.

We are joined by Michael Billeaux to discuss the stirring of the US Presidential election, and ask - why does US politics continue to be transfixed by Donald Trump?

Monarchism is being subculturalised. How long can it last with the support of the alienated and ideological?

Pete and James discuss the Coronation. - How much organic popular enthusiasm is there for Charles - Is The Firm still the standard bearer of British nationalism? - Who is the creepiest Royal? - Why does British republicanism remain so naff?

Sturgeon loyalists have begun alleging a state conspiracy to decapitate the nationalist movement and fend-off independence. But they aren't alone - around the world conspiracy theories are resurgent, and the political centre is the most paranoid of all.

Pete Ramand and James Foley speak to researcher and writer Gemma Milne, who specialises in the impact of tech on capitalist society, about artificial intelligence. - Will it usher in an abundant communist future - Will it plunge us into a dystopian capitalist hell of mass unemployment and censorship - Who are the new ideologues of artificial intelligence, and why does their enthusiasm for tech imp...

From Edinburgh to Washington, journalists are suspicious of unofficial information and eager for censorship. What's going on?

In the last year, simmering tensions between the west and China have threatened to erupt. The standoff over Taiwan, and the struggle for control of the South China Sea, are only one flashpoint. Alice Konghorn-Gray and Ben Wray speak to Ho-fung Hung, Wiesenfeld professor in political economy at Johns Hopkins University and author of several celebrated books on the Chinese model. They discuss: - Wha...