IDEAS IN MOTION

Beller, J. (2022).  Digitality and racial capitalism . In B. Skeggs, S. R. Farris, A. Toscano, S. Bromberg (Eds.)  The Sage Handbook of Marxism . SAGE Publications Ltd, In this episode, we explore the chilling intersection of technology and systemic oppression through Jonathan Beller's "Digitality and Racial Capitalism," featured in the Sage Handbook of Marxism . Beller proposes that...

In this episode, we explore the structural and cultural construction of identity and inequality, drawing on Chapter 12 of Michele Dillon’s Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and Their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century . We examine the persistent "problem of the color-line" and how the historical legacies of slavery and colonialism continue to shape modern s...

Abstract: Gender has emerged as a central pillar of social theory, evolving from early feminist activism into a complex discipline that interrogates systemic structures of power. The conceptual framework of patriarchy serves as a master concept, describing a normative order that enforces heteronormativity and rigid gendered expectations across society. Through the historical progression of feminis...

Abstract: This work provides an extensive examination of feminist sociological theories, focusing on how gender inequality is structured and experienced across macro and micro levels of society. It traces the historical development of feminist thought, from early critiques of androcentric culture to contemporary frameworks that challenge objectified knowledge. Central to the discussion are standpo...

Intersectionality is an analytical framework that conceptualizes various modes of oppression—such as race, gender, class, and sexuality—as mutually constitutive and inseparable rather than distinct or additive categories. Rooted in the activism and theoretical contributions of women of color, it rejects "single-axis" thinking and the ranking of social injustices in a hierarchy. The docum...

The Jeffrey Epstein case provides a profound example for social analysis, revealing how elite power, impunity, and the mechanisms of class operate. According to the sources, a comprehensive understanding of the case requires both Bourdieusian concepts to map the granular mechanisms of legitimation and Marxian theory to explain the underlying structural forces. A Bourdieusian Analysis: The Machiner...

The source under discussion: Ritzer, G. & Stepnisky, J. (2022).  Chapter 10 – Postmodern Grand Theories   in  Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics,  Los Angeles: SAGE. (pp. 297-340) This chapter examines several postmodern grand theories that describe a contemporary world characterized by flux, uncertainty, and social constructions rather than modern certainty....

The Dialectic of Reason: From Mythic Origins to Modern Barbarism.  The Enlightenment’s foundational goal was the liberation of humanity from fear and the establishment of sovereignty through knowledge. However, this program of disenchantment has paradoxically facilitated a reversion to mythology and a new form of barbarism . By reducing knowledge to instrumental rationality —a tool for the dominat...

Social theory has transitioned from its classical European foundations —grounded in historical materialism, social facts, and interpretive sociology—to a multifaceted global discipline. While the traditional canon focused on class conflict and bureaucracy , the field now encompasses diverse American and European perspectives on symbolic interactionism , structural functionalism, and intersectional...

Are we truly measuring progress when we rely solely on economic growth? In a world grappling with urgent global socio-ecological challenges, the traditional concepts of 'well-being' and 'quality of life' have proven inadequate, often reduced to measuring "well-having" rather than authentic fulfilment. Reformist efforts to move "beyond GDP" have been crucial, but...

Toward a #Commonist Future: Redefining Value to Liberate Life (Insights from the Food System)This episode presents a summary of S. A. Hamed Hosseini's conference paper (presented at the 2025 New Economy Network Australia's Conference, 12 Oct 2025). He argues that the root cause of today's escalating socio-ecological crises, widening inequality, and global genocides is how "value&q...

This episode discusses a few key classical concepts in environmental studies from the book "Companion to Environmental Studies" Edited by Noel Castree, Mike Hulme, and James D. Proctor

This episode outlines the final assignment for a sociology course, SOCA3780, which challenges students to analyse  value dynamics  within a single, chosen sector (such as housing, healthcare, or education). The core purpose is to critically examine how  true value —grounded in human agency, liveability, conviviality, and alterity—is distorted into  capitalist value and fetish value  through the pr...

This academic article, authored by S. A. Hosseini and published in 1998, focuses on  “The Islamic Reconstructionist Methodology of Studying Quran.”  The text outlines a scholarly approach for understanding the Qur'an within contemporary Islamic thought, moving beyond traditional methods. The central purpose of the work is to present an  "Islamic Reconstructionist"  framework, advocat...

Dr Hosseini's work presents an  Existential Process Theory  inspired by the Islamic philosophy of Mulla Sadra, seeking to answer the profound question:  "Why is there existence instead of nothing?"  Drawing partly on the cosmological challenge raised by physicist Paul Davies, who notes that science cannot explain the origin of physical laws outside of space and time, Hosseini propose...

Value Dynamics in the Agricultural Sector (Podcast version of Session 11 Lecture) by S A Hamed Hosseini

This episode, based on an excerpt from Dr. S. A. Hamed Hosseini, addresses a student's confusion regarding the core distinctions between key concepts in critical theory, particularly those related to the origins of capitalist value. The text systematically differentiates  abstraction  (broken into primary and secondary stages) from  decommonization , explaining that decommonization is the over...

This episode, based on a chapter from a book titled "Conscientious Sociology" on  Ali Shariati's Committed Sociology , undertakes a critical analysis of Shariati's intellectual framework to position him within the broader  committed-critical paradigm  of social thought. The text argues that complex phenomena like humanity and history cannot be reduced to simple inherent traits, c...

From True Value to Capitalist and Fetish Value Across Multiple Sectors

Sources of True Value vs Fetish Value in Food Systems

Mapping the actors and forces in the Austrlian food system

In this episode, we dive into "Mastering the Annotated Bibliography: A SOCA2400 Guide," offering a clear, no-nonsense walkthrough of this crucial assessment. Here’s what you'll learn: • What the annotated bibliography is and why it matters as a stepping-stone to your final essay. • The bright-line rules on academic integrity and AI usage for this assessment. • Tips on strategically p...

This podcast delves into the transformative journey of land's value , moving beyond simple market and state dynamics to explore its profound ontological shifts. Drawing on the insights of "Capital Redefined," we unravel the infra-processes of decommonization where land’s inherent worth – its "true value" as "place, territory, and ecological-social life support" –...

The episode discusses various challenges and critical perspectives within higher education, particularly concerning  racism, diversity, and the impact of neoliberalism . Several sources highlight how  systemic racism, deeply embedded in institutional and structural systems , perpetuates disadvantages for Black, Asian, and minority ethnic individuals, including students and staff, often through  de...

This podcast discusses the initial results of a literature review of research published since 2010 on the issues of corporatization of higher education and marginalization of culturally and racially diverse academic laborers. Conducted by S A Hamed Hosseini, the review aimed to explore how the literature reflects the way the corporatization of universities reshapes academic work and reproduces ine...