CommonSpace Podcasts

Beyond the Noise is a regular Source podcast with David Jamieson, looking in detail at stories in the headlines.

For this edition Jamieson is joined by Michael Billeaux, a sociology PHD candidate at the University of Wisconsin and a participant in the Black Lives Matter movement.

They discuss:

1:00 – What is the status of the movement now? Has it changed over time in terms of the tactics it is deploying the the constituencies it is drawing-in?

3:50 – How should we understand the latest manifestations in terms of both the longer Black Lives Matter movement, and the even longer tradition of anti-racist politics in US society?

8:57 – What victories has the movement achieved, and what demands are it making?

17:50 – What impact do international protests have on the movement in the US?

Beyond the Noise is a Source News podcast, looking at the ideas behind the news agenda.

Earlier this month Scotland lost one of its most important contemporary intellectuals, Neil Davidson.

Host David Jamieson speaks to Raymond Morell, a trade unionist and socialist who was a long-time friend and collaborator with Neil, to discuss his political activism and theoretical work.

They discuss:

2:35 – How did Neil Davidson’s background in working class Aberdeen inform his approach to politics and to Scottish History?

6:15 – He was a rare ‘organic intellectual’ developing many of his ideas outside the academic circuit. Why did this make him an important voice?

12:15 – What was the substance of his intervention into Scottish history, and what political climate did it interact with?

19: 15 – Why was Davidson and important thinker in regards to the Scottish national question and the 2014 Scottish independence referendum?

Beyond the Noise is a regular Source.scot podcast, where journalist David Jamieson gets behind the headlines to explore issues in the news in more depth.

This week Jamieson is joined by Professor of Retail Studies at Stirling University Leigh Sparks, to discuss the turmoil in the retail sector in pandemic and lockdown conditions.

They discuss:

1:15 - What has been the scale of the impact from lockdown on the retail sector so far?

5:00 – Are the big retail firms in an even stronger position than before, and are smaller and family firms in a more precarious state?

10:50 – What might the retail economy look life after lockdown, will old shopping habits return, or are we in for longer term trend changes?

19:05 – How can the retail sector change to become more sustainable and socially just?

Beyond the Noise is a regular Source.scot podcast, where journalist David Jamieson gets behind the headlines to explore issues in the news in more depth.

This week Jamieson is joined by writer and activist Jonathon Shafi, to discuss the scale of the unfolding crisis, and the forms that inevitable resistance will take.

They discuss:

1:00 - Several weeks into lockdown, what picture of the crisis do we now have? How severe is it, and what is the next major turn in governing policy?

6:41 - What might emerging forms of resistance during the economic crisis look like?

13:44 - With both the EU and the US badly impacted by the pandemic and economic crisis, is Britain's position, wedged between these two spheres, even more confused and chaotic?

23:30 - What is the shape of the social movements that will emerge in this period, given that both the Corbyn moment in Labour and the Sanders movement in the US have passed?

Beyond the Noise is a regular Source.scot podcast, where journalist David Jamieson gets behind the headlines to explore issues in the news in more depth.

This week Jamieson is joined by economist and journalist George Kerevan to explore the scope of the new economic crisis triggered by the global Covid-19 Pandemic.

They discuss:

1:00 – Is this crisis just about the Coronavirus pandemic, or is there a wider context explaining the fragility of the global economy?

8:00 – Does the present crisis bear comparison to the 1920s and 30s, when the global capitalist system was incapable of solving its problems?

16:00 – Has the present era of ‘neoliberalism’ finally ended.

26:00 – How can the capitalist class argue again for the working class to pay for the crisis, after a decade of austerity?

Beyond the Noise is a regular podcast Source reporter David Jamieson, looking in depth at stories in the news.

This week Jamieson speaks to veteran trade union activist Bill Ramsay about Coronavirus, the wider economic, social and political shocks it is promoting, and what comes next.

They discuss:

1:23 – We are witnessing historic changes to the global economy. What historical eras might we draw comparisons with to try and get our bearings?

4:37 – Is the global economic orthodoxy of ‘neoliberal globalisation’ collapsing under the impact of Coronavirus?

10:00 – What might an appropriate response to the crisis at a national level in Scotland look like?

23:00 – How the UK Governments answer to the situation could threaten small businesses. What might the knock on effect be?

30:30 – Is the state going to be used to protect the wealthy and powerful through the current crisis?

33:40 - What might some immediate demands to protect working class living conditions look like?

Image by Gerd Altmann

Beyond the Noise is a weekly CommonSpace podcast, where reporter David Jamieson seeks to dig behind the headlines to discuss the deeper issues at stake.

This week Jamieson was joined from across the Atlantic by Pete Ramand, a volunteer organiser in the Sanders campaign, to discuss Super Tuesday and Joe Biden's arrival as the leading Democratic candidate.

1:17 - What is super Tuesday and why has it been to rough for the Sanders campaign?

7:05 – Are there any developments that could yet turn-around the situation and salvage Sanders’ campaign?

19:33 – Is Trump relishing a run-off against Joe Biden? What are his key limitations as a candidate?

25:15 – Why there are real concerns over Biden’s ability to go one on one against either Sanders or Trump.

Beyond the Noise is a weekly CommonSpace podcast, where reporter David Jamieson seeks to dig behind the headlines to discuss the deeper issues at stake.

This week Jamieson spoke to Luke Devlin, a human ecologist and member of the Enough Collective - a group exploring the concept of degrowth as a response to the ecological crisis.

5:33 – Why is de-growth the correct argument for the movement against environmental destruction?

9:34 – Doesn’t the idea of degrowth ignore the reality of class society, and the danger that an austerian turn would land the heaviest burden on the working class.

21:25 – Is it fair to say that we are all morally responsible for the environmental crisis? Might that not detract from the fundamental inequalities and injustices that underpin it?

30:10 – How should those serious about confronting climate change deal with the forthcoming cop 26 climate conference in Glasgow?

Beyond the Noise is a weekly CommonSpace podcast, where reporter David Jamieson seeks to dig behind the headlines to discuss the deeper issues at stake.

This week Jamieson spoke to Franny McAdam, national organiser of Cairde na hEireann (Friends of Ireland) about Sinn Fein’s historic breaktrhough in the Irish elections

0:43 – What were the reasons behind the Sinn Fein surge?

2:37 – Can the two traditional governing parties simply lock Sinn Fein out? How tenable is that position?

7:27 – What are the major obstacles to moves towards a united Ireland?

14:01 – Has co-operation between the Irish unity and Scottish independence movements improved? Is there further scope for combined action?

Beyond the Noise is a weekly CommonSpace podcast, where reporter David Jamieson seeks to dig behind the headlines to discuss the deeper issues at stake.

This week Jamieson spoke to Emily Robinson, a labour historian based at Edinburgh University who has been an activist with Bernie Sander's campaign, and who has commented extensively on the ongoing movement.

They discuss:

1:23 – How has Bernie Sanders’ Campaign come from behind to take poll position in the Democratic race?

6:25 – Can Sanders’ campaign hold the course over such a long campaign? What are the peculiarities of US politics his campaign is up against?

11:36 – Which candidates are the most dangerous to Sanders? Is there a real possibility of stitch-up by the Democrat party machine and elite backers to keep him out?

17:29 – Is Sanders the candidate with the edge to beat Trump? What might a collision between Trumpism and Bernieism look like?