Theoryish

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Hello all, apologies for the delay in releasing this episode! Hannah has been going through some medical issues and has recently had surgery. Hannah also recently passed her PhD Viva and so has been busier than usual. We have more episodes recorded for this season and we will work hard to get these to you much sooner than we did before. 

In this episode, we dive in Carl von Clausewitz’s On War to explore its relevance to the 21st century. We are joined by Dr. Henry Brown who has experience in the militarisation of antifacist politics in Interwar Europe. Throughout the episode we examine Clausewitz’s concept of “absolute war” and how this changes in the age of total war, proxy conflicts, and mutually assured destruction. We discuss the gendered language of war, as well as Clausewitz’s life and On War’s history and uses.  

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cq5NGq7lgrtdkiCZiQMHUQhC9UPxvNWQq56AkFASbEk/edit?usp=sharing  

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

Join us for a very special interview with Rustam Alexander, author of Red Closet: The Hidden History of Gay Oppression in the USSR. Alexander uncovers an overlooked area of 20th century history, tracing the roots and realities of the lives of queer people in the USSR. We explore how Alexander conducted the archival research for this book, how he felt writing the text, and some of the history discussed in the text.  

This is the second collaboration with Manchester University Press, offering you an exclusive discount on this book. This is one of the only texts covering this topic in an easy to read format, and we highly recommend you pick up a copy! 

You can find the book here: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526167453/. Use discount code THEORY30 for 30% off (until the 23rd December 2025).  

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QdNTQ6KZJ92oGG9R-42TzVUb7Em_WyWH3j6xc_AMquA/edit?usp=sharing 

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

We’re back from our mid-season break and diving fang-first into the Gothic! In this episode, we sink our teeth into Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla (1872), the vampire novella that predates Dracula and oozes with queerness, gothic description, and Victorian sensibilities. Join us as we explore themes of desire, tension, obliviousness, and erotic friendship. Expect vampires, hand holding, and a lot of laughs.  

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sFIN9vNHxjA9rPLz70uxiYEB-fRd8ceg2Jif9-mImwU/edit?usp=sharing  

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

A little update on where we've been...

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

This week we’re taking a deep dive into all things witchy by discussing The Malleus Maleficarum (edited by Peter Maxwell-Stuart). Originally written by Heinrich Kramer in the 15th century, this book played a pivotal role in the witch hunts across Europe. Utilizing Maxwell-Stuart's translation and introduction, we explore the Malleus’ origins, impact, and why women are often seen at the center of witch trials.  

This episode marks one of the first collaborations of the season with Manchester University Press, offering you an exclusive discount on this text. This edition of the Malleus offers a clear, readable translation and an introduction that lays out the context of late-medieval Europe, a time of spiritual paranoia when powerful men suspected women’s sexuality was a tool of the Devil.  

Get your copy here: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181473/ and use discount code THEORY30 for 30% off (until the 23rd December 2025).  

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11MVURJIBg6mMOuf7J-yf7ma4KgbkmowzWuQE66yU3CA/edit?usp=sharing  

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

In this episode we dive into the world of phenomenology, exploring its rich history and evolution from its roots with Edmund Husserl to its contemporary developments with thinkers like Sara Ahmed. Phenomenology, a complex yet fascinating philosophical movement, focuses on the study of consciousness and experience. Join us as we break down key terms, examine the central ideas and history that have shaped this field, explore the critical counterpoints to phenomenology and explore how phenomenology still holds sway today.  

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HjtGDBqhV-hLDzX3u1arPm_lYD2O4uCHxxB_bts8E8c/edit?usp=sharing 

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

In this episode, we dive into Clement Greenberg’s influential 1939 essay ‘Avant-Garde and Kitsch’. We explore and outline the concepts of avant-garde and kitsch, unpack their complex relationship, and examine how Greenberg connects kitsch with totalitarianism. Join us as we unpack these ideas and their continued relevance to the world of art and culture.  

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/146NNYOs21-5gjgIIiexoDsxdiBXM0SdLNQIYoNFXpas/edit?usp=sharing  

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email:[email protected] 

Socials 

We are onTwitter,Instagram andTikTok at theoryish_pod andFacebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro:Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

Welcome to the first theory episode of Season 3! Today we are joined by Matthew Bliss, a PhD researcher based in the History of Art department at the University of Warwick.

The Arcades Project is the dreamlike and fragmentary unfinished project of Walter Benjamin which offers an enormous amount of writing on Paris in the 19th century. In the episode we unpack the architectural structure of arcades, why Benjamin was so fascinated with them, the flâneur before finishing with a discussion of films, books and more that feature strolling about as a theme.

This is our fourth (and possibly final) episode on Walter Benjamin and we really hope you enjoy!

Find out more about Matthew Bliss here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/scapvc/arthistory/research/students/studentresearch/bliss/

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WPKpI5Wb1uGc6b9qjEoQgR1A0ZIQDGGbjWX7W5WXk_M/edit?usp=sharing

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios 

We are back (and better than ever!)

Join us as we give some much needed life updates and chat about the upcoming season.

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: [email protected] 

Socials 

We are on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at theoryish_pod and Facebook at theoryishpod 

Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios