Ian Gough on human needs, essential labour and universal basic services

In this episode, we’ll be talking about history, temporality, and what the movie Groundhog Day can teach us about escaping capitalism. Our guest is Onur Acaroğlu, a lecturer in sociology at the University of Northampton in the UK, and author of the recent book chapter “The Challenge of Postcapitalism: Non-Capitalist Temporalities and Social Pathology”. We'll discuss time loops, utopianism, and self-preservation as an act of political warfare.

In this episode, we'll look at the possible strategic development of the degrowth movement, nowtopias and the concept of the pluriverse. Our guests are Matthias Schmelzer, Nina Treu and Tonny Nowshin. They are the authors of a chapter examining what degrowth can learn from other progressive movements for a new book entitled, "Degrowth and strategy: How to bring about social–ecological transformation."

In this episode, our guest is Robin Hahnel, who, in partnership, with Michael Albert developed a model called the “participatory economy”.  His latest book, "Democratic Economic Planning", was published in 2021, and forms the basis for our conversation. Among the subjects we discuss are democratic economic planning, generational justice and building moral economies.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about buen vivir, or the idea of living well, as well as rethinking development, and indigenous cultural traditions that can lead us to new ways of moving beyond capitalism. Our guest is Kepa Artaraz, a former lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Brighton in the UK. We'll discuss universal basic income and Kepa's escape from academic life and plans to grow a food forest in the Basque country in Spain.

In this episode, we talk about subjects including meaningless jobs, precarity, the anxiety that results from self-branding, and how to overcome futility. Our guest is Neil Vallelly, a political and social theorist, and author of the recently-published book, Futilitarianism: Neoliberalism and the Production of Uselessness.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about universal basic income, wellbeing, and monetism. Our guest is Marco Dondi, author of the recently-published book Outgrowing Capitalism: Rethinking Money to Reshape Society and Pursue Purpose. Marco also has more than ten years of experience as a strategy consultant working across disciplines including economic development, education and banking.

In this episode, we discuss human needs, universal basic services, essential labour and social citizenship. Our guest is Ian Gough, a visiting professor at the Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion and an associate at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. both at the London School of Economics. Ian is also an Emeritus Professor at the University of Bath and a taskforce member for the Social Guarantee. We’ll talk about the foundational economy, the shortcomings of universal basic income, and what qualifies as non-essential labor.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about how archaeology shapes our view of the past, present and future, and how the discipline can be an invaluable resource for challenging established narratives around capitalism.Our guests are Catherine Frieman, an associate professor in European archaeology at the Australian National University, and James Flexner, a senior lecturer in historical archaeology and heritage at the University of Sydney, and. We’ll discuss everything from the troubles with neolibeal academia to anarchism, degrowth and a couple of topics that may be better saved for an Englishman’s therapist.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about how universal basic services can help move us towards establishing a more equitable, efficient and sustainable society. Our guest is Anna Coote, an analyst, writer and social policy advocate, and principal fellow at the New Economics Foundation in the UK. We’ll discuss everything from the welfare state and food deserts to human needs and the problems with universal basic income. 

In this episode, we’ll be talking about how capitalism shapes our conception of disability, its impact on our mental health, and how we can rethink the welfare state. My guest is David Matthews, a lecturer in sociology and social policy at Coleg Llandrillo, Wales, and the leader of its degree program in health and social care. We’ll discuss how capitalism co-opts progressive politics, the monotony of work, and why it’s okay to enjoy watching wrestling.