Jon Nelson hosts this Labor Day episode of the Old Mole, which includes the following segments:
Lessons from Labor History: Laurie Mercier speaks with Mary Anne Trasciatti, Director of Labor Studies and Professor of Rhetoric and Public Advocacy at Hofstra University, about the inspirational early-20th century anti-capitalist radical, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and her successful coalition organizing. They also discuss the importance of using public spaces to tell labor’s stories. This interview originally aired on September 18, 2023.
Yellowface: Analogous to the term blackface, yellowface means to color your face yellow in order to appear Asian. Metaphorically speaking, that’s exactly what protagonist Juniper Song does in the 2023 novel by Rebecca Kuang titled Yellowface. Book Mole Patricia Kullberg reviews this biting satire of racism and cultural appropriation in the world of US publishing.
Nuclear is not the Solution: On August 29th, The Guardian reported on the billions of dollars rich countries such as the United States spend on false technological solutions to the climate crisis. For many scientists, the government subsidizing nuclear power is one notorious example. Jan Haaken talks with physicist M. V. Ramana about his new book, "Nuclear Is Not the Solution: The Folly of Atomic Power in the Age of Climate Change." Ramana is a physicist and professor of public policy at the University of British Columbia. They discuss the arguments that Ramana lays out in the book and what it means to work for a truly sustainable energy system. Ramana is also featured in the documentary film directed by Jan Haaken--Atomic Bamboozle: The False Promise of a Nuclear Renaissance. They will both be part of a webinar panel on September 30th following a month of free online screenings of the film on Eventive by the Sierra Club.