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Behind the News with Doug Henwood

Doug Henwood
Donald Trump
Israel
United States
Iran
Private Equity
Neoliberalism
Trump Administration
Silicon Valley
Republican Party
Capitalism
China
Gaza
Socialism
European Union
Democratic Party
Political Economy
Venezuela
Artificial Intelligence
Right-Wing Populism
Sudan

Behind the News with Doug Henwood

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes28Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Behind the News

Latest Episodes

Behind the News, 10/22/26 - guest: Mike Beggs on how socialism might work in the real world - Doug Henwood

Behind the News, 10/15/26 - guests: Rodrigo Nunes on Brazil and the far right • Shawn Gude on Eugene V. Debs - Doug Henwood

Behind The News [untitled] - - Doug Henwood

Behind the News, 10/1/26 - guests: Owen Zidar on the hidden rich • Jake Werner on US–China relations - Doug Henwood

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Mike Beggs
Senior lecturer in political economy at the University of Sydney and contributor to Jacobin
University of Sydney
Episode: Behind the News, 10/22/26
Rodrigo Nunes
Associate professor of philosophy at PUC Rio and author of Anatomy of Disintegration
PUC Rio
Episode: Behind the News, 10/15/26
Shawn Gude
Author of American Socialist: The Life and Legacy of Eugene V. Debs
Episode: Behind the News, 10/15/26
Nancy Fraser
Emerita professor of philosophy at the New School
New School
Episode: Behind The News [untitled]
Natalie Y. Moore
Journalist
Episode: Behind The News [untitled]
Owen Zidar
Co-author of The Everywhere Millionaire
Henry Holt (publisher)
Episode: Behind the News, 10/1/26
Jake Werner
Director of the East Asia program at the Quincy Institute
Quincy Institute
Episode: Behind the News, 10/1/26
Kristin Cobus Du Mez
Author of Live, Laugh, Love; professor of history at Calvin University
Calvin University
Episode: Behind the News, 9/24/26
Jennifer Berkshire
Education journalist and co-host of Have You Heard? podcast
Episode: Behind the News, 9/17/26

Host

Doug Henwood
Doug Henwood is the long-time host of the program, known for deep, thoughtful interviews on economics, politics, and culture.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 680 ratings
  • ST. LOUIS MENTIONED!!!

    Episode 1/22/2026, 9 minutes 41 seconds in.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Flora Racine
    United States9 months ago
  • Thank you, Doug!

    I’ve been listening to Behind the News for years and it has profoundly deepened my knowledge and understanding of world events. I am always amazed at how Doug is able to speak with a wide range of extremely knowledgeable guests and distill complex topics into accessible segments. Not to mention some awesome music interludes. Thank you for all you do, Doug!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kchen510
    United States10 months ago
  • Weekly pair of 25 minute interviews, w great music

    This podcast is like a dispatch, with meal-sized discussions fit for a lunch break - musical refreshments included. The host is very experienced and keeps the energy crisp and moving, even when the topics are quite sophisticated or high-intensity. Rarely is the content “too much to handle”, but almost always the guests nurture my intelligence. The material may be kept to a 25-minute se’ment, with a wizened interviewer, but I never feel I am being fed simplified or boring material.

    If someone l... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    *never too late
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great interviews. Love the music interludes.

    Let's go out with this.

    Bye!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    dirt mcgirt
    a year ago
  • One of the best

    This podcast is an oasis from the anti-intellectualism rampant in the U.S. today. Great guests, and Doug doesn’t waste my time with mindless chit-chat, which I appreciate. Lots packed into these conversations and I always learn a lot.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AmeliaInTheForest
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality analysis that makes complex topics accessible.
Thoughtful, incisive interviews with strong guests.
Music breaks are a welcome texture to dense conversations.
Listeners appreciate the host's ability to probe deeply without losing clarity.
Consistently insightful and well-reasoned discussions.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Behind the News, 10/15/26
Q: What can we learn from his example, his career, his legacy today with Socialist politics on something of an upswing?
Gude says socialism should be made human and tangible by offering people a better life through services and economic security, while building a strong alternative culture that creates community and joy.
Behind the News, 10/15/26
Q: You said in the book that you expected Lula to win. What happened?
Nunes says Flavio Bolsonaro had seemed like a weak candidate, but the far right's strength was already evident in its gains in Brazil's legislature and state governments. He argues that the result reflects a far right that remains influential and continues to rise.
Behind the News, 10/22/26
Q: How can you not consider this, now that half the world seems to be on fire, and the other half underwater?
Beggs agrees climate change is urgent and says the model could address it through direct public investment in the energy transition and regulation of carbon emissions. He acknowledges that the book gives the issue less attention than it deserves and says he is working on a paper to extend the model.
Behind the News, 10/22/26
Q: These firms, worker-owned and controlled. What does that mean in practice?
Beggs says the public would own wealth and natural resources, while worker-run firms would obtain investment financing from public banks. Workers would elect boards that oversee professional administrators rather than make every daily decision themselves.
Behind the News, 9/24/26
Q: Now you grew up in and study this world; how do you reconcile seemingly positive cultural narratives with the harsher realities you describe?
Du Mez describes growing up with one foot in the world and one foot in critical analysis, showing how public positivity often masks underlying power dynamics, control, and suffering within conservative religious communities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Behind the News

What is Behind the News about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, economics- and politics-forward discussion that blends current events with historical and theoretical context. Episodes frequently pair rigorous policy analysis with deep dives into power, money, and institutions, featuring economists, historians, political scientists, and journalists who illuminate how systems shape public policy, inequality, and labor. The show often explores pragmatic reform ideas (like universal housing, healthcare, or workers' rights) while critically examining media narratives, elite influence, and geopolitical power. Notable is a steady rhythm of two thoughtful interviews per episode, interwoven with music breaks, producing accessible but substantial conversations that appeal to listeners who value analytica... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Behind the News?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Behind the News:

1. The Dig
2. Jacobin Radio
3. Know Your Enemy
4. Politics Theory Other
5. American Prestige

How many episodes of Behind the News are there?

Behind the News launched 21 years ago and published 28 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Behind the News?

Recent guests on Behind the News include:

1. Mike Beggs
2. Rodrigo Nunes
3. Shawn Gude
4. Nancy Fraser
5. Natalie Y. Moore
6. Owen Zidar
7. Jake Werner
8. Kristin Cobus Du Mez

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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