Rephonic
Artwork for KPFA - Against the Grain

KPFA - Against the Grain

KPFA
Capitalism
Neoliberalism
Social Justice
Palestine
Zionism
Israel
Climate Change
Lies My Teacher Told Me
Racism
Mental Health
Labor Movement
KPFA
Great Depression
Gaza
Education
United States
Donald Trump
California
Gig Economy
Socialism

Acclaimed program of ideas, in-depth analysis, and commentary on a variety of matters—political, economic, social, and cultural—important to progressive and radical thinking and activism. Against the Grain is produced and hosted by Sasha Lilley.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1000Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for KPFA - Against the Grain

Latest Episodes

The ramifications of the US attack on Iran have been a harsh reminder of the centrality of oil to the global economy – and not just for fuel and transport. Political economist Adam Hanieh reflects on the rise of crude oil in the 20th century. He argu... more

Food affects all of us — but while it’s a necessity for our survival, it’s also a vast, sprawling industry spanning the globe, which generates enormous profits as well as significant damage to public health and the environment. Nutritionist and molec... more

The powers of the president of the United States have grown since the Cold War, expanding under both Republicans and Democrats. And many of these presidential powers – such as those laid out in the presidential emergency action documents — are unknow... more

As mega-fires rage around the world, why have so many people given up on the climate fight? Environmental sociologist Diana Stuart examines how fatalism about the climate emergency has been shaped by the erroneous assumption that, if we exceed 1.5C o... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Democracy Now! Audio
Democracy Now! AudioDemocracy Now!
What's Left of Philosophy
What's Left of PhilosophyLillian Cicerchia, Owen Glyn-Williams, Gil Morejón, and William Paris

Recent Guests

Adam Hanieh
Director of the SOAS Middle East Institute, University of London
SOAS, University of London
Episode: Oil and Global Capitalism
Marion Nestle
Nutritionist and molecular biologist, Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at NYU
New York University
Episode: Marion Nestle on Food Choices and Food Politics
Andrew Coburn
Washington editor of Harper's Magazine; author
Harper's Magazine
Episode: Trump and the Powers of the U.S. Presidency
Diana Stuart
Environmental sociologist, author of Rejecting Climate Doomism
Northern Arizona University
Episode: Against Climate Doomism
David George Haskell
Biologist; author of How Flowers Made Our World, The Story of Nature's Revolutionaries
University of the South? (not specified in transcript)
Episode: Fund Drive Special: Unlikely World Makers
Carla Kaplan
Professor of American Literature and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies at Northeastern University
Northeastern University
Episode: Muckraker Extraordinaire
Starre Vartan
Science writer, author of The Stronger Sex
The Stronger Sex (book)
Episode: Strength and Sex
Stephen Bezruchka
Professor Emeritus, Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington
University of Washington
Episode: Americans: Unequal and Sick
Peter Richardson
Author of Brand New Beat, The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone Magazine
Author
Episode: Rolling Stone and the Limits of the Counterculture

Host

Sasha Lilley
Host of Against the Grain

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 252 ratings
  • Great Program

    I have been listening to Against The Grain for over a decade. Please keep up the great work. The topics covered by C.S. Song and Sasha Lilley are very informative and are needed more than ever, in these authoritarian times.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hija de La Orisha
    United Statesa year ago
  • Excellent research and hosts

    Very thoughtful and informative! Sasha Lilley and CS Song are very adept at guiding the interviews forward. I almost always learn something that changes my knowledge of the world, even from the eps whose titles I am less interested in. My favorite was an interview with David Graeber.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DostDevil
    United States5 years ago
  • Are there any herbs for ‘orange-man-bad’ syndrome??

    Extremely biased against Trump presidency. While there is some credible, unbiased, subjects discussed on this podcast, it fails to objectively evaluate the White House w/out selling the same old propaganda the left has been dishing for four years

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    whyareyouonlyonitunes
    United States6 years ago
  • KPFA, and public intellectualism, at its best

    Simply one of the finest scholarly radio shows in America. I’d been listening to Against the Grain on FM for more than a decade, and I’m so grateful that it’s now offered via podcast so I can easily listen to it on the east coast. You’d be hard pressed to find a more fascinating podcast hearing from the most innovative leftist intellectuals today.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tkoshark
    United States6 years ago
  • Yo

    Yo chill on the ram das

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    yoooooooooootkrnn
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Among the best for long-form, intellectually rigorous discussions with smart guests.
A must-listen for listeners who value analytical, non-mainstream perspectives.
Thoughtful, deeply researched interviews that change how listeners view the world.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#197
India/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#246
Colombia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Fund Drive Special: Unlikely World Makers
Q: What can listeners do in their own gardens to support biodiversity and reflect this ecological wisdom?
Plant native species to support local pollinators while recognizing that a garden with diverse species from other regions can also provide nectar, and advocate for broader habitat protection and strong biodiversity policies.
Fund Drive Special: Unlikely World Makers
Q: Could you explain the three innovations you highlight as foundational to flowers' success?
The three innovations are: (1) communicating with insects through beauty to establish cooperative pollination, (2) motherhood via fruits that protect and disseminate seeds, and (3) genetic storms that generate vast variation which natural selection can sift for advantageous traits.
Fund Drive Special: Unlikely World Makers
Q: Today on Against the Grain. How did flowers change the landscape of our world, and why do you argue they revolutionized the planet?
Flowers altered ecosystems by creating new relationships with insects, producing fruits that protect and disperse seeds, and expanding genetic diversity, which together sparked rapid ecological and evolutionary change across land and sea.
Against Climate Doomism
Q: Can you explain why market-based solutions like carbon taxes are insufficient on their own?
Carbon taxes can help in some contexts but are often too weak or poorly communicated to avoid regressive impacts; combining them with sufficiency measures and strong regulatory action against subsidies yields more effective reduction of emissions and supports a just transition.
Against Climate Doomism
Q: What role should individuals play versus governments and corporations in addressing emissions?
While individual actions matter, the bulk of emissions come from governments, military, and industry. The discussion emphasizes shifting focus to policy reforms, subsidies reform, wealth-based measures, and regulatory changes to drive systemic reductions in emissions.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About KPFA - Against the Grain

What is KPFA - Against the Grain about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Analyses tend to center on power, policy, and culture through rigorous interviews with scholars, journalists, and activists. Topics span executive power, climate policy, anti-fascist organizing, muckraking journalism, gender and biology, health inequality, surveillance, and the historical roots of American imperialism. Episodes often blend historical context with contemporary critique, and frequently weave in fundraising or public-media advocacy. The show is notable for its deep-dive, long-form format and its ability to connect complex ideas to current political debates, making it a compelling listen for listeners who crave thoughtful, evidence-based discussion from a left-leaning perspective.

Where can I find podcast stats for KPFA - Against the Grain?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for KPFA - Against the Grain. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to KPFA - Against the Grain and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does KPFA - Against the Grain get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for KPFA - Against the Grain, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for KPFA - Against the Grain?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for KPFA - Against the Grain, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does KPFA - Against the Grain have?

To see how many followers or subscribers KPFA - Against the Grain has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to KPFA - Against the Grain?

These podcasts share a similar audience with KPFA - Against the Grain:

1. Behind the News with Doug Henwood
2. Jacobin Radio
3. Democracy Now! Audio
4. Ralph Nader Radio Hour
5. What's Left of Philosophy

How many episodes of KPFA - Against the Grain are there?

KPFA - Against the Grain launched 21 years ago and published 1000 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact KPFA - Against the Grain?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for KPFA - Against the Grain?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for KPFA - Against the Grain from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for KPFA - Against the Grain?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of KPFA - Against the Grain. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on KPFA - Against the Grain?

Recent guests on KPFA - Against the Grain include:

1. Adam Hanieh
2. Marion Nestle
3. Andrew Coburn
4. Diana Stuart
5. David George Haskell
6. Carla Kaplan
7. Starre Vartan
8. Stephen Bezruchka

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days