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Artwork for KPFA - Against the Grain

KPFA - Against the Grain

KPFA
Capitalism
Neoliberalism
Social Justice
Palestine
Zionism
Israel
Lies My Teacher Told Me
Racism
Mental Health
Labor Movement
Great Depression
Gaza
Education
Climate Change
KPFA
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
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PoliticsNews

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Artwork for KPFA - Against the Grain

Latest Episodes

In the 1980s, yuppies were celebrated in the media and reviled by many others. Working in finance or as management consultants or lawyers, they quickly put their stamp on cities around the country, displacing working class people in places like New Y... more

Are women as strong as men? According to science writer Starre Vartan, in some cases, they are stronger. She argues that scientific research over the last several decades shows that culture shapes strength as much as hormones — and that much of what ... more

Over the past four centuries, owners have sought to wrest control of the labor process away from the workers in plantations, factories, and warehouse. Ideas about labor management, dressed up as a science, have often failed on the shop floor, but the... more

The Republican Party has traditionally been the party of the business class. But since the era of Newt Gingrich in the 1990s, the GOP has been marked by internal strife and ideological chaos — and in the last presidential election, the business class... more

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Recent Guests

Paul Heideman
Author of Rogue Elephant, Associate Editor at Jacobin
Jacobin / author of Rogue Elephant
Episode: How the GOP Lurched Further to the Right
Julian Treasure
Author of Sound Effects, How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Well-Being and Our Planet
Author/Researcher
Episode: Changing Sound
Brent Kaup
Professor of Sociology, College of William & Mary
College of William and Mary
Episode: Capitalism and Insect-Borne Diseases
Kelly Austin
Professor of Sociology and Global Studies, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Episode: Capitalism and Insect-Borne Diseases
Jared Farmer
Historian, author of Elder Flora, A Modern History of Ancient Trees
University of Pennsylvania
Episode: Fund Drive Special: Fossil Capitalism and Trees
Christopher Mathias
Journalist, author of To Catch a Fascist, The Fight to Expose the Radical Right
Author, To Catch a Fascist
Episode: Fund Drive Special: Unmasking the Far Right
Graham Burnett
Historian of science at Princeton, co-author of A Tensity, a Manifesto of the Attention Liberation Movement
Friends of Attention / Princeton University
Episode: Fund Drive Special: Against the Attention Economy
Scott Kurashige
Historian and activist, author of American Peril: The Violent History of Anti-Asian Racism
James and Grace Lee Boggs Foundation
Episode: U.S. Capitalism, Empire, and Anti-Asian Violence
David Singerman
Historian, author of Unrefined: How Capitalism Reinvented Sugar
University of Virginia
Episode: Sugar and Capitalism

Hosts

C. S. Soong
Co-host and producer known for thoughtful and well-researched interviews, bringing depth to discussions on political, economic, and social issues.
Sasha Lilley
Co-host and key contributor to the discussions, focusing on providing critical analysis and diverse perspectives on various socio-political topics.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 250 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 States9 months 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.

Overall, it is regarded as an essential source for discussions on radical politics and progressive thought.
Listeners appreciate the thoughtfulness and depth of analysis provided by the hosts, highlighting the informative nature of discussions.
Some find the content to be biased towards extreme left views, which may not align with all listeners' perspectives, indicating a potential polarization in audience reception.
The podcast is praised for featuring expert guests whose perspectives challenge mainstream narratives.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Changing Sound
Q: And how can we make the spaces around us better for hearing and listening?
He suggests practical design and behavioral practices, such as conscious listening, quieter spaces, and architectural choices that reduce reverberation and unwanted noise, alongside individual habits like mindful listening and environment savoring.
Changing Sound
Q: So this is of course a very big question, but I wonder if you can give us at least some sense of the many significant ways we humans generate sound, whether on land or air or at sea.
Treasure explains the sheer volume and variety of anthropogenic and natural sounds, noting how creatures, ships, industry, and weather create a complex acoustic environment that affects ecosystems and human life alike.
Against the Grain – May 19, 2026
Q: Can you remind our listeners what took place at the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville in 2017?
The rally involved a torch-lit night march, a large counter-protest, and escalated street battles; a vehicle attack killed Heather Heyer and injured many, while media and political figures sparked controversy with statements that amplified the event's notoriety.
Fund Drive Special: Artificial Intelligence, the Media, and the Billionaire Class
Q: And I wanted to ask you about the state of the media now. Since the 1980s, there's been this tremendous consolidation of the media—how much of it is due to private ownership versus the business model of advertising?
Larson argues that private ownership combined with an advertising-based business model drives media to serve the interests of wealthy owners and advertisers, reducing critical coverage of wealth concentration and corporate power, while suggesting public funding and independent models as a counterforce.
Surveilling Ourselves
Q: What changes could counterbalance the power of private corporations in surveillance?
Ferguson discusses potential judicial and legislative reforms, including updating Fourth Amendment protections to cover digital data, and state-level measures to create stronger privacy rights, such as protecting intimate data like heart monitor data from being used in court.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About KPFA - Against the Grain

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

Content centers around progressive and radical topics, addressing a range of political, economic, social, and cultural issues that are significant to contemporary activism. Through thoughtful interviews and guest contributions, episodes explore subjects such as labor history, economic inequality, authoritarianism, and the complexities of U.S. imperialism. A notable aspect is the inclusion of discussions that challenge mainstream narratives, providing depth and critical insights into the mechanisms of power and resistance. This approach not only engages listeners but also fosters an informed community interested in social justice and egalitarian principles.

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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. Guerrilla History
4. What's Left of Philosophy
5. Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

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.

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What guests have appeared on KPFA - Against the Grain?

Recent guests on KPFA - Against the Grain include:

1. Paul Heideman
2. Julian Treasure
3. Brent Kaup
4. Kelly Austin
5. Jared Farmer
6. Christopher Mathias
7. Graham Burnett
8. Scott Kurashige

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