Rephonic
Artwork for Rhyming Chaos
Donald Trump
United States
Elon Musk
Authoritarianism
China
South Africa
Democracy
Chile
Cultural Revolution
Vietnam War
North Korea
State Capture
Corruption
Hugo Chávez
Pol Pot
Khmer Rouge
Media Manipulation
Russia
South Korea
Martial Law

Interviews with people who have lived through or studied periods of great change, upheaval, chaos, and authoritarian takeover. www.rhymingchaos.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes35Founded8 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Rhyming Chaos

Latest Episodes

Dr. Natalya Chernyshova is author of the book Soviet consumer culture in the Brezhnev era, and the upcoming The most Soviet republic: Belarus in the long 1970s. She is a historian of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and Senior Lecturer in Modern ... more

YouTube

Edward Schatz is author of the book Slow Anti-Americanism: Social Movements and Symbolic Politics in Central Asia, and other influential books and articles in political science, and on Kazakhstan. He is a professor of Political Science at the Univers... more

YouTube

Julia Sonnevend is the author of Charm: How Magnetic Personalities Shape Global Politics, one of the New Yorker’s Best Books of 2024. She is an associate professor of sociology and communications at the New School, and currently a CARGC Visiting Scho... more

YouTube

The daily onslaught of outrageous news of corruption, destruction of government capacity, and attacks on science and education in the U.S. right now is dizzying. “What now?” you scream as you scroll through the morning’s news. It’s a little like the ... more

YouTube

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.

Sinica Podcast
Sinica PodcastKaiser Kuo
Pekingology
PekingologyCenter for Strategic and International Studies
ChinaTalk
ChinaTalkJordan Schneider

Recent Guests

Geremie R. Barmé
Sinologist, historian, filmmaker, translator, and author of several books on Chinese culture, politics, and life.
Episode: A constant bombardment of noise and information: China, 1974 to America, 2025
Huey Li
Political commentator, author of Dividing the Rulers, How Majority Cycling Saves Democracy, and a prominent figure on TikTok and YouTube.
Not specified
Episode: The illusion of benevolent dictatorship
Katie Stallard
Senior Editor, China and Global Affairs at New Statesman and author of Dancing on Bones
New Statesman
Episode: The abuse of history in China, Russia, North Korea, and Trump's America
Howard French
Journalist and author, he has worked for the Washington Post and New York Times, and has authored several books including 'The Second Emancipation'.
Episode: An African vision for freedom
William De Jong Lambert
Historian of science focusing on evolution, genetics, and heredity.
Bronx Community College, CUNY
Episode: Lysenko: RFK Jr.'s Soviet predecessor
Andrea Pitzer
Author of three acclaimed books, including One Long Night, A Global History of Concentration Camps
Episode: American concentration camps
Christina Pagel
Professor of Operational Research in Healthcare at University College London and author of a newsletter on data and decision-making.
University College London
Episode: A mathematician looks at Trump's authoritarian takeover
Derek Peterson
Professor in the History Department and the Department of Afro-American and African Studies at the University of Michigan, author of A Popular History of Idi Amin's Uganda.
University of Michigan
Episode: Africa's most famous dictator, Idi Amin, and Donald Trump
Arash Azizi
A writer and historian who grew up in Iran and moved to Canada in 2008, he now resides in the US.
Contributing writer at The Atlantic, commentary in The New York Times
Episode: Iran's past and the future of America

Host

Jeremy Goldkorn
Hosts discussions that critically explore political and historical themes.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 32 ratings
  • Terrific

    Captures the zeitgeist. Necessary listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tommy the Bird
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Prescient lessons from the past

    Excellent, much needed especially now. Prescient — the past is present. Urgent exegesis of past authoritarian regimes and state capture.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chxu0629
    United States7 months ago
  • Great addition to podcast library

    Did the world need another podcast? Actually, yes, this one. Thoughtful, timely conversations that cover a lot of turf at a brisk pace. (And my dog thanks you for getting an extended walk while I was listening.)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    maggiekl
    United States7 months ago
  • Excellent and Insightful Conversations

    Jeremy and his guests present a deep-dive into the recent history of states across the world that have gone through profound shifts in their governance. As an American living in this year of our Lord 2025, it couldn’t be a more topical discussion for how weird things might be about to get.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Peter Truax
    United States8 months ago
  • Paul French

    Predictably excellent stuff from

    Mr Goldkorn

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chinarhyming
    United Kingdom8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the thought-provoking content and timely discussions, often finding them relevant to contemporary societal challenges.
Many express gratitude for the unique perspectives offered, particularly those that draw historical parallels to present-day concerns.
The engaging conversations with knowledgeable guests are frequently highlighted as a strength of the episodes, adding depth to understanding complex issues.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#182
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#147
Singapore/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#193
Finland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#229
Hong Kong/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mobutu: The dictator who wanted to make Zaire great again
Q: What do you see happening with the current student bodies in universities? Are they potentially revolutionary?
While there are parallels with student activism in Congo, in the US current students engage deeply with ideological debates, but it's unclear if they will translate that into revolutionary action.
Mobutu: The dictator who wanted to make Zaire great again
Q: What were the long-term consequences of Mobutu's repression for Congolese political intellectual life?
The long-term consequences included a cycle of violence against the intellectual class, a traumatic legacy for students, and a lack of accountability for the atrocities committed.
Mobutu: The dictator who wanted to make Zaire great again
Q: Was he himself a charismatic leader? Did he establish a personality cult?
Yes, Mobutu was charismatic and built a personality cult around himself through policies aimed at promoting a sense of national identity and stability.
Mobutu: The dictator who wanted to make Zaire great again
Q: Can you talk a little bit about how Mobutu dismantled and corrupted state institutions? Was there any ideology behind it or was it simply a loss for power?
Mobutu operated through kleptocratic tendencies with an underlying ideology of African nationalism, initially trying to create a unified state but later resorting to violence and corruption.
A constant bombardment of noise and information: China, 1974 to America, 2025
Q: Can you talk about the hectic pace of events in the United States right now?
Geremie recounts his experiences in China during the Cultural Revolution, highlighting the daily political directives and campaigns that created an atmosphere of stress and exhaustion, drawing a parallel to the current turmoil in the US.

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 Rhyming Chaos

What is Rhyming Chaos about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast features insightful interviews with individuals who have experienced or studied significant periods of upheaval, change, and authoritarianism. The discussions often draw parallels between historical events, such as political upheaval and authoritarian regimes, and contemporary issues, revealing how past experiences can inform present-day political dynamics. The podcast tends to explore themes of governance, resistance against oppression, and the personal narratives of those who have navigated chaotic environments. A notable aspect is its focus on various global contexts, providing a rich understanding of how authoritarianism can manifest across different cultures and times.

With an emphasis on analytical perspectives and perso... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Rhyming Chaos?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Rhyming Chaos. 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 Rhyming Chaos and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Rhyming Chaos get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Rhyming Chaos, 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 Rhyming Chaos?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Rhyming Chaos, 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 Rhyming Chaos have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Rhyming Chaos 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 Rhyming Chaos?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Rhyming Chaos:

1. Sinica Podcast
2. Pekingology
3. ChinaTalk
4. Face-Off: The U.S. vs China
5. Money Stuff: The Podcast

How many episodes of Rhyming Chaos are there?

Rhyming Chaos launched 8 months ago and published 35 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 Rhyming Chaos?

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 Rhyming Chaos?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Rhyming Chaos 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 Rhyming Chaos?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Rhyming Chaos. 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 Rhyming Chaos?

Recent guests on Rhyming Chaos include:

1. Geremie R. Barmé
2. Huey Li
3. Katie Stallard
4. Howard French
5. William De Jong Lambert
6. Andrea Pitzer
7. Christina Pagel
8. Derek Peterson

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