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Upstream

Upstream
Capitalism
Socialism
Imperialism
United States
China
Palestine
Marxism
Global South
US Imperialism
Climate Change
Cuba
Israel
Colonialism
Zionism
Neoliberalism
Class Struggle
Venezuela
Communism
Labor Movement
Working Class

Conversations and audio documentaries exploring a wide variety of themes pertaining to economics and politics, hosted by Della Z Duncan and Robert R. Raymond

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes299Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureNewsPolitics

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Latest Episodes

This is a free preview of the episode "The Crushing Despair of Class Society." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast

As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bon... more

In this episode we're joined by Max Haivan for a conversation on gamified capitalism and 21st century fascism. Max Haiven is Canada Research Chair in Radical Imagination at Lakehead University and author of many books, including most recently, The Pl... more

This is a free preview of the episode "Cuba Ep. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast

As a Patreo... more

This is an unlocked version of our Patreon episode "Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro."

In this episode, Part 1 of a 2-part miniseries, Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro join us to discu... more

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Recent Guests

Henry Hakamäki
Co-host of Guerrilla History; Editor and Translator
Iskra Books
Episode: [TEASER] Cuba Ep. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at SUNY New Paltz; co-translator of the English edition
SUNY New Paltz; Iskra Books
Episode: [TEASER] Cuba Ep. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
Carsey Blanton
Songwriter, touring musician, and organizer with Artists Against Apartheid and People's Songs
Artists Against Apartheid; People's Songs
Episode: The Cultural Cold War: Folk Music and Communism w/ Carsie Blanton
Abby Martin
Journalist, activist, founder of the Empire Files and director of Cuba After Castro
Empire Files
Episode: Cuba Ep. 10: Cuba after Castro w/ Abby Martin
Charisse Burden-Stelly
Associate Professor of African American Studies at Wayne State University; author of Black Scare, Red Scare, Theorizing Capitalist Racism in the United States
Wayne State University; Black Alliance for Peace; Movement Builders; Anti-Imperialist Scholars Collective
Episode: Cuba Ep 9: Conjuring up the Red Menace w/ Charisse Burden-Stelly
Mohamed Khougali
Sudanese psychotherapist, author of Politically Unconscious, The Psychic Aftermath of the Sudanese Revolution
Iskra Books; Black Radicals (Germany)
Episode: Sudan Ep. 1: The Unconscious Revolution w/ Mohamed Khougali
Gregg Castro
Culture Director for the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone; writer and activist
Association of Ramaytush Ohlone
Episode: Honorable Harvest: Indigenous Economics w/ Gregg Castro
Charles Xu
Member of Qiao Collective and Sovereign Media
Qiao Collective; Sovereign Media
Episode: [TEASER] China Ep. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun
Feiyang Sun
Member of Qiao Collective
Qiao Collective
Episode: [TEASER] China Ep. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun

Hosts

Robert R. Raymond
Host of Upstream and co-host/interviewer; long-running show co-lead with Della Duncan
Della Duncan
Co-host of Upstream; lead interviewer and discussion facilitator

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 8.3k ratings
  • Up with the revolution

    Excellent analysis and guests along with some really great production. One of the best podcasts on the left!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Renito7
    United States3 months ago
  • Must listen to.

    Free Palestine!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    adthhufb
    United States3 months ago
  • Glad for this to exist

    Really appreciate all the voices this podcast platforms. All of them have been unafraid in speaking truth to power.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jun4osh
    Canada4 months ago
  • Crucial

    This podcast is by far one of the richest resources for anyone doing the work of deprograming dominant culture propaganda and sensing into the life affirming worlds asking of us to do that work and show up for liberation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    terrible programing
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Excellent analysis, very well produced

    Podcast Addict
    5
    failingmarx
    4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Many note high production quality and the hosts' ability to handle complex topics accessibly.
Listeners praise deep, thoughtful interviews with experts and activists.
Fans highlight the show as essential for understanding global political economy from a left perspective.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#116
Philippines/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#223
Sweden/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

[TEASER] China Ep. 11: Tibet w/ Ken Hammond
Q: So you brought us up to basically the fall and end of the Qing dynasty. What happened in Tibet from 1912 to the early 1950s regarding governance and independence movements?
Tibet experienced a period of relative political fragmentation following the Qing collapse, with local power centers asserting varying degrees of autonomy and independence aspirations, but lacking a stable, centralized authority. Western interest and internal religious leadership dynamics shaped the public governance and policies, while external pressures and the memory of Qing-era patronage influenced Tibet's negotiation with neighboring powers and the eventual alignment with broader Chinese national developments.
[TEASER] Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
Q: Welcome to Upstream. Henry, can we start with you by introducing yourself and your connection to today's topics?
Henry introduces himself as a co-host of Guerrilla History, a translator/editor for Iskra Books, and a scholar involved in socialist circles, framing ecology within a Marxist-lens and setting up the discussion about Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology.
[TEASER] China Ep. 10: The Dialectics of Chinese Labor w/ Immanuel Ness
Q: Why did you decide to write a book about the state of Chinese labor, particularly in the context of Western narratives about China's workforce?
Ness explains that he traveled to China, spoke with workers, union leaders, and employers to counter simplistic, negative depictions, aiming to present a more complex picture of labor in a socialist market economy and to examine how unions operate within China's unique political economy.
Sudan Ep. 1: The Unconscious Revolution w/ Mohamed Khougali
Q: Could you give a broad sense of what the book Politically Unconscious is about and what drove you to write it?
The book blends historical analysis of Sudan's left and colonial history with a psychosocial lens, using praxis psychotherapy to connect individual therapeutic emergence with collective political change, and to contextualize the current moment within longer historical processes.
The Democratic Party w/ Cecilia Guerrero
Q: What is the present role of the Democratic Party domestically and internationally according to your analysis?
The host argues that both parties function as mediation and co-optation vehicles for capital, with the Democrats often acting as a stabilizing force for imperialist interests; the guest provides specific examples from domestic labor movements and foreign interventions to illustrate this point.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Upstream

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

The show centers on leftist political economy, imperialism, anti-capitalist critique, and global South solidarity. Episodes blend historical analysis, contemporary geopolitics, and theory with practical case studies, featuring guests ranging from Marxist scholars and economists to Indigenous thinkers, regional experts, and social movement organizers. The hosts guide wide-ranging conversations that connect labor history, revolutionary strategy, and macroeconomic structures to current events, often highlighting sovereignty, decolonization, and mutual-aid frameworks. A standout trait is its rigorous materialist lens paired with accessible dialogue, plus a willingness to critique established power structures and mainstream narratives. Listeners... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Upstream?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Upstream:

1. Guerrilla History
2. Rev Left Radio
3. Red Menace
4. The Red Nation Podcast
5. The Dig

How many episodes of Upstream are there?

Upstream launched 11 years ago and published 299 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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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.

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What guests have appeared on Upstream?

Recent guests on Upstream include:

1. Henry Hakamäki
2. Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
3. Carsey Blanton
4. Abby Martin
5. Charisse Burden-Stelly
6. Mohamed Khougali
7. Gregg Castro
8. Charles Xu

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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