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Abandon all hope ye who subscribe here. Varn Vlog is the pod of C. Derick Varn. We combine the conversation on philosophy, political economy, art, history, culture, anthropology, and geopolitics from a left-wing and culturally informed perspective. We approach the world from a historical lens with an eye for hard truths and structural analysis.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes390Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsEducation

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Latest Episodes

Romanticism gets treated like a synonym for nostalgia, and German Idealism gets shrunk to a few brand-name thinkers. We push back on both habits by talking with Christopher Satoor, a York University doctoral candidate and founder of the Young Idealis... more

Join hosts as they dive deep into the complexities of modern French politics with guest Henry Wallace. This episode explores the concept of the "new municipalism" and the strategic efforts of the La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) movement to recla... more

What happens when “march separately, strike together” meets real history? We dive into the tangled story of the United Front—where it came from, how it changed, and why its results ranged from lifeline to dead end. Starting with Marx and the First In... more

What if the real story of American education isn’t test scores or culture wars, but air you can breathe, roofs that don’t leak, and the invisible money pipes that decide who gets both? We sit down with David I. Backer, associate professor of educatio... more

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Recent Guests

David I. Backer
Associate Professor of Education Policy at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Episode: Wall Street Went To Homeroom And Stole The Whiteboard with David I Backer
Edward Baring
Professor of History and Human Values at Princeton; author on Derrida and continental philosophy
Princeton University
Episode: From Catechism To Class Consciousness: How Marxism Was Taught with Edward Barring
Christoph Schuringa
Associate professor at Northeastern University in London; editor of the Hegel Bulletin
Northeastern University London; Hegel Bulletin
Episode: How Philosophy Lost Its Nerve And How Marx Put It Back To Work with Christoph Schuringa
Nicholas D. Villarreal
Guest expert on post-liberalism and contemporary politics
Episode: Post-Liberalism’s Fade with Nicolas Villarreal
Phil Neel
Marxist geographer and author of Hellworld
Episode: Hellworld And The Broken Labor Map with Phil Neel
Sam Chian
Independent scholar with peer-reviewed writings on Immanuel Wallerstein
Episode: From Mills To World-Systems: Tracing Wallerstein’s Path with Sam Chian
Brandon Lightly
Policy researcher with a focus on investigating ideology in the context of contemporary crises.
Episode: Popular Or United Fronts Explained with Brandon Lightly
Timothy Schatz
PhD candidate with a focus on phenomenology
Villanova University
Episode: Crisis As Decision In German Thought with Timothy Schatz
Sudip Bhattacharya
Episode: Punditry Without Memory with Sudip Bhattacharya

Host

C. Derick Varn
Host and curator focusing on philosophy, political economy, history, and geopolitics from a left perspective.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 238 ratings
  • Great show

    Lots of lots of great information - do an episode on operismo plz

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bernie 2016
    United States8 months ago
  • Superior

    A real treasure. Varn’s erudite musings are essential listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hdhfiigehdoshe
    Canadaa year ago
  • 50/50

    Sometimes very interesting and enlightening. Especially enjoy episodes that go into something the host or interviewees are knowledgeable about.

    Unfortunately it goes into leftist hipsterism often where people show off how pure or knowledegeabled they are for hours.

    Their takes on anything outside of the anglo culture (specially latin America) aren’t very good, so I wouldn’t recommend paying attention to that.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    gerech
    United States2 years ago
  • Incredible resource

    Detail dense and incredibly knowledgeable.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    aya_papayaa
    United States2 years ago
  • Very good

    The most intellectually honest show on the left, or anywhere

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IOC19
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise challenging, thoughtful conversations with expert guests.
Shows deep intellectual rigor and wide-ranging knowledge.
A few critiques note occasional left-leaning bias or focus on non-English perspectives.

Top Education Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

From Catechism To Class Consciousness: How Marxism Was Taught with Edward Barring
Q: So I want to ask you though, why did you, why the focus on Marxism? Your prior work is more on continental philosophy.
The author explains that Marxism is a central thread in his work and that understanding its educational and institutional dimensions helps illuminate how ideas spread and influence masses, beyond elite circles.
Wall Street Went To Homeroom And Stole The Whiteboard with David I Backer
Q: What would a minimum program for finance demands look like, and how should organizing proceed to achieve it?
A minimum program would include federal and subnational finance reforms that decentralize yet coordinate funding, such as a Green New Deal for schools with grants and low-cost loans, tax-based sharing across districts, and a national investment authority to back collective public goods. Organizing should focus on creating jointures that cross racial and geographic boundaries, pooling resources like parent association funds, and building cross-district coalitions to challenge hyperlocal funding silos.
Hellworld And The Broken Labor Map with Phil Neel
Q: What is the central claim of Hellworld about labor markets and the organization of production?
Hellworld argues that capitalism continually reorganizes labor through cycles of deindustrialization and new industrial booms, creating a bifurcated labor market and a growing gap between productivity gains and wages, while production becomes more technologically complex and socially centralized in ways that the existing political order struggles to accommodate.
Why Capitalism’s “Mute Compulsion” Isn’t The Whole Story with Nicolas D. Villarreal
Q: How do you view 'Mute Compulsion' in its critique of capitalism?
It simplifies complex dynamics between market forces and productive relations, failing to address fundamental economic mechanisms from a Marxist perspective.
Boundless and Bottomless (Special): Jay Rogers on Dugin's Fourth Political Theory
Q: How did you get interested in Alexander Dugan and why does he matter to you?
I found Dugin compelling due to his unique synthesis of various philosophical elements and his critique of liberalism, despite not agreeing with everything he represents.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Varn Vlog

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

This show centers on philosophy, political economy, history, culture, and geopolitics from a left-leaning, culturally informed lens. Recent episodes frequently feature academics, theorists, and political commentators who dissect labor, capitalism, imperialism, and social movements, often contextualized through historical analysis. A standout trait is the host's ability to pull in diverse, highly educated guests to challenge conventional narratives and explore long-running structural questions. Listeners likely appreciate rigorous critique, theoretical depth, and connections between global developments and local politics, with a readiness to engage complex ideas.

Noteworthy is the show's willingness to blend theoretical debate with practica... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Varn Vlog:

1. This Wreckage
2. American Prestige
3. Bungacast
4. Chapo Trap House
5. Acid Horizon

How many episodes of Varn Vlog are there?

Varn Vlog launched 5 years ago and published 390 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 Varn Vlog?

Recent guests on Varn Vlog include:

1. David I. Backer
2. Edward Baring
3. Christoph Schuringa
4. Nicholas D. Villarreal
5. Phil Neel
6. Sam Chian
7. Brandon Lightly
8. Timothy Schatz

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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