The Best Books We Read in 2022
Jacobin staffers and contributors reflect on the best books we read this year.
14659 Articles by: Kendra Strauss
Kendra Strauss is director of the Labour Studies Program and associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Simon Fraser University.
Right-Wing Blogger Curtis Yarvin Is Wrong. Democracy Is Good.
Reactionary pundit Curtis Yarvin (“Mencius Moldbug”) has attracted the support of Peter Thiel and other right-wing figures for his supposedly brilliant critique of democracy. But his arguments are paper-thin — everyone should have a say in shaping our society.
How Pasadena Tenant Organizers Helped Win a Historic Rent Control Law
In Pasadena, California, tenants recently won comprehensive rent control, including protections from retaliation against tenants who are trying to organize. Jacobin spoke with organizers from the campaign for rent control about the victory.
Applying for Unemployment Shouldn’t Be This Difficult
Many workers who qualify for unemployment don’t receive immediate benefits due to confusing application processes and unwieldy websites. A new federal funding proposal could fix these long-standing issues — but it’s in danger of being axed.
We Need a Pro-Worker Transition to Electric Vehicles
The transition to electric vehicles is mandatory to address climate change. But if done haphazardly, it could result in massive job losses. Bold industrial policy and a rejuvenated United Auto Workers union can make electric vehicles a win for workers.
American Hegemony Is Morally Bankrupt. We Need a Just Alternative.
Liberal internationalism is just another shade of US imperialism, dressed up in the language of democracy. But leftists have to do more than criticize: we must develop a viable alternative that prizes international collaboration and demilitarization.
The American Right Is Still Showing Worrying Signs of Strength
Republicans didn’t get their predicted “red wave” in the November midterms, but the results were hardly a repudiation of the Right: most of Donald Trump’s endorsed candidates won their races, and the GOP continues to make inroads with voters of color.
Brandon Johnson Is Looking to Go From the Public School Classroom to Mayor of Chicago
Brandon Johnson spent a decade as a rank-and-file Chicago teacher and organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union before winning county-level elected office. Now, he’s running for Chicago mayor with the union’s backing. We spoke to Johnson about his campaign.
How the New School’s Striking Faculty Forced Concessions From Their Administration
Earlier this month, striking part-time faculty at Manhattan’s New School ended a three-week walkout with the announcement of a tentative contract agreement that saw the university make major concessions. We spoke to New School workers about the strike.
Ryan Grim: “Railworkers Feel Like They Have Very Little Left to Lose at This Point”
Railworkers’ recent labor battle exposed their increasingly brutal working conditions. We spoke with journalist Ryan Grim about the rank-and-file effort to rebuild power in rail unions — so workers can fight the railroad bosses even harder next time.
The Ultimate Winner of the World Cup Was Transnational Capital
Western nations rightly accused World Cup host Qatar of worker exploitation and authoritarianism. The postcolonial world responded with well-founded accusations of Western hypocrisy. In the meantime, transnational capital has been let off the hook.
The Robots Won’t Save Us Until We Control the Means of Production
Automated robot landlords are here to make the wealthy even wealthier, reminding us that advances in technology always benefit the rich. But it doesn’t have to be that way — with workers at the helm, technological gains could be distributed equally.
Ron DeSantis Is Siding With Powerful Insurance Companies Against Florida Policyholders
At the behest of Ron DeSantis, Florida Republicans just passed a bill freeing property insurance companies from the responsibility to pay claimants’ legal fees in the event of a suit. It’s a big win for insurance giants — and a big loss for regular Floridians.
Harry and Meghan Just Want to Be Normal Rich People
If any good comes from tens of millions of people watching two incredibly boring rich people complain about how hard it is to be royalty in Netflix’s new documentary Harry & Meghan, maybe some will start to question whether the monarchy should even exist.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio Is Morbid and Off-Putting
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is handsome and well-crafted. But the film’s intertwining of traditional Catholicism, Fascism, and dysfunctional families with gooey sentimentality makes a stew of ingredients that don’t go well together.
Walter Benjamin Warned Us Against the Illusions of Capitalist Progress
Walter Benjamin was one of the most influential cultural theorists of the last century. There have been many attempts to defang and deradicalize Benjamin’s work, but his Marxist commitments run right through his dazzling intellectual legacy.
Giorgia Meloni Is a Female Face for an Anti-Feminist Agenda
Italy’s first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is hardly a feminist. But battles over gender are key to her rise, in a far-right agenda that fuses motherhood, nationalism, and the demonization of Muslims.
Repression Can’t Snuff Out West Papua’s Struggle for Freedom
Since Indonesia annexed West Papua, its people have faced brutal military repression while the US helps whitewash the occupation. But the country’s freedom movement is pressing ahead with a unique liberation project based on ecological principles.
The Russian Rebuke to “End-of-History” Triumphalism Is Complex and Potentially Dangerous
Russian disenchantment with Western liberalism has produced a worldview hostile to end-of-history triumphalism. The rise of this ideology may be another sign of liberalism’s decline, but its tenets set it at odds with liberalism’s socialist critics.
Unions Can Beat Anti-Labor Politicians
In November, education workers in Ontario staged a massive walkout and threatened a general strike, forcing premier Doug Ford to back down on repressive anti-labor legislation. Here’s how they did it.