In Solidarity - by openDemocracy

Waring factions have dominated the headlines, but inside the Your Party conference the embers of hope for a different kind of politics were still burning. Investigative reporter Ethan Shone tells what the mood was like among the party members following months of public spats and PR disasters. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by James BattershillAudio engineering by James BattershillTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela— Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve normalised the idea that the world is ending, that society is tearing itself apart, that our countries — wherever we live — are falling apart. But what does that really look like? What does it feel like? What emerges in the aftermath?In this episode host Aman Sethi speaks to Renata Salecl,  a Slovenian philosopher, sociologist and political theorist to decode how the experiences of post-socialist countries can help us understand the crisis gripping the West.A Passion For Ignorance - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9780691240992The Spoils of Freedom - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9780415073585On Anxiety - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9780415312769The Tyranny of Choice - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781846681868https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by Aman SethiStory production by Ayodeji RotinwaAudio engineering by James BattershillTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:30 Post socialist societies07:22 The modern respect for cunning08:45 Lessons from pop culture10:16 The (mis)use of fake news13:53 On accelerationism16:11 The dissolution of societies18:53 Times when nothing and everything changes20:50 Those that enjoy life the wrong way22:24 Neoliberal collapse Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, Labour overwhelmingly voted in favour of an amendment that would end the criminalisation of women and pregnant people seeking abortions outside the 1967 Abortion Act exemptions. As the debate went through the Lords, we sat down with MSI Reproductive Choices’ Louise McCudden to discuss why we need decriminalisation now - and what this win means amid a global backlash against abortion rights. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by Sian NorrisStory production by Ayodeji RotinwaAudio engineering by James BattershillTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:07 What is the current legal state of abortion across the UK?05:13 The women being imprisoned for abortion10:16 The late-term abortion argument13:10 Imported tactics from the US16:21 The case for optimism19:02 Anti-abortion's international bankroll23:17 The future of the pro-abortion movement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can we learn about the future of consumer rights from the merger between Microsoft and Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard?When Labour came into power in 2024, they accused regulators like Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of inhibiting growth and appointed influential figures from the business world into key positions and advisory roles. This includes a former Amazon boss being made the head of the CMA, or as one lawyer observed “A monopolist had been appointed to lead the anti-monopoly watchdog”.In today’s episode Ethan Shone tells us what we can expect from a government that has put growth and prosperity for business ahead of the rights of everyday consumers. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by James BattershillStory production by Ayodeji RotinwaAudio engineering by James BattershillSpecial thanks to Indra WarnesTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:28 Why do regulatory bodies matter?04:35 Who is influencing the CMA now?07:25 Why are Labour taking this 'anti-consumer' approach?10:15 Who should we be paying attention to?14:09 What can we expect from Labour based on this trajectory? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Western media manufacture consent for Israel's ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza?In the last two years since Hamas' attack on Israel, and the latter's bombardment of the territories of Palestine it partially occupies, mainstream media particularly in the U.S. and Europe have broken their own rules of fairness, accuracy, conflict of interest, objectivity and so-called "neutrality" in their coverage of Israel's actions. They have often repeated the Israeli government's statements as fact without critical context or analysis; for example the fact that Israel was considered to be imposing apartheid on Palestinians long before October 7th. They have underreported or omitted major events from coverage including attacks on aid flotilla for Palestinians or Israeli declarations of intent to commit genocide. In some cases it has been discovered that some news organisations hired former soldiers of Israeli Defence Forces, as reporters without disclosing this affiliation to their audience. Lila Hassan, an independent investigative journalist and educator who has worked closely with many outlets in the West in the last two years and prior - and has seen the media's role in shaping this conflict firsthand, joins us today to discuss how we got here and the real world harms of the media failing at delivering the one sacred thing required of journalists: the truth. Follow Lila:https://www.instagram.com/bylilahassan/https://lila-hassan.com/—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by Ayodeji RotinwaEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji RotinwaTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward AbelaClips from Boston Globe, Al Jazeera, SJS news—Chapters:00:00 Introduction05:45 We MUST say genocide07:06 The tipping point11:25 The forbidden words14:44 Societal understanding vs Journalism20:02 The perception of language23:28 Western media betrays itself27:30 Conflicts of interest in reporting31:12 Misrepresentation from the media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In early September, Nepal witnessed massive protests under the banner of GenZ protests to demonstrate against what they viewed as a hopelessly corrupt and sclerotic regime. The immediate trigger was a government ban on social media apps, but as the protestors themselves have made clear – their grievances run much deeper. The protests in Nepal bear parallels to similar uprisings in Sri Lanka in 2022 and Bangladesh last year. On this episode, journalists Roman Gautam and Aman Sethi discuss if we are witnessing a South Asian version of the Arab Spring.http://www.himalmag.com—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:56 A week after revolution06:38 How widespread were the protests?07:55 The South Asian spring12:40 Discord democracy18:56 Respect for elders23:42 What's next for Nepal? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is rightly horrified by how US President Trump is deporting people, including minors, without due process. Something similar is underway in India, but worse and under the radar. Even since the border skirmishes between India and Pakistan this year, Indian authorities have been rounding up Muslim citizens and deporting them on the spurious grounds that they either Pakistani or Bangladeshi infiltrators.Abhishek Saha is an Indian journalist and author of No Land's People. He joins us on the show to discuss the devastating impact of India's forced deportations.Read No Land's People: https://harpercollins.co.in/product/no-lands-people/—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:44 What's happening in India?05:02 Why Bangladesh?07:05 The global pushback against migration12:39 Punishing inherited people14:42 Who determines what people are 'undesirable'17:50 Identifying outsiders21:48 Abusing bureaucracy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Labour marked a year in government, Fawcett Society's Penny East asks: what has Labour done for women? And what needs to happen next? —https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by Sian NorrisEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—00:00 Introduction01:50 The positive impacts of the Labour government04:38 Third party sexual harassment and the so-called 'Banter ban'07:35 The online backlash against feminism09:10 Decriminalisation of abortion10:05 Unfulfilled promises12:28 Traumatic failures around maternity care14:30 Labour's attitudes towards poverty and welfare16:56 Financial vulnerability and abuse19:03 Halving violence against women and girls22:09 The online safety bill25:39 Legislation is lagging behind31:55 What does solidarity mean to you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patriarchy refuses to die. In every country of the world, women are oppressed by male violence, patriarchal religions, and ideas of the family. But women are resisting, as Rahila Gupta explains, in a fascinating analysis that takes us from Riyadh and Russia, to Rojava. Buy Planet Patriarchy: Global Tales of Feminism and Oppression: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781805262879—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by Sian NorrisEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:30 Why write Planet Patriarchy now?03:37 The violence of patriarchy09:47 Family can be a form of violence11:32 The women-led revolution in Rojava16:56 The privilege of non-violence21:07 Rojava's fragile future22:31 What does solidarity mean to you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Content warning: This episode discusses sexual assault, rape and trauma.When our investigative reporter Sian Norris heard worrying claims about a Silicon Valley-style start-up targeting rape survivors at universities in Bristol, she knew she needed to uncover what exactly was going on.Over the next six months, Sian interviewed more than a dozen people on and off the record, sent multiple FOI requests and reviewed countless social media posts. Working with a Lucy H Watson, a student at Bristol university, Sian uncovered the concerns raised by students, universities and the police about Enough's approach, that sexual violence experts have issues with its methodologies, and that one of the organisation’s co-founders has links to a former beauty queen who described sexual assault as a “multi-billion-dollar industry”.Read Sian and Lucy’s investigation: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/enough-bristol-diy-rape-kits-bristol-university-start-up-katie-white-tom-allchurch/Lucy has set up a Student-led Instagram account raising awareness about Enough and their self-swab kits:https://www.instagram.com/enoughofenoughbristol/—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. Support the show by visiting https://www.openDemocracy.net/donate/Credits:Presented by James BattershillEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 CONTENT WARNING00:12 Introduction02:17 What is Enough?03:56 Investigating Enough05:07 The US connection06:55 Have rape self-swab kits ever been used in a criminal prosecution?08:42 Experiences of Enough 'in the wild'11:12 A lack of sensitivity12:47 How unique is Enough's solution?16:16 Visibility for victims19:23 Is there evidence of Enough's 'assault prevention' claims?20:52 Using the vulnerable as test users22:38 Is there any harm in using the kits as a backup?24:41 What data is collected and how is it protected?27:46 How is the company organised?28:38 Concerns over how Enough was pitching itself to Universities29:48 How revolutionary is Enough really?32:16 The shocking belligerence of Enough33:20 What does solidarity mean to Lucy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the first episode of our new mini-series exploring the financial interests of political parties in England and Wales. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has banked almost £5m from wealthy donors since 2023, including those with links to fossil fuels, the financial services industry and tax havens. It has also received significant financial investment from the general public in the form of party memberships. There seems to be a tension between the party’s desire to be seen as a grassroots, ‘by the people, for the people’ movement and its efforts to court the very billionaires its supporters believe they are rallying against. openDemocracy’s investigations reporter, Ethan Shone, examines this contradiction, discusses what Reform’s future might look like and asks whether the UK media is right to dedicate so much time to the party. Read Ethan’s investigation: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/reform-uk-funders-nigel-farage-5-million-donations-fossil-fuels-tax-havens/—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics.Support the show by visiting https://opendemocracy.net/donatehttps://insolidaritypodcast.substack.com/Credits:Presented by James BattershillEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction02:44 How was this data sourced?04:25 What's the cut-off for reporting?05:20 How does Reform's income compare to Labour and The Conservatives?08:47 Off-shore benefactors for political parties11:22 The people of note who back Reform13:22 Backers shifting from Conservatives to Reform14:34 George Cottrell - an unofficial aide?17:49 The phantom punishments19:22 What's Reform's future looking like?23:48 Should we even be talking about Reform? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 17 June 2025 UK Parliament voted to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales, reversing a Victorian-era law. The amendment will prevent women from being prosecuted for ending a pregnancy after 24 weeks or without approval from two doctors.We spoke to our senior investigative reporter Sian Norris, author of Bodies Under Siege: How the Far-Right Attack on Reproductive Rights Went Global. Get Bodies Under Siege by Sian Norris: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781839764738Read Sian’s full piece on this vote: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/mps-vote-decriminalise-abortion-important-increasing-prosecutions-global-backlash-us/—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics.Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by James BattershillEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction00:55 A huge achievement for women's reproductive rights01:55 'Isn't abortion already legal in the UK?'07:19 The 24 week question09:44 Telemedicine13:24 What does this mean on a global level?14:51 What happens next?17:22 On to the next fight! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, openDemocracy explored how successive governments had cracked down on protest rights. Now, with Just Stop Oil activists facing lengthy sentences for "conspiring" to commit protest offences, the impact of these laws is being felt more than ever. We sat down with human rights lawyer Katy Watts to discuss the sentencing, and how she and the NGO Liberty won a legal challenge against the government's new protest laws. https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/—https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics.Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Sian NorrisEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction01:16 Long sentences for protestors03:21 Protestors new-found reluctance05:41 Broadening definitions of what is criminal08:30 A framework for authoritarians09:50 What inspired the clamp down on protest?12:10 Holding the government to account in court16:04 Labour defending Conservative policies18:28 What happens to those arrested unlawfully?19:35 Neutering protests21:12 These protest laws target everyone24:56 Concerns about Labour's approach to protest27:37 What does solidarity mean to you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boomers ruined everything, Millennials are work-shy and Gen Z can’t comprehend anything that isn’t a TikTok dance. Generational language defines the way we think about broad cohorts of society, but is this way of viewing the world dividing us further at a time when solidarity has never been more important?Tom Nicholas, a writer, filmmaker and YouTuber, joins us to discuss his latest film Boomers: The Rise of Gerontocracy, generational language and whether Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z are really that different to each other or are just one generation shaped by the financial crisis.—Watch Boomers: The Rise of Gerontocracy - https://go.nebula.tv/boomersSubscribe to Tom Nicholas on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Tom_NicholasGet the openDemocracy newsletter - https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/newsletters/In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics.Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction03:00 Is generational discourse useful?08:20 Shrinking generations11:07 The long shadow of the financial crisis13:47 How is generational language shaping politics?15:47 What makes boomers different from other generations?18:01 Is it time to redefine generations?20:56 The Covid generation22:55 Intergenerational solidarity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on In Solidarity, we're in discussion with openDemocracy's senior investigative reporter and feminist activist, Sian Norris. Sian joins us on the podcast to reveal how recent laws are quietly dismantling the right to protest in the UK.Drawing on six months of in-depth reporting, Sian breaks down the true impact of the Public Order Act 2023 and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. These laws allow protests to be stopped before they even begin, based on little more than suspicion.What does this mean for democracy, and who is being targeted? From activists to everyday citizens, no one is exempt. This is a must-listen for anyone concerned about the increasingly authoritarian political climate in the UK -- and around the world.https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/conservative-labour-protest-ban-climate-gaza-just-stop-oil-extinction-rebellion-black-lives-matter/—Get our independent journalism delivered direct to your inbox, join the openDemocracy Newsletter today. In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics.Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Carla AbreuEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction01:51 Why investigate protest?04:56 What are the PCSC and POA?10:28 What's a 'serious disruption'?11:53 Who do these rules target?16:49 We're all 'arrestables' now19:42 Are all protests targeted equally?22:52 Targeting BLM and XR25:56 How does the party of free speech justify suppressing protest?29:25 The carol service crackdown32:28 Why don't Labour 'undo' this? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a young woman in 1980s Iran, Nasrin Parvaz was arrested, imprisoned and tortured by the Iranian regime. In this moving interview, she shares her experience of torture and incarceration, reflects on the successive women's revolutions in Iran, questions the West's ideas of regime change, and offers a powerful call for global sisterhood.http://www.nasrinparvaz.org/web/tag/https-www-victorinapress-com-product-one-womans-struggle-in-iran-a-prison-memoir/Get our independent journalism delivered direct to your inbox, join the openDemocracy Newsletter today. In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. It’s hosted by openDemocracy Senior Investigations reporter Sian Norris, author of Bodies Under Siege. Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Presented by Sian NorrisEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela—Get our independent journalism delivered direct to your inbox, join the openDemocracy Newsletter today. opendemocracy.net/newslettersIn Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. It’s hosted by openDemocracy editor-in-chief Aman Sethi, an award-winning journalist and author of A Free Man. Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction01:19 Being a female prisoner in Iran during the 80s04:33 Stolen Trauma05:59 A friend still imprisoned09:11 Those who paved the way12:32 The resistance lives on16:35 What's next for Iran's women?18:16 Global Sisterhood20:40 Hubris of the west23:27 Torture's global supporters25:57 Hopes for the future of Iran28:00 What does solidarity mean to you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many years, politicians have sold the public a simple story: The answer to undocumented immigration is a strong, fortified border. This story has a seductive, common-sense reasoning — but it is also wrong. Decades of research has shown that people determined to move, find a way to move. And when States respond with border controls, people turn to smugglers to circumvent these controls; and on and on this cycle goes with increasingly militarised borders on the one hand, and increasingly desperate people on the other. But politicians don’t want to engage with this research, when it is much more politically palatable to spend billions buying shiny technology from private corporations to prop the myth of strong borders. Our guests today have published research that shows the UK government has spent over 3.5 billion pounds in public money to support a sprawling, almost entirely privatised, apparatus to stop desperately vulnerable people from using small boats to cross the English channel and apply for asylum in the United Kingdom.Listen in to learn moreThis research was part of the collaborative Channel Crossings project who are Dr Arshad Isakjee, Dr Thom Davies and Dr Tesfalem Yemane, Dr Lucy Mayblin and Dr Joe Turner. We would like to thank Corporate Watch and Tipping Point UK in supporting this work. Here is a link to the initial report: https://channelcrossings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/border-security-contracts-briefing.-april-2025.docx-1-1.pdfTo find out more about the border security economy see here https://corporatewatch.org/category/companies/ and here https://www.tni.org/en/publication/financing-border-wars—Get our independent journalism delivered direct to your inbox, join the openDemocracy Newsletter today. In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. It’s hosted by openDemocracy editor-in-chief Aman Sethi, an award-winning journalist and author of A Free Man. Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by James Battershill, Ayodeji Rotinwa & Carla AbreuTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction03:30 The manufactured border crisis06:30 How to understand borders11:20 The economic migrant 'myth'15:09 The Borders industrial complex18:08 Technological underpinnings22:20 Investigating surveillance contracts25:09 Companies profiting from war and refugees28:25 We're all complicit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Community organisers around the world have long argued that to change a country, canvas a community. But is that really true? In this episode, we catch up with someone who literally wrote the book on the subject. Our guest George Goehl started organising in a soup kitchen in Southern Indiana 30 years ago in the Clinton era and continues to do so in the time of Trump. Listen in to understand how to fight effectively for change and why immigration is such a divisive issue. The Fundamentals Of Organizing - George Goehl —Get our independent journalism delivered direct to your inbox, join the openDemocracy Newsletter today. In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. It’s hosted by openDemocracy editor-in-chief Aman Sethi, an award-winning journalist and author of A Free Man. Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by James Battershill & Ayodeji RotinwaTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction01:18 How to George get into community organising05:37 The state of rural America08:12 Can community organising go national?11:45 Recharging for the fight ahead12:45 The public opinion of migration16:30 AD - The World Unspun podcast17:55 Progressive meekness21:31 Meaning making23:37 How progressive are Democrats really?25:54 Political vs Community organising28:55 Tangible change34:01 Tales from the doorsteps36:55 What does solidarity mean to you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The already fraught relationship between the United States and South Africa has been put under even more strain with Donald Trump's decision to cut foreign aid, not to mention South Africa's case against Israel at the ICJ.Menzi Ndhlovu, a political economist and risk analyst at Signal Risk a risk analysis consultancy focused on Africa, joins us to discuss this critical moment for South Africa.—Get our independent journalism delivered direct to your inbox, join the openDemocracy Newsletter today. In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. It’s hosted by openDemocracy’s Africa Editor, Ayodeji Rotinwa. Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by James Battershill & Ayodeji RotinwaTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela00:00 Introduction02:51 South Africa's support for Palestine09:19 The street that caused a geopolitical issue14:06 How the ANC has changed16:26 Trump's issues with South Africa22:10 Musk's issues with South Africa24:10 Is the US trying to bring South Africa to heel?28:00 How can South Africa appease the US?31:30 Is there an upside to the rift with the US?34:28 South Africa's moral quandary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Sriskandarajah is the author of Power to the People: Use your voice, change the worldSriskandarajah discusses the shift from a positive phase of civic engagement to a reversal over the past decade, emphasising the importance of community networks beyond state and market fixations. He highlights the role of civil society in nurturing democracy and the need for international solidarity. Sriskandarajah shares personal experiences from his childhood in Sri Lanka and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, underscoring the power of collective action and the interconnectedness of global issues.—Get our independent journalism delivered direct to your inbox, join the openDemocracy Newsletter today. In Solidarity is openDemocracy’s podcast about people, power, and politics. It’s hosted by openDemocracy editor-in-chief Aman Sethi, an award-winning journalist and author of A Free Man. Support the show by visiting openDemocracy.net/donate.Credits:Presented by Aman SethiEdited and produced by Nandini Archer, James Battershill & Ayodeji RotinwaTheme song ‘Odyssey’ performed by Edward Abela Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.