DiscoverNew Books NetworkKubrick’s Worlds: Power, Paranoia, and the Politics of the Human Condition
Kubrick’s Worlds: Power, Paranoia, and the Politics of the Human Condition

Kubrick’s Worlds: Power, Paranoia, and the Politics of the Human Condition

Update: 2025-10-28
Share

Description

In this episode of International Horizons, Interim Director Eli Karetny speaks with film scholar Nathan Abrams about the enduring relevance of Stanley Kubrick and what his work can teach us about our current era. From the nuclear absurdities of Dr. Strangelove to the cosmic rebirth of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick’s films expose the fragile line between technological mastery and moral collapse. Abrams unpacks Kubrick’s fascination with war, authority, and obedience, his roots in the New York Jewish intellectual tradition, and his exploration of mystical and mythic themes—from Kabbalah to The Odyssey. Together, they reveal how Kubrick’s cinematic universe reflects our own: a world where human creativity, paranoia, and power intertwine in both terrifying and illuminating ways.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Comments 
In Channel
Disco's Revenge

Disco's Revenge

2025-10-2859:02

The Trip

The Trip

2025-10-2723:20

loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Kubrick’s Worlds: Power, Paranoia, and the Politics of the Human Condition

Kubrick’s Worlds: Power, Paranoia, and the Politics of the Human Condition

New Books