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Tag: Radical Reads

November 12, 2025November 26, 2025 Working Class History Podcast

E113: Radical Reads – Forces of Labour

Collage image featuring the book cover of Beverly Silver's 'Forces of Labor: Workers' Movements and Globalization Since 1870' alongside a crowd of textile strikers in Egypt and another historical labor protest scene, with bold text overlay promoting 'Radical Reads'.

The latest in our Radical Reads series, we discuss Beverly Silver’s pioneering work, Forces of Labour: Workers’ Movements and Globalisation Since 1870, a book which was hugely influential on many of us at Working Class History.

Continue reading “E113: Radical Reads – Forces of Labour” →
October 8, 2025October 18, 2025 Working Class History Podcast

E112: Radical Reads – Be Gay, Do Crime

Book cover for 'Be Gay, Do Crime: Everyday Acts of Queer Resistance and Rebellion' featuring a crowd at a pride event.

As part of our Radical Reads series, we speak about our latest book, Be Gay, Do Crime: Everyday Acts of Queer Resistance and Rebellion, with editors Zane McNeill, Blu Buchanan and Riley Clare Valentine.

Continue reading “E112: Radical Reads – Be Gay, Do Crime” →
May 23, 2025July 2, 2025 Working Class History Podcast

E106: Radical Reads – China in Global Capitalism

As part of our Radical Reads series, we speak to Eli Friedman and Kevin Lin about their new book, China in Global Capitalism: Building International Solidarity Against Imperial Rivalry.

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January 23, 2025February 12, 2025 Working Class History Podcast

E101: Radical Reads – ‘Fractured: Race, Class, Gender and the Hatred of Identity Politics’

As part of our Radical Reads series, we speak to Alex Charnley and Michael Richmond about their book, Fractured: Race, Class, Gender and the Hatred of Identity Politics.

Continue reading “E101: Radical Reads – ‘Fractured: Race, Class, Gender and the Hatred of Identity Politics’” →
December 18, 2024January 1, 2025 Working Class History Podcast

E98: Radical Reads – ‘Jews Don’t Count’ by David Baddiel

In the latest addition to our Radical Reads series, we invited Michael Richmond to talk to us about David Baddiel’s ridiculous book, Jews Don’t Count.

Continue reading “E98: Radical Reads – ‘Jews Don’t Count’ by David Baddiel” →
November 20, 2024December 11, 2024 Working Class History Podcast

E97: Radical Reads – ‘Hezbollah: 10 Things You Need To Know’

As part of our Radical Reads series, we talk to Elia Ayoub about his article, ‘Hezbollah: 10 Things You Need To Know’.

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October 10, 2024November 26, 2024 Working Class History Podcast

E94: Radical Reads w/ Jasper Bernes – ‘If We Burn’

First of our new series, Radical Reads, in which we team up with Jasper Bernes to discuss Vincent Bevins’ 2023 book, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution.

Continue reading “E94: Radical Reads w/ Jasper Bernes – ‘If We Burn’” →

16 October 1951: Spit and polish action - On This Day in Working Class History

On this day, 16 October 1951, firefighters in Britain took their first ever national industrial action with an unofficial "spit and polish" strike, in response to attacks on pay and conditions. The action consisted of responding to emergency calls and putting out fires but refusing all other routine duties like domestic chores and training. The background to the dispute was fire services reverting back to the control of local authorities after World War II, with councils claiming they could not afford the pay firefighters the same salaries they received during the war. However, historians like Victor Bailey believe that authorities wanted to undermine the organisation of fire service workers. In an effort to break the action, bosses began suspending, fining, demoting, disciplining and sacking firefighters, and sending in police to eject workers from fire stations but this failed to deter the workers. On 19 November, the Fire Brigades Union declared the "spit and polish" action official. While public support was already behind the firefighters, a fire in London in which three FBU members facing disciplinary action were killed turned opinion even more against management. The London County Council swiftly dropped its other disciplinaries and by Christmas local fire authorities caved in, many of them reinstating sacked or demoted firefighters and repaying fines paid.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8830/spit-and-polish-actionOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

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