Varn Vlog

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.

Podcasting since 2021 • 427 episodes

Varn Vlog

Latest Episodes

Brandon Lightly on the New Democracy and National Fronts

In this episode of Varn Vlog, you and Brandon Lightly analyze the failures of the "New Democracy" and "National Front" strategies as globalized Marxist frameworks.Key points include:Indonesia: D.N. Aidit’s PKI collapsed because ...

October 01, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 105 • 2:22:59

Ben Burgis on Confessing Class Reductionism

Today, we are joined by philosopher, columnist, and host of Give Them an Argument, Ben Burgis, for a wide-ranging, deeply analytical dive into his recent Sublation pamphlet, Confessions of a Class Reductionist, and his upcoming co-edited volume...

September 28, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 104 • 2:15:07

The Shadow Court and Protecting Democracy with Julie Suk

The Supreme Court is supposed to decide disputes, not run the country, so why does it feel like nine unelected justices can rewrite constitutional meaning with a single opinion? We sit down with Dr. Julie Suk, Fordham Law professor and author o...

September 24, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 103 • 1:38:09

Alabama Prisons At A Breaking Point with Matthew Vernon Whalan

Today, we are joined by independent journalist, oral historian, and qualitative researcher Matthew Vernon Whalan to dissect his vital book out from Kersplebedeb: Bullock: Chronicles of Deprivation and Despair in the American Prison.While...

September 21, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 102 • 1:20:35

Egypt After The Revolution with Hossam el-Hamalawy

Welcome back to the Vlog. Today, we are joined by acclaimed Egyptian journalist, activist, and labor historian Hossam el-Hamalawy to discuss his vital text out from Verso Books, Counter-Revolution in Egypt: State and Barracks.A ...

September 17, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 101 • 1:50:39

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If you wish to understand Bataille in the Post Structuralist context, refer to Rosalind Krauss’ definitive analysis of Bataille, Documents and Surrealist photography, The Optical Unconscious (MIT Press).

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