Pink Tides and Stolen Toilets
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Pink Tides and Stolen Toilets
What strikes, upset elections, and war trophies reveal about the conditions we live in
March 30, 2023
In this week’s issue of Public Seminar, our authors reimagine spring cleaning as journalistic digging. J. Faith Almiron explores a university system that treats students as consumers and teachers as casual labor, Tobias Lentz examines Thailand’s hope for democracy, Sophia Giovannitti chats with Josephine Houman about the overlap between selling sex and selling art, and more.
Democracy
“The behavior of Russian fighters in Kyiv suburbs, where they stole toilets, washing machines, microwaves, and coffee makers from Ukrainian homes and took the trouble to mail them back home to Russia tells us something about their living conditions at home.” In a conversation with Jeffrey C. Goldfarb and James Miller for Public Seminar, Jessica Pisano discusses political theater in Russia and Ukraine and how the war will end. (March 28, 2023)
In the wake of January’s upset election, socialism is on the rise in Ecuador. “Even right-wing fortresses such as Guayaquil, Ecuador’s economic capital, elected a leftist mayor for the first time in 30 years,” reports Paloma Velasco. (March 28, 2023)
“Growing up with a Thai grandmother, I was used to seeing the framed picture of the previous king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, in the middle of her living room: he was praised as a god and the nation’s savior. Coming here as a young adult, I realized that something had changed.” Tobias Lentz explores the possibility of democracy in Thailand. (March 29, 2023)
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Sex and Gender
“I think that outlawing sex work is a form of social control, and then the way that it becomes entrenched or ratified is by stoking fear in people about what sex work means and what it indicates.” Sophia Giovannitti joins Josephine Houman for a conversation about the intersections between sexual and artistic marketplaces and Giovannitti’s forthcoming book, Working Girl: On Selling Art and Selling Sex (Verso, 2023). (March 28, 2023)
In episode 17 of the podcast Why Now, guest Katha Pollitt chats with Claire Potter about why feminists need to abortion for what it is—a common medical procedure that permits pregnant people to take charge of their physical, psychological, and economic health. (March 27, 2023)
Higher Ed
“When university leadership treats part-time faculty as disposable, students experience upheaval. When university administrators treat students as conciliatory consumers, teachers likewise recognize neglect.” As a historic strike looms at Rutgers University, J. Faith Almiron investigates a corporate university culture that doesn’t add up. (March 29, 2023)
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