PUSHBACK Talks

Welcome to Season 7 of Pushback Talks! It's been an eventful summer, as nations worldwide grappled with the housing and climate crises, and people took to the streets to protest wealth inequality and the rapidly rising cost of living. In this highly anticipated season premiere, we join Fredrik and Leilani for a one-on-one conversation about their work to push back against the injustices of our time and how their mission adapts as the situation develops...

What is it that makes a worker essential? This is the question that Chris Smalls and hundreds of thousands of Amazon workers had to ask as they found themselves working long hours in unsafe conditions at the height of the pandemic, having been deemed 'essential...

Ever wondered what it takes to build a thriving community of empowered tenants? In this illuminating episode of Pushback Talks, we speak with Valeria Raçu and Alba Jiménez of the Madrid Tenant's Union (also known as Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid) about building meaningful movements.

Join Fredrik and Leilani as they sit down with Valeria and Alba to look closer at the extraordinary impact of collective action in of tenants' rights...

Embark on a transformative journey this week with the Filmmaker and the Advocate as they engage in conversation with Rutger Bregman, esteemed historian and author of Humankind and Utopia for Realists. Join the trio as they navigate the heart of societal transformation, unraveling Bregman's impactful contributions to Fredrik's film "Breaking Social...

"From 2010 to 2020, more people participated in protests than at any other point in human history. " Yet we are not living in more just and democratic societies as a result...How did so many mass protests lead to the opposite of what they asked for?"

Take a look behind the scenes of global uprisings and their unfulfilled aims as Pushback Talks welcomes acclaimed author of "If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution," Vincent Bevins...

In this week's episode of Pushback Talks, we delve into the intricate dynamics of historical narratives and their profound influence on contemporary events. Award-winning South African journalist, filmmaker, and writer Sylvia Vollenhoven joins Fredrik and Leilani to explore the enduring power of empathy amidst longstanding conflicts and resistance movements...

As the cost of living continues to rise and housing remains one of the hottest topics in the news, there's a common misconception in North America that tenants are just homeowners in waiting. Laws and incentives are written to support this idea, and it's leaving a growing generation of tenants behind in a way that is detrimental for us all. This week's guest, author and political economist Ricardo Tranjan, Ph.D., does away with this myth in his latest book, The Tenant Class...

This week, we turn our attention to Argentina, a nation grappling with political turmoil and economic distress. With rising polarization and economic instability, President Milei's controversial policies roll back social programs and consolidate power, exacerbating social inequalities and economic disparities...

In this episode of Pushback Talks, hosts Fredrik and Leilani delve into a fascinating intersection of global trends: digital nomadism. As the world grapples with issues like migration, touristification, gentrification, and financialization, the rise of digital nomads adds another layer of complexity to the housing landscape.

With the COVID-19 pandemic shifting the nature of work, digital nomadism has surged in popularity...