Feminism Archives - The Podcast Browser

Corinne Low PhD – Having It All

What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours

Interview with Corinne Low about her book Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours. Discusses how individuals optimise subject to constraints, debunking the myth of ‘having it all’. Advocates for an economic lens to maximise utility in life, careers, and relationships, emphasising understanding personal preferences and societal/evolutionary constraints. Covers rethinking workplace norms, the impact of the ‘divorce revolution’ on women’s work-life balance, and strategically investing in human capital to build a fulfilling life, with implications for corporate and governmental policy.

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RIP Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem has died at 92 (NY Times obituary). This 2019 interview discusses her life and work: formative experiences – including her illegal abortion and travels to India – that shaped her feminist activism; societal expectations around marriage and career; her mother’s unlived potential; the media’s portrayal of feminists; and the ongoing fight for equality and individual authenticity. Draws from her books My Life on the Road, Revolutions from Within, and Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions.

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Amy McPhie Allebest – Breaking Down Patriarchy

Interview with Amy McPhie Allebest about Breaking Down Patriarchy. Defines feminism and the different types of feminism and discusses what patriarchy is, and how it originated and spread across the globe; the role of religion and capitalism; how patriarchy also affects men, and the rise and spread of the manosphere; and whether men can be feminists themselves, and how to reconcile the genders.

Julia Ioffe – Motherland

A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy

Interview with Julia Ioffe about her book Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy. Explores Russia’s unique historical trajectory for women, from the radical pre-Bolshevik intelligentsia to early legalisation of abortion. Explains how post-WWII demographics and Stalinist policies shaped a hyper-competent superwoman archetype, yet created a society with low expectations for men. Delves into how these ingrained gender roles – including the ritual of giving flowers – contribute to contemporary Russian authoritarianism and nationalism.

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You will enjoy this all the more with the context that Tyler Cowen is married to a woman from Russia. See also The Brian Lehrer Show episode.

Serene Khader – Faux Feminism

The Dissenter | 17 April 2026 | 1h 07m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Serene Khader about her book Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop. Discusses what feminism is, if it makes sense to talk about “waves” of feminism, and the idea of white feminism; myths regarding feminism, including the Freedom Myth, the Individualism Myth, the Culture Myth, the Restriction Myth, and the Judgment Myth; the idea of “girlbosses”, and capitalism and neoliberal feminism; intersectional feminism, and whether tradition is the enemy of feminism; and the current state of women’s rights in the US.

Julia Ioffe – Motherland: A History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy

The Brian Lehrer Show | 24 October 2025 | 0h 41m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Julia Ioffe about her book Motherland: A History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy. Delves into the feminist history of Russia and why it offers context for the war in Ukraine. Explores Russia’s contradictory feminist history. While early Bolsheviks granted radical rights like legal abortion and no-fault divorce, the state failed to provide promised social supports, forcing women into an exhausting triple burden of career, housework, and childcare. Under Stalin and now Putin, Russia reverted to hyper-traditionalist policies to fuel industrial and military needs. Analyzes how Putin leverages toxic masculinity and political figures like Melania Trump to neutralize opposition to the war in Ukraine.

Amanda Montell – Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language

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Stuff Mom Never Told You | 1 July 2020 | 1h 05m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Amanda Montell about her book Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language. Discusses reclaiming gendered insults, cursing, women’s linguistic innovation, sexism in our language, and owning your own voice.

Why Feminism Worked Best in the West with Alice Evans

Works in Progress | 10 September 2025 | 1h 16m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Alice Evans about why, despite a superficially similar feminist movement in East Asia, Western feminism has been much more successful. Discusses dating markets, drinking culture at work, top-down media control, and what tax policy is best for motivating people to have more children. Draws from her Substack and (interminably) forthcoming book The Great Gender Divergence.