JACOBIN

APRIL 1. 2025

The Shared Logic of Censorship

Whether from religious conservatives or progressive educators, today’s book bans share a common moral claim: some texts are too harmful to circulate. But when ideologies compete to control knowledge, the pluralism and inquiry democracy needs begin to erode.

The Norwegian Route Out of Tradwife Hell

America is witnessing a dramatic reinvestment in traditional gender roles. The way out of this situation isn’t through culture war discourse — it’s through pro-worker, gender-egalitarian social policy, like Norway’s paternity leave system.

Palestinians Against Israel’s Genocide and Hamas

Palestinians in Gaza protested last week for the end of the war and for their right to live in peace and dignity in their homeland, targeting both Israel’s genocide and the disastrous leadership of Hamas.

MARCH 31. 2025

Portrait of the Trader as a Young Rebel

Gary Stevenson’s story of trading floor excess and moral turnaround is one of personality-driven critique, tailor-made for the British media’s idea of dissent. Just don’t ask too many questions about Citibank — or capitalism.

A Marxist Account of the Medieval Mediterranean

Chris Wickham is one of the best-known Marxist historians of the Middle Ages. In his book The Donkey and the Boat, he offers an ambitious account of the internal dynamics of the precapitalist Mediterranean economy.

Roman Rosdolsky Breathed New Life Into Marx’s Capital

Ukrainian Marxist Roman Rosdolsky survived the Nazi concentration camps and went on to write one of the most important books about the making of Karl Marx’s Capital, paving the way for a revival of Marxist economic theory from the 1960s.

We’re Still Learning From Rosa Luxemburg

More than a century after her murder, there’s still so much to discover in Rosa Luxemburg’s work as more of her writings become available in English. Brazilian writer Michael Löwy is one of the best guides we have.

Stopping Marine Le Pen From Running Is a Bad Idea

Marine Le Pen has been banned from running for office for five years. The sentence applies the law as written, but it turns her embezzlement conviction into a propaganda coup for her party.

Climate Crisis and the War in Ukraine

Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is a major Russian military target. But the system also faces another enemy: climate disasters putting ever more strain on the power grid.

MARCH 30. 2025

The Unlikely Resistance in Turkey

Turkey’s main opposition party has long been a centrist and unradical force. But the jailing of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has forced it into a more activist posture as it faces a growing mass movement in defense of Turkish democracy.

The Video Game Industry Failed Monolith Productions

The closure of Monolith Productions, an innovative video game developer, shows what’s wrong with an industry in which game publishers have the ultimate power to shut down projects and fire workers.

Colombia Wants to Phase Out Fossil Fuels

In an interview with Jacobin, Colombia’s former energy minister outlines left-wing president Gustavo Petro’s plan to make the rich nations that profit from its extractive economy help pay for its green transition.

Unpopular at Home, Emmanuel Macron Plays at World Leader

Emmanuel Macron is a lame duck president without a parliamentary majority. He’s turned to the international stage to show off his continued influence — but France seems unlikely to weigh on the final outcome in Ukraine.

MARCH 29. 2025

Illinois State University Is Facing a Potential Faculty Strike

Elite institutions of higher education tend to grab most headlines. But non-elite public colleges have dealt with relentless austerity for decades — which is why Illinois State University faculty just voted to authorize a strike.