Alex Bradshaw
Alex Bradshaw has traveled the world and back. He got his start as a fisherman off the coast of Maine, working on fishing boats and collecting seashells, ornaments, and making scrimshaw in his spare time. He dreamt of leaving Maine and seeing the rest of the world—and that he did.
Starting in Western Europe with a voyage he made through a friend of a friend (it’s complicated), he ended up in Russia—smoking pipes, drinking vodka, and consuming schmaltz in the cold Russian winter. He turned ex-pat and Hollywood made the story into a blockbuster hit entitled Comradshaw: Russian Snow. The film was a smash and Bradshaw made millions. He donated vast sums of money to the Communist cause, only to become incredibly frustrated with communism as-such.
Moving back to the States, Bradshaw became an established radical author, detailing the horrors of Communist Russia and outlining another standard of thought—anarchism. Bradshaw was attracted to Louisville, Ky for many reasons: the nice Ohio Valley air, the low price of living, and the wonderful group of radicals with whom he founded an anarchist collective.
In his spare time Bradshaw enjoys reading, writing, drinking, and the occasional knitting circle. He sometimes seems to miss the early years of his life growing up in Maine, but every summer he takes trips back to visit his family. He brings his mom a special sweater that he knits for her every year.
David Graeber has spent the last decade challenging the line drawn between scholar and activist. While many academics fancy themselves “radicals,” the anthropologist professor has been an active participant in anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups and organizing. Graeber has used his skill-set as an anthropologist to compile ethnographic data—far away from the classroom and campus, to be sure—regarding the contemporary anarchist movement in North America; the results were published in 2009 as Direct Action: An Ethnography. David Graeber is the author of several books, including Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology and, most recently, Debt: The First 5,000 Years. Graeber currently teaches social anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London. Below, Graeber discusses his latest book, the concept of debt in detail, and how his involvement in the anarchist movement sparked his interest in the history of debt.
Alex Bradshaw: Your latest book, Debt: The First 5000 Years, explores the origins of debt. What were some of the implications for communities and individuals when debt became a significant factor in people’s lives?
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