Conspirituality 76: A Field Guide to White Supremacy (w/ Kathleen Belew)

There is no avoiding the fact that conspirituality plays out against a backdrop of racially-charged politics and the echoes of colonialism. And from the beginning of this podcast project we’ve tackled things like the origins of yoga and wellness being tangled up with European fascist movements and racist eugenics. We’re speaking from and into a culture that is predominantly white, and has the disposable income to afford boutique health ideologies. We know it’s naturally allergic to the project of public health. We know that it ignores the social determinants of health — because if it didn’t, it couldn’t sell its green-smoothie-based hero’s journeys.

But reporting on race and conspirituality is only going to get harder. In this episode, Matthew reviews a new volume of essays that might help. A Field Guide to White Supremacy, edited by Drs. Kathleen Belew and Ramon Gutierrez, brings together a pile of resources for journalists and policy-makers who want to engage thoughtfully with issues of equality. And he interviews Dr. Belew on best practices, The Great Replacement conspiracy theory, and why there are no “lone wolves.”

In a debrief discussion, Derek and Julian join in to puzzle out the complexities of reporting on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. platforming Black anti-vax activists, how the sources of vax-hesitancy shown by Aaron Rogers and Kyrie Irving might be coming from different places, and how to think empathetically about vaccine hesitancy in Black liberation movements.

02:41 Introduction

11:40 Interview w/Kathleen Belew

1:07:30 Reporting on Race Issues

All music by EarthRise SoundSystem

[Kalki]

Why you're not uploading the episides on YouTube anymore?

[dnpuouh]

Thank you for another episode of amazing work ♥️

[FrostRare]

I highly recommend that you searchingly scrutinize John McWhorter’s work

[inajosmood]

Just, a bit of love, for the algorithm!

[FrostRare]

The wheels came off your discussion at the end when you went out of your way to criticize black activist groups

[lunadyana]

I’m not sure you can discuss white supremacy absent the context of capitalism, economics or political economy. The construction of race occurs in tandem with the birth of capitalism, which relies upon the economic exploitation of indigenous people and the expropriation of their land and resources. Racialization allows this to happen, almost insists upon it. I would start there.