In what direction should the left move in the 21st century? That’s the central question of Leo Panitch’s new book, The Socialist Challenge Today. On today’s episode, Esty interviews Panitch about his perspectives on how the socialist movement can (and needs to) transcend the past and move into the future. Over the course of the hour, they discuss the teacher strikes in the U.S., labor unions, the rise of xenophobic politics, the need for healthcare reform, and more.

Leo Panitch is a professor of political science at York University and co-editor of The Socialist Register. He has written many books, including Renewing Socialism: Democracy, Strategy, and Imagination and The Making of Global Capitalism with co-author Sam Gindin. His most recent work is The Socialist Challenge Today: Syriza, Sanders, Corbyn, co-authored with Sam Gindin (Merlin Press, 2018).