Shifting Terrain

AI is About to Make The Working Class a Lot Bigger

You’ve probably heard that AI is coming for your job. That it will replace you. And probably ruin a lot of our lives.  Or, that it’s going to make life, and especially work, easier. Ushering in a new age of productivity, efficiency, and therefore, leisure.  What’s going on beyond the hype cycle? Ava, a worker training AI, shares details from inside an industry shrouded in secrecy - including a very unusual interview process, what happens when you have bots for coworkers, and how to manage the rollercoaster of precarious employment. Josh Dzieza, feature writer at The Verge, reveals the patterns we can’t see, based on years of reporting on tech, science, business, and their human impacts. And more specifically, about the hidden labor behind artificial intelligence and what this signals about the future of work. But what is AI’s real threat given all the projected promises and perils of technology that have resurfaced again and again? Aaron Benanav, assistant professor at Cornell University and author of “Automation and the Future of Work”, has an answer that might surprise you.  Though maybe not as much as what renowned economist Richard Wolff has to say. He’s got a clear vision of how AI could be the long-awaited turning point for the working class. Josh Dzieza: Website [https://www.joshdzieza.com/] Aaron Benanav: Website [https://www.aaronbenanav.com/] Richard D. Wolff: Website [https://www.rdwolff.com/] Follow Shifting Terrain on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shifting_terrain_podcast/#] Drop us a line: shiftingterrainpodcast@gmail.com [shiftingterrainpodcast@gmail.com]

Who Is The Working Class, Actually?

How do you define the working class? Is it based on education, income, job, or taste? Is there even a definitive answer? Several guests are on the show to help figure it out. Starting with Rachel Sherman, a professor of Sociology at The New School in New York City, who lays out the many possible ways to define class.  We also hear from Joan Williams, Founding Director of the Equality Action Center at UC Law San Francisco and a prominent public intellectual. Joan returns to talk numbers, a particularly important detail for a certain group looking toward one end of the income distribution. Marbella Eboni Hill, Assistant Professor of Sociology at North Carolina State University, speaks about the intersection of race and class; and how understanding their relationship makes the murky waters of the class conversation much more clear.   We also hear from Río, Olive, and Colin. Between their jobs cooking, bartending, and personal training, they talk with a lot of people. And, arguably, have the most expert things to say about class in the United States today. Not surprisingly, they’ve got some clear ideas that reflect the reality of being a working class person in these increasingly unaffordable times.  Rachel Sherman: Website [https://www.newschool.edu/nssr/faculty/rachel-sherman/] Joan C. Williams: Website [https://joancwilliams.com/] Marbella Eboni Hill: Website [https://marbellaebonihill.com/] Colin Davis: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/colin_coaches/] Follow Shifting Terrain on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shifting_terrain_podcast/#] Drop us a line: shiftingterrainpodcast@gmail.com

Laughing When You Want to Cry: Comedy for Class Struggle

This season focuses on what’s capturing and dividing the working class. But if we’re interested in more unity, what’s a good way to bring everyone together? How about a joke? Rachel invited Gavin Matts onto this episode after seeing his standup set where he joked about debt, unemployment, and other class issues from a real-world perspective that are rarely seen on stage. She also speaks with Kenice Mobley, another NYC-based stand up, who talks about the realities of having a career in comedy without the financial or personal connections that are often needed to get ahead. And Caty Borum, the executive director of the Center for Media and Social Impact and co-founder of the Yes And Laughter Lab, offers a big-picture view of the class contours of comedy - both for comics and the industry. She explains how comedy effectively meets universal human needs, and how class could be the next big topic in the entertainment industry. Kenice Mobley: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kenicemobley/?hl=en]  Caty Borum: Yes And Laughter Lab (Y’ALL) [https://yesandlaughterlab.com/] Center for Media and Social Impact [https://cmsimpact.org/] Gavin Matts: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gavinmatts/?hl=en] Shifting Terrain: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shifting_terrain_podcast/#] shiftingterrainpodcast@gmail.com

Working Class Voters One Year Later: Was It Economic Policy Or the Culture War?

Shifting Terrain had its finger on the pulse of working class voters in 2024, but a lot of people were shocked by the outcome of the presidential election. A lot of analysis has gone into what exactly moved millions of voters to the right. Was it proposed economic policies or emphasis on the culture wars? Instead of clear answers, even more questions emerged: Will the Democrats forever have a toxic brand? Can the Republicans keep up their glaring contradictions? Is there a trustworthy politician who actually cares about working class people? Our guests have a definitive take on what went down. And what this means for the future of politics. Jared Abbott, Director of the Center for Working-Class Politics, has extensive data about working class voters in the Rust Belt, with both insight into the motivation behind their votes and clear directives for future candidates. Professor René Rojas’ co-authored paper “The Latino Rebuke” challenges the typical story about Latino working class voters' surprising right-ward trajectory, and why this move is distinct from their white neighbors. And we’ll also hear from Drew, a union electrician from Ohio, whose co-workers have gotten quiet since Trump was elected.  Jared Abbott: Center for Working-Class Politics [https://www.workingclasspolitics.org/about] René Rojas: The Latino Rebuke [https://catalyst-journal.com/2025/04/the-latino-rebuke]

Future Hindsight | How Underdogs Build Power: Stephanie Luce

We discuss Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the World—a guide for a new generation of activists seeking not just to understand power, but to build it. Stephanie's civic action toolkit recommendations are: 1) Learn a new skill, like non cooperation or mutual aid 2) Find organizations that align with your values and check if they offer trainings Stephanie Luce is Professor of Labor Studies at the School of Labor and Urban Studies and Professor of Sociology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She's also the co-author of Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the World. Let's connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Stephanie on X: https://x.com/stephanie_luce_ Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Stephanie Luce Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis