The Neoliberal Round Podcast

In today's lecture, we explore Caribbean history through the lens of cinema and globalization. We begin with Chapter 11 of Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty and Resistance by Renaldo McKenzie. This chapter examines the use of documentary films as forms of resistance and demonstrates how cinema can serve as a powerful medium for social critique and social change.The lecture centers on the documentary Life and Debt, analyzing how globalization has disproportionately affected the peoples of the Global South, particularly in the Caribbean. Students examine the contradictions and ironies of globalization, decolonization, and denationalization, while questioning whether political independence has translated into genuine economic and cultural liberation.Drawing on the works of Frantz Fanon, particularly The Wretched of the Earth; Homi K. Bhabha and The Location of Culture; and V. S. Naipaul and his literary contributions as forms of resistance and social commentary, the lecture explores the intellectual foundations of Caribbean thought and postcolonial critique.Students are introduced to and discuss key concepts including nationalism, colonialism, decolonization, postcolonialism, mise-en-scène, globalization, the Global South versus the Global North, and the ways visual storytelling can shape historical consciousness and political understanding.The lecture then transitions into a historical timeline of the Caribbean, beginning with ancient Kemet over 5,000 years ago, examining early African civilizations and pre-Columbian societies before tracing the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the profound transformations that followed. Through this historical journey, students are encouraged to rethink conventional narratives about the Caribbean and situate the region within broader global historical processes.Delivered live via Zoom, this lecture is part of the Caribbean Thought course at Jamaica Theological Seminary and reaches students across the Caribbean, the United States, Canada, and beyond. The course is taught by Professor Renaldo McKenzie, author of Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty and Resistance, President of The Neoliberal Corporation, and creator and host of The Neoliberal Round Podcast. Professor McKenzie delivers the lectures from Philadelphia, bringing together history, philosophy, political economy, and media studies to challenge students to critically examine the Caribbean's past, present, and future.For more information, email [email protected] theneoliberal.com and renaldocmckenzie.com.Learn more about Jamaica Theological Seminary at https://jts.edu.jm.