What has been the historical relation between socialism and the environment? How did socialist states in the second part of the twentieth century make use of the resources of the natural world? Was their impact broadly destructive, centered on extraction and mastery? To put it more bluntly: did socialism destroy nature? And what can be learnt about that history by drawing on the resources of the visual arts?

These are the central questions explored by Maja and Reuben Fowkes in the new episode of History Workshop Podcast, hosted by Marybeth Hamilton. In their discussion, they delve into the ideas behind the Socialist Anthropocene in the Visual Arts (SAVA) project – how it came into being, what issues drive it, the complex histories it seeks to unpack, and why engaging with those histories matters today.

Listen to the episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oWf5KH5mc5kdERWvYv44g?si=4fa5dfa701144b90

More information here: https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/podcast/the-socialist-anthropocene/