SA Institute of Race Relations 2 Crickets In A Thorn Tree

2 Crickets In A Thorn Tree

Nicholas Lorimer and Gabriel Crouse provide their unique take on everything and anything going on in South Africa and the world at large, with a focus on history, philosophy and current affairs.

Getting away with murder in South Africa, Russian oligarchs, American elections and geopolitical strategy all feature in this unconventional podcast.
Occasionally English South Africa News Commentary · Philosophy
130 Episodes
100 – 120

Models to the left of me, models to the right of me

Nick and Gabriel talk about some of the problems with modeling COVID and resistance of some modelers to including human behavior in their assumptions, they also ask if Biden might be emerging as the favorite in the US election.
22 May 2020 1 hr 08 min

The cupboards in our minds are bare

Nick and Gabriel discuss Nick’s shower thought that we have become a society without granaries, and we commemorate VE day, victory in Europe Day the end of world war 2 in Europe.
8 May 2020 1 hr 02 min

False Awakening: Life and Politics at Level 4 Lockdown, Covid-19

Please note in this episode Gabriel talks about an article published by Max du Preez, however the article in question was written by Max Price. We apologize for the error. McDonald's in Nick's belly, a cigarette in Gabriel's hand, the two crickets in a thorn-tree reflect on South Africa's moans…
4 May 2020 1 hr 14 min

How to Loot a Pandemic, Intellectually and Materially

Gabriel and Nicholas have a grumpy but serious conversation about why it seems almost impossible for people to speak soberly about COVID-19; then venture into supply chains, cigarette cartels and renewed Ramaphoria.
18 Apr 2020 1 hr 08 min

Covid-19 will make madmen of us all

Nick and Gabriel grapple with Covid-19 - the stories you know and those you don't and a bigger picture view of the potential outcome for South Africa coming apart from the world.
29 Mar 2020 1 hr 04 min

How bad is Covid-19 data?

Gabriel and Nick commiserate a bit and then chat about if we should trust the data on the novel coronavirus, and what opportunities for good and for ill present themselves in the virus crisis. Two Crickets is now available on Spotify! Link attached.
21 Mar 2020 1 hr 01 min

Unpacking 2500 years of Patronage and When Communism is Awesome

Nick and Gabriel begin by pondering the alliance between SA Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, and Malema's EFF which launches into a full-sweep dive into the history of Patrons. Then they come up with a surprising claim: Communism is Awesome (in a particular context). Got feedback? Let us know. Email nicholas@irr.org.za.
13 Mar 2020 59 min

Is South Africa a soap opera?

Nick and Gabriel go over some of the weird and wacky events of late and try to answer the question, are we actually a real country?
21 Feb 2020 59 min

Brexit Day, Decolonisation and Greek Art

Nick and Gabriel work out how to find out if future South Africa will be alright and if a post-Brexit UK will sink or swim plus weird facts about erotic Greek art and poetry.
31 Jan 2020 1 hr 09 min

Elections in the UK

Nick and Gabriel talk about the magnificent victory Boris has just pulled off in the UK and what it means for the future of the UK and Brexit.
13 Dec 2019 1 hr 05 min
100 – 120