Radio Free Beszel

The podcast

This podcast draws on social science, history, culture and political economy to see what we have often learned to un-see. Episodes often summarize and illustrate the writings of thinkers.

The word beszel

Beszél is a Hungarian word, meaning to talk. It is also the name China Miéville gave to one half of a fictional city in his novel The City and the City: "A denizen of one city must dutifully 'unsee' (that is, consciously erase from their mind or fade into the background) the denizens, buildings, and events taking place in the other city – even if they are an inch away." In English, the spelling may also imply bezzle – to plunder – which has been used to characterize financial looting.

Hungarians may be bothered by my pronounciation. The Hungarian pronouncation is [ˈbɛseːl] - ending like "sale", Miéville's is [ˈbɛʃəl] - ending like "bushel", mine is [bəˈʃɛːl] - rhymes with "befell."