TROUBLEMAKERS

Ep27: Use your radical fringe to shift the Overton window with Julia and Stella

It takes more than organising to shift a society's sense of what's possible.
 
In this episode, we travel to Moldova to explore how feminist and LGBTQ+ activists are reimagining the boundaries of public discourse and reshaping the culture of protest in a quiet, conservative society. Our guests, Julia and Stella, are part of a growing movement challenging apathy, tradition, and fear with bold, consistent action.
 
We unpack the concept of the Overton Window—the idea that public acceptance of ideas can shift depending on how they're framed and who dares to speak them first. Iulia and Steliana share what it's like to organize in a country where dissent is often seen as shameful and where radical ideas can be misread or feared before they are understood.
 
The Overton Window is a concept that can help us understand how the radical fringes of society pull what's palatable for the majority of society toward them.
 
This episode is a candid and moving conversation about courage, culture, and the slow, persistent work of shifting what's possible.
 
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.
 
Resources & Show Links:
Use your radical fringe to shift the Overton window
Femicide in Moldova
More from our channels
Host: Phil WilmotProducer: Rodgers GeorgeGuests: Steliana Rudco & Iulia MacarencoJingles: Mwaduga Salum & Beautiful Trouble.

Ep26: Consumer Boycott with BDS Jordan

How do you take on a corporate giant—and win?
In this episode of Troublemakers, we dive into a story from BDS Palestine organizers in Jordan. They built one of the most impactful consumer boycotts in recent memory, targeting Carrefour supermarkets. Fatima and Enas walk us through the strategy, creativity, and community power that made it possible.
They share how neighborhood committees were formed, how young people and students got involved through art contests, and how a deep analysis of local economies shaped the campaign's tactical focus. From pressuring suppliers to rethinking contracts, to triggering public withdrawals, this is a story of people reclaiming power through organized resistance.
We also reflect on the emotional stakes of the campaign, the challenges of sustaining momentum, and the hope that fuels the struggle for a free Palestine.
Connect with us on our socials @troublemakers.podcast or write to us via email troublemakersthepodcast@gmail.com.You can read more about Consumer Boycott on our podcast inspiration, the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.

TM Smoke Signals: Snow White & Disney Capitalism

In this episode of Trouble Makers, we dive into the spectacle surrounding Disney’s  Snow White remake to explore a deeper story: how corporate media co-opts identity politics, commodifies culture, and shapes our collective imagination for profit. We unpack how companies like Disney use outrage as marketing and brand loyalty as a form of identity, leaving us with sanitized, commercialized narratives that limit our vision for justice and liberation. Rather than arguing over casting choices, we ask: What is Disney, and what does it mean when billion-dollar corporations are the primary storytellers of our time? Before we debate a Disney remake, let’s understand the machine behind the magic.

Ep25: Participatory Action Research with Abel Sibanda

In this episode of Troublemakers, we dive into Participatory Action Research (PAR) with Abel Sibanda, exploring how research needn't be divorced from reality but can actually foster social transformation and systems change, especially when it's not separated from our complex realities and the actions of our movements. We discuss the nuances of solidarity when carrying out research together with social movements, and the many perils of academic extraction, including gatekeeping. We explore the idea of non-academics as researchers and knowledge-producers.
We also touch on the knowledge commons, looking at creative ways people are reclaiming access to information—liberated archives, inclusive attribution, or unconventional repurposed platforms like the famous cooperative sandbox game Minecraft where gamers have built a library that provides universal access to banned books.
We also interrogate the relationship between research and AI, AI as mass plagiarism, and the blind spots of AI with the assumption that communities hold and code knowledges that big tech fails to absorb.
Participatory action research is one of the many tools in the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.
Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.
Resources & Links:
Minecraft’s banned book libraries.
Directory of Open Access Journals
Open-access knowledge repositories.
Our episode with Dalit knowledge-producer polymath Sarita Pariyar.

TM Smoke Signals: Crisis in Congo

In this first episode of TM Smoke Signal, we sit down with Stewart Muhindo to discuss the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. From the root causes fueling the conflict to the devastating impacts on communities, we break down the complexities of the situation. How can the world step in? What role do international powers and regional actors play?

Ep24: Cultural Disobedience with Phionah Kyokusiima

If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.— Maya Angelou
Phil sits with a longtime comradely fellow organizer Phionah Kyokusiima from Solidarity Uganda. Together they delve into the tactic of cultural disobedience, which has just as much subversive power—sometimes more—as civil disobedience. Kyokusiima is a seasoned organizer with the powerful Solidarity Uganda network (solidarityuganda.org). She enlightens us on how
women are proliferating the spaces they have been excluded from and seizing their power through breaking traditional gender taboos.
Can culturally profane expressions serve as a mobilization tool for social change? Are they inherently powerful in themselves? Join us as we unpack these questions and more in a conversation that bridges questions of tradition and transformation.
Learn more about Cultural disobedience in the Beautiful Trouble toolbox, the inspiration for our podcast.
Connect with us by email at troublemakersthepodcast@gmail.com or via Instagram and FaceBook @troublemakers.podcast

Ep23: Practice Digital Self-Defence

And when they spy on us, let them discover us loving.
— Alice Walker
Our guest helps us answer many of the questions activists have about privacy and digital security. He has chosen to remain anonymous to share his insights on protecting oneself online, avoiding surveillance, and practicing safe digital habits.
From understanding encryption to safeguarding your personal data, this conversation equips listeners with essential tools for navigating the digital landscape securely.
Some of the tools listed include Signal, Tor Browser and VPN (s).
This episode is free to use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License with proper attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast).
Our work is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.
 
You can also learn more about Practicing Digital Self-Defence by reading through the principle.
 
Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook @troublemakers.podcast or write us an email via troublemakersthepodcast@gmail.com