About this episode

Ian Kumekawa discusses his book on the complexities of the offshore global economy and its implications.

In this Conflicted Conversation, Ian Kumekawa (a fellow of Harvard University and a lecturer at MIT) talks about his book Empty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Ship. Ian explains: The offshore global economy: where loopholes, ships and responsibility slip beyond ordinary jurisdiction From Little Toot to rusting barges: how industrial capitalism lost its confident postwar world Sweden’s socialist shipyards, private tax dodges, and the strange birth of the Vessel Containerisation’s hidden cost: how global trade hollowed out Manhattan’s working waterfront The Falklands War, Thatcherism, and the private infrastructure behind imperial sovereignty New York’s floating prison: mass incarceration meets offshore legal ingenuity Wall Street goes offshore onshore: banks, deregulation and International Banking Facilities Neoliberalism, legality and injustice: when the modern economy makes the immoral lawful Visit Ian’s website: www.iankumekawa.com Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Facebook…

People in this episode

Guest: Ian Kumekawa

Topics covered

• offshore economy
• global trade
• industrial capitalism
• neoliberalism
• mass incarceration
• banking deregulation

Keywords

• offshore economy
• global trade
• industrial capitalism
• neoliberalism
• mass incarceration
• banking deregulation
• Falklands War
• Thatcherism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Harvard University, MIT, Conflicted, Message Heard, Wall Street, International Banking Facilities, Conflicted Community, Facebook, Instagram, megaphone.fm

Books & works: Empty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Ship

Places: Sweden, Manhattan, New York

More episodes of CONFLICTED

• The End of the Nation State? · September 9, 2026 · 1h 34m
• The Battle for Taiwan · September 3, 2026 · 1h 13m
• Trump's Strangulation Strategy · September 1, 2026 · 58 min
• Simon Sebag Montefiore: How the Modern Middle East Was Made · August 25, 2026 · 1h 12m
• The Battle for Yemen Begins Again · August 18, 2026 · 56 min
• Libya: The Return of the Arab Strongman? · August 13, 2026 · 1h 19m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the CONFLICTED podcast page.