These lectures are great because they make the very clear, and inarguable statement that architecture is inherently political because we (as architects) spend other people's money. Also, the work architects do affect the general public on both a physical and social level. It's potentially harmful to the profession to assume architecture can operate on the same level as art. It has the gift and the curse of having a more direct affect on people lives. There's more at stake, making both the potential payoff and potential harm it can have on society that much greater.
Design As Politics Lecture:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DesignAsPolitics#p/a/u/0/orMbCMcyO-0Design As Politics Blog:
