The 8th International Anarchist Studies Network conference took place in early September 2024. Here, the organising team share their reflections on the event and suggest some lessons that might be drawn for future iterations.
Countdown to the 8th Anarchist Studies Network conference
The Anarchist Studies Network conference is a place to share research, make new friends, meet old comrades and talk about anarchism for three days – but it’s more than that as well. Veteran ASN conference organiser Elizabeth Vasileva shares her reflections on the value of the conference, gives insight into the nuts and bolts of organising the event, and suggests steps we can all take, collectively, to get the most out of this rare oasis of joy amidst the wreckage of contemporary academia.
Anarchist Studies Network Conference Update and Reflections
For the full schedule visit: https://anarchiststudiesnetwork.org/asn8-registration/
And to register (for free online or as little as £1 in person), click here: https://my.weezevent.com/anarchist-studies-network-conference
Anarchist Pedagogies in the Neoliberal University – Liberation discourse and pushing radical assessment onto the agenda
We are delighted to bring you a new article, with Luke Ray Di Marco Campbell discussing ‘anarchist(ic) interventions in Higher and Further Education’. From their positioning as a Community Development lecturer, Luke Ray considers opportunities for radical practice whilst still meeting the requirements of a university degree programme. Here’s a (handily shareable) link!:
ASN8 Warm-up #2 with Luis Fernandez and Sean Parson
We all know how important it is to warm-up before a grand exertion – so we did another one. Ahead of the 8th International ASN conference in Belfast, we were delighted to host Luis Fernandez and Sean Parson, speaking at Belfast’s newest anarchist space – The A-Centre.
Access the audio recordings here (c. 20 minutes per talk)
We’re also happy to share that registration for the 8th International Anarchist Studies Network conference is now open! Monday 2nd September 2024 is our Online Day, Wednesday 4th – Friday 6th September we will be in person at Ulster University’s Belfast campus in the north of Ireland.
Details on how to register, along with the programme are available here:
Goldman, Reynolds and Palestine
Emma Goldman and Reginald Reynolds on Palestine: some notes on anti-Semitism and Zionism before World War Two
However shocking are recent events in and around Gaza, they do not arise like lightning on a clear day and out of blue skies – they may be seen in historical context. This text by AW Zurbrugg goes a little way towards sketching anarchist perspectives on this historical and political conflict.
In the 1930s, and at other times, Anarchists were sympathetic to the concerns of diverse interests and communities in Palestine and commented on developments. Exchanges between Emma Goldman and Reginald Reynolds published in Spain and the World and other texts highlight actual and potential conflicts between long-term residents and new settlers.
Anarchist Studies Network 8th Conference – Belfast warm-up – 14th March 2024 – Recordings
As a warm-up for the 8th International ASN conference, we hosted 3 talks in Belfast, followed by some music. You can access the audio recording of each talk, and the music, at the links below.
Máirtín Ó Catháin – Anarchism here, and there
Cassidy Ferrari – Queer anarchist zine culture
David Fox – Anarchist folk music in Ireland, Austria and Greece
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The conference itself takes places at Ulster University Belfast, 4th-6th September 2024. The theme will be Anarchism in/with/as/beyond CONFLICT. Full details here:
Abstracts and paper/panel proposals should be sent by 30th March 2024 to asn.conference@protonmail.com
ASN8 – Warm-Up Event
The American Bar (65 Dock Street, Belfast)
Thursday 14th March – 7pm-10pm (folk club is on afterwards)
The 8th International Anarchist Studies Network Conference is coming to Belfast later this year. To get ourselves in gear, and to encourage local engagement and participation, we’re holding a warm-up event – featuring 3 talks (plus Q&A):
- Máirtín Ó Catháin: on the history of anarchism here
- Cassidy Ferrari: on queer anarchist zine culture
- David Fox: on anarchism and folk music (including music performances)
Eventbrite page (booking not required)
The call for conference papers is open until the end of March
DIY Solidarity – funding round March 2024 now open
Some have plenty, others don’t. Shall we leave the redistribution of wealth to government agencies, charity organizations, and the foundations of billionaires? No. We can do that ourselves, no strings attached. Welcome to DIY Solidarity!
Funding of up to $1,000 for DIY and DIT initiatives/projects. Open for submissions 1 – 31 March 2024.
ASN 8 – Anarchism in/with/as/beyond CONFLICT – Call for Papers
Is conflict a problem to solve, an awkward fact of life, or even a virtue to uphold? Are particular conflicts ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Is anarchism in conflict with itself? Does peace simply equate to an absence of conflict, or is it an ‘equilibrium’ of conflicting social forces? War, huh? What is it good for? ‘Absolutely nothin’!’ (Edwin Starr, 1970).
Conflict exists at all levels of society, in myriad forms, and with wildly diverging intensities. Anarchism can be framed as the site of conflict (anarchism in conflict), as the cause of conflict (anarchism with conflict), as a philosophy and practice of conflict (anarchism as conflict), or as the response to conflict (anarchism beyond conflict).
When anarchism is a response to conflict, conflict is often understood as a problem to be overcome – think for example of systemic oppressions and coercive hierarchies, interpersonal or civil dispute resolved through transformative justice, or anti-war and anti-militarist organising campaigns.
As a cause, conflict has also been embraced as a core tenet and activating force of anarchist organising and culture – think of the in-your-face antagonism of class war, the ‘willingness to offend’ that animates queer punk cultural interventions (Wiedlack, 2015 [Queer-Feminist Punk: an anti-social history]), or the celebrated militias of Makhno, Durruti and their ilk.
Going further, anarchism may be understood as a philosophy and practice that perceives the essence of social interaction as an unending plurality of conflicts, drawing on the classical anarchist invocation of antinomies:
Out of these antinomies, their conflicts and precarious equilibrium, comes growth and development; any fusional resolution or the elimination of one of the terms would be the equivalent of death. (Proudhon, 1866 [Théorie de la propriété – Diane Morgan’s translation])
Finally, anarchism itself can be the site of conflict given its diverse and heterogenous character. Think of the non-violent approaches to activism versus propaganda by the deed, but also the clashes between the different philosophical groundings of anarchism(s). At times, anarchism also replicates geopolitical divisions.
To explore these tentative sketches in greater detail, the 8th International Conference of the Anarchist Studies Network invites paper submissions addressing Anarchism in/with/as/beyond CONFLICT as a core theme (hosted at Ulster University Belfast, 4th-6th September 2024 – check accessibility here).
To offer a (not exhaustive) list of suggested topics, anarchist engagements with conflict might encompass:
- armed struggle, non-violent resistance and pacifism;
- the fight against systemic oppressions;
- conflict transformation (such as transformative justice or anti-carceral conflict resolution);
- philosophies of antinomy or agonism (and critiques of Hegelian dialectics);
- the back catalogue of anarcho-punk band, Conflict;
- interpersonal relationships at home, at work, at play or in the street;
- ‘no war but the class war!’ – discuss;
- anarchist analyses of post-conflict and deeply divided societies;
- the conflicted self and anarchist approaches to psychoanalysis/psychology/psychiatry (including critiques of ‘wellness’ and self-care);
- repertoires of protest and strategic arguments amongst social movements;
- ‘the culture war’;
- inter-state or intra-state militarised combat (termed as war, civil war, invasion, ‘special operation’, or conflict).
Or, if you find yourself in conflict with this list, you might prefer to propose a paper related to anarchist theory and practice that has nothing to with the main topic at all – feel free!
Panels and streams on a particular theme are welcome, as are non-traditional presentation formats, such as performances, exhibitions, workshops, among others. Abstracts should be sent in English (but we accommodate papers in any language).
Abstracts should be sent by 30 March 2024 to asn.conference@protonmail.com. Please indicate whether you want to present in person or online. In case of the latter, please also indicate your time zone.
Please do get in touch with any specific questions, needs or comments and we will do our best to meet them.
Anarchist Dialogues: Critical Reflections on ASN Experiment #1
Reflecting on last month’s inaugural ‘Anarchist Activism in Focus’ session, convened by the Anarchist Studies Network, Luke Ray Di Marco Campbell (who hosted the event) draws some insights from the experimental, dialogical format and suggests some ways forward for future iterations.
Anarchist Dialogues: Critical Reflections on ASN Experiment #1
[Note: the series organisers are seeking volunteer British Sign Language interpreters for the upcoming sessions – if you can help, please email anarcademia23@riseup.net]