Author: AnarchistStudies.Blog

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.

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]

Marking one year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gabor Mascarpone frames an analysis of inter-state war around Simone Weil’s assertion that any such conflict is not ‘an episode in foreign politics’ but ‘a war of the state and the military apparatus against its own people’ (1933).

Concentration of power + limited accountability = WAR

It is a noteworthy occasion when the liberal-to-left-leaning Guardian newspaper publishes an opinion that is sympathetic to anarchism (with the semi-regular exception of The Raccoons of the Resistance – and they’re just cartoon strip characters …). A recent example of this occasional anarcho-sympathy was Zoe Williams’ conclusion that ‘anarcho-feminism’ is the best answer to the ceaseless demands for body image conformity that blight the lives of girls and young women. In response, Ruth Kinna and Peterson Silva take Williams’ conclusion as a stepping off point to explain the particular relevance of anarchafeminist critiques of capitalism and patriarchy, especially as a strategic response to marketised, misogynist messaging.

Zoe Williams is right about anarchafeminism as the solution to body shame

As the world hurtles towards an era of artificial intelligence, it is crucial that anarchists critically examine the impact of AI dialogue on our political ideals and values. Will AI systems reinforce existing hierarchies and perpetuate oppressive power dynamics, or can they be harnessed to enhance our efforts towards a free and equitable society? Join us as we delve into the intersection of anarchism and AI dialogue, exploring the potential benefits and challenges of this rapidly evolving technology.

The above article description was generated using the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Dialogue generator, ChatGPT, with the prompt: ‘Write an eye-catching introduction for an article about AI Dialogue to be published on AnarchistStudies.Blog’. The entire article, in fact, has been generated in this way, accompanied by images created with the Hotpot AI art generator.

The purpose is to provoke reaction from ASBlog readers, reflecting on the potentials and pitfalls of AI dialogue, to be compiled for a follow-up article. In the spirt of dialogue (if it is actually dialogue), we’ve given ChatGPT the first word, starting with the prompt: ‘Write a blog entry reflecting on the application of AI dialogue to anarchist political organising’.

Further prompts supplied to ChatGPT for this article include: ‘Should anarchists who are sceptical about the liberatory potential of new technologies be worried about AI dialogue?’; ‘What would Peter Kropotkin say about AI dialogue?’; ‘Write a short speech in the style of Emma Goldman about AI dialogue’;‘Write a series of aphorisms in the style of Max Stirner about AI dialogue’;‘Devise a plot for an anarchist sci-fi novel in the style of Ursula K Le Guin about AI dialogue’.

So read what ChatGPT has to say for itself (if it is speaking for itself – and if it is a ‘self’, or even an ‘it’ for that matter), and let us know what you think.

AI dialogue and anarchist political organizing: Reflections on the possibilities and challenges

Dai O’Brien and Steve Emery are two deaf men with a longstanding interest in anarchist politics. They are both involved in deaf community activism and have taught history, politics, and theories about deaf communities and deaf people in society. Dai and Steve reflect on their political journeys to reach this point of engagement with anarchist thought, and on the barriers and challenges that engaging with anarchist thought and action have posed. They discuss the wider issues that deaf people and deaf communities face in capitalist society and the way in which deaf people have traditionally framed their engagement and resistance to these issues. Finally, Dai and Steve suggest ways in which they think that anarchism can contribute to deaf lives, and ways in which anarchist spaces can be more accessible to deaf people.

‘Anarchism and Deaf People’

[Also available as a podcast at Anarchist Essays and in British Sign Language at the ARG YouTube page].

An overview of the history of anarchism in Indonesia, available in both English and Bahasa Indonesia.

Co-authored by Gloria Truly Estrelita, Jim Donaghey, Sarah Andrieu and Gabriel Facal, this article discusses the early roots of anarchist movements in the archipelago in the context of anti-colonialism and nationalism in the late 1800s and early 1900s; details the abolition of leftist movements, including anarchism, in the 1960s; traces the re-emergence of anarchism as part of protest and counter-cultural movements in the 1990s; highlights the shifting forms of state repression in the 2010s; and points to the importance of anarchist critique for the contemporary Indonesian context.

English: A Brief History of Anarchism in Indonesia

Indonesian: Sejarah Singkat Anarkisme Di Indonesia

Also available as an audio podcast in both languages at Anarchist Essays.

There are plenty of people who are dismissive of punk’s association with anarchism, and even see it as damaging. But for those of us who are bound up in the punk/anarchism interrelationship, it’s clearly the case that anarchism has been revitalised by punk, worldwide. Ask yourself, what would the anarchist movement be like today without punk’s resuscitating influence?

‘Smash All Systems! (an introduction to punk anarchism as a culture of resistance)’

Despite its prominence, the punk/anarchist intertwinement has been repeatedly underappreciated, either through taken-for-grantedness, bemused misunderstanding, or outright hostility. The Anarchism and Punk Book Project series sets out to redress that – this article is an excerpt from the first volume in the series: Smash The System! Punk Anarchism as a Culture of Resistance (edited by Jim Donaghey, Will Boisseau and Caroline Kaltefleiter, and published by Active Distribution in December 2022).

[Also available as a podcast on Anarchist Essays].

‘Smash All Systems! (an introduction to punk anarchism as a culture of resistance)’

The most famous utterance of Spain’s most famous anarchist is a fabrication!

With the aid of some historical sleuthing, Danny Evans makes a convincing case that the oft-repeated Buenaventura Durruti quotation from 1936, containing the phrase ‘We are not in the least afraid of ruins’, was in fact made up by an ethically dubious journalist. However, the invented interview succeeded in encapsulating Durruti’s real practice, and van Paassen (however unintentionally) contributed to the creation of a romantic and celebrated figure.

A Pile of Ruins? Pierre van Paassen and the Mythical Durruti

 

The editors of AnarchistStudies.Blog are running a workshop that will provide practical advice on getting your ideas published with us, with the aim of demystifying the process and opening access to a wider pool of potential writers.

The workshop is part of AntiUniversity Now 2022 and will be held at:

MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street
EC4Y 1DH, London, UK.

On:

Friday 16th September 2022, 2pm to 4pm.

It’s free, but capacity is limited, please register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/antiuniversity-festival-2022-anarchist-studies-blog-writing-workshop-tickets-398556251477

Why are we doing this?

Many sites that publish research put up a number of barriers to entry, such as application fees or strict academic requirements. This all works to prevent a true reflection of the diversity of ideas and approaches that exist within and outside of universities.

We want to help break down those barriers and meet with anyone who has ideas and a desire to get them heard.

While we’re keen to welcome new writers and thoughts to AnarchistStudies.Blog in particular, the knowledge shared will be transferable to approaching other outlets, and self-published blogs too.

What will you need?

If you have an idea you’d like to discuss and develop, please feel free to bring it along. This isn’t a requirement though, there will be time to chat about potential topics as a group. No one will be put on the spot to share unless they’re comfortable to.

You can also send us questions in advance if there’s something you’d like to hear covered.

What is AnarchistStudies.Blog?

An online, rapid publication format featuring anarchist comment and critique, partnered with Anarchist Studies journal. It brings you bursts of informed opinion and critical debate on anarchist activism, anarchist academia, and the wider world as viewed through an anarchist lens.

Editors Jim Donaghey and Cassidy Ferrari will be facilitating the workshop.

Workshop accessibility

Standard measures will include:

• Accessible formatting of written material
• Avoiding or defining academic jargon
• Pauses for questions
• No forced engagement

If you have any access needs we can adapt to, please feel free to get in touch and we’ll accommodate as best we can.

MayDay Rooms accessibility

88 Fleet Street was built in 1902 and, due to the physical constraints of the building, has limited access. It is compliant with ‘ambulant disabled’ and provision for broader access is currently under review.