Prewhat?
========
"Precarious literally means unsure, uncertain, difficult,
delicate. As a political term it refers to living and working
conditions without any guarantees: for example the precarious
residential status of migrants and refugees, or the precariousness
of everyday life for single mothers. [...] Precariat, an allusion to
proletariat, meanwhile is used as a combative self-description in
order to emphasise the subjective and utopian moments of
precarisation." -- Frassanito Network. "Precarious, Precarisation,
Precariat?" In: Seymour, Benedict (ed.). Mute Volume II. #0:
Precarious Reader. London: Mute Publishing Ltd, 2005.
Topics
======
Our intention is to drop in questions, and generate a debate, rather
than a clear opinion about what is precarity and why are we using this
expression. We are not affiliated with the Euromayday network either.
- Why is Precarity?
Developing and discussing precarity as an analysis of contemporary
capitalism and the role of work through a cross-cutting issue.
Historically, precarity has been the rule rather than the
exception. It doesn't grasp all factors involved, but perhaps it
can be used as a strategic focus term for political work in the
present situation. However, for that we have to be aware of what
it means for different people in different places in geopolitical
space and on the social hierarchy. How can the multiplicity of
realities and the unity of political thrust converge?
- State of the Euromayday
What is the Euromayday network and where is it going? Focusing on
outreach to peripherial groups and strenghtening activity between
Euromayday parades. Possibilities for action, collaboration and
cooperation.
- Talking about Flexicurity
How to move beyond reformism? Precarity movement is simply
reformist if it just has 'demands' for the European Union or the
national governments! What is the vision and practice of
flexicurity? Precarity movement is simply conservative and
backward looking if it seeks a return to the wellfare state!
But what is the alternative vision and the best practices that
guide us towards a good life?
Background
==========
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precarity
- Euromayday.org
- Mute Magazine Precarious Reader issue
- Republicart Precariat issue
- Chainworders.org
- Franco "Bifo" Berardi: Art and Immaterial Labour at the Radical
Philosophy Conference London
- Hochschild, Arlie Russell. The Managed Heart: Commercialization of
Human Feeling. London: University of California Press, 1983.
- Precarious Bourdieu, Pierre. Job insecurity is everywhere now. In: Firing
back: against the tyranny of the market 2. London & New York:
Verso, 2003.
- Boltanski, Luc & Chiapello, Eve. The new spirit of
capitalism. London & New York: Verso Books, 2005.
- Gorz, André. Les Métamorphoses du travail. Paris:
Gallimard-Jeunesse, 1999.
maxigas@anargeek.net, Militant Research Group Budapest
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
new book that addresses PGA
One of the chapters deals with structure and process in the European PGA network based on my work with the Movement for Global Resistance (MRG) in Barcelona in 2001-2002. I hope this might be relevant to current debates.
Here's a description:
Networking Futures provides an ethnographic account of the cultural practice and politics of transnational networking among anti-corporate globalization activists based in Barcelona with a particular focus on the links between digital technologies, new forms of organization, and emerging political imaginaries. It also explores network organizing, performative protest, and violence during mass direct actions.
For more information or to order the book, see below and/or go to:
www.networkingfutures.com
The book can also be ordered from www.dukeupress.edu or www.amazon.com.
Blurb from the Publisher:
Since the first worldwide protests inspired by Peoples’ Global Action (PGA)— including the mobilization against the November 1999 World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle—anti–corporate globalization activists have staged direct action protests against multilateral institutions in cities such as Prague, Barcelona, Genoa, and Cancun. Barcelona is a critical node, as Catalan activists have played key roles in the more radical PGA network and the broader World Social Forum process.
In 2001 and 2002, the anthropologist Jeffrey S. Juris participated in the
Barcelona-based Movement for Global Resistance, one of the most influential anti–corporate globalization networks in Europe. Juris took part in hundreds of meetings, gatherings, protests, and online discussions. Those experiences form the basis of Networking Futures, an innovative ethnography of transnational activist networking within the movements against corporate globalization. In an account full of activist voices and on-the-ground detail, he explains how activists are not only responding to growing poverty, inequality, and environmental devastation but also building social laboratories for the production of alternative values, discourses, and practices.
Praise for the Book:
“Networking Futures is one of the very first books to map in detail the multiple networks that are challenging corporate globalization. Taking as a point of departure an exemplary case—the Catalan anti–globalization movements of the past decade—Jeffrey S. Juris moves on to chronicle the collective struggles to construct not only an alternative vision of possible worlds but the means to bring them about.
Networking Futures is a compelling portrait of the spirit of innovation that lies behind an array of progressive mobilizations, from anarchist movements and street protests to the World Social Forum. Based on a well-developed notion of collaborative ethnography, it is also a wonderful example of engaged scholarship: a much-needed alternative to academic work as usual.”
-Arturo Escobar, author of Territories of Difference: Place, Movements, Life, Redes
“Jeffrey S. Juris gives us an illuminating model for how to study networks from below using the tools of ethnography. And in the process he reveals the extraordinary power (as well as the challenges) of network organizing for social movements today.”
-Michael Hardt, co-author of Empire and Multitude
“Networking Futures is a terrific, deeply informed ethnographic account of the origins and activities of the anti–corporate globalization movement. Jeffrey S. Juris’s identity is as much that of an activist who happens to be doing first-rate anthropology as vice versa, and there is much for anthropologists to reflect on in the way that this work is set up and narrated through these dual identities.”
-George E. Marcus, co-author of Designs for an Anthropology of the Contemporary
About the Author:
Jeffrey S. Juris is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Arizona State University. He is a co-author of Global Democracy and the World Social Forums and has published numerous articles in both scholarly journals and activist research forums. He also serves on the Editorial Board of Resistance Studies Magazine and has taken part in numerous direct action-oriented groups and networks, including the Movement for Global Resistance in
Barcelona. His new fieldwork explores the relationship between grassroots media activism and autonomy in Mexico City.
Here's a description:
Networking Futures provides an ethnographic account of the cultural practice and politics of transnational networking among anti-corporate globalization activists based in Barcelona with a particular focus on the links between digital technologies, new forms of organization, and emerging political imaginaries. It also explores network organizing, performative protest, and violence during mass direct actions.
For more information or to order the book, see below and/or go to:
www.networkingfutures.com
The book can also be ordered from www.dukeupress.edu or www.amazon.com.
Blurb from the Publisher:
Since the first worldwide protests inspired by Peoples’ Global Action (PGA)— including the mobilization against the November 1999 World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle—anti–corporate globalization activists have staged direct action protests against multilateral institutions in cities such as Prague, Barcelona, Genoa, and Cancun. Barcelona is a critical node, as Catalan activists have played key roles in the more radical PGA network and the broader World Social Forum process.
In 2001 and 2002, the anthropologist Jeffrey S. Juris participated in the
Barcelona-based Movement for Global Resistance, one of the most influential anti–corporate globalization networks in Europe. Juris took part in hundreds of meetings, gatherings, protests, and online discussions. Those experiences form the basis of Networking Futures, an innovative ethnography of transnational activist networking within the movements against corporate globalization. In an account full of activist voices and on-the-ground detail, he explains how activists are not only responding to growing poverty, inequality, and environmental devastation but also building social laboratories for the production of alternative values, discourses, and practices.
Praise for the Book:
“Networking Futures is one of the very first books to map in detail the multiple networks that are challenging corporate globalization. Taking as a point of departure an exemplary case—the Catalan anti–globalization movements of the past decade—Jeffrey S. Juris moves on to chronicle the collective struggles to construct not only an alternative vision of possible worlds but the means to bring them about.
Networking Futures is a compelling portrait of the spirit of innovation that lies behind an array of progressive mobilizations, from anarchist movements and street protests to the World Social Forum. Based on a well-developed notion of collaborative ethnography, it is also a wonderful example of engaged scholarship: a much-needed alternative to academic work as usual.”
-Arturo Escobar, author of Territories of Difference: Place, Movements, Life, Redes
“Jeffrey S. Juris gives us an illuminating model for how to study networks from below using the tools of ethnography. And in the process he reveals the extraordinary power (as well as the challenges) of network organizing for social movements today.”
-Michael Hardt, co-author of Empire and Multitude
“Networking Futures is a terrific, deeply informed ethnographic account of the origins and activities of the anti–corporate globalization movement. Jeffrey S. Juris’s identity is as much that of an activist who happens to be doing first-rate anthropology as vice versa, and there is much for anthropologists to reflect on in the way that this work is set up and narrated through these dual identities.”
-George E. Marcus, co-author of Designs for an Anthropology of the Contemporary
About the Author:
Jeffrey S. Juris is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Arizona State University. He is a co-author of Global Democracy and the World Social Forums and has published numerous articles in both scholarly journals and activist research forums. He also serves on the Editorial Board of Resistance Studies Magazine and has taken part in numerous direct action-oriented groups and networks, including the Movement for Global Resistance in
Barcelona. His new fieldwork explores the relationship between grassroots media activism and autonomy in Mexico City.
This is a call out against the oil pipelines and nuclear reactor projects in the Balkans
Our moto as a group is "less talk, more action" so we'll keep it short.
Because of the whole energy crisis ,the Balkans have been assigned the role of toxic and nuclear wastedump in order to provide cheap fuel and energy to europe and the U.S. .Two massive oil pipelines are already in progress, the russian-greek interest Burgas Alexandroupolis pipeline passing oil to the Aegean sea through Bulgaria and Greece and the US interest AMBO pipeline passing oil to the Adriatic sea through Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania.
Plus, several plans for nuclear reactors have surfaced in Turkey, Bulgaria ,Greece (in our hometown, Komotini) and many others. If you add several plans for cyanide using goldmines
and coal using powerplants in the same territory, the whole situation reeks the pungent stench of a much dreaded (by us) and much celebrated (by capitalist scum) Balkan Free Trade Zone, Tijuana style.
Why we are against it is pretty obvious. Any way you look at it ,the whole picture is an abomination. Say hello to a new era of repression, feudalism and most importantly ecological destruction of a massive scale in the Balkans, the Aegean and the Adriatic.
Join us in the PGA conference in Alexandroupolis in August for a workshop that hopefully will lead to less talking and more acting if we stand a chance to defend ourselves, our homes and mother Earth.
No class, just war
Utopia A.D.
Because of the whole energy crisis ,the Balkans have been assigned the role of toxic and nuclear wastedump in order to provide cheap fuel and energy to europe and the U.S. .Two massive oil pipelines are already in progress, the russian-greek interest Burgas Alexandroupolis pipeline passing oil to the Aegean sea through Bulgaria and Greece and the US interest AMBO pipeline passing oil to the Adriatic sea through Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania.
Plus, several plans for nuclear reactors have surfaced in Turkey, Bulgaria ,Greece (in our hometown, Komotini) and many others. If you add several plans for cyanide using goldmines
and coal using powerplants in the same territory, the whole situation reeks the pungent stench of a much dreaded (by us) and much celebrated (by capitalist scum) Balkan Free Trade Zone, Tijuana style.
Why we are against it is pretty obvious. Any way you look at it ,the whole picture is an abomination. Say hello to a new era of repression, feudalism and most importantly ecological destruction of a massive scale in the Balkans, the Aegean and the Adriatic.
Join us in the PGA conference in Alexandroupolis in August for a workshop that hopefully will lead to less talking and more acting if we stand a chance to defend ourselves, our homes and mother Earth.
No class, just war
Utopia A.D.
Friday, July 11, 2008
A call-out for anti-repression workshops at the PGA conference in Greece
hi here is a call out for antirepresion workshops at the PGA conference
.. Please is anybody in kommotini can translate it into greek would be
great i think is a topic related to issues that Greek activists involve
for years now
A call-out for anti-repression workshops at the PGA and international
reports of attacks to political spaces, erosion of political freedoms,
and repression over the past decades
We suppose there is no need to explain why and how important
anti-repression activities and mutual support are, especially now. In
the last two decades the situation in the world has changed
drastically. Neoliberal reforms, privatization, precarisation,
gentrification. New labour, housing and other codes. To shut up the
discontents and dissidents new anti-terrorist and anti-extremist laws
were enacted. At the same time systems of control and surveillance
were developed.
For the 5th European PGA conference, we propose a series of workshops
on anti-repression to elaborate strategies to fight mounting state
terror and to strengthen our solidarity. To gain practical benefits
from these workshops we would like to prepare a good basis, then we can
concentrate directly on more practical issues. We ask people to write
an overview of the attacks to political spaces, erosion of political
freedoms, and repression, that have happened in their countries over
the past decades and send them in before the PGA conference or to
bring them
with you. Please, send your overviews, ideas, analyses to
antirep@riseup.net. To give you a starting point we prepared a list of
questions. You can base your overview on this list, you can give
answers to the questions, or you can just ignore it :) Whichever you
prefer.
Even if you do not plan to go to the 5th European PGA conference and
you have something to say, please feel free to contribute to the
project. It might also be a good idea to inform us that you are going
to write something on your country since there might be other people
writing
something as well, with whom you can coordinate and cooperate. For
coordination and preparation of the workshops you can also subscribe
to the mailing list legalguides@squat.net. We also have an idea of
publishing the collected information (maybe as wiki-page, maybe
somehow else).
Some of us have experience from anti-repression workshops at the
Leiden PGA conference 2002 and the Belgrade PGA conference 2004, some
from the Dijon PGA conference 2006, where the International Legal
Guide project http://legal.squat.net/ was started, where we made the
first
attempt to develop some kind of international overview of the attacks
and erosion of our political space over the past decade.
We would like to make such workshops more effective. Thus, we would
like to avoid repeatable and endless presentations from different
countries and cities, instead we would like to print such
presentations as a readout so that people could familiarize themselves
with the information prior to the workshop. We would also try to
summarize different experiences and make a short overall presentation
in the beginning – however the main focus would be in evaluation of
the already existing projects and discussion about new ones. This does
not mean that people not involved in such a work are not welcome –
quite the contrary, however we do not have the luxury of spending a
rare occasion of international workshops for talking about issues
which everyone may read about from internet anytime.
We are therefore looking for analyses of legal changes and strategies
of repression of grassroots activism in your city or country over the
past five or ten years. Generally speaking, we would like to know how
has repression and social control increased in your country over the
past five to ten years? In which ways does your government try to
suppress the discontents (e.g. harsher accusations, easier
convictions, higher sentences, more state violence at demonstrations
and public spaces to intimidate, high claims for damage, use of
surveillance)?
List of questions:
What new laws have been introduced? e.g. Anti-terrorist legislation,
Civil Laws (housing, labour etc.), Public Order legislation/freedom of
assembly (such as the Criminal Justice Act in the UK, or the Codigo
Penal in Spain, Identification Duty in the Netherlands), etc.
How could these laws be passed and accepted? How has society reacted?
How have those laws been applied? Has the boundaries of these laws
been extended or functions changed (‘function creep’)? Differences
between theory and practice (legislation and repression practices)
Changes in the judicial system (e.g. Precedent Law in France,
restrictions for appealing in the Netherlands).
Suppression of different political rights and freedoms (in legislation
and in practice): restrictions of freedom of speech and assembly, to
express your opinion and demonstrate (easier to be
arrested and convicted nowadays; denormalization of government critics).
How has the practice of social control changed?
Use of preventive measures ~ ‘possibility of offence is
punishable’ (e.g. preventive arrests, ASBO in the UK, etc.)
How are they using surveillance? (e.g. Patriot Act in US, CCTV,
Phone tapping, ID cards and controls, travel cards, etc.)
Who are the main targets of this repression? (e.g. migrants,
activists, minors, subcultures participants)
Use of anti-terrorist / anti-extremist legislation to repress protest
(e.g. 129a in Germany), and other legislations (e.g. lock up anonymous
activists in deportation prisons in the Netherlands)
Changes in jail/prison/detention centres system (privatization
processes, etc.)
What impact has this had on grassroots political activity and on
society in general?
Descriptions (links at internet and other publications) of the most
outrageous cases of repressions
Strategies of counteracting repressions
Groups, collectives, and so on dealing with repressions in your country/city
Is there anything else you think is important to know about the
situation in your city/country?
.. Please is anybody in kommotini can translate it into greek would be
great i think is a topic related to issues that Greek activists involve
for years now
A call-out for anti-repression workshops at the PGA and international
reports of attacks to political spaces, erosion of political freedoms,
and repression over the past decades
We suppose there is no need to explain why and how important
anti-repression activities and mutual support are, especially now. In
the last two decades the situation in the world has changed
drastically. Neoliberal reforms, privatization, precarisation,
gentrification. New labour, housing and other codes. To shut up the
discontents and dissidents new anti-terrorist and anti-extremist laws
were enacted. At the same time systems of control and surveillance
were developed.
For the 5th European PGA conference, we propose a series of workshops
on anti-repression to elaborate strategies to fight mounting state
terror and to strengthen our solidarity. To gain practical benefits
from these workshops we would like to prepare a good basis, then we can
concentrate directly on more practical issues. We ask people to write
an overview of the attacks to political spaces, erosion of political
freedoms, and repression, that have happened in their countries over
the past decades and send them in before the PGA conference or to
bring them
with you. Please, send your overviews, ideas, analyses to
antirep@riseup.net. To give you a starting point we prepared a list of
questions. You can base your overview on this list, you can give
answers to the questions, or you can just ignore it :) Whichever you
prefer.
Even if you do not plan to go to the 5th European PGA conference and
you have something to say, please feel free to contribute to the
project. It might also be a good idea to inform us that you are going
to write something on your country since there might be other people
writing
something as well, with whom you can coordinate and cooperate. For
coordination and preparation of the workshops you can also subscribe
to the mailing list legalguides@squat.net. We also have an idea of
publishing the collected information (maybe as wiki-page, maybe
somehow else).
Some of us have experience from anti-repression workshops at the
Leiden PGA conference 2002 and the Belgrade PGA conference 2004, some
from the Dijon PGA conference 2006, where the International Legal
Guide project http://legal.squat.net/ was started, where we made the
first
attempt to develop some kind of international overview of the attacks
and erosion of our political space over the past decade.
We would like to make such workshops more effective. Thus, we would
like to avoid repeatable and endless presentations from different
countries and cities, instead we would like to print such
presentations as a readout so that people could familiarize themselves
with the information prior to the workshop. We would also try to
summarize different experiences and make a short overall presentation
in the beginning – however the main focus would be in evaluation of
the already existing projects and discussion about new ones. This does
not mean that people not involved in such a work are not welcome –
quite the contrary, however we do not have the luxury of spending a
rare occasion of international workshops for talking about issues
which everyone may read about from internet anytime.
We are therefore looking for analyses of legal changes and strategies
of repression of grassroots activism in your city or country over the
past five or ten years. Generally speaking, we would like to know how
has repression and social control increased in your country over the
past five to ten years? In which ways does your government try to
suppress the discontents (e.g. harsher accusations, easier
convictions, higher sentences, more state violence at demonstrations
and public spaces to intimidate, high claims for damage, use of
surveillance)?
List of questions:
What new laws have been introduced? e.g. Anti-terrorist legislation,
Civil Laws (housing, labour etc.), Public Order legislation/freedom of
assembly (such as the Criminal Justice Act in the UK, or the Codigo
Penal in Spain, Identification Duty in the Netherlands), etc.
How could these laws be passed and accepted? How has society reacted?
How have those laws been applied? Has the boundaries of these laws
been extended or functions changed (‘function creep’)? Differences
between theory and practice (legislation and repression practices)
Changes in the judicial system (e.g. Precedent Law in France,
restrictions for appealing in the Netherlands).
Suppression of different political rights and freedoms (in legislation
and in practice): restrictions of freedom of speech and assembly, to
express your opinion and demonstrate (easier to be
arrested and convicted nowadays; denormalization of government critics).
How has the practice of social control changed?
Use of preventive measures ~ ‘possibility of offence is
punishable’ (e.g. preventive arrests, ASBO in the UK, etc.)
How are they using surveillance? (e.g. Patriot Act in US, CCTV,
Phone tapping, ID cards and controls, travel cards, etc.)
Who are the main targets of this repression? (e.g. migrants,
activists, minors, subcultures participants)
Use of anti-terrorist / anti-extremist legislation to repress protest
(e.g. 129a in Germany), and other legislations (e.g. lock up anonymous
activists in deportation prisons in the Netherlands)
Changes in jail/prison/detention centres system (privatization
processes, etc.)
What impact has this had on grassroots political activity and on
society in general?
Descriptions (links at internet and other publications) of the most
outrageous cases of repressions
Strategies of counteracting repressions
Groups, collectives, and so on dealing with repressions in your country/city
Is there anything else you think is important to know about the
situation in your city/country?
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Anarchist Infocafe Berlin
The Anarchist Infocafe will deal this time with the idea and history of PGA, there will be also information about this year's PGA Conference in Alexandroupoli/Greece New Yorck / Bethanien Mariannenplatz 2a Berlin / Germany 14.7.2008 8 p.m. with vegan kitchen
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