The New Significance » Autonomy
The Future of Greece: A Society of Barbarism or of Social Spaces for Freedom
Introduction Below is an interview with two members of the Greek Anti-Authoritarian Movement (AK) – Malamas Sotiriou and Grigoris Tsilimandos – who are both based in Thessaloniki. In addition to being members of Alpha Kappa – Greece’s largest anti-authoritarian movement – Malamas and Grigoris participate in the free social center Micropolis. Questions were posed by Mark Bray, Preeti Kaur and Chris Spannos. The interview was produced for The New Significance, an online magazine exploring revolutionary forces … Read entire article »
Filed under: Articles, Autonomy, Exclusives
Alexandros Schismenos: Digital Identity And Direct Democracy
By Alexandros Schismenos: [Translated from Greek] It is my opinion that next generations will regard the emergence of the internet not as a technological revolution, but as an ontological one. The word ‘ontological’ may seem an abuse of definitions, but I mean it as the emergence of a completely new region of reality, if we schematically divide reality in levels and plainly in a subjective and an objective region. The internet realm creates, in the context of human … Read entire article »
Dmitri Prieto: A Cuban Imprint on Cornelius Castoriadis’s Thinking?
By Dmitri Prieto Cornelius Castoriadis. Photo: columbia.edu Cornelius Castoriadis (1922-1997) is for me one of the most interesting philosophers of the 20th century. Born in Constantinople, this Greek anti-fascist guerrilla and Trotskyist activist in his youth began creating in the 1950s and ‘60s a highly original conception of the social being where the central place is occupied by the notion of “social imaginary.” He suggested making a critique of capitalism and modernity beyond the classical propositions of Karl … Read entire article »
OWS Post-Eviction General Assembly Highlights: You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.
On November 15 a massive police force descended on Liberty Square for the purpose of evicting the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) encampment there. Police raided the park around 1:00 AM Tuesday morning. This video presents highlights from that evenings General Assembly, after a dramatic day. Produced for The New Significance Filmed and Edited by Chris Spannos Length: 9 minutes, 30 seconds … Read entire article »
Filed under: Autonomy, Exclusives, Video
Occupy Wall Street GA In Washington Square October 8, 2011
This video documents just one of the massive general assemblies (GA) that occurred during the current historic Occupy Wall Street events with thousands of participants, and that is still unfolding. Topics covered in this GA include: - Introduction - Assembly Process - Peoples Mic - Working Group Report Backs from: *Labor *Info *Media *Comfort *Shipping *Speak Easy *Direct Action *Arts & Culture *Others… The assembly also included an address from Egyptian activist Mohamed Ezzeldin. A call to action from Direct Action. And finally, the closing of the GA. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Autonomy, Exclusives, Featured, Video
Maurice Brinton: Cornelius Castoriadis & Autonomy
A rare video Interview with Christopher Pallis, AKA Maurice Brinton, produced by Agora International during the Cerisy Colloquium around the work of Cornelius Castoriadis (filmed 1990). The interview begins in English 26 seconds into the video. Length: 15:31 (video) Pallis died at 81 years of age in 2005, 15 years after the above interview. An obituary for him by David Goodway and Paul Lewis is below. It was published in the Guardian, Thursday 24 March 2005. Christopher Pallis An irreverent … Read entire article »
Filed under: Articles, Autonomy, Classics, Interviews, Video
Chris Spannos: A New Social Historical Moment
By Chris Spannos Introduction to a multi-part commentary series exploring our present situation, the process of social transformation, and the autonomous project for a participatory society. Widespread skepticism about the foundation of society’s structure combined with social and material crises and an information revolution seem to have placed us in a unique historical moment. Fragmenting confidence in ruling relations and defining institutions are happening on a scale suggesting that we may be experiencing what Rosa Luxemburg described as … Read entire article »
Filed under: Articles, Autonomy, Exclusives, Featured
Jérôme E. Roos: The Syntagma Experiment – Democracy From The Bottom Up
By Jérôme E. Roos: What we are witnessing here in Athens is a genuine experiment in democracy for and by the people — without representation, hierarchy or borders. Syntagma Square, Tuesday July 12th The sun sets on Athens, casting a dark glow on the seemingly impenetrable walls of Parliament. But as thousands of Greeks converge upon Syntagma for the 50th night in a row, it’s yet another dawn for the popular uprising here. The protest banners flow smoothly in … Read entire article »
Sveinung Legard: Popular Assemblies In Revolts And Revolutions
By Sveinung Legard: From the main square Puerto del Sol in Madrid, to Syntagma square in Athens, Rossio square in Lisbon and other central squares in major cities throughout Europe, popular assemblies have been convened to discuss pressing economic and political issues, to place demands on governments, and to decide on the future actions of these movements. Several commentators have pointed to the freshness of these assemblies; their openness and creativity, their spirit of solidarity, and respect for the diversity of opinions. And … Read entire article »
Federico Campagna: Autonomia And Lessons From The Italian Left
Autonomia and Lessons from the Italian Left; What can 2011 learn from Italy in the 1970s – with Federico Campagna from Zed Books. Listen: … Read entire article »
Filed under: Audio, Autonomy, Interviews
Andrew Robinson: In Theory Bakunin Pt. 1 – Statism and Class Struggle
By Andrew Robinson: Perhaps the best-known of the classical anarchists, Mikhail Bakunin is known for his advocacy of the “urge to resist”. There is much more to his theory than is generally known or studied. A contemporary of Marx, and his antagonist in some bitter disputes within the First International, Bakunin offers an analysis of power, classes and social life which differs from Marx’s in important ways. A re-examination of Bakunin’s thought provides a basis for … Read entire article »
Dr. Laurie Naranch: The Contribution Of Cornelius Castoriadis To Contemporary Feminism
By Dr. Laurie Naranch: Dr. Laurie Naranch gave her speech on The Contribution Of Cornelius Castoriadis To Contemporary Feminism at UAM. Laurie Naranch is, Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department at Siena College, New York. The short introduction is in Spanish, the rest is in English. Part 1 (video) Part 2 (video) Contribucion de la Dra. Laurie Naranch para el evento anual de la propuesta de Catedra Interinstitucional Cornelius Castoriadis a la que convocan la UAM X, CIESAS occ., PROIMMSE-UNAM, UNICH y … Read entire article »
Franco Berardi Bifo: Toward the European Insurrection
By Franco Berardi Bifo: Europe will be the product of your mind Spring 2011 : the European Union is on the brink of the catastrophe, as Neoliberal dogmatism is imposing the diktat of the financial class upon the interests of society. Let’s look back, before we try to understand what has to be done. In the year 1933 in his Discours à la nation européenne, Julien Benda wrote the following words: Vous ferez l’Europe par ce que vous direz, non … Read entire article »
Pat Korte: Revolutionary Organization
Pat Korte from the Organization for a Free Society discusses Revolutionary Organization for The New Significance. (video) Length: 11 min. 31 sec. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Autonomy, Exclusives, Featured, Video
#SpanishRevolution Video Statement
An exciting declaration of new relations… (video) … Read entire article »