Rediscovering Kropotkin
At the recent social ecology colloquium, Peter Prontzos drew our attention to the renewed interest among scientists in understanding the potential evolutionary basis for human cooperation. Among other developments, this has encouraged some evolutionary biologists to reconsider the work of Peter Kropotkin. Kropotkin’s best known book, Mutual Aid, pioneered the study of cooperation in animal […]
Imboden: In search of a broad, coherent social ecology
This short essay, by Arizona-based social ecologist Charles Imboden, raises some provocative questions about the evolution of social ecology and proposes a reconciliation of some currents that have often been in conflict. Comments, as always, are strongly encouraged. This originally appeared on the author’s blog at http://socecology.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/in-search-of-a-broad-coherent-social-ecology. Recently, someone immersed in Murray Bookchin‘s late-period works […]
The Occupy movement in North America and Europe
From social ecologist Raf Grinfeld in Belgium: Many people in Europe were surprised to see the Occupy Together movement become so big in North America, even those of the Left who had seen more and more interesting popular protests in the Middle East and the south of Europe in 2011, and had hopes that a […]
From the streets of Montreal: Le printemps érable
The phrase ‘printemps érable‘ translates as “Maple Spring,” but it also sounds like the French for Arab Spring. A new website, http://translatingtheprintempserable.tumblr.com/ (also available at quebecprotest.com), offers a diverse mix of messages, commentaries and news stories from the Quebecois French press and activist blogs, e.g. this excerpt from a story by one of the site administrators. […]
“The Meaning and Necessity of Revolution in the 21st Century”
An exceptional work of analysis and vision from one of the most astute observers of the present worldwide revolt. Jerome E. Roos is the founder of ROARmag.org (Reflections on a Revolution), and has traveled extensively in southern Europe over the past year. This is from a talk he gave in Barcelona on the eve of […]
Beverly Naidus installation at Seattle’s “Bread and Roses Exhibition”
“AND NOW BEHIND CURTAIN #2” is an interactive installation in the form of a large colorful fabric spiral with apertures, images and messages that viewers walk around and through. Created by artist/author/teacher/activist and social ecologist Beverly Naidus, the installation premiered at the Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum in Duisberg, Germany in 2005. This viewing will be a […]
Video: John Holloway at the Left Forum (NYC)
In an engaging and genuinely subversive presentation to the closing plenary at this year’s Left Forum in New York City, social critic John Holloway challenged many of the assumptions underlying traditional left strategies in the current economic context. Holloway suggested that today’s popular movements are the real “crisis of capitalism.” We can either aim to […]
On horizonal decision making and bureaucracy
From the UK webzine Stir (stirtoaction.com), a perceptive analysis by anthropologist and activist Marianne Maeckelbergh, highlighting the potentialities and pitfalls of horizontal decision-making processes and their central role in current popular movements. Maeckelbergh begins by highlighting the historical roots of conscious horizontalism, its liberatory potential, and also the need to implement such processes very deliberately: […]
August 2012 Social Ecology Colloquium
Invitation and Call for Papers: Social Ecology in the Occupy Movement 6th Annual Summer Colloquium Institute for Social Ecology Marshfield, Vermont, August 17-19, 2012 Application/Registration Deadline: June 1, 2012 (details below) Contact: colloquium@social-ecology.org The Institute for Social Ecology invites you to attend our 6th annual summer colloquium. ISE colloquia offer the opportunity to gather with an international […]
General strike in Spain
Adbusters reports: Spain was hit with a massive General Strike today (March 29th) that shut down shopping centers, roads and transportation hubs. Barricades of burning tires were erected in Barcelona, hundreds of airline flights were canceled across the nation, and an estimated 91% of all employees at large businesses stayed home or took the streets, […]
