week 8 – Crimethinc’s Work

hi all,

for this week’s reading, we’ll start reading Crimethinc’s new book, Work, up to p. 103.  You can download it here.  We’ll meet at the Minnehaha Free Space (3458 Minnehaha Ave. S., Mpls) at 5:30pm on Wednesday, 8/10.

Readings for Week 7 – New World of Indigenous Resistance

For our next meeting (Thursday, August 4, 5:30 pm at Minnehaha Free Space), we’ll read…

“two sections of New World of Indigenous Resistance: Noam Chomsky and Voices from North, South, and Central America (download here). The book was a result of a collaboration between anti-authoritarian indigenous activists in Oaxaca, Mexico who requested a dialogue with Chomsky. It deals most specifically with the way nation-states consolidate power and enforce cultural homogenization, especially through education, and how activists are attempting to revert this enforcement and provide alternatives.The first section is an interview with Noam Chomsky about the state, neo-liberalization, homogenization, etc. The second section, “Beyond Education,” is an essay by an activist in Oaxaca about creating alternative, liberating forms of education based upon the principles of the indigenous peoples of Oaxaca. The readings are a total of around 40 pages, but they’re a much quicker read than Black Bloc, so I could scan another essay or two as well.” – Stefan

Week 6 – readings – The Coming Catastrophe / Give Up Activism

For this week of the reading group, we’ll read Ch.5 – “The Coming Catastrophe” – and the Coda of Black Bloc, White Riot (download here), as well as an essay called “Give Up Activism” (download here).

We’ll meet on Thursday, 7/28, 5:30pm, at Minnehaha Free Space – 3458 Minnehaha Ave. S..

Week 5 – readings

For our fifth meeting, we’ll read Ch.4 of Black Bloc, White Riot – “You Can’t Do Gender in a Riot” (download here) and Ch. 3 of Anarchism and Sexuality – “Nobody Knows What an insurgent body can do: Questions for Affective resistance” (download here).

We’ll meet on Thursday, 7/21, 5:30pm, at Minnehaha Free Space (3458 Minnehaha Ave.).

Fourth meeting – Th. 7/14, 5:30pm @ Minnehaha Free Space

For our fourth meeting, we’ll read Ch. 3 of Black Bloc, White Riot – “Bringing the War Home” -(download here) and Ch.8 of Anarchism and Sexuality – “Fantasies of an Anarchist Sex Educator” (download here).

We’ll be meeting on Thursday, 7/14, 5:30pm @ Minnehaha Free Space (3458 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis).

 

Third Meeting – Th, 7/7, 5:30pm @ Powderhorn Park

For our third meeting, we are reading Ch. 2 of Black Bloc White Riot (download here) and the introduction chapter of Anarchism and Sexuality (download here).

We are going to meet on Thursday, 7/7, at 5:30pm, in another different location: Powderhorn Park, on the northside of the park building (3400 15th Ave S)- at the convergence space for Shut Down Rise Up! (which will include a free meal!) .

Readings for 2nd meeting – Th, 6/30, 8pm @ Walker Church

For our second meeting, we will read Ch.1 of Black Bloc, White Riot (download) and the second half of “Anarchism and its Aspirations” (download).

We are shifting the time and location of our meeting for this week:

Thursday, 6/30, 8pm @ Walker Church (basement) – 3104 16th Ave S, Minneapolis

The purpose of this time shift is so that we can attend an anarchist presentation beforehand — “Solidarity as Active Resistance: Indigenous and Anti-authoritarian Struggles in Chile, Bolivia, Walmapu” — in the same location (Walker Church) at 6pm. For more info, see here.

Readings for first meeting – 6/23

“An answer from above wouldn’t be enough.  No gods, no masters!” (via)

For our first meeting, the main text we would like to read together is the introduction to Black Bloc, White Riot (download here) pp. 1-28 .  We also recommend reading an essay by Cindy Milstein, the first half of “Anarchism and its Aspirations” (download here) pp. 11-47, particularly for those of us who are relatively new to anarchism.  Another introductory text we recommend is a comic book called “Work, Community, Politics, War” (download here), a 28 page class war manifesto by prole.info.

Modern Currents in Anarchist Thought – Summer 2011

Continuing the EXCO tradition, stay tuned for a new anarchist reading group in Summer 2011, co-facilitated by Max, Hanna, and Eli.   The first meeting will be on Wednesday, June 23rd, 5:30pm, at Boneshaker Books (tentatively).

We will read and discuss the recently published books, “Black Bloc, White Riot,” by AK Thompson, and “Anarchism and Sexuality,” edited by Jamie Heckert and Richard Cleminson.   We’ll find a way to make copies available cheaply or for free.  Other shorter readings are likely, and we are open to suggestions.

All are welcome to join.  If you’d like to, please register for the free EXCO course here.

Reading Anarchism, Part III

First meeting will be at the Bedlam Theatre, 1501 S. 6th St. Next one is Thursday, Feb 29th, 6-8pm.

Social Theory and Possibilities.

David Graeber,  The Twilight of Vanguardism ( Chapter 9), Social Theory as Science and Utopia: Or, Does the Prospect of a General Sociological Theory Still Mean Anything In An Age of Globalization? (Chapter 10) from Possibilities: Essays on Hierarchy, Rebellion and Desire. 2007