Why are we in debt? And, why do we believe we are in debt? It is not a question of whether we are in debt: we are. In recent years, from Turkey to the United Kingdom, credit card debt … Continue reading “The Fetishism of Debt”
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Debt Dossier
richard dienstIt’s important to begin with a reminder of the reasons everybody is talking about debt these days. The threat of “debt crisis” hangs over the world economy. The United States “has been living beyond its means,” Greece “cannot pay its … Continue reading “Debt Dossier”
Comments on the Debt Dossier
david graeberI feel I am at a bit of a disadvantage since Richard Dienst has said much of what I would wish to say, and much of it, at least slightly better. I agree strongly with his assessment. What these … Continue reading “Comments on the Debt Dossier”
Andrew Ross speaks to Occupy Wall Street on Student Debt
Ashley Dawson
Introduction by Ashley Dawson:In 1970, an adviser to California Governor Ronald Reagan’s reelection campaign commented on the state of public education: “We are in danger of producing an educated proletariat. That’s dynamite! We have to be selective on who we … Continue reading “Andrew Ross speaks to Occupy Wall Street on Student Debt”
Radical Politics in the Age of Austerity
Social Text Collective
Michael Truscello’s new documentary, Capitalism Is The Crisis: Radical Politics in the Age of Austerity, which is excerpted above, can be viewed in its entirety here. It features commentary by Chris Hedges, Michael Hardt, and many more.
Making $58,412.10 of Student Debt Disappear into Thin Air
Social Text Collective
My student debt for a MFA from Bard College is currently $58,412.10. My attempt is to use the internet to get 100,000 people to mail the Sallie Mae corporation (who administers my loans), a check for 58 cents. And that by doing this, the collective activity of these small gestures will not only relieve my debt, but will overwhelm and flood their P.O. box in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Free Money Movement
Social Text Collective
The Aaron Burr Society is dedicated to exposing the myths of Free Markets and Free Trade with absurdist, conceptual artwork operating in the public sphere.
The Unemployed
Social Text Collective
Jody Zellen is a Los Angeles based artist who works in many media simultaneously making interactive installations, net art, drawings, photographs, public art, as well as artists’ books that explore the urban environment and its representation. She employs media-generated … Continue reading “The Unemployed”
Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor: An Interview with Rob Nixon
Ashley DawsonRob Nixon’s Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor was published this spring by Harvard University Press. Nixon’s work has been crucial to articulating the conjunction — as well as the fault lines — between postcolonial studies and ecocriticism. … Continue reading “Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor: An Interview with Rob Nixon”
Is Anonymous Anarchy?
Biella ColemanFor many, the political movement known as Anonymous conjures one thing and one thing alone: anarchy. I have now seen this association made so many times, I thought it might be a good idea to lay out in some detail … Continue reading “Is Anonymous Anarchy?”
Deficits, Debts, and Deepening Crisis
Richard WolffStandard and Poor downgrades US debt, stock markets gyrate around the world, Sarkozy and Merkel do yet another pointless summit, the Chinese and Japanese economies look worrisome. Serious commentators worry about global recession, Eurozone dissolution, and austerity programs that only … Continue reading “Deficits, Debts, and Deepening Crisis”
Made in Havana City
Sujatha FernandesOnstage is Instinto, a female trio extraordinaire. The divas are wearing shimmering strapless dresses with high heels. As a salsa beat kicks in, they rap in a lyrical prose, spin on their heels, and sing in three part harmony. This … Continue reading “Made in Havana City”
London Calling…
Tariq JazeelIt’s difficult to know how to begin to write about the last few days here in the UK. The disturbances — shall we call them ‘riots’, ‘protests’, ‘unrest’, ‘civil disobedience’, ‘mob violence’? — that started last Saturday in Tottenham, just … Continue reading “London Calling…”
Social Text Video Channel Up Now
Roland BolzSocial Text presents a new video channel, to be used for lectures, event reports, mini-documentaries and creative work. Check it out on YouTube or Vimeo! We welcome submissions for our video channel. Please email them to socialtext@columbia.edu. Below is the … Continue reading “Social Text Video Channel Up Now”
Act for Climate Justice
Ashley DawsonLast night I went to see the film The Last Mountain, an incredibly powerful documentary that chronicles the struggle of West Virginian communities against the pulverization of their land and lives by coal mining outfits like Massey Energy Corporation. Mountaintop … Continue reading “Act for Climate Justice”