The historical fact that Athens was the birthplace of democracy has been haunting the crowds assembled for nearly two months in the city’s Syntagma (Constitution) Square, right across from the House of Parliament, protesting undaunted against the government’s incapacity to … Continue reading “Indignant Politics in Athens – Democracy Out of Rage”
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Eric Stanley interview on KPFA radio
Social Text CollectiveListen to an interview with Eric Stanley about his article “Near Life, Queer Death: Overkill and Ontological Capture” from Social Text 107, our current issue. His article is a fascinating interrogation of how queer ontology and violence against queers can be seen as a constitutive part of liberal democracy. He offers the concept overkill to denote the type of violence against queers which goes beyond death.
KPFA radio is a listener-funded progressive talk and music radio station broadcast from Berkeley, California. Stanley will appear on Against the Grain, a program dedicated to in-depth analysis and commentary on issues important to progressive and radical thinking. The program is co-hosted and co-produced by Sasha Lilley and C.S. Soong.
Introduction
Ashley Dawson
A year and several months ago, I returned to New York from the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, Bolivia. While at the conference, I live blogged events in the many different forums of the conference, and also posted short analytical essays chronicling my reaction to the various interventions unfolding at the conference. Social Text online now presents these different pieces as a unified dossier in order to preserve this important historical moment.
Arrival
Ashley Dawson
The NYC delegation arrived on a red-eye flight from a stormy Miami early this morning. The delegation, assembled by the Bolivian embassy in NYC based on submitted applications, is an extremely diverse group, including grassroots housing activists, union representatives, media … Continue reading “Arrival”
Inaugural Ceremony for the Conference
Ashley Dawson
We arrive in the stadium of the University of Univalle at 8am, walking through a gauntlet of military police, naval police, army officers, cobra special SWAT troops, etc. The bleachers are sparsely populated by Bolivians with their union banners hanging … Continue reading “Inaugural Ceremony for the Conference”
Evo Morales's Speech at the Inaugural Ceremony
Ashley Dawson
Pachamama o muerte! For the planet or for death!I salute the social movements, unions, government representatives, and many people who have come to Bolivia, the heart of the Americas, to participate in this conference in the defense of pachamama. Copenhagen … Continue reading “Evo Morales's Speech at the Inaugural Ceremony”
History is what the Present is made of
Michael MandibergAn Interview with Matthew Frye Jacobson.
Michael Mandiberg: So tell us about the Historian’s Eye project…
Matthew Frye Jacobson: This started for me back in about 2007-2008. I was trying to think about different ways of getting intellectual work out in the world, continuous with all the writing I’ve done but in a different register. Read more
Action Strategies Working Group, Part 1
Ashley Dawson
Working groups started this morning. As I said in my last post, we missed some of the discussions because of registration. So, I’m picking up halfway through the day of discussions over Action Strategies to deal with the climate crisis. … Continue reading “Action Strategies Working Group, Part 1”
Analysis of Day 1
Ashley Dawson
Many of the pronouncements and plans advanced during the Action Strategies Working Group on day one were important, perhaps even essential, but did not strike me as particular original. The need for better networking and better education around climate change, … Continue reading “Analysis of Day 1”
The Science of Climate Change Panel
Ashley Dawson
James Hansen: This is a time pregnant with danger. This danger exists because of a large gap between what the science has made clear and what the public realizes.It has become clear from the science that we are in a … Continue reading “The Science of Climate Change Panel”
Analysis of Day 2
Ashley Dawson
Pachamama o muerte! (Mother Earth or Death) Evo’s rallying cry at the beginning and end of his speech confirmed everything that I’d hoped to find in Bolivia. Here is a leader who really understands the stakes of the epic struggle … Continue reading “Analysis of Day 2”
Panel on the Rights of Mother Earth
Ashley Dawson
Greetings from the Postmaster General of Bolivia. The Bolivian postal service is issuing two stamps that illustrate the impact of global warming in our country: an image of a glacier from the Bolivian Andes that only 10 years ago … Continue reading “Panel on the Rights of Mother Earth”
Unions and Green Jobs Panel
Ashley Dawson
Jonathan Neele: I speak for an alliance of 6 labor unions in the UK (www.campaigngcc.org/greenjobs). We have a campaign for 1 million green jobs in the UK. But I want to join with all of you in this campaign, because … Continue reading “Unions and Green Jobs Panel”
Analysis of Day 3
Ashley Dawson
I have the feeling that a lot is going on behind the scenes. Day three featured a mix of panels with expert testimony and reports by Working Groups. I’ll talk first about the latter. I attended presentations for the working … Continue reading “Analysis of Day 3”
The Cochabamba Water Wars: An Interview with Oscar Olivera
Ashley Dawson
Oscar Olivera (OO) is a trade unionist and leader of the famous water wars which unfolded in Cochabamba in 2000 following the privatization of the city’s water supply. The water wars, which involved shutting down Cochabamba for six months, were … Continue reading “The Cochabamba Water Wars: An Interview with Oscar Olivera”