POLITICAL/SOCIAL THEORY
Caliban and the Witch by Sylvia Federici, reviewed by FG
"There
seems to be a full well of arguments about which--capitalism or
patriarchy--reared their ugly heads first. This book provides exhaustive
and compelling historical documentation to suggest that whatever hold
patriarchy had on feudal Europe was completely exploited and engorged by
capitalism and used to colonize indigenous populations. Perhaps what's
most interesting is the lost history of just how many people were killed
using methods that were developed during the witch hunts, methods that
are still being used to 'develop' impoverished nations today. Totally
fascinating and enraging (and equally interesting to think about why
these histories are being erased--'Trauma and Recovery' by Judith Herman
is great read to mull over similar themes)."
#Political/Social Theory #Women's Studies #History
The Complex by Nick Turse, reviewed by PM
"Did
you know the U.S. military gives massive funding to the video games and
film industries because, in their view, they clean up the military's
image and teach kids how to kill? Turse reveals the barely hidden
network of war profiteers that reaches everywhere. Highly informative
and accessible."
#Political/Social Theory
Crack Capitalism by John Holloway, reviewed by FG
"Philosophy
that reads like poetry proposing radical solidarity and attacking
Capital from every part of our lives. Beautiful and inspiring."
#Political/Social Theory
Creating a Movement With Teeth: A Documentary History of the George Jackson Brigade by Daniel Burton-Rose and Ward Churchill, reviewed by Sea
"Queers
bomb shit in Seattle! Learn more about Seattle's awesome radical
history. This fascinating collection of documents relating to the George
Jackson Brigade is hard to put down."
#Political/Social Theory #Local #History
The Creation: an Appeal to Save Life on Earth by E.O. Wilson, reviewed by KK
"I
love E.O. Wilson, a brilliant entomologist who is writing another
impassioned plea to end environmental destruction. This book is in the
form of a letter to a Southern pastor. Wilson asks that religious and
scientific folks come together to save life on earth."
#Political/Social Theory
Declaration of the Rights of Human by Raoul Vaneigem, reviewed by Collin
"If
the US Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights were a
sandwich, it would taste like bread, salt and dirt--there's nothing in
them. The same is so in France's Declaration of the Rights of Man, so
Raoul Vaneigem updates the menu for human rights."
#Political/Social Theory
Dreamland: The Way Out of Juarez by Charles Bowden and Alice Leora Briggs, reviewed by Cndr
"'What
commentators and politicians call problems are no more than how these
facts manifest themselves. There is no drug problem, there is a drug
appetite. There is no immigration problem, there is a flight from
poverty and a demand for cheap and docile labor. There is no violence
problem. There is simply an economic engine running without lubricant
and without much hope of lubricant unless you count blood as a possible
source, something our ancestors would simply see as a typical
unregulated market. And the Mexican War is actual and it is fought my
Americans against Mexicans because such a war is preferable to
Americans. The only alternative is to recognize the implications of our
appetites and policies and no one wishes to do this. On the border it
does not matter who is president or which party is in power. On this
border the fact reminds the same, and the death houses remain open for
carne asadas.'"
#Political/Social Theory #Latin American Studies
Evil Paradises ed. by Mike Davis, reviewed by LS
"A
solid anthology. This book does a good job of making global patterns of
economic inequality concrete by detailing the architectural, spatial,
and social landscapes created by the globalized economy. Common themes
arise in unexpectedly different countries and cultures from Asia, the
Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. Definitely a worthwhile read."
#Political/Social Theory #Cities/Architecture
Experimental Geography ed. by Nato Thompson, reviewed by LS
"If you're at all into Art, Geography, or Urban Studies, this book is the DOPESAUCE!!
A guide to the exhibition of the same name, this book showcases some
amazing work (participants include CLUI, Rags Media Collective, Trevor
Paglen, and the Center for Urban Pedagogy) while also providing good
commentary on the role of artists in culture. Overall, there's a good
blend of the academic and working art worlds centered around ideas of
place, the production of space and the landscapes we inhabit."
#Political/Social Theory #Cities/Architecture
From Bakunin to Lacan by Saul Newman, reviewed by Josh
"In
this incredible book, Newman uses poststructuralist thought to move
past Marxism and push Anarchism to a deeper, more thorough critique of
power. He shows how it is important to shirk the essentialist logic of
classical Anarchism and redefine our limits and possibilities. A well
written and readable book of great importance to modern Anarchist theory
<3."
#Political/Social Theory #Post-anarchism
Ho's, Hookers, Call Girls, Rent Boys ed. by David Henry Sterry and RJ Martin Jr., reviewed by Dre
"In
a culture where strippers, porn stars, and other sex workers are
'consumed' but not always respected, here is a glimpse into the lives of
the people we pay for SEX."
#Political/Social Theory
In the Shadow of the Silent Majorities by Jean Baudrillard, reviewed by Fin
"Published
for the first time in '78 in Paris, this book has been called the most
important sociopolitical manifesto of the Twentieth century. Baudrillard
characterizes the masses as a black hole which destroys all meaning,
rendering communication meaningless. He uses examples to prove his point
that revolutionary action feeds the media, calling instead of the
social and political. This Semiotext edition also includes "Event and
non-event published in 2003 which elaborates on Baudrillard's ideas
about the end of history and terrorisms ability to disturb notions of
progress/the future."
#Political/Social Theory
Infinitely Demanding: Ethics of Commitment, Politics of Resistance by Simon Critchley, reviewed by LS
"The
bulk of this book contains a very thorough model of ethics and ethical
subjectivity brought about by the combination of a very diverse set of
philosophical and psychoanalytic theories. The author then, rather
hastily, tries to tie this model to his own sort of post-Marxist,
pro-Anarchism views of political action. He doesn't quite succeed at
pulling the two together, but it's a worthwhile read anyhow."
#Political/Social Theory
A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnit, reviewed by Sea
"You
probably ought to read this book. Both heart breaking and incredibly
hopefully, it provides an intimate portrait of the communities that
arise in disaster. It provides a compelling case for our latent ability
to organize without bosses or structure through in depth case studies of
several recent disasters. Give this one to your friends when they say
that anarchy will never work."
#Political/Social Theory
The Revolution Will Not Be Funded by Incite! Women of Color Against Violence, reviewed by ER
"The
INCITE! Collective is on fire! This is their newest ground-breaking
anthology with a critical look at how non-profits operate and how to
hold them accountable to the communities that they serve."
#Political/Social Theory
Storming the Gates of Paradise by Rebecca Solnit, reviewed by LS
"Solnit's a great writer! These essays are fluid, personal, political,l and well-researched. With the broad purpose of discussing 'place' and it's meanings in the American West, she covers lots of ground: the border, Native Americans and their representation, the environment, consumerism, urbanism, activism, art, and a range of other topics. Well worth the read!"
To Die For the People by Huey Newton, reviewed by JM
"Mourning
the recent anniversary of Fred Hampton's death and struggling for real
racial equity in response to the tokenization of a black president, it's
a perfect time to read this radical collection of Newton's amazing
essays on black radicalism and the Black Panthers."
#Political/Social Theory
Work by Crimethinc, reviewed by FG
"While
not as poetic or dark as 'Expect Resistance,' 'Work' bluntly translates
all of the ways capitalism colonizes life. A good intro to
capitalism--more seasoned readers might have fun reading this in
conjunction with 'Society of the Spectacle' by Guy Debord.
#Political/Social Theory
