Call for Papers
"Anarchism and Technology"
A special issue of Anarchist Studies
Editors: Michael Truscello and Uri Gordon
Deadline for abstracts: 1 August 2011
Deadline for papers: 1 February 2012
Throughout its history, the anarchist movement has had an ambivalent
relationship with technology, with activists and writers approaching the
issue on the full spectrum between celebration and abolitionism. This
trend has continued with the revitalization of anarchist resistance and
theory in the last decades, with phenomena as diverse and
seemingly-contradictory as the wholesale adoption and development of
information and communication technologies, the primitivist critique of
civilization and rewilding practices, and the uptake of practical ecology
applications and models by anarchsits around the world. Nevertheless,
anarchist and anarchist-inspired writings on technological issues remain
quite scant, especially in the scholarly rather than polemical register.
The proposed special issue of Anarchist Studies seeks to address this gap,
in bringing together a focused discussion of all aspects related to the
anarchism/technology nexus. Naturally, this is not the first time
activists and scholars have promoted the concept of technology in harmony
with nature. Philosopher John Clark, for example, checklists a host of
famous theories that demand consonance between human beings and nature:
"what Illich calls 'convivial tools,' Schumacher labels 'intermediate
technology,' and Bookchin (perhaps most adequately) describes as
'liberatory technology,' or 'ecotechnology'" (1985:196). Clark was writing
about technology and anarchism 25 years ago. What do contemporary
anarchists have to say about technology?
Abstracts are invited for papers that would address any intersection of
anarchism and technology. Topics might include:
- Anarchist theories and critiques of technology, from any tendency within
anarchist thought
- Historical approaches to technology by anarchist movements or writers
- Anarchist-inspired infrastructures and new forms of satisfying
necessities, anarchist perspectives on the transition from oil-dependent
capitalism to alternative energies and practices
- Social media and revolution (the Iranian "Twitter Revolution," the
Egyptian "Facebook Revolution," etc.)
- Anarchist critiques of civilization and practices of rewilding
- Totalitarian "technological drift" (Langdon Winner) and anarchist responses
- Technological abilities/ableism
- Anarchist dimensions of Free and Open Source Software
- Technosocial assemblages and (the subversion of) regimes of domination
- Anarchist readings of contemporary events/issues, such as Wikileaks and
the Julian Assange saga
Abstracts (up to 350 words) should be sent by 1 August 2011 to the editors
by email (
truscello@gmail.com,
uri@riseup.net)
Once an abstract is accepted, the full paper will be expected by 1
February 2012. Papers will be subject to anonymous peer-review and the
author may be asked to respond to comments or make additions and
corrections.
Michael Truscello, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Departments of English and General Education
EA3118
Mount Royal University
Calgary, AB, Canada
T3E 6K6
403-440-8513
truscello@gmail.com
http://capitalismisthecrisis.net
