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So What Does It Mean to be Anti-capitalist? Conversations with Activists from Urban Social Centres

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  • Paul Chatterton

    (School of Geography, University of Leeds, University Road, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK, p.chatterton@leeds.ac.uk)

Abstract

This paper is about autonomous urban social centres and attempts to show how the everyday lives, values and practices of participants within them give shape and meaning to the idea of anti-capitalism. This is done by reference to five areas: a politics of place, where local space constitutes anti-capitalist practice; political identities based on impure, messy identities; social relationships which prioritise emotions and collective working; organisational practices based on self-management and experimentation; and political strategies which stress the need to cross boundaries beyond the activist ghetto. Overall, social centre participants demonstrate that anti-capitalist practice is not just ‘anti-’, but also ‘post-’ and ‘despite-’ capitalist; simultaneously against, after and within. Just like capitalist social relations, its antithesis anti-capitalism is constituted through ordinary everyday practices. It is this reconceptualisation of anti-capitalist practice as experimental, messy, open, everyday, collective and grounded politics which has the potential to make this kind of contentious urban politics more legible and feasible—in times when we need it most.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Chatterton, 2010. "So What Does It Mean to be Anti-capitalist? Conversations with Activists from Urban Social Centres," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 47(6), pages 1205-1224, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:47:y:2010:i:6:p:1205-1224
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098009360222
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Margit Mayer, 2003. "The onward sweep of social capital: causes and consequences for understanding cities, communities and urban movements," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 110-132, March.
    2. Stuart Hodkinson & Paul Chatterton, 2006. "Autonomy in the city?," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 305-315, December.
    3. Harvey, David, 2005. "The New Imperialism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199278084.
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    Cited by:

    1. Murat Arsel & Navé Wald, 2015. "Forum 2015," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(4), pages 618-643, July.
    2. Sergio Belda-Miquel & Jordi Peris Blanes & Alexandre Frediani, 2016. "Institutionalization and Depoliticization of the Right to the City: Changing Scenarios for Radical Social Movements," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 321-339, March.

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