Thinking as Anarchists

Newly translates and annotates 13 papers from the 1984 international anarchist gathering in Venice

Introduces the meeting and these papers in their political and historical context, allowing new readers to engage with them for the first time
Features a wealth of vibrant photographs and visual materials, providing a glimpse into the striking richness and creativity of anarchist aesthetics at the time
Considers the journal Volont in relation to emergent forms of autonomous Marxism, the 'new' anarchism and poststructuralism
Essential reading for historians of anarchism and for all those who theorise for a radically better world

In the symbolic year of 1984, thousands of anarchists from all over the world gathered in Venice to explore the future of their shared ideal. This collection brings together a series of influential papers from that moment, centred around the Italian anarchist journal Volont and the international circle connected to it. Initially published from the early 1980s to the late 1990s, most of these papers have never appeared in English before.

Remarkably far-ranging in their points of reference, these interventions are truly interdisciplinary, seeking to reinvigorate the intellectual heart of the anarchist ideal. Together, they form a treasure trove of anti-authoritarian thinking on issues as diverse as authority, the state, utopia, freedom, patriarchy and how we might envisage an anarchist approach to economics. In our era of ecological catastrophe and resurgent fascism, it is more vital than ever that activists and academics see the importance of thinking as anarchists.