Thinking as Anarchists

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

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This book marks a pivotal moment in the history of anarchism an international gathering held in Venice, Italy in 1984 that gave birth to a critical (hitherto unpublished) anthology compiled by activists associated with the Italian journal Volonta. Charting new avenues for anarchy's realization, the anthology addresses prescient issues such as liberatory power, patriarchy, ecological transformation, state repression, and utopian economics. Giovanna Gioli and Hamish Kallin have combined the original anthology with additional articles from A/Rivista Anarchica and other sources, culminating with a retrospective history of Volonta. Interweaving history, theory, and practice, Thinking as Anarchists is an extraordinary achievement.'Allan Antliff, Director of the University of Victoria's Anarchist ArchiveIn 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 Volonta 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. 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. Remarkably far-ranging in their points of reference, these interventions are truly interdisciplinary seeking to reinvigorate the intellectual heart of the anarchist ideal. This book is essential for historians of anarchism and an engaging intervention for all those who theorise for a radically better world.