Hem / Att delta i NSU / Förslag till nya studiekretsar / 2006 / F. What is left today - In Theory and Practice?

What is the Left Today - in Theory and Practice?

Over the last decade a new wave of leftist thought has steadily grown, both in academia and outside. This came after the Left had been declared dead by many after the disintegration of Communism in the years 1989-91, and the growing pressure on the Social Democratic welfare states by neo-liberalism and globalisation.
 But somewhere around the turn of the millennium, a new Left manifested itself publicly with the huge demonstrations at a series of summits of the world leaders, beginning in Seattle in 1999. This was followed up by the Social Forums, which began with World Social Forum at Porto Alegra in 2001, which was set up as a contrast to the World Economic Forum summits and which has been held every year since, and which has had several regional and national offsprings. In 1998 the ATTAC movement was started, which spread to have local branches in most European countries during the next couple of years.
 Theoretically, a new wave of criticism of the liberal-democratic, capitalist order emerged at the same time, with books such as Giorgio Agamben's Homo Sacer, which came in English translation in 1998, Slavoj Žižek's The Ticklish Subject in 1999, and Michael Hardt's and Antonio Negri's much debated Empire in 2000. This has also led to a renaissance for thinkers like Alain Badiou or Jacques Rancière, who, like Negri, are still active. 
 All of these movements and books seem to undermine Francis Fukuyama's claim from 1989 that we reached "the end of History". On the contrary, a new and revitalized Left seem to be growing in these years. And possible even a stronger Left, since the disintegration of "really existing socialism" means that the binary "either you are with us or against us"-logic of the Cold War no longer functions (at least not with regards to the Left). The Left today is thus able to formulate its politics without being accused of "working for the Enemy" - with on the other hand was what part of the older Left was during, supporting and being supported by the Communist regimes in the Soviet Union, China, Albania, etc. But this also means that the Left today must work without any naïve notion of "realized utopia".
 In this new study circle we wish debate these new movements in both theory and practice, continuing the work done in study circle 8 during the last three years - but also with the hope of attracting new people with either practical experience from the new movements or interest in the new Leftist theory, or perhaps even both. A lot of people from the old study circle 8, which has a broad Nordic representation, wish to continue, as can be seen on the list of supporters for this proposal - but new people, of any sex or age, are of course welcome.

Coordinators:

Jon Rostgaard Boiesen
Aarhus University, Denmark

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Supporters: