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Lindsay Parker MA Dissertation Proposal

Lindsay Parker MA Dissertation Proposal. Anarchy in the UK? Geopolitical representations and discourses of extremism in London’s anarchist network. Anarchism is?.

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Lindsay Parker MA Dissertation Proposal

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  1. Lindsay Parker MA Dissertation Proposal Anarchy in the UK? Geopolitical representations and discourses of extremism in London’s anarchist network

  2. Anarchism is? "Anarchism does not mean bloodshed; it does not mean robbery, arson, etc. These monstrosities are, on the contrary, the characteristic features of capitalism. Anarchism means peace and tranquility to all." August Spies “ In a word, we reject all legislation, all authority, and all privileged, licensed, official, and legal influence, even though arising from universal suffrage, convinced that it can turn only to the advantage of a dominant minority of exploiters against the interests of the immense majority in subjection to them.”Mikhail Bakunin, God and the State “Anarchism implies a decentralized spatial arrangement of production and people, because the individual can only fully develop in a close community of others, because people can only directly control small units of production, because for the complete person to develop, contact with the natural world has to be maintained, and because people must take part in a number of different types of economic activity to develop all aspects of their potential.” Richard Peet, Radical Geography: Alternative Viewpoints on Contemporary Social Issues

  3. and… “masked thugs” Patrick Sawer and David Barrett, The Daily Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8409048/TUC-protest-march-anarchists-on-the-rampage-in-London.html “Police have charged nearly 150 people after violent anarchists hijacked the anti-cuts demo and brought terror to London’s streets.” Alex Peake and Mike Sullivan,The Sun “These people don’t care about the cuts, they just want to cause mayhem. They are not protesters, they are criminals. They came with weapons to smash anything they could.” London Met Commander Bob Broadhurst http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3494359/Cops- charge-149-after-protest-against-cuts-turns-ugly.html

  4. Research aims • Identify how geopolitical and media representations of anarchism, anarchists, and ‘anarchy’ in London are constructed and whether these scripts shape what they ‘do’ • Critically examine networks of anarchism and investigate the label of anarchist/space of the philosophy as related to narratives of radicalism, extremism, and security

  5. Geopolitical and Media Representations of Anarchism • Reclamation of the label ‘anarchist’? Reclaiming the movement? • Largely associated with chaos, violence, lawlessness • Media ‘flattening’ of anarchist causes, philosophies, and activism • How are these geopolitical representations used by politicians, political groups, and even international groups?...

  6. Issue of security, threat of ‘radical’ and ‘extreme’ politics • Situatedness of anarchism as part of a larger security threat • Loss of privacy? • Loss of public space? • Rhetoric of radical politics as related to terrorism • Examples from Italy and France

  7. Methodology Will use two significant protests and affiliated groups: • The November 2010 student protests and the March 26, 2011 anti-cuts protests. • The 2009 Climate Camp occupation at Blackheath, London.

  8. Discourse Analysis “…social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted, reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context” (van Dijk 2001:352) Critical analysis of newspapers, newscast, video and images, and political discourses. Will also examine anarchist newspapers, message boards, websites, lyrics, eZines, and graffiti. There are aims to investigate the recent protests and political climate to the 1980’s when there were similar protests and large uprisings. Analysis of current media references to the 80s.

  9. In-depth Interviews Open ended questions to elicit responses that allow the respondents’ personal political philosophies to come through as well as their own experiences with protest, activism, and/or the anarchist movement. • 1. What do you believe to be the most effective form of protest? • 2. How do you feel about violence as direct action? • 3. In your opinion how are anarchists portrayed in the media and in politics? • 4. How do people respond when they find out you are an anarchist?

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