Suggested reading for the first class: Franz Fanon ‘Wretched of the Earth’ and Paulo Friere’s ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’.

About the Group:

On the streets at major protest mobilizations, in activist groups and organizations, inspiring community projects and struggles in the university and the workplace, anarchist ideas and principles play an influential role in the radical political landscape. Unfortunately, anarchism is often misrepresented as solely a theory of violence and chaos, and the popular image of the anarchist is for many, that of a black clad terrorist.

But, anarchism is so much more than smashing windows! Anarchism as a theoretical tradition and ongoing movement is incredibly rich and complex. Principles of decentralization and horizontal decision-making, solidarity and autonomy, direct action and mutual aid have become defining characteristics of countless social and environmental justice initiatives, from anti-poverty organizing to migrant justice work, from alternative education projects to childcare collectives and everything in between.

The KW Anarchist Discussion Group explores the past, present and potential futures of anarchism. The group is participant driven- discussion topics are dictated by the interests of those involved, and ongoing emphasis is placed on the importance of connecting theory and practice. Potential discussion topics include: the basics of anarchist theory, different schools of anarchist thought, the history of anarchist ideas and experiments, present-day examples of lived anarchy and anarchist social movements, and anarchist analysis of contemporary events.

For people who are new to anarchism and interested in learning more, as well as those who are familiar with anarchist ideas and interested in more in-depth conversations, the group is open to all those interested in exploring anarchist ideas and/or deepening your knowledge of anarchism.