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Dear all,
Angela Storey (University of Arisona) and I will be applying to EASA with a
panel on the institutionalization of revolutionary movements. If you are
working on a similar topic and would be interested to get involved, please
let us know by 6th of December the latest if you would like to participate.
An abstract of up to 250 words will do. Please send it to
[log in to unmask] and [log in to unmask] .
Cheers, and long preliminary abstract below:
Mariya Ivancheva, CEU / IWM
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*The institutionalization of revolutionary movements: ethnographic case
studies (proposal for EASA panel)*
This panel explores the routes to power of radical and revolutionary
movements, asking to what extent 20th century revolutionary legacies
encourage, suppress, or co-opt present-day political struggles.
While in the Western world many revolutionary movements have been isolated
and marginalized to academic circles and grassroots activism, revolutionary
movements in the rest of the world across the last century often formed or
joined political power ahead of socialist or national liberation struggles.
Yet, these projects for revolutionary social change have in many cases come
to be and support present-day authoritarian and/or neoliberal social
orders. A small number of movements radicalize when coming to power, but
many succumb to processes of rapid institutionalization, evoking critiques
or dissent from previous supporters and adversaries alike.
To explore such contradictions within revolutionary legacies, we draw on
historical and contemporary cases from Venezuela, South Africa and across
the world. We scrutinize continuities and ruptures in the trajectories of
movements in the context of newly acquired responsibilities and authority,
discussing to what extent revolutionary impetus and charisma can be
preserved in the aftermath – and continuation – of sociopolitical struggle.
With Victor Turner we ask to what extent anti-structures harden back to
structures, and what space is left for social change in this process. With
Partha Chatterjee we inquire into the modes in which new elites use the
tools of civil society and institutionalized politics to outmaneuver old
political enemies and new adversaries, including previous supporters. With
James Holston we ask how the work of new movements stake out a form of
“insurgent citizenship” in light of past struggles and current
inequalities. We ask to what extent past revolutionary movements:
-
relate to the grassroots: do they curtail their relations, co-opt old
supporters, or keep a permanent and lively link with larger constituencies
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follow up or renege on their pre-revolutionary promises
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draw upon repertoires of engagement from their revolutionary struggles
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reconsider political activity vis-a-vis “real politics” or shifting
political ideals
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create new “radical distinctions” to defend newly acquired privilege
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engage with subsequent movements and emergent political orders
We also inquire into the opportunity structures used by radical movements
as they come to power, including the choice of strategic alliances with
local and foreign groups in their struggle, which might indicate the
direction of their radicalization or institutionalization.
--
M.
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