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Home , Donald Rooum, Fredy Perlman, Subcomandante Marcos, The Conquest of Bread

PHIL 32091-001/002: (SPRING 2021)

PROFESSOR: David Pereplyotchik EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE: 917.667.5838 (feel free to text me!) MEETING TIMES: M/W 12:15-1:30pm OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday/Thursday 11am-2pm READINGS: The course readings, listed below, are all available online.

1. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed 2. , Anarchism and Other Essays (any) or Writings of Emma Goldman (Red and Black) 3. Pyotr (Pëtr, Peter) , The Conquest of Bread, Mutual Aid: A Factor in Evolution (any) 4. Ruth Kinna, Anarchism: A Beginner’s Guide (Bolinda)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course begins with the in 19th-century Europe, including figures such as Pierre- Joseph Proudhon, , and Pyotr Kropotkin. These thinkers laid down the foundations of the anarchist philosophy regarding the relationship between individuals and the societies in which they are embedded. In her works of futuristic utopian fiction, the 20th century anarchist author, Ursula K. LeGuin, sketches many hypothetical ways of implementing these philosophical ideals. We will look at the hypothetical presented in her first book, The Dispossessed, where she puts aspects of anarchist thought on vivid display—as only literary fiction can—but also scrutinizes them with a sharp critical eye. Returning from fiction to reality, we will see that classical anarchism is similar in some respects to the / of . But anarchist ideas differ sharply from , and even more so from the historically disastrous doctrines of V. I. Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Josef Stalin. Having noted this, we move our attention to the labor movements of the in the early 20th century, where Emma Goldman, , and Voltarine de Cleyre made profound contributions to our understanding of the struggles of working women, Blacks, and immigrants. Many other anarchists made clear the injustices of the modern-day prison system, police brutality, and other forms of government militarism. Later in the century, a revival of anarchist philosophy was wrought by , , and , this time focusing more heavily on contemporary issues, such as the battle against neo-fascism and , the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, for animal welfare, and for substantive solutions to the ecological and social problems stemming from global anthropogenic climate change. We end the course by comparing three routes to economic, social, and spiritual emancipation—violent , civil disobedience, and progressive education. Ultimately, the goal of the course is to help you reflect—in a creative, imaginative, and sometimes unconstrained way—on your role in society, your notions of personal , and your vision of a truly just community.

MAJOR COURSE TOPICS

Metaphysics: Freedom, Liberty, Nature, Personhood, Identity, Individuality, Consciousness Moral Philosophy: Justice, Goodness, Virtue, Rights, Duties, Responsibilities Moral Psychology: Selfishness, Altruism, Communion, In-/Out-Group, Trust, Fear, Desire, and Need : Autonomy, Power, Coercion, Authority, Government, Law, Consent, Hegemony Epistemology: Rationality, Reason, Evidence, Media, Education, Common Sense, Public Opinion Economics: Property, Markets, Labor, Capital, Work, Debt, Automation, UBI, Taxes, Socialism : Democracy, Voting, Representation, Militarism, Municipalism, Federalism, Global Affairs: Borders, Armies, Nation-States, Autonomous Zones, Anarchic International Relations History: 19-20th C. France, Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, America; Zapatistas, Occupy, BLM, XR, etc. Criminology: Laws, Police, Prisons, Courts, Crime, Punishment, Retribution, Deterrence Education: Conformity, Regimentation, Testing, Academic Repression Religion: Conservativism, Religious Oppression/Intolerance, Imperialism, Progressive Movements Race: Indigenous Peoples, Immigrants/Refugees, the Global South, Climate Refugees, Nonhuman Animals Gender: BIPOC, Gender Equity, Gender Equality, Women’s Rights, LGBT Rights, Trans Issues Current Affairs: Climate Change, Automation, Factory Farming, Racial Justice, Policing, LGBTQ+ Rights

WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION

Wednesday, January 20: First day of class

We’ll talk about the syllabus, the collective (!) assignments and the communal (!) grading system.

WEEK 2: WHAT IS ANARCHISM? LIBERTARIAN SOCIALISTS AGAINST ALL COERCIVE AUTHORITY

Monday, January 25: Introductory Packet: P. Kropotkin, D. Goodman, A. Berkman

Wednesday, January 27: Introductory Packet, cont’d: Emma Goldman, Donald Rooum

WEEK 3: THE “CLASSICAL” ANARCHISM OF 19TH CENTURY EUROPE AND RUSSIA

Monday, February 1: Pyotr Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread

Wednesday, February 3: Pyotr Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread

WEEK 4: THE “CLASSICAL” ANARCHISM OF 19TH CENTURY EUROPE

Monday, February 8: Pyotr Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread

Wednesday, February 10: Pyotr Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread

WEEK 5: ANARCHISM IN UTOPIAN FICTION

Monday, February 15: Pyotr Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread and Mutual Aid (excerpts)

Wednesday, February 17: Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed

WEEK 6: ANARCHISM IN UTOPIAN FICTION

Monday, February 22: Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed

Wednesday, February 24: Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed

WEEK 7: ANARCHISM IN UTOPIAN FICTION

Monday, March 1: Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed (plus secondary literature)

Wednesday, March 3: Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed (plus secondary literature)

WEEK 8: FREEDOM, LIBERTY, AUTONOMY, POWER, AND COERCION

Monday, March 8: Ruth Kinna, Anarchism: A Beginner’s Guide, Chapter 2

Wednesday, March 10: Excerpts from Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, , Mikhail Bakunin, Emma Goldman, , and Rudolph Rocker

WEEK 9: HIERARCHY, AUTHORITY, RULE, DOMINATION, GOVERNMENT, AND LAW

Monday, March 15: Ruth Kinna, Anarchism: A Beginner’s Guide, Chapter 2

Wednesday, March 17: Excerpts from , , , Theodore Kaczynski, , and

WEEK 10: POLICE, PRISONS, COURTS, CRIME, PUNISHMENT, RETRIBUTION, DETERRENCE

Monday, March 22: Excerpts from Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Mikhail Bakunin, Pyotr Kropotkin, and Leo Tolstoy

Wednesday, March 24: Excerpts from Emma Goldman, Lucy Parsons, and Voltarine de Cleyre

WEEK 11: GLOBAL HISTORY, ANTHROPOLOGY, AND ECONOMICS

Monday, March 29: Ruth Kinna, Anarchism: A Beginner’s Guide, Chapter 3

Wednesday, March 31: Excerpts from Kropotkin (Mutual Aid and Fields, Factories, Workshops), Murray Bookchin, David Graeber, John Zerzan, and James C. Scott

WEEK 12: PROPERTY, MARKETS, LABOR, CAPITAL, WORK, TAXES, DEBT, AUTOMATION

Monday, April 5: Excerpts from Emma Goldman, Lucy Parsons, Errico Malatesta, (ABC of Anarchism), and David Graeber

Wednesday, April 7: Bertrand Russell, Proposed Roads to Freedom (excerpts)

SPRING BREAK: No classes on Monday, April 12th and Wednesday, April 14th

WEEK 13: STRATEGIES: RIOT, INSURRECTION, SABOTAGE, VIOLENCE, TERRORISM

Monday, April 17: Ruth Kinna, Anarchism: A Beginner’s Guide, Chapter 4

Wednesday, April 19: Excerpts from Louis Blanqui, , Emile Réclus

WEEK 14: ECONOMIC STRATEGIES: STRIKES, SIT-INS, UNIONS, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING/OWNERSHIP

Monday, April 24: Excerpts from Eugene Debbs, Errico Malatesta, Georges Sorel, , Various IWW pamphlets

Wednesday, April 26: Erik Loomis, A History of America in Ten Strikes (excerpts)

WEEK 15: PROGRESSIVE STRATEGIES: EDUCATION, URBAN RENEWAL, ART, PARENTING, COMMUNITY

Monday, May 1: Ruth Kinna, Anarchism: A Beginner’s Guide, Chapter 5

Wednesday, May 3: Excerpts from Paul Goodman, , Murray Bookchin Noam Chomsky, and David Graeber ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

Grading

The grading scheme for this course is experimental, in a number of respects:

1. Your final grade for the course will be based entirely on communal projects 2. You will receive continuous feedback, not just from me, but from all of the other students 3. You are at least as responsible to one another as you are to me for completing projects 4. You will use “” to arrive at what you consider to be a fair grading system 5. As the semester proceeds, you will use “consensus democracy” to adjust that system, if need be

The elements of the course that you should consider when deciding on a grading system are as follows:

Readings

The assigned readings for each class session are all necessary for the well-functioning of the course. (Other optional readings will be announced in class and sometimes by email.) Everyone should thus expect everyone else to come prepared, having done at least the required readings, if not more. Occasionally, someone will slack, putting pressure on others to bring them up to speed. Some form of group accountability will emerge.

Ongoing group projects for the class as a whole

We will collectively create the following items:

a. An annotated version of The e. A zine Dispossessed f. A community project b. An annotated bibliography of texts g. An educational model c. A course booklet h. A utopian vision d. A website i. A dystopian vision

One- or two-person presentations during class

Each of you has unique interests. You will pursue the connection between those and the present course and then present your findings to the rest of us. I hope to see this happen at least 2 times during the semester. Joint/group presentations are encouraged.

Class Participation

I think of participation as a kind of intellectual investment in the course, which goes beyond simply completing the assignments and showing up. It consists in being active in the class classroom—asking questions and making comments that demonstrate a grasp of the course material and an interest in the topics.

Attendance

The course obviously can’t function if people don’t come. So attendance should be highly prioritized. Any student who has 5 or more absences or very late arrivals will be subject to some form of group censure.

Students who are absent from class for religious reasons or due to documented medical treatment will not incur any penalty on their final grade, but are still responsible for all required readings and assignments.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Office Hours and Availability

My primary office hours are at the top of the syllabus, but I’m quite flexible and can be reached at any time by email, text, and phone. I will do my best to respond to your emails as quickly as possible. Sometimes I will reply to your message immediately, even at odd hours. However, please do not assume that this is always possible. Occasionally, I will not have access to email or will not be able to answer your query for up to several days. In such cases, please be patient.

Individual meetings

It would be good to meet one-on-one once every 3-4 weeks, to check in about the course, exchange feedback, and assess our progress toward individual and collective goals.

Plagiarism, Cheating, and other forms of Academic Dishonesty

Please note that I do not tolerate academic dishonesty in any form. I take a strict stance on this. Be aware that I will dole out maximum penalties for violations, including assigning failing grades and pushing for suspension and/or expulsion from Kent State. If you are unclear on what constitutes plagiarism or academic dishonesty, make it your business to learn about this immediately. Ignorance of university policy will not be accepted as an excuse. University policy 3-01.8 deals with the problem of academic dishonesty. The sanctions provided in this policy will be used to deal with any violations. If you have any questions, please read the policy at https://www.kent.edu/plagiarism

Information for Students with Documented Disabilities

University policy 3-01.3 requires that students with documented disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact me at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through Student Accessibility Services. Contact 330-672-3391 or visit www.kent.edu/sas for more information on the relevant procedures.

Registration and Withdrawal Deadlines

The official registration deadline for this course is available on the web. University policy requires all students to be officially registered in each class they are attending. Students who are not officially registered for a course by published deadlines should not be attending classes and will not receive credit or a grade for the course. Each student must confirm enrollment by checking his/her class schedule, using Student Tools in FlashLine, prior to the deadline indicated on the web. Registration errors must be corrected prior to that deadline.