Contents Fall 1997 IAS Update Emma Goldman Papers Dimensions of Chinese Anarchism: An Interview with Arif Dirlik From 1905 to 1930, anarchists exerted a means by these concepts is necessary for analysis, broad influence on Chinese culture and politics. establishing first principles tends to dehistoricize They were at the center of the emerging social the approach to them. In other words, you establish radicalism of that period and their activities left a first principles - as if they were true everywhere at significant mark on later decade's revolutionary all times - and then begin to analyze people in movements. terms of those principles. This leads to ahistorical Arif Dirlik is among the few historians writing judgments, in my opinion, on "who is or isn't a true in English to treat the Chinese anarchist movement, anarchist" or "who is or isn't a true Marxist?" which he has chronicled and analyzed in several It leads inevitably to unproductive questions of works, most notably his Anarchism in the Chinese orthodoxy - unproductive both intellectually and Revolution. He has also written numerous politically. This also results in certain kinds of explorations of contemporary problems in radical sectarianism, since it leads to a question of truth politics and theory. fulness rather than historical variation. So, this I spoke with Dirlik on May 19, 1997. I asked didn't have anything to do with Chinese anarchism him about Chinese anarchism, his experience as a per se, but rather my approach to intellectual hist radical social theorist in the university, and the ory and concepts. future of his work. ~ Chuck Morse T Tnlike Peter Zarrow in Anarchism and \J Chinese Political Culture, you de-emphasize Most historiesestablishing of the anarchism principles of beginanarchism by the role of Daoism and Buddhism in the and then narrate the lives of those who embraced constitution of Chinese anarchism. Why is this? these principles. You chose a different approach in There is a methodological problem here ... Anarchism in the Chinese Revolution. You There has been a long-standing tendency - I'm describe the Chinese anarchists as both subjects tempted to call it an Orientalist tendency even - to and objects - products and shapers - of the larger attribute everything new in China to Chinese tradi revolutionary process in China, and your book tion, which is another way of saying that there is traces the dialectic between the anarchists and this never anything significantly new in China, anything process. Why did you choose this form of that cannot be explained in terms of the past. exposition? Is there something about the Chinese I have been a critic of this tradition in Chinese anarchists that makes this necessary or does it historiography. I believe that Chinese society was reflect larger methodological commitments? as subject to change as any other society, whether It's the latter. I believe in approaching or not we are willing to recognize it. So, I was concepts, theories, or political orientations hesitant, therefore, to attribute the emergence of historically. While some kind of notion of what one continued on page 6 IAS Grant Awards The IAS awards an annual total of $6000 in perspective to current debates on biotechnology. grants to writers whose work is important to the It will emphasize the urgent need for an activist anarchist critique of domination, exhibit a clear response to biotechnology and that efforts against financial need, and whose piece is likely to it must also challenge larger structures of social receive wide distribution. On June 15, 1997, the domination. IAS Board of Directors was pleased to award grants to the following individuals: $500 to Frank Adams for the essay, The Educational Ideas and Management Practices of SI000 to Zoe Erwin and Brian Tokar for the I91 and2(f Century Anarchists in Labor-Owned production of Engineering Life: A People's Cooperatives. This essay will explore the Guide to Biotechnology. This anthology of essays practical educational efforts made by anarchists will bring a comprehensive and radical Continued on Page 10 Perspectives-1-on on anarchist anarchist theorytheory Institute for Anarchist Studies Update Perspectives - On Anarchist Theory In the last issue of Perspectives I introduced the posted an IAS web site on the Internet. It is our Institute for Anarchist Studies and our goal to hope that this site will help the IAS reach out to Fall 1997, Vol. I, No. 2 encourage the development of radical social potential grant applicants, supporters, and allies Newsletter of the Institute criticism and ideals of freedom. I am pleased to around the world, thus enabling the IAS to embody for Anarchist Studies report that we have pursued this goal vigorously its internationalist commitments in practice. It is and even expanded our activities in small, but also a cost-effective way to distribute information Editorial Committee: significant ways. about the IAS, thus helping us reduce operating Rebecca DeWitt, Chuck Morse expenses to an even smaller percentage of our The IAS has continued to help radical writers annual budget. Although we will continue to add Grammatical Specialists: produce high quality, critical scholarship with its IAS literature to the site as it becomes available, Diva Agostinelli, Brian Wells grant awards. The IAS awarded its second set of you can already download a grant application, read Hay, Chris Robinson grants this July to authors whose projects will IAS publications, and find links to a variety of examine attempts to build social alternatives and Subscription Rates useful resources and complementary projects. If (Two issues per year) confront urgent, contemporary issues with an anti- you have Internet access, please set aside a few I A S D o n o r s - F r e e authoritarian perspective. It was with pleasure that moments and take a look. The address is: http:// I n d i v i d u a l s - $ 5 we provided assistance to these individuals, members.aol.com/iastudy/Default.htm. I n s t i t u t i o n s - '■ $10 knowing that our grants will help them afford time Bulk Subs (25 Copies) - $25 and resources that are typically scarce for those Finally, it is important to emphasize that the IAS's who challenge social hierarchies. Likewise, it has ability to sustain and expand its efforts presupposes (Please make checks payable to the been gratifying to see our grants yield concrete Institute for Anarchist Studies) the generosity of groups and individuals who value results, as previous recipients bring their projects our efforts to support radical scholarship and build Disclaimer: the views expressed in closer to completion. They have worked diligently: a radical social institution. In particular, the IAS Perspectives do not necessarily Allan Antliff is finishing the last chapter of his must raise $8500 by January, 1998 to award $6000 represent the views of the IAS as a book, The Culture of Revolt: Art and Anarchism in in grants, pay for daily office expenses, and - by whole. America. Kwaku Kushindana and Paul placing 10 percent of every donation in the IAS Fleckenstein have also nearly completed their endowment - continue laying the foundation for essays ("Avoiding New Forms of Repression: An future generations of dissenting, Utopian authors. IAS Board of Directors: African-American Reply" and "Civic Space and Please consider making a donation to the IAS if Paula Emery, John Petrovato, the Anarchist Dream," respectively). And, finally, Dan Chodorkoff, Cindy Milstein, you are not already among those who have Michelle Matisons, Maura Dillon, Murray Bookchin is immersed in exhaustive generously donated to our 1997 fundraising Paul Glavin preparatory research for the second volume of his campaign (see page 11). Contributions are tax Spanish Anarchists. deductible for US citizens and, thanks to Perennial IAS Coordinator Books of Montague, Massachusetts, we are able to Rebecca DeWitt We have not only continued to award grants but offer a selection of exceptional books in exchange have also worked to refine our ability to identify for any contribution of $25 or more (see page 11). General Director: and select the most germane and far reaching This will also entitle you to a 15 percent discount Chuck Morse projects. Specifically, the IAS Board of Directors on any item in Perennial's extraordinary catalogue. recently decided to expand the types of work eligible for IAS support. Grants were previously The IAS is working hard to help radical authors, For more information or a grant directed toward non-fiction works, although we encourage dialogue about anarchist scholarship, application, please send a self- came to regard this as both an unnecessary and build an organization that will be there for the addressed, stamped envelope to: restriction and one that could prevent us from next generation of dissidents. Although our efforts Institute for supporting an extremely valuable project (for unfold in an era of uncertainty and change, the IAS Anarchist Studies example, the next Homage to Catalonia). The IAS has emerged as a solid project that is tangibly P.O. Box 7050 Board thus decided to make IAS grants available to enriching attempts to confront the challenges of our Albany, NY all written works, whether they are fiction, non- time with searching critique and radical ideals of 12225 - USA fiction, poetry, drama, etc.. freedom. ~ Chuck Morse Phone: 518-465-3062 We have also expanded our efforts to encourage E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://members.aol.com/ dialogue about anarchist scholarship, keep people informed about developments in the field, and iastudy/Defaulthtm publicize the IAS. First, we have added four pages The IAS is a nonprofit, tax-exempt to Perspectives in order to provide more in depth organization. news and analysis, particularly longer interviews and "What's Happening" reports.