The journal of the Transeuropa Festival
MADRID 25—29 OCT. 2017 www.transeuropafestival.eu «No activity can become excellent if the world does not provide a proper space for its exercise» ————— Hannah Arendt
Index Credits
03 / 17 / Transeuropa 2017 is organised Special thanks to all the authors Transeuropa 2017: On nomadism: A conversation by European Alternatives and contributors to this publication. Convergent Spaces with Rosi Braidotti and Zemos98. Thanks to the speakers, artists — Daphne Büllesbach — Rosi Braidotti and facilitators of Transeuropa 2017. — Supported by: 04 / refuge europE The Creative Europe Programme of Thanks to the people who make Transeuropa Open the European Union, The Europe for and made Transeuropa possible. 19 / Citizens Programme of the European Big thanks to Daphne Bullesbach, COMMONS Europe as a Refuge Union, Allianz Kulturstiftung, Ivan Ortiz, Elena Silvestrini, — Ségolène Pruvot European Program for Integration Federica Baiocchi, Lukas Stolz, 06 / and Migration, and Guerrilla Lucas Tello, Giuseppina Tucci, Madrid as a democracy lab 20 / Foundation. Christian Wagemann, — Bernardo Gutiérrez Three questions to Pınar Öğrenci — International Partners: Gianmarco Lalli, Lydia Berneburg, — Perpetuum Mobile AthenSYN, European Commons Carmen Lozano Bright, 08 / Assembly, Perpetuum Mobile, and all the members How P2P Politics can change 22 / Krytyka Polityczna, Visual Culture of European Alternatives. the world, one city at a time Three questions to Erkan Özgen Research Center Ukraine, and — Stacco Troncoso — Perpetuum Mobile Kyiv Biennale 2017. Thanks to the organizers of & Ann Marie Utratel — Local partners: Transeuropa Open throughout 24 / MediaLAB Prado, Matadero, Europe and to Martin Pairet 11 / Everyday borders: a conversation Intermediae, Ayto. de Madrid, for the coordination. The European Commons Assembly with Nakany Kanté Distrito Arganzuela, CentroCentro, in Madrid: for a renewed political — European Alternatives Residencias Centro de Apoyo a la — force in Europe Creación, La Ingobernable CS, — Sophie Bloemen Convergent Spaces and Instituto 25m. This publication reflects the views only & Nicole Leonard — Media partners: of the authors. The Commission cannot 26 / Political Critique, openDemocracy, be held any responsible for any use Cities of Change From East to West, and CTXT. which may be made of the information Feminism in Politics contained therein. 13 / — Oana Băluță & Carmen Castro — The cities want them in! A revised — common European refugee policy as 29 / Editor: a chance to revive the EU What’s after globalisation? Marta Cillero Printed in Sevilla in 2017. — Gesine Schwan — Lorenzo Marsili Design: 14 / 30 / Ricardo Barquín Molero Rebel Cities are not utopia: What Europe Does Ukraine need? A conversation with Luigi de A Statement on the European Translations and proofreading: Magistris, mayor of Naples International Marìa Villar — European Alternatives — Vasyl Cherepanyn
transeuropafestival.eu @Transeuropafest / #TF17 transeuropa european_alternatives
Matadero —— Paseo de la Chopera 14.
V enue s CentroCentro —— Plaza Cibeles 1.
This is a special issue of Transeuropa Journal, with the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. Transeuropa 2017 is: Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 3 Transeuropa 2017: Convergent spaces
hannah Arendt wrote no 1.- Europe as a Refuge?: Reclaiming — 3.- Cities of change and new Daphne Büllesbach is the executive activity can become excellent if Europe as a place of sanctuary for Transeuropa municipalism: giving visibility director of European Alternatives and the world does not provide a proper refugees and migrants and of human to citizens organising in social Transeuropa Festival. space for its exercise. There must rights protection both inside and at unfolds from movements trailblazing new be more spaces for exploration, its borders. Solutions are often found three central participatory practices. In a situation Picture the moon for a moment. If we experimentation and togetherness. at the local level, this is why we invited of vanishing sovereignty at nation talk about fostering a politics beyond Not for comforting us in our the cities of Palermo, Naples, Gdansk themes that state level, citizens have taken control the nation state, we do not mean the own thoughts but for challenging and Madrid and former German help reflect over local institutions, working to nation state will be gone tomorrow. each other to be less comfortable presidential candidate Gesine Schwan transform their cities into cities of But we consider it very worthwhile to democrats with an understanding for to debate the role of municipalities in on the levels shelter, solidarity and social justice. explore what lies beyond it; it is just the inequalities that disenfranchise us. offering shelter to newcomers. The of below, How can we fund the cooperative like looking beyond the moon, it won’t we, at European Union of Street Vendors will host a city? What digital tools help us to make the moon disappear. Alternatives, have worked to open workshop about migrant workers self- above and participate and be informed citizens? exploring the possibilities these spaces of exchange and debate organisation and artists such as Oliver beyond the How can we contribute to radical of going beyond the nation state for many years, and Transeuropa has Ressler and the collective of ‘Artists- urban policy making? These are just happens at many levels and indeed been our prime way of doing it, in a at-Risk’ will show their works and nation state some of the questions we will address. we invented the nation state just transnational manner, across Europe visions. We are particularly pleased We will also present a collectively a few hundred years ago. The arts, in now more than 30 cities. We want to be able to showcase the powerful developed open source mapping culture, but also visionary politicians to converge these conversations multi-media performance Idrissa by platform of cities of change’ from have long been advocates for alliances in Madrid this year, as this city has Metromuster with Nakany Kanté and around Europe and introduce ways to and networking beyond nation-state. seen an amazing process of citizens premiere the documentary ‘When get engaged. Today it goes without saying that mobilisations from back in 2011 to Paul came over the Sea’ in Spain that There are many new nation state politics cannot tackle the the city hall take over by the citizens has already won awards from film dynamics at the local level which are global challenges of climate change, platform Ahora Madrid in 2015. festivals in Germany, Austria, Ukraine working for political change, inside and migration, technology, economic Starting from decentralised activities and China. beyond our continent. Movements interdependence and social justice on in more than 11 cities on October 2.- The Commons: Furthering the from cities and municipalities, citizens’ its own. And yet, putting a particular 21st we will open Transeuropa on thinking of a commons-based society initiatives and platforms, feminist and country’s interest first and above Oct 25th in Madrid. After two days through analysis, knowledge-sharing LGTBIQ+ collectives, are all working others has helped win elections and of workshops and debates that go and exchange. In collaboration with towards the Europe of tomorrow, referenda - even if precisely those deeper into the issues we will end on the European Commons Assembly, to prove that the change happening interests cannot find satisfaction within a high note with a public conference a network of Commons activists can only take place through a the old and increasingly ineffective in partnership with the Kiev Biennale: established in 2016, we discuss renewed political vision occurs national logic. Going beyond the The New Internationale, Below And experiences of managing commons to simultaneously below and beyond the nation state must not mean simply Above The Nation. The partnership advance both the processes and tools, national borders. Any change that emphasising on the transnational with a Ukrainian cultural initiative as well as the narrative of commoning takes place at a local level has to be level: on the contrary it can mean underscores at least another element in our communities. The focus is on connected to a European dimension, renewed autonomy at local level, for of our conception of Europe: namely urban commons and public policy- so as to consolidate the break and cities, municipalities, for citizens. that Europe cannot be bordered, making in the city halls of Spain and reconfiguration of power relations. These days, democracy itself seems to and that it goes well beyond the beyond; as the programme is mainly Without that dimension, the actions have turned into a farce in places like institutional space of the European workshop based, a public assembly stay isolated and blurred, losing Hungary or Poland - to use examples Union. with city governors from across symbolic power and the strength of a close to home, countries priding The 2017 edition of Europe will allow for a larger group collective effort. themselves to be illiberal democracies. Transeuropa’ unfolds from three reflection. Through several site visits we are proud to say that In a situation where liberal democracy central themes, that help reflect on around Madrid participants are able to many of those who are part of these is under such threat, what does it the levels of below, above, and beyond visit local practices of commoning and political and social fights or even mean to stand up for democracy? the nation state. engage and learn from these projects. initiate them are coming to Madrid. How can we act democratically if On Saturday, Ugo Mattei together We are stronger if we build, work, and we speak from our private niches? with Commoners from across the unite. Heartful thanks to our partners Have we reached a point in which we field will debate how the commons and everyone who has contributed understand democracy as a system offer a political vision for a democracy to this endeavour. Come along on that guarantees us rights but doesn’t beyond the nation state. October 25th - October 29th and call on us to take over responsibility - make your voice heard. and I want to add, solidarity? 4 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 5
We are organising a series of decentralised events in di- tical institutions visible, and foster network cooperation fferent cities across Europe for the opening of the festi- and mutual support. It serves as a point of convergence val on Saturday, October 21st. Transeuropa aims to set to exchange ideas, concepts and alternatives for a Eu- a transnational, open and innovative cultural and politi- rope in turmoil. In particular, we focus on three thema- cal space, make grassroots and civic alternatives to poli- tics, which will be at the core of Transeuropa Open:
The city and democracy from below —————— Europe as a Refuge —————— Urban Commons
Messina: Neighbourhoods in Motion/ Participation and Urban Transformation at the Palmara: From Dumping Site to Playground — Maribor: Maribor of the Globe — Belgrade: Towards new models of Commons in Europe — Ludwigshafen am Rhein: My LU-Love for Europe — Berlin: Our political party! Common / Critical / Crypto — Turku: Cha(lle)ging The Other — Herceg Novi: Why Waitin? — Valencia: Escola d’innovacio Civica / Kick off and Civic Talks— Lousame: Festival Transeuropa Lousame 2017 — Amsterdam: Transeuropa Open Amsterdam — London: Transeuropa Open London 6 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu Madrid as a
In May 2015, the so-called Democracy from Decide Madrid is also being «The Bernardo Gutiérrez (@bernardosampa on «citizen confluences», overcoming the bottom up used for binding urban planning ecosystem Twitter) is a Spanish-Brazilian journalist, the traditional political party formats, Pablo Soto uses a word that the consultations, such as the ones on writer and researcher. He works at the conquered the governments of the dictionary of the Royal Academy Plaza España, the Gran Vía, and of citizen MediaLab Prado in Madrid. main cities in Spain. And part of the of the Spanish Language does not the remodeling of 11 squares in the practices and squares’ techno political intelligence recognize (yet): disintermediation. city’s suburbs. Thanks to the cultural was transferred to local governments. Political disintermediation means disintermediation of the Napster self-managed Hacktivists, programmers, assembly removing intermediaries from software, unknown music groups have spaces has and participatory process facilitators representative politics. The aim is been organizing concert tours without went on to work for the institutions. clear: getting citizens to make their any help from the record companies. turned Madrid Pablo Soto, a historical hacker from own decisions. Thanks to the disintermediation into an the peer-to-peer movement and one The launch of Decide Madrid, of Decide Madrid, a proposal by an of the Puerta del Sol regulars, was one the city participation platform individual citizen from the Retiro international of them. In June 2015, Soto became running on the Consul free software, district has managed to turn the reference the head of participation of the Madrid signaled a real revolution. On the one almost abandoned Daoíz y Velarde City Council. Ahora Madrid, Barcelona hand, it paved the way for democracy Theatre into a film library. of the urban en Comú, Zaragoza en Común, among from the bottom up, through direct «The bottom-up belt which commons» During the occupation of Puerta del many other political confluences, and binding mechanisms. Unlike other enables people to impose decisions on Sol in Madrid in 2011, the hackers at began to rev up participation in the historical participatory budgets, the top-level officials is not a technological the core of Madrid’s 15M developed a country’s main cities. 100 million Euros devoted to Decide tool: it is a popular initiative platform for anyone to make political «All roads lead to Spanish Madrid participatory budgets in 2017 mechanism. Before, the mechanism proposals. Designed in free software, cities, where they are experimenting are allocated according to proposals consisted of collecting signatures. the Propongo platform allowed users with citizen empowerment tools like coming from below. The proposals Now, citizens use technology to to put forward ideas which could nowhere else in the world», noted that get the most votes, whenever collect them, opening up a Change. then be voted on. The operational Geoff Mulgan, head of Nesta in the technically feasible, are approved. org, an Oiga.me. We have done that in arrangement was pretty simple: UK. Two years after taking power The platform also carries a section for Madrid (...) The Propongo philosophy decentralized proposals, from the in the so-called Cities of Change, «citizen proposals». If a proposal gets governs most direct democracy bottom up. The State of Rio Grande participation has become one of the support of 1% of the registered platforms implemented in Spain by do Sul (Brazil), where participatory the biggest disruptions. And hacker Madrid citizens over the age of 16 the councils of the Cities of Change», budgets came to light in 1989, used Soto’s Madrid is the city that has (that is, 27.064 citizens), it gets to says Pablo Soto. part of the Propongo code and its gone further down this road. From the final voting stage. The first such The Decide Madrid platform philosophy for the Digital Cabinet, its the networks to the territory, and vice vote on citizen proposals took place on was not initially well received by star citizen participation project. versa, Madrid is turning the collective February 13-19 2016, on the Internet the traditional neighbourhood In Spain, the political class dream of the occupied squares of 2011 and in several physical places in the associations, used to face-to-face turned its back on the Indignados. into public policies. city. The 100% sustainable Madrid participation and to mediating No one was there on the other side proposal was voted by 188.665 between citizens and government. of Propongo. No local, regional or people (89.11% of the voters). The In order to tackle this, a number of state government listened to the proposal A single ticket for public face-to-face deliberation spaces are new music coming out of the squares transport, although it exceeded the being set up, such as the Local Forums – and even less to the proposals. City Council’s area of jurisdiction, (physical participation spaces in the Meanwhile, collective intelligence was supported by 198.905 people districts), and also projects such as and networking in the squares were (93.94% of the voters) and put If you feel like a cat (participation for developing sophisticated mechanisms pressure on the Madrid Transport children and teenagers), or processes for participation and deliberation, Consortium, where the regional such as G1000, which aims at both online and face-to-face. The government has a major stake. promoting collective deliberation and powerful technopolitics made in Spain fostering proposals from below on the conquered the hearts of activists all basis of a representative sample of the over the world. And the hearts of some population, so that the participants’ foreign academics and politicians too. diversity and plurality is guaranteed. >> Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 7 democracy lab
«The recent Most projects are being Distributed Democracy The recent occupation of occupation of carried out with the support of the new democracy of the commons La Ingobernable, a «Metropolitan Laboratories of Citizen Innovation of The brain as a metaphor. A map of The exuberant ecosystem of Social Centre for the construction La Ingoberna- the prestigious Medialab-Prado. The Hamburg (Germany) as a symbol citizen practices and self-managed of the urban commons» located in ble, a Social Participa LAB (Collective Intelligence of the networked, decentralized spaces has turned Madrid into an a building which is a City Council for Democracy), the DataLab city. Neurons and neighbourhoods international reference of the urban property, a few meters from the Centre located (open data) and the InciLab (Citizen connected by flows, inevitably commons. How do the commons in Prado Museum, shows that Madrid’s in a building Innovation Lab) are joint public/ synchronized. Both images are to be the city relate to local political power? civil society wants more. That it common initiatives, acting as a bridge found in Emergency, Steven Johnson’s Many expectations were generated is not settling for the established which is a City between local government and citizens. classic book on collective intelligence when Ahora Madrid came to power, institutional frameworks. That social Council The Participa LAB, which is the one processes. The city as a brain, as a since Patio Maravillas, a well-known centres are citizen labs, vital pieces working more closely on participation, whole made of decentralized nodes. occupation in the city, was part of of democracy, co-creation spaces of property, is collaborating with Decide Madrid The city as an open network, where the candidacy that won the local a living city. That the commons are shows that in a number of projects (Codat any neighbourhood-node can elections. During the first year in tension and conflict too, not just co- Madrid hackathons, If you feel like a connect with any other. Caio Vassão’s government, the City Council carried management. Madrid’s democracy civil society cat, community lines, gamification, concept of a distributed city rounds out a policy of handing over spaces lab feeds on citizen autonomy and at wants more» G1000, narrative groups...) and the edges of the city with no centre, in collaboration with the Network of the same time on an institutional side coordinates the Collective Intelligence «networked, open, fluid, flexible, Citizen Spaces (REC), which groups which tries to overcome, sometimes for Democracy international call. adaptable, reconfigurable». A city most of Madrid’s self-managed at too slow a pace, the classic logics of InciLab has launched, among many where the neighbourhoods in the spaces. Expectations were dampened, representative democracy. The ironic other initiatives, the Madrid Listens suburbs dialogue and relate to each though, for Patio Maravillas became a poster hanging on a wall in a room at La project, to connect City Hall officials other without the mediation of a cultural tug-of-war with the Right and Ingobernable sends this message from with citizens on concrete projects, historical center. finally did not get a space in the city self-management, the commons, the blending disintermediation and the Madrid has kick-started centre which the Council was ready to citizens, to the institution: «Make citizen lab philosophy. a forceful decentralization policy. hand over. In many districts, however, Madrid great again». More than 300.000 users Distributed democracy in Madrid can the City Council has begun to strong, Decide Madrid is consolidating be seen in how budgets are allocated, transfer spaces to citizens, fueling the itself as the hegemonic space for how city districts have multiplied their autonomy of the commons. The Self- participation in the city. It activates resources and partly manage cultural Managed Social Centre PlayaGata (in This piece was first published in a variety of processes, debates, festivals (like the Summers in the City) Fuencarral) and the Social Space La openDemocracy on 10 July 2017. proposals, and projects. Its free and cultural projects (Madrid District). Salamandra (in Moratalaz), both of software means that any city can At the same time, the them spaces handed over to citizens, Transeuropa 2017 will run workshops and adapt Consul to its needs, without launching of the Local Forums is a have been key points for nurturing the trainings in MediaLab Prado (Calle de la any substantial investment, and set clear move to decentralize power Experiment District project. Madrid Alameda, 15 - Madrid) from the 25th and up a platform. From Barcelona to and participation in the city. Through has also transferred to civil society until the 29th of October. A Coruña, from Rome to Paris and projects such as Experiment District different areas of the city, such as Buenos Aires, dozens of institutions (travelling citizen laboratories), the Sueca Palace, the Almendro 3 around the world have replicated the Imagine Madrid (rethinking 10 plot, the Fruit and Vegetable Market initial Decide Madrid core, thus setting territories) or the M.A.R.E.S project, (assigned to the neighbourhood of up what Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s digital Spain’s capital city is redrawing its Arganzuela) and La Gasoli. In addition, minister, calls a «liquid federation neighbourhood fabric, its economic the city has handed over several plots of cities». Ada Colau, the mayor of relations, and citizen involvement where citizens were farming illegal Barcelona, praising the cooperative in decision making. The successful urban gardens, thus strengthening the network of participation cities says: «It Medialab-Prado’s Experiment District Urban Gardens Network in Madrid. is very interesting that in Barcelona we project, which has already visited have been able to carry out our first Villaverde, Moratalaz and Fuencarral, experience of digital participation, is in full expansion. It is about to even Decidim Barcelona, adapting Madrid’s launch a global call, as dozens of cities base code. Once we have had a first around the world want to replicate proposal, we have shared it with many it. Medialab-Prado, one of the city municipalities throughout Catalonia». innovation centres, defines Experiment District as a set of «citizen labs for experimentation and collaborative learning in which anyone can participate». Citizen (neighbourhood) labs based on the prototyping culture, an open and collaborative way of developing projects. Citizen (neighbourhood) labs for learning and teaching, where the result is not a perfect product, but a process that can be improved in real time through the collaboration of citizens from the Madrid neighbourhoods. 8 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu
The Commons in the Time of Monsters
How P2P Politics can change the world, one city at a time
— Stacco Troncoso & Ann Marie Utratel
Stacco Troncoso is the advocacy coordinator of the P2P Foundation and the co-founder of Guerrilla Translation.
Ann Marie Utratel is part of the international core team in the Advocacy stream of the P2P Foundation. Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 9
As Gramsci said (or didn’t say), «The — with this power, people can The rise of the And they lived happily ever old world is dying, and the new world All the innovate in production, open book urban commons after? Of course not: the activists- struggles to be born: now is the time accounting, and the stewardship of Spain’s municipalist coalitions turned-political representatives of monsters». After nearly 40 years of municipalist natural, cultural or digitally derived were the result of a number of face an unwaveringly hostile media progressive neoliberalisation and social platforms commons — but also in governance. movements representing changes environment, which exaggerates decomposition, contemporary politics Together, all of this forms the building in cultures, mindsets and relations their blunders (or invents them when has been very publicly upended have their blocks of a truly bottom-up system. to power. The most notable among convenient) while burying their by a misogynistic, xenophobic and eye on the Could all this really coalesce into these is 15-M and, unlike Podemos, achievements. After four years of financially privileged «new right» something that, in the future, might the coalitions can be considered precarity and engaged activism, these intent on coupling its politics of hate transnational be called «post-capitalism»? Only its true political byproducts. Prior individuals face 60+ hour workweeks onto the apparatus of state power. dimension in if those who identify as commoners to the 2014-2015 electoral cycle, while clashing against the entrenched Amid this increasingly bleak recognise, promote, and develop 15-M had also developed strong realities of horizontalist bureaucracy, political landscape, affinity-based order to form these systems and increase their transversal relations with movements holding minority seats within electoral networks and communities using a network. cultural and their political influence, around housing, public health, and alliances with Social Democrats. P2P dynamics and building commons while remembering that there are education and culture. Known as «las The pluralistic nature of the citizens’ have been taking action. Small-scale This mirrors other players already on the field using mareas», or «citizen’s tides», these coalitions have unsurprisingly led innovations are paving the way for the practices similar means towards very different were characterised by self-organised to incoherencies and gaffes and, sustainable resource management ends. protests and capacity building which, perhaps worst of all, a noticeable and grounded social cohesion. In of P2P In 2017, the question is not although inclusive of traditional actors abandonment of direct-action tactics governance, food growing, service productive theoretical, but hands-on practical: such as labour unions and political and counter-power building efforts. provision, science, education, how do we build the new world in parties, were truly multi-constituent Still, they soldier on, and the list of even finance and currency, these communities the shell of the old – and before the in nature. benefits and advances (cancellations community-enabled developments shell squeezes shut. We cannot afford Today, the municipalist of public contracts with multi- demonstrate how differently our to forget that financial interests will platforms coordinate among nationals, participatory budgeting, lives could be organised. Many of always favor extreme right wing or themselves to share resources and more gender-balanced literature these place-based efforts are being fascist options that safeguard their best practices, functioning as trans- and representation, increased replicated worldwide through the stake, and that any redistributive local affinity networks. Although public spending, anti-gentrification Internet, re-seeding in the process political options will be harshly and mainly focused on providing real world strategies, basic income pilots, direct- the Commons knowledge from which publicly ridiculed, or worse. With solutions to their constituencies, the democracy mechanisms…) is there for they are born. This is done through the noxious spirit of the thirties coalitions share a number of notable all to see. commons enabling, aka P2P (peer- rebounding, there is not a moment features. One of the most refreshing The best of the truly good to-peer, person-to-person, people- to spare; patience now would be a is that their attitude towards political news is that Spain’s municipalist to-people) technologies, which are deadly strategy. It is time to occupy discourse is considerably more coalitions are not alone. Progressive gaining momentum as forces for the collective cultural imagination feminised, a contrast to the old guard cities worldwide are enabling and constructive change. They enable with compelling and practical and masculine attitudes typically empowering the act of commoning. small group dynamics at higher political alternatives, and expose the found in institutional politics. Rather than directing what the levels of complexity, and enable the normalisation of neoliberalism as The municipalist focus on citizenry can do for itself and its reclamation of power. deadly propaganda; to expose the participation and radical democracy, environments, these «Rebel Cities» numbing spectacle (Brexit, Trump, honed through many street are listening to commoners’ voices and etc.) as yet another synthetic opioid assemblies, has been refined into a creating spaces for ordinary people to addiction. shared «ethical code», which shapes roll up their sleeves and manage those This is why it is time for the the platforms behaviors within the matters that concern them most Commons movement to become institutions. The code acts as both a directly. more overtly politically active. Beyond glue and draw for the participants, Beyond the city level, we self-organised production, care again not limited to party staff, but to now also find pan-European efforts to work, ecological stewardship, even all who want to feel involved. Beyond bring the practices of commoning to beyond ethical generative markets, their local concerns and trans-local the institutions, while not losing sight it is time for more effective political alliances, all the municipalist platforms of the necessary mutual recognition engagement, not only to protect the have their eye on the transnational needed for the Commons movement essentials of the welfare state model, dimension in order to form a network to emancipate itself from markets but to transcend it with a radically of «Rebel Cities». This practice and state, as it radically re-imagines reimagined politics that facilitates mirrors the locally embedded but these. In November 2016, a group social value creation and community- globally networked activities of P2P of 150 commoners from all over organised practices. There are models productive communities. Europe gathered in Brussels to lay for this commons-oriented political out the foundations for a united and engagement in Spain’s municipal strong movement, and the European movements, which the rest of this Commons Assembly was born. article will outline. >> 10 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu
Commons transition: building The vision is to develop or through a longer process of — Back in our present-day the political lexicon of social the emerging commons and P2P gradually institutionalising commons If we can chaos, applying a Commons Transition governance from below political movement at higher levels practices. Its grassroots democratising to the field of politics entails creating The practices of commoning are of complexity —the regional, national ethos would create new financing imagine a a new, inclusive political narrative that evident in how these coalitions, Rebel and transnational levels— while mechanisms and debt-free public commons- harnesses the best practices of three Cities and transnational assemblies preserving the characteristics of local, money creation which, alongside distinct progressive trends: Openness have formed and are articulating real-place dynamism. By engaging social currencies, could fund oriented (e.g. Pirate parties), Fairness (e.g. their governance. With a focus on the creativity and input of those environmentally regenerative work future, it New Left) and Sustainability (e.g. transparency and citizen participation, communities most affected by political and the creation of new, distributed Green parties). The optimal game and taking advantage of open-source processes, commons-based practices Open-source infrastructure. These becomes plan for building a new political vision P2P technologies, they prefigure can nurture a sense of identity that would be supported by taxation a moral fit for the challenges of our time many aspects of the politics of a better can be harnessed for effective political schemes favouring the types of labor involves building bridges between future. The challenge ahead lies in action. The integrative narrative of described above, while penalising imperative to these three trends, precisely what applying the network logics that have the Commons encourages citizens’ speculation, parasitic rents and do everything the municipalists have achieved and been so successful in Spain to recover direct political engagement outside negative social and environmental translated into political and legislative the latent power of Occupy and 15-M the restrictive bureaucracies of the externalities. The overall system in our power power. and build resilient, more feminised market state and economies. has to be kept in check through a to bring that This vision for a new politics and ethically coherent, transnational Imagine a radically pervasive culture of participatory must also promote other underplayed political movements. reconfigured and democratically politics — made feasible through its better future concerns such as race, gender, and In the same way that accountable structure. One that, attendant pedagogy — to involve a to reality reproductive justice, and radically prefigurative strategies incorporate while preserving the more desirable newly enfranchised citizenry in the diversifying political representation social and environmental priorities characteristics of the Welfare State deliberation and real time consultation in response to increased interest in into their informal constitutions, —social and public health provision of political and legislative issues and balance — at the least, being sure without waiting for markets or state and large infrastructure management budgeting. In issues of power, the that the representative picture is to deal with such ‘externalities’, the and upkeep— radically democratises Partner State shifts to being a fluid not always and only straight, white municipalist ethical code can form the them. It would do away with the facilitator to assist and emancipate men, specially in leadership roles. kernel of a set of political guidelines State’s cozy symbiosis with market the bottom-up counter-power that Take into account that women led to be hard-coded into commons- entities, while deconstructing its keeps it in check. the municipalist candidacies that oriented coalition principles, bringing pernicious monopolies over money Is this narrative Utopian? triumphed in Barcelona and Madrid. fresh accountability to contemporary creation and exchange, and property No more than the «what are their Taken together, these politics. and judicial rights. A second radical demands…?» proposals of Occupy and successful municipalist occupations Potential success is also set of measures would prohibit the 15-M. In fact, many of the Partner of power structures show that the about keeping it real and relatable. structural enforcement of inequality State practices described above are logic of the Commons, coupled with The old left has traditionally and the often violent repression already being enacted by the Fearless democratic, participatory relations communicated in abstracts, which of emancipatory alternatives. This Cities. Accusations of utopianism enabled by P2P systems, can tends to create rather than solve structure would function in much are used dismissively to enclose the reinvigorate and instill a new sense problems. At the same time, the the same way as foundations do in commons of the imagination. People of purpose in today’s political field. If «new» populist left of Syriza, Podemos the Open Source software economy: need courage (and encouragement) we can imagine a commons-oriented and Bolivarian Socialism seems providing the infrastructure for to imagine something better in future including a commons politics, it satisfied making grand paternalistic cooperation and the creation and human nature, other than inevitable practically becomes a moral imperative promises, resorting to throwing blame upkeep of commons, but not directing conflict and self-interest.H istory, to do everything in our power to bring rather than proposing participatory, the process of social value creation and despite its observable patterns, is that better future to reality. In this unalienated and feasible actions. In distribution. In other words, it would not deterministic. Nothing suddenly fight in the time of monsters, the fight a culture where affinity groups, self- empower and protect the practice of materialises from detailed concepts between David and Goliath, why not organized through social networks and commoning. into fully formed realities; there was be David? He won after all and, after participatory communities, emerge This enabling metastructure no group of wise men sitting around seeing what the municipalists had to to address the shortcomings of a —often referred to as «The Partner in 15th century Florence proclaiming: overcome, perhaps so can we. decaying welfare state, people are State»— would also take on new «…and we shall create Capitalism! showing that they want to have a say functions derived from already And it will progress through creative in how things work. They do not want existing P2P/Commons practices. destruction! And we shall have high to have someone paid exponentially Among these, we would see a frequency algorithmic trading!» or Abridged from the original article more to decide for them. Can a promotion of real, needs-oriented any such nonsense. published in commonstransition.org in Commons politics address and support entrepreneurship, bolstered by explicit June 2017. this shift towards self-organisation? recognition and support of bottom-up productive infrastructures, such as The European Commons Assembly Open Coops, mesh wireless networks will be in Madrid from the 25th until or community renewables through the 28th of October. The program public-Commons partnerships. It includes participative workshops on would allow commoners to repurpose urban commons topics, joint sessions or take over unused or underutilised with European Alternatives on the public buildings for social ends, while commons in policy, and opportunities giving legal recognition to the act to learn about and visit local commoning of commoning, whether through initiatives in Madrid. copyleft-inspired property-law hacks, Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 11
The European Commons Assembly in Madrid For a renewed political force in Europe
The crisis of the Commons are not primarily The commons to overcome «Commons Sophie Bloemen is a political activist based a political theory but first and political struggles in Europe stand for a European Union begs in Berlin and co-founder of the Commons foremost a practice emerging from So if commoning communities for new, unifying and Network. the bottom up. Everywhere people abound and cultural change is worldview are engaged in alternative practices underway, what is stopping the and ethical constructive narratives Nicole Leonard is the coordinator of the as part of the struggle for ecological, commons from creating an alternative –alternatives to the European Commons Assembly (ECA). social, and cultural transition within society? Perhaps commoners’ perspective their communities. All over Europe strengths – their localised, bottom-up favouring right-wing populist and local initiatives are taking care of stewardship of resources and strong nationalist wave that A relentless focus on markets their direct environment, sharing community-oriented relationships – stewardship, and growth has blinded us for the and stewarding knowledge online, are also obstacles. How do we move reciprocity gets fiercer every day. loss of social cohesion, rampant and claiming natural resources as from a loose network of atomised, A commons approach inequality, and the destruction of the our commons. These include, for emancipatory commoning initiatives and social environment. In the perceived need to instance, community wifi structures to a strong network that can challenge and ecological holds the potential for a quantify everything, gross domestic providing internet access in remote the dominant, bankrupt worldview of unified vision towards an product is used as a measure of social areas, co-housing initiatives ensuring individualism and economic growth at sustainability» wealth. The commodification of our affordable housing, community land any cost? alternative economy, a common resources and even our trusts that explore collective forms Until now, European Europe from the bottom online behavior can seem limitless. Yet of property, or urban commons civil society, the NGOs and social major fault lines are starting to appear initiatives regenerating the city for justice networks, have not been up, and an ecological in this dominant worldview based on its citizens. The digital knowledge able to unite around a broad shared economy and way of individualism, private ownership and commons are a key element of an agenda. Hundreds of organisations an extractive relationship with nature. alternative economy, and online did unite in the fight against TTIP. life. The idea of jointly A novel outlook based on networks, commons projects have been able to However, in order to make progress administrating shared access, and sustainability is emerging, attain an impressive scale. Creative towards another, fairer and ecological where citizens are actively co creating commons licenses for cultural works, economy and society, a movement resources, community their environment. for example, are now over one billion. cannot be solely reactionary – it has and a generative economy The Commons perspective In all these areas, the commons to set the agenda and provide positive captures the change in perception approach offers a new vocabulary for alternatives. can find resonance with a regarding needs and priorities. collective action and social justice, as The emerging radical diverse range of citizens. ‘Commons’ refer to shared resources well as processes for communities to democratic initiatives that propose and frameworks for social relationships govern resources themselves. alternatives have mostly engaged at that are managed by a community. a national or local level. Examples are ‘Commons’ also stand for a worldview 15M in Spain, Nuit Debout in France, and ethical perspective favouring or the University occupation in stewardship, reciprocity, and social Amsterdam. The Occupy movement and ecological sustainability. This was trans-local, but did not succeed in outlook defines well-being and social genuinely opening up the conversation wealth not just with narrow economic in Europe. Municipalism such as in criteria like gross domestic product or Barcelona is creating real change on companies’ success. Instead, it looks the ground, providing an inspiration to a richer, more qualitative set of for cities not only in Europe but criteria that are not easily measured worldwide. Local struggles, forward- – including moral legitimacy, social looking, and emancipatory projects consensus and participation, equity, have to be connected in order to resilience, and social cohesion. truly change the current order. The fact is that a great deal of the laws and developments that shape our societies come from the European level and global markets. There has to be trans-local and transnational solidarity around a shared vision of an alternative society. >> 12 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu
The European Commons Since Brussels, the ECA eCA Madrid and the The ECA aims to engage in «The ECA has Assembly arrives to Madrid has published a series of videos collaboration with Transeuropa 2017 conversations with other allies around been a case The European Commons Assembly on commons topics, articles, and provides the energy to move the Europe, and considers the political is an effort to provide a platform for generally aimed to visibilise the process further along. It is becoming context and the commons movement in point for these connections and trans-local unifying potential of the commons clear that the ECA needs to offer as a political force that relates to the unifying solidarity. The European Commons narrative. Members also examined an added value beyond ideational conventional political power. Rather Assembly that took place in Brussels the intersections of the commons affiliation. Assembly members will than letting citizen resentment of the potential of in November 2016 has been a case in and Social Solidarity Economy have to co-create the resources and current order and political backlash the commons, point for the unifying potential of the and municipalist movements, with practices that will strengthen the lead to Europe’s disintegration, the commons, and a symbol of maturity smaller assemblies held in Athens movement. That is why the idea of European Commons Assembly builds and a symbol of the commons movement. A myriad and Barcelona. Commoners from all «production» figures so prominently on these on-the ground experiences of maturity of of over 150 commoners, activists, and over Europe and beyond are joining in the discourse around this Assembly. to draw hope and energy to power social innovators from different corners the online community all the time The focus of the assembly this time the commons vision and a renewed the commons of Europe came to Brussels for three and sharing their experiences, and will be on urban commons, taking political force in Europe. movement» days to develop new synergies, express even in the Netherlands and Finland advantage of ECAs presence in Madrid solidarity, and to discuss European commoners were inspired to create and Spain to examine strategies, politics as well as policy proposals. In local commons assemblies. failed and successful, to promote the the European Parliament, Members commons politically and in public The European Commons Assembly will of Parliament exchanged views with policy, including citizens in this process. be in Madrid from the 25th until the this «Commons Assembly», and the In Madrid, working groups 28th of October. The program includes political energy generated by bringing will focus on specific themes of participative workshops on urban all these people together in this context the commons in the city to create commons topics, joint sessions with was exceptional. shareable outputs that bring these European Alternatives on the commons The ECA continues today local experiences to a broader in policy, and opportunities to learn about as a political process and diverse audience. This creation will nourish and visit local commoning initiatives in platform, open to anyone who shares the toolbox of the ECA, in turn Madrid. There will also be time dedicated its values and wants to contribute. ECA helping other efforts to support and to the future of the ECA. explores what strategies to engage in in scale commoning. This opportunity order to nourish, protect, and extend will allow initiatives to learn from and Read and sign the Call: the commons. How to develop the share with each other, attaining a level europeancommonsassembly.eu/sign-call/ outward channels to affect political of technical depth and understanding change, while still trying to maintain that is necessary for change, Join the community, introduce yourself: and strengthen its communities? How deepening the European political [email protected] to build broader coalitions on the agenda for the commons. At the same ground not bound to the left or the time, what is at stake goes beyond the right, how to prevent erecting barriers specific themes and issues that color with academic language and theory? the commons movement. Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 13 The cities want them in! revised common european refugee policy as a chance to revive the European Union
A number of cities and There would, however, be certain «We need to In the long-term, the European Gesine Schwan is a German political municipalities all over Europe have obstacles to overcome, requiring the push for ma- Council would need to permit the science professor and member of the So- already declared their readiness to following steps: creation of a trust fund attached cial Democratic Party of Germany. welcome refugees, including cities in king available to the EIB, governed in such a way Central Europe, be it for demographic — Convincing national governments a European as to control, but also to make it The European Union desperately or other reasons. What these cities that this strategy is in their interest, easier for cities to apply for the needs a realistic, and human rights- need are financing options for the allowing them to fulfil their legal funding tool financing of refugees and of necessary oriented, border and migration policy. costs of integration and related issues. and moral duties and to revive their for integra- infrastructure. The present situation puts the EU in a In order to stimulate as many hosts economy; In the short-term, a pilot dangerous position of reliance on the for refugees as possible, the financing — Finding simple and uncomplicated ting refugees, project could be launched by a group Turkish President Erdogan, presumes should include a palpable «overhead» ways for financing the integration which cities of European cities that aim to facilitate African countries to be safe when for the cities’ own needs, in order to costs for cities and municipalities. refugee integration according to they clearly are not, and considers encourage broad social support in Their own contribution could be and municipa- this model, and for this reason would North African countries as possible undertaking the long-lasting process financed, for example, by a cheap EIB lities would be looking to find financial support. migration-policy partners, when they of integration within the cities. credit; This could be managed within the are neither coherent States, nor safe In the meantime, national — Identifying ways to match the be able to framework of a «Union Action» as and observing of minimal human governments, which at present interests of refugees with welcoming apply for» an extraordinary measure. This would rights standards. are not finding a shared solution municipalities in such a way that allow for the testing of the viability of The general political within the European Council, hold refugees are likely to stop and settle this strategy, and mark the beginning objectives of (1) overcoming the the legal decision-making power there. of a visible European «revival», causes of migration; (2) supporting on immigration, and most of the which would empower citizens countries close to migration origins political decision-making power on The municipalities’ application should and strengthen their identification in hosting refugees; and (3) realising operationalising European financing. be as easy as possible, whilst of course with the European Union thanks the Europeanisation of the border Cooperation between the State and including the following minimal to participation and the sharing of regime, are all necessary steps. But the municipality level, therefore, standards: common projects. alone, they are insufficient. The needs to be strengthened and This could mark a idea of «outsourcing» migration deepened. By demonstrating the — A multi-stakeholder governance turning point in the deepening control to countries outside the EU possibilities for refugee integration, model, in order to gain broad support decentralisation of the EU, avoiding is not realistic in the long-run. It also cities and municipalities can help within the cities. The application should a tendency towards centralisation, as undermines the fundamental values of their national governments fulfil their be prepared by a range of stakeholders, well as renationalisation. the EU. The EU’s current border and duties. This will have a positive impact coming from political, business, and migration policy, which implicitly and on their mutual cooperation and civil society backgrounds; inevitably leads to a «Fortress» Europe communication. — An integration strategy for the scenario, is already undermining the Making a European funding whole municipality must be included; This text was first published in «Shifting openness of our society, and indeed tool for integrating refugees available, — It is also necessary to have an anti- Baselines of Europe», a book by European will create new internal borders. which cities and municipalities would corruption strategy, and; Alternatives. The urgent need for a be able to apply for, would realise — A macroeconomic vision for sustainable value-oriented approach three objectives at once: creating jobs and sustainable growth. Gesine Schwan will be speaking at the to migration – which in the long- Political Forum of Transeuropa, on run needs to be combined with a 1. Establishing a humanitarian solution Saturday 28th of October in Matadero European immigration policy – has for the settlement of refugees in (Paseo de la Chopera, 14). been aggravated by the inability of the Europe; EU to find a concrete solution for the 2. Reviving a European commitment integration of refugees in Europe. For by bottom-up citizen-led many reasons, a top-down distribution participation, and; is condemned to fail. Therefore, we 3. Instigating a decentralised need a bottom-up alternative, led sustainable growth initiative on a local by municipalities and cities that have level, to overcome unemployment. an interest in voluntarily integrating refugees, for both humanitarian reasons, and for their own gains. 14 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu Rebel Cities are not utopia —
A conversation with Luigi de Magistris, mayor of Naples Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 15
After Luigi De Magistris was re-elected mayor to Naples in 2016 with a crushing majority, the city remains as an example of great social participation and political innovation. Naples was the first Italian city to establish a «Department of the Commons» and the first to change the municipal statute by inserting the commons as one of the interests to be protected and recognised as the functional exercise of fundamental rights of the person. It has joined the network of ‘shelter cities’ welcoming refugees and is experimenting with new forms of co-decision making between citizens and institutions.
You were recently re-elected as — working together. For instance, in Back in 2011, in a landmark need to take more steps towards the Mayor of Naples supported by civil In the discussing together the proposals referendum, 27 million Italians participation of workers and citizens society lists and social movements, for new municipal laws, in a process voted for water to be considered in the Board and management of the and without any of the main political relationship of co-deliberation of the regulations a ‘common good’ and returned to company. But we remain committed parties backing you. Some of the between civil that govern the city. How does this public ownership. Naples is the only to the idea that water is a commons activists who protested in the streets happen? Through direct contact, one among the large cities to have and we aim to be at the forefront for against austerity and corruption are society, social open meetings, popular assemblies in followed up on this request, bringing its participatory management at a now city councillors with you. What is movements, the neighbourhoods, observatories, back water management under European level. the current relationship between civil and by keeping a direct relation with municipal control and beginning to society and the institutions? and local social centres and spaces of activism develop a participatory management Speaking of the commons, Naples has institutions and active citizenship. For instance, for the company. How is the process a number of buildings occupied by This is an absolute novelty in the an important project to demolish and going? citizens and social movements utilised institutional and political panorama. each has to replace «Le Vele», an infamous social for cultural, social, or solidarity The relationship between civil preserve its housing project dating back to the We are very happy with this. initiatives. You have recently passed society, social movements, and 1960s, was co-designed by the City, Obviously, there are juridical, an innovative law identifying such local institutions is one under autonomy the University, and the autonomous technical and financial difficulties, spaces as social commons. Or, in other construction, where each has while building neighbourhood committee. This is but we have transformed a for-profit words, legitimising and legalising to preserve its autonomy while an open area of experimentation company into a public company that social occupations of unused public building new relations and forms of new relations and more ideas and practices will is now taking on board the full cycle of and private properties. participation. There are traditional and forms of come out in the coming months. water management and has increased channels such as the participation of Including through the use of online the number of employees. We have These are not occupied but liberated representatives of social movements participation technology. But beyond the social demonstrated that participatory spaces. There are situations where, or occupations in the Council. But network revolution, we also want to management can also be an for whatever reason, public or private then there is also a new way of be together physically. economically viable solution. Now we >> 16 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu
owners leave buildings to decay, The photos of Neapolitan citizens all citizens. They were offering not just — need to push Brussels to give a greater shutting them off from the population holding ‘refugees welcome’ signs in food and clothing but also opening up In Naples, role to cities and territories, which is and creating empty zones in our cities. Naples went viral in Italy, specially their houses to host the migrants. On a precondition for a more prosperous When groups of citizens take them since demonstrations against refugees Christmas eve all those who arrived we are either and democratic future. There are over, clean them, repair them, open were happening during the same days were hosted by and celebrated with all illegals interesting signs emerging not only them up with social, sports, or cultural in other parts of the country. What’s Neapolitan families. from Naples but also from Barcelona, activities, these spaces are returned different in Naples? What refugee or no-one is Berlin, many cities in Eastern Europe to the citizenry. They are a new policy are you putting in place? The question of migration is a good illegal. This is and even London. This is the Europe commons and they should be treated example of a possible new relation that opposes that of austerity and as such. Not criminalised and evicted. Naples is a refuge city and a city of between the municipal and the the history of budget constraints, walls and borders. shelter. We believe solidarity and European dimension. Ada Colau has our city, but This is what we are working for from Could the model of the commons, with welcome policies are the best antidote given momentum to a network of below. And Naples is on the front line. participatory public management be against terrorism and the best way of European cities of shelter. Gesine it is also our expanded at national level with public building bridges between cultures and Schwan, amongst others, is pushing political vision companies? guaranteeing peace. In Naples, we are for a direct connection between either all illegals or no-one is illegal. cities and the European refugee This text was first published in «Shifting Yes, the model needs to be extended This is the history of our city, but it relocation scheme. Can we imagine Baselines of Europe», a book by European to state-controlled companies. This is also our political vision. Naples is at a new European role for cities, also Alternatives. is, after all, what Article 41 of the the vanguard of a new ‘diplomacy from bypassing the nation state? Italian constitution demands, with below’ working for a Mediterranean of Luigi de Magistris will be speaking at the idea of civic uses. We have taken peace and not war – for instance we This is already a reality. I worked the Political Forum of Transeuropa, on back this juridical instrument. Our are increasingly working with North towards this when I was a member of Saturday 28th of October in Matadero project is nothing more than the African cities. Let me tell you a story the European Parliament in Brussels. (Paseo de la Chopera, 14). implementation of the republican that engaged the whole citizenry of As president of the Budget Committee constitution. And so the same needs Naples. There was recently a large- I worked for a considerable share of to happen at national level. scale arrival of migrants from Libya. EU funds to be directly assigned to Naples is a city with a lot of suffering cities. We need a Europe of cities, and great economic difficulties: but a Europe of the people, a Europe of we have had a rush for solidarity from justice and of economic equality. We Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 17 On nomadism A conversation with Rosi Braidotti
Sara Saleri: The idea of the nomadic «We have to These three dimensions are reflected A model of nomadic post- Rosi Braidotti is a scholar of gender studies subject was born as a philosophical start from in my trilogy of books: Nomadic colonial theory would allow you and founding Director of the Centre for concept, as an existential condition, Subjects (1994, Columbia University to de-criminalize, depenalize, de- the Humanities at Utrecht University. as a (non structured) form of one’s the fact that Press) is the starting social statement, pathologize the problem, and also not own identity. In recent years you have the world Metamorphoses (2002, Polity Press) to discuss post-colonial theory only Over the last few years, we have especially reflected on this concept in deals with the cultural part, while in terms of other possible identities. seen attacks on citizens in some an ethical dimension, as what should will never be Transpositions (2006, Polity Press) The crucial thing about nomadic EU member states, deportations in be the basis of political action. We culturally and focuses on ethics. subject is that it is post-identitarian: others, and difficulties for citizens to especially think about Transpositions, In terms of practical implications, nomadic is a verb, a process by which access the rights they are entitled to. where you maintain that «a nomadic ethnically there are two clear areas in which we map out multiple transformations Brexit has highlighted the difficulties and not unitary vision of the subject, homogenous nomadic subjectivity can be seen. and multiple ways of belonging, each EU citizens can face in many ways, but instead of impeding ethically relevant First, the actual practice of flexible depending on where our particular should not be seen in isolation, with positions, constitutes a necessary again: that citizenship, which I explored in location is and how we grow. So we citizens facing problems in realising precondition for the formulation of world is over» my work on Europe: a temporary, have to map out the alternative their right to move, and to move with an ethics which measures up to the interim citizenship based on delinking cartographies of the non-unitary their families, in many countries, complexities of our time». Which ethnic origin from nationality and subjects that we are, so that we can from Belgium to Sweden, Germany are the concrete practices you think citizenship and then recombining get rid of any idea that there are to Romania. Rosi Braidotti has spent of when you talk about politics of them in different ways. Our European subjects that are completely unitary, a life in transit, moving between location, of multiple becoming, citizenship allows us to recombine belonging entirely to one location. cultures and languages. She has of the necessity of going through nationality and ethnic origins in very explored the notion of «nomadism», differences and belongings that can unprecedented ways: in fact, we can This concept of «flexible citizenship» which has become the key concept also be contradictory? Which could be delink citizenship from ethnicity and seems to recall the idea by Hannah for the development of an extremely the figures and everyday experiences connect it to participation, belonging. Arendt of reversed human rights, rich and original research, varying of nomadism? And I think that this model of nomadic which would guarantee the right to from poststructuralism, to the citizenship, that would be pragmatic citizenship at an international level. history of feminism, to ethics. In this Rosi Braidotti: The project on and grounded, instead of abstract and A political citizenship in a political conversation with Sara Saleri, PhD at nomadic subjects emerges from based on nationality, is what we have space, wider than the one possible the University of Bologna, they talked feminist philosophies, post- to focus on. within the nation state. Arendt saw a about ethical gestures, feminism and colonial philosophies and anti-racist Second, connected to possibility of this kind of citizenship in the possibilities of a nomadic political philosophies, critical theory, social this, the idea of nomadic subject the project of federal Europe: do you practice. theory. And then it develops into an allows us to have a different take on think this notion could be realised in analytical tool to look at three classes immigration: we have to stop looking the Europe we have, increasingly more of problems. First of all, the cultural at immigration as a problem and see constructed as a fortress, opposed to mutations, which I call «the cultural immigration as simply the fact of those who try to enter its borders? cartography»: what is happening to globalization. We have to start from Instead, how can we imagine and how bodies, identities, belongings, in a the fact that the world will never be can we build a different Europe, really world that is technologically mediated, culturally and ethnically homogenous post-national, which would open to ethnically mixed, and changing very again: that world is over. Then, we this kind of citizenship? fast in all sort of ways. Secondly, there have to think about the multiple is a clearly political project: can we forms of belonging of subjects and We obviously have the Europe that think other ways of being globalized, map out different configurations of we deserve. Europe is made through of becoming planetary, or are we stuck nomadism, different ways in which a elections in which very few people with this neoliberal model? Is there subject can have multiple belongings, vote. Clearly a political project that another way in which we can rethink multiple ways in which ethnicity, constructs a post-national Europe is our interconnections? And then, nationality and citizenship can actually not there. And Daniel Cohen Bendit, finally, the ethical issue: what are the be combined, even within the same the leader of my party, the European values of subjects who are not unitary nation state. Greens, has been forever working but are split, complex, nomadic? within the institutions, to have the political Europe on the agenda. It’s a political decision if we do it or not: the institutional and legal means are in place. If you look at the work done at the European Institute in Florence by >> 18 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu
armies of lawyers who have worked out A keyword in all your work is «Nomadic An example for this is The eco-philosophical the structure of a possible European «responsibility». In «Transposition», is a verb, a what people continue to call «the problem highlights the size of the citizenship, it is absolutely feasible and you defined ethics as a whole of environmental problem» – as if it issues we look at. When we look at war easy to delink citizenship from ethnic «intersected forms of situated process by were a problem, when it is in fact and peace, development, problems origins or even nationalities. responsibility», linked to a politics of which we map the possibility of the future. It is like in the third world, increasing poverty So the entire infrastructure location: we have to become «other», immigration: these issues are not in the first world … I think either we is in place, there’s no political will. to take the responsibilities linked not out multiple problems, they are either a fact or a understand we are in this together, or And I think in the last ten years – I only to the roles we act, but also to transfor- condition of possibility for survival. it’s not going to work. It’s not a matter was talking with Luisa Passerini about the roles we can keep in memory (a You can’t address a problem today, of choice but of necessity, to think this – the political project of Europe memory which is intergenerational mations and whether it is water, or clean air, of collective responsibility in a non- has regressed enormously, under and collective). How do you think this multiple ways without having to take into account a reciprocal manner, covering humans the combined forces of the delirious becoming-other, becoming-multiple, common condition, planetary, almost and nonhumans. We need an ethics nationalistic right and the equally can be translated in practice, beyond of belonging» global, and future generations. That is for our times, and not the application delirious old fashioned left: I hold them an increased awareness of oneself as the clear example of the ethical shift of moral rules that are based in an 18th both entirely responsible. A middle a subject (or many subjects)? Is it a that we need. century world – I’m sorry, but I don’t way that can allow to construct a project which ends in the individuality And of course our morality live in that world. I don’t even think we Europe where – as Spinelli, Schumann of a subject, or do you think about it – Kantian or Judeo-Christian – is have to see it as a choice. and Monnet were pointing out – the also as a collective project? not only individualistic but it is like a European framework would actually contract between self and other, a let us bypass nationalism, would I think we have to start from negotiation: «I don’t do to you what be possible to postulate citizenship eliminating identities. We will never you don’t do to me, etc.». A kind This conversation is an excerpt of an on participation, on belonging, on arrive anywhere if we take identity of capitalist driven negotiation of interview published in May 2010 in taxation, on being there… allowing as a starting point. In fact the whole boundaries. No matter what neo- Transeuropa Magazine. The full interview people without countries, stateless process of becoming is a process of Kantians of today – such as Martha is available online. people, to be citizens. To give everyone abandoning identity and entering Nussbaum – say, that model is simply the right to have rights, using precisely in the construction of subjectivity, inadequate to the scale and dimension European Alternatives is collaborating with the European legal framework as an subjectivity being per definition of problems we have. Krytyka Polityczna and European Citizens unprecedented legal framework, that transversal, collective. This is an we need to be able to think Action Service to train citizens and activists would allow us to transcend the nation enormous switch because even the for future generations who cannot to defend freedom of movement and fight state. This is the greatness of this political movements I have known in do anything for us. The future per the increasing insecurity in the rights of project, but it is not highlighted in the the 70s were identitarian movements: definition cannot be reciprocal, so citizens in the EU. Trainings will take place public debate. women’s movements would fight for we should exit the Kantian morality in Transeuropa 2017. The training series is women, gay movements would fight «I do that for you, you do that for supported by the European Programme for gays... There is sometimes a sort me»... No! You do that for the love for Integration and Migration (EPIM), a of one-on-one equivalence between of humanity, because if we don’t collaborative initiative of the Network of the grief and the remedy, what you do that, there is not going to be a European Foundations. are complaining against and what you humanity! So we have to give up the propose as an alternative. This one- idea of reciprocity and we instead to on-one equivalence has to switch, know that we share a specificity of a transcending the merely identitarian certain condition. And we have to give claim, and look at the broader issue. up a certain notion which, by the year This point was already made 2010, has lead to an assimilation of back in the 80s by poststructuralists, progress with further consumption: when there was a critique of Hegelian you will consume more than we did, and Marxist identity politics. It went we consume more than our parents for a large part unheard, but if you did, our parents consumed more than read early Foucault, middle Deleuze, their parents did... as a consequence Derrida, it is clear that the only of that, now we are at the verge of a possible ethics for the global world is catastrophe, financial, environmental, collectively shared, because the scale demographic. of the problems is planetary, gigantic. Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 19 Europe as a Refuge
They are betraying the ideal Transeuropa Festival has Our aim with these activities — Ségolène Pruvot is the Cultural Director of solidarity and peace, they are been about mobility, movement, is to counteract the dominant It is the at European Alternatives and the manager putting at stakes their own future, one and fluxes since its start in 2007. Its discourses of ‘migrants crisis’ and of the Re-Build Refuge Europe Project. in which one day they may have to ask first speaker was notably Zygmunt ‘threat’ by using art, culture and cultural role for support, security and help to those Bauman, thinker specialized on innovative practices, allowing and duty who are less fortunate or less powerful liquidity in the post-modern world. European citizens and refugees to today. They denied to all the people Transeuropa Festival is and has always learn from each other, as equals. We of Europe Europe cannot afford to become a who have left their country in the been a statement about and for the want Transeuropa to be a space of to welcome continent of hate. Every time hate hope of a better future and a better openness of the European project. experimentation, practices and ideas is given some ground, any small life, to find at least a better refuge in Europe is conceived as a space in that can easily be reproduced in other refugees ground, violence, death and atrocities Europe. which several influences mix to create places and by other people; a space properly are given ground too. And Europe we believe that it is the something new, a political unit based for inspiration, improvement and cannot afford to turn a blind eye on cultural role and duty of Europe to on solidarity and on the willingness of reinvention for all. and to allow the suffering of others.E very time a welcome refugees properly and to common construction, to which all for cultural newcomer is beaten or tortured on its allow for cultural hybridisation to those who wish so have the right and way to Europe, every time a person is happen. We believe that it is only by the possibility to be part of. hybridisation mistreated on an expulsion flight or in fully realising the potential offered by Transeuropa Festival is built «Europe as a Refuge» is one of the main to happen an ‘administrative retention’ centre, culture and arts to become welcoming on the idea that place of birth, gender, themes of Transeuropa 2017 in Madrid. every time a person is left freezing, and supportive place, Europe will build race, and sexual orientation should hungry and sick at its borders, a resilient and creative society for its never be an obstacle for someone The program of Transeuropa includes Europe and its people are betraying future, inside and outside its borders. who wishes to become a full part of a activities coming from the project «Re- themselves. We believe that those who have come common project: Europe. The Festival Build Refuge Europe» in partnership to Europe at one stage or the other, is in itself made of hybrid space(s) with Perpetuum Mobile, AthenSYN, with the willingness to become a part that are spaces of creation, exchange, Zemos98, and Varldskulturmuseet, of the European project, should be common construction, with people including open artistic exhibitions and welcomed and helped, rather than coming from all corners of Europe public debates. The project is co-funded repelled, expelled, disrespected and (and way beyond the borders of the by the Creative Europe Programme of mistreated. European Union). the European Union. for Transeuropa 2017, migrants and local residents have created common cultural spaces of experience to be brought to Madrid. Within the frame of a project called Re-Build Refuge Europe, they have commonly created workshops, storytelling activities, exhibitions and performances, treating Culture and Art as concrete tools to break walls and create bridges from the ruins of xenophobia and hate speeches. 20 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu Three questions
Feeling helpless in the face of the Ivor Stodolsky and Marita Muukkone «It feels Pınar Öğrenci (b. 1973, Van, Turkey) is an news of so many deaths that kept of PM (IS&MM): What was the incredible that artist, activist and writer with a background coming from southeastern Turkey initiative called «I Am Walking For in architecture. Öğrenci uses various me- in 2015, Pınar Öğrenci became Peace», and how did you come to join people from dia in her artistic practice, including pho- engaged in an initiative called «I am it? the west of tography, video, film, performance and walking for peace». Organized on installation. Her work addresses subjects social media in mid-December 2015, In the final week of the year 2015, the country such as migration, war, nationalism, cultu- the initiative stood against the war thinking about the meaning of New left their ral assimilation or collective celebrations, of aggression being perpetrated by Year’s celebrations, I was feeling and include stories of great courage and Turkish armed forces against the helpless in the face of the news of comfortable transformation. Her works have been ex- Kurdish people living in the south-east deaths continuously coming from homes and hibited widely at museums and art institu- of the country. It demanded an end to the east [of Turkey, ed.]. Three days tions including at the Kunst Haus Wien- the murder of the civilian population before New Year’s eve, I saw a call travelled to a Hundertwasser Museum, 2017; WKV and called for the peace process to made by a group which called itself region where Stuttgart, 2017; the Istanbul off-site pro- be restarted. Öğrenci was arrested ‘I Am Walking for Peace’ on social ject for Sharjah Biennial13, 2017; AR Pa- on the December 31st 2015, when media. The call was issued in mid- a real war was vilion – Athens, 2017; MAXXI Museum, the «I am walking for peace» initiative December, and was clearly made taking place» Rome, 2015-6; SALT Galata, Istanbul, arrived in Diyarbakır, the main city by a group of individuals who were 2015-6; Angewandte, Vienna, 2016, De of Turkey’s Kurdish area. Along with completely independent – they were Las Fronteras Biennial, Tamaulipas, 2015; 23 peace marchers, she was detained not members of any political party. Sinop Biennial, 2014; Çanakkale Biennial, for 4 days. The Turkish Government Their statement said that they would 2014 and Depo, Istanbul, 2014. She is the accuses Öğrenci of being a terrorist, set out from Bodrum by coach, and founder and organizer of MARSistanbul, which is punishable by a sentence of 18 travel through Ankara, Adana and an art initiative launched in 2010. years imprisonment. Her case started Urfa to finally arrive in Diyarbakır in April 2015 and is still continuing. [the capital of the eastern region with In 2017, she was the first AR-Safe a predominantly Kurdish population]. Haven Athens Resident of ARTISTS A small rally would be held in every at RISK (AR), a new institution at city, and a press statement would be the intersection of human rights read out. The statement also added and the arts, founded by Perpetuum that no slogans would be chanted – Mobile (PM), dedicated to mapping the marches were to be silent. The the field of persecuted visual art goal of the march was to make a call practitioners, facilitating their safe for peace, and to demand that the passage from their countries of origin killing be stopped. I found this call and hosting them at «AR-Safe Haven very humane, and joined the group in Residencies». Ankara. Looking back today, it feels incredible that people from the West of the country —who did not even know each other at that point— left their secure and comfortable homes and travelled to a region where a real war was taking place, where bombs exploded in the streets every day. I can now say that I feel proud to be among those people who felt shame in the face of war, and did not refrain from expressing their opinion. >> Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 21 to Pınar Öğrenci
«Migration In your recent work, you have started for artists from the region I second concert called ‘Ahmed Needs Migration is something that is something working with displaced artists. What met, Istanbul, Damascus and Aleppo His Papers’. The exhibition and the change national and international is your experience as an artist working all resemble one another. They told concert we organized, which gave an political structures, something that that change with others subject to this difficult me that social life in Istanbul was very airing to Ahmed’s musical voice, was constantly reorganizes forms of national and predicament? much like their lives in Syria and that a success. Ahmed now plays with life. This has always been the case. they felt at home – when shopping, many orchestras in Austria, including Perhaps one of the most striking international Wars have a massive negative impact ordering food, or walking in the the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. examples of this was remarked on by political on the lives of everyone. In recent streets, even though they could not These orchestras have concluded a Fernand Braudel. While writing on years, Turkey’s political climate is speak Turkish. Similarities between concert tour with Ahmed. He now the Mediterranean, he emphasized structures, increasingly fed by violence and the cities made life easier, although also finally received a passport and that the dynamics of those who form something oppression. As dissidents in Turkey they still have difficulty finding their residence permit. the culture of the region could not there is great anxiety. I personally way into the Istanbul art community, As the art historian Emre be explained only by those born on that fear that a civil war is coming. As an as they are often left to communicate Zeytinoğlu wrote about my latest its shores. Those who immigrated to constantly artist, this fear has brought me closer only with one another. works about migration, if there is such these shores by sailing, their children to not only to refugees from war-torn an area of knowledge as «history», one who were born later, and even those reorganizes regions, but also refugee-artists. The political significance of art lies of the things it cares for the most is who conquered these shores were forms of life» having lost their house, their in the promotion of a democratic migration. Or in other words: None the founders of the Mediterranean belongings, and the worst of all, their dialogue between different people of the situations that constitute way of life. As Braudel says, life dreams, they share their destiny with that can relate local experiences to this area of knowledge could be is transformed into a partnership millions of others. Syrians who had to global processes. What is or should explained without touching on the through the «constant efforts of leave their country after the war are be the role of art today helping to notion of migration. A historical text people yesterday and today». This now dispersed across many countries. imagine new spaces to build safe lets us know the results of masses means that if the documents of I wanted to write and make art about places in Europe and outside Europe? moving from place to place, either blood, cruelty, and barbarity can be a specific group – those who we tend openly or discreetly, or it talks about transformed into a shared civilization the code as Arab or Syrian immigrants, Particularly, I think that art- movements that took place after document, this can only be through an those who are reduced to a desperate production related to immigration and certain events. While all historical «endless effort». existence on the street or in a camp. the experience of war is important in documents are, according to Walter when I set out to prepare on developing dialogue, but I think these Benjamin, documents of barbarianism, a work focusing on Syrian artists living productions should respect ethical or as Theodor Adorno says, they are in İstanbul, my immediate thought was values. I would like to give an example made of blood and cruelty, each and ARTISTS at RISK (AR) will be in to have dinner together at the atelier from my latest work in relation to every one of them carries a story of Transeuropa in Matadero (Paseo de la in Osmanbey. It meant something to this. In 2017, I produced several video migration. Chopera, 14) with AR-PAVILION, an dine together with these five artists works about a refugee musician from exhibition with AR-Resident artists Pınar who were dispersed all over Istanbul, Baghdad, who now lives in Vienna. In Öğrenci and Erkan Özgen. It is curated living at risk of everything changing addition to telling Ahmad’s personal by Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky, overnight. Furthermore, artistic story – his journey from Baghdad to the Co-founding Directors of Perpetuum circles are not always so open. In any Istanbul, from Istanbul to Mytilene Mobile (PM). case, we were trying not to talk about and finally to Vienna – we also the war as much as possible, but the organized a solidarity concert under war, with its grave reality, kept ripping the title ‘Ahmed Needs an Oud’. our conversation to pieces. Ahmd needed a new oud [a middle- eastern type of lyre, ed.] to replace the oud that he was forced to throw into the Aegean Sea when he took a smuggler’s boat from Turkey to the island of Mytilene in Greece. During my solo show A Gentle Breeze Passed Over Us in Kunsthaus Vienna, in which I told Ahmed’s story, I also organized a
Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 23 Three questions to Erkan Özgen
Marita Muukkonen and Ivor In the summer of 2016, you stayed at You have periodically been subject — Erkan Özgen was born in Derik in Mardin Stodolsky: From 2003 to 2009, you the «Artists at Risk» AR-Safe Haven to a travel-ban by the Turkish We were living province,Turkey, and graduated from the worked with well-known figures such Helsinki Residency with your family. government. Why do you think they Department of Art Education, Cukurova as René Block and Harald Szeemann, Why did you apply for the residency? issued a personalised travel ban? You in the fifth University in 2000. His artistic path be- and were acclaimed for your What was the meaning of the are one of 11,000 of teachers that season of hell gan in 1998 with a contemporary art ex- humorous work «The Road to Tate residency for your artistic and other were suspended from their jobs by hibition «Young Activities» in Istanbul, and Modern». In the following years, did projects? Can you tell us about the the post-coup Erdogan government, in Diyarbakir. internationally with «In Den Schluchten you re-focus your energies? We know new video work you started to film on but then reinstated. What are the We needed to des Balkan» (2003) exhibition curated by you became part of an ecological the island of Suomenlinna? current charges? What can be done Rene Block at Kunsthalle Fridericianum, movement in eastern Turkey. Was to lift this ban? take a breath Kassel. He has also organised workshops this a conscious turn? We were living in the «fifth season after the in Beirut, Damascus, Diyarbakir, Ens- of hell» in Diyarbakir. We needed to Like many of my colleagues, I was hede and Helsinki. In 2005 he received I have been continuing my artistic take a breath after the destructive the victim of an unjust decision and destructive the «Prix Meuly», Switzerland. He is also journey without the support of an atmosphere of the war over the last practices of the government under the atmosphere a teacher and a founding member of the institution or gallery over the last two years. So I decided to apply to the state of emergency. The travel ban is/ Mesopotamian Ecology Movement. Erkan twenty years. For an artist, lack program. In contrast to the situation was due to my participation in a strike of the war Özgen was an ARTIST-at-RISK Resident of opportunities is equal to being in Diyarbakir, Suomenlinna was a organised by my union. The theme over the last at Safe Haven Helsinki by Perpetuum unrecognised, but I believe that risk relaxed tourist destination. I noticed of the strike was «Stop war! Children Mobile (PM) and was an artist in PM’s 1st of being unrecognised or forgotten some common things between want to go school, not to die!» Despite two years AR Pavilion, Athens 2017. triggers creativity and strong artistic these two places, however, and was our anti-war stance, we were charged productions. I get inspiration to inspired to make a video. The army in with supporting terrorism. The level of produce art from the life that I live in. Diyarbakir used heavy weapons and oppression rose dramatically. The city and region that armoured tanks. On Suomenlinna, I live in has been an economic and historical cannons are located around politic target of the government. I the island, which is in fact a UNESCO have been negatively affected by heritage site. The cannons attract ARTISTS at RISK (AR) will be in the government practices, also for tourists and they often take photos Transeuropa in Matadero (Paseo de la showing my resistance by participating around them. To me, this was very Chopera, 14) with AR-PAVILION, an in the Mesopotamian Ecology interesting, so I recorded how they exhibition with AR-Resident artists Pınar Movement (MEM). MEM has been behaved around the cannons. I had Öğrenci and Erkan Özgen. It is curated active ecology movement since 2011. the chance to talk with some of those by Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky, Unfortunately it has not developed as tourists. I asked them, «Why are you the Co-founding Directors of Perpetuum we planned due to political oppression attracted by these cannons? Did you Mobile (PM). and war conditions in the region. know that these cannons were made However, many things have been to kill people, and they actually killed done and ecology councils established many? These weapons are murderers. in many towns and cities. One of the What do you feel when you touch a main aims is «stopping» the ecological murderer?» I received some responses and societal destruction of the war like «These were made a century ago. << in the region by creating a change to They are not in use any more. They’re rebuild a society in peace with itself just remains.» Military tanks were Erkan Özgen and the environment. As an artist I used in the central neighbourhood — am part of nature. I need clean water, of Diyarbakir called Sur. I wondered The video healthy food, and a peaceful world to if UNESCO would include those in Wonderland is survive, like all other living forms. its records of world heritage too. I a narration by continued to wonder if people would Muhammed, take photographs around those tanks, who used to live which were used to kill hundreds with his family of people and destroy their houses, in a small town like the cannons on the island of named Kobani in Suomenlinna. northern Syria, on his story of escaping the war.
Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 25 Everyday borders a conversation with Nakany Kanté
When Nakany Kanté gets on stage, process for me, and it really was then «N’torola (It bothers me) is a feminist «I find Journalistic work can barely be done she knows the power of her words when I realised all the work that comes song because, specially in Africa, men inspiration at migration detention centres in count as much –if not more– as with the production of a carefully believe they are superior and women Spain, and many other countries in the music she sings. The audiovisual made record, of all the steps you need have a lot of burdens: going to the in my Europe. To what extent, and how have performance the Guinean singer has to take before you have the album you store, taking care of the kids, go sell… experiences you contributed to the investigation prepared with Metromuster mixes live want. There certainly is an evolution, I wish things in Africa were like they process of Idrissa’s death? music and poetry readings as a sung and new influences, in my second are here! There, when a man says no, and what I’ve narration. The image of Nakany on record Naka. The writing process was it means no and that’s it! But there is seen through Nakany Kanté: My collaboration in stage is combined with footage filmed different from any other process I starting to be a change of mentality. Idrissa’s project has had different stages. by Metromuster to tell the story had been a part of in the past: I wrote There is hope».1 What are some my life, First, I tried phone communication of Idrissa Diallo, a 21-year-old who most of the songs on my guitar, and feminist achievements happening especially in with a member of Idrissa’s family died in a hospital in Barcelona after we shaped them with the musicians today in Guinea? through a number we had been given, being arrested at sent to a detention afterwards. The result is an overview Africa» but it was impossible to establish center in Zona Franca. This artistic of my time in Barcelona, and the Nakany Kanté: Well, I don’t think communication. Then I travelled to collaboration between Nakany Kanté influence it had on my day to day life. there are too many, but for example, Guinea with Metromuster’s team to and Metromuster examines Europe’s divorce used to be unthinkable, many try to find Idrissa’s family. It was a very colonial past and the origins of its You have mentioned several times women had to put up with a bad hard process, but fortunately very institutional racism. We speak with that there is always a social statement husband, suffer humiliations, etc. successful. It was an unforgettable Nakany about music, art, and how in your texts that comes from Little by little this is changing, new experience. The truth is Metromuster can the combination of both help to personal or very close experiences. generations, both men and women, is doing an incredible and absolutely achieve social change. Bidenou, which means «today’s kids» are changing their mentality. necessary work. in malinké, speaks about children You arrived to Barcelona from living on the streets; Djanfa means ------Conakry (Guinea) in 2009, to start «betrayal», and it talks about You come to Transeuropa with 1. Nakany Kanté in her interview for a project based on traditional African forgiving. Which are the themes you Idrissa, a performance produced El Periodico in March 2016: http://www. music. In 2013, you put out your usually deal with in your songs, and in collaboration with Metromuster elperiodico.com/es/noticias/ocio-y- first record, Saramaya. How was the what inspires you to write? that relates to his new documentary cultura/guineana-nakany-kante-apolo- creating process of the album, and on Idrissa Diallo’s life, a young disco-naka-5008531 how has your music evolved in Naka, Nakany Kanté: The truth is I have a man whose controversial death at your second record? strong social conscience, which is why, a detention centre in Barcelona in as you say, in my songs I speak about 2012 has become one of the main Nakany Kanté: We recorded the gender inequality, the suffering of symbols of the battle for the closing Nakany Kanté will perform in Transeuropa entire first record in my house first, kids on the streets, jealousy, justice, of detention centres in Spain. How Festival, in an audiovisual and musical before we went into the studio. The but also love. I find inspiration in do you think art, and specifically performance in collaboration with working method was very intense and my experiences and what I’ve seen your music, can help give visibility to Metromuster, Friday October 27th at new to me, but I had a lot of clear through my life, especially in Africa. racism and migrants’ realities? the Matadero de Madrid (Paseo de la ideas in my head that I wanted to Right now I feel the need to talk about Chopera, 14). express. At that time my influences that in my songs. Nakany Kanté: First of all, the came mainly from my most traditional possibility of showing this work allows side. It was a new and very gratifying us to educate people who don’t know about these realities. I do the same thing through music. To me, performing is such a great opportunity to pass on that message to people. <<
Nakany Kanté performing in Barcelona in the BccN Creative Commons Film Festival. Photo by Rafa de los Arcos. 26 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu From East to West, Feminism in Politics
— Oana Băluță & Carmen Castro
Oana Băluță is an Associate Professor on the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies at the University of Bucharest and member of the new Initiative Group Demos in Romania.
Carmen Castro holds a PhD in Economics, specialised in Policies and in birth permit systems. She reflect about it in her last book Políticas de igualdad. Permisos por nacimiento y transformación de los roles de género. You can follow her in @sinGENEROdDUDAS and in her website singenerodedudas.com Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 27
What «feminising politics» means has employment are for women. At the The concept (feminisation of politics) — feminisation of politics been largely written and discussed same time, I want to strengthen a fact is often misunderstood as quotas for It is should address three layers: who makes in Spain over the past couple of grounded in the political experience women in political representation decisions, policies that are shaped, years. The debate, which is still of my country. When you analyse rather than a symbolic and cultural reductionist and the political praxis that should developing, has some axes that can who have been the proponents of transformation of the nature itself to consider value more cooperation, participation help us understand the difficulties legislative changes in the field of of political organising (with a focus, and less the confrontational and of introducing feminism into politics gender violence and who has advanced for example, on care work as basis of that quotas competitive aspects of politics. The without first transforming the the most important changes, we the production system, on welfare, on stand as the last layer is debatable since critics political institutions and movements notice that most of them have been organising practices, on language...) may argue that women can also be themselves from the inside through women MPs. The theoretical nuances What are the main directions that a ultimate competitive and confrontational. daily feminist actions in both public and the political praxis tells us that it feminisation of politics should take? example Still, whether it is a feminisation of and domestic spaces. The level in which is an ongoing debate that needs to politics or not or just an outcome of women are involved and participate in be understood and situated in various Oana Băluță: Quotas for women for the more reasonability, decision makers political debates connects with their country contexts to better reflect on address descriptive representation. feminisation need to also consider cooperation historical underrepresentation in the the shape it takes. They are an answer to one problem: and solidarity as two landmarks of public spaces. But what is the scenario feminising politics cannot gender imbalance in politics or of politics democracy. like in the other side of Europe? How be reduced only to formal politics, the descriptive masculinisation of are the debates around the concepts it is also to activism and community politics. Quotas are not a miraculous Carmen Castro: Even though the of ‘feminising’ or ‘feministing politics’ mobilisation. Activists have their instrument; they are not a panacea for issue of ‘feminizing’ politics seems to and the gender-transformative own ways and strategies to support each and every problem concerning be activating a very interesting and policies in countries like Romania? representation and the development women or gender or the world that we necessary debate, I argue that for it to Oana Băluță and Carmen Castro of an inclusive agenda. To resume, live in. If feminisation of politics means be more than a pose, it needs to come bring some insights on the topic from I correlate feminising politics both the political inclusion of women with real proposals to depatriarchalize two sides of Europe. to descriptive and substantive and the inclusion of their interests/ the structure, politics, power, and representation, to formal and needs and perspectives, quotas per se society. To insist on the idea that by What does «feminising politics» institutional politics and activism. address the first criteria. increasing the presence of women in mean to you? It is reductionist to consider the public sphere and assuming the Carmen Castro: In my opinion, the that quotas stand as the ultimate ‘ethics of care’ in the functioning of Oana Băluță: The notion covers both concept itself refers to the result of example for the feminisation of structures we will gain the necessary descriptive and substantive gender a higher presence and participation of politics. It is an answer to one problem, potential to trigger a real change in representation. Feminising descriptive women in politics. Obviously, when the and an important one if carefully them, is to engage on a discursive representation means increasing participation ratio gets even and the implemented. Nevertheless, quotas illusion. women’s presence in decision representation is increasingly gender- are sometimes used as an instrument >> making, while feminising substantive equal, more elements will contribute by political parties to tackle gender representation strengthens the need to the political debate, and practical equality while ignoring other demands to develop a gender inclusive political needs associated to gender roles (and correlated to gender public policies. I agenda that will advance women not addressed in the androcentric will give you one example, a party may or gender friendly public policies. culture of political organizations) will support descriptive representation, These approaches should be clearly be brought up. However, thinking and it can embrace a conservative understood as two ways of feminising that said process will automatically understanding of gender roles and politics that can work hand in hand or mean a transformation of politics is identities. At the same time, it often independently. There have been wide more a projection of the ‘feminist happens that those opposing quotas debates concerning the topic and I desideratum’ than an immediate focus more on the need to change do not want to add more important possibility. gender policies, and almost not at nuances now, just to acknowledge all on the gender of representatives. their presence either in the academia A wide number of studies show the or political praxis. In my opinion both two are correlated in the sense that dimensions are important. Women’s the gender of representatives does descriptive representation needs to matter in regards to what policies are increase in politics because women present on the agenda. We see again should make decisions that concern how challenging is the relationship their own life and the life of their between descriptive and substantive communities and countries. When representation both on normative women make political decisions they grounds, but also in the political life. may also advance policies in some In my opinion, both approaches that fields that concern especially women: I briefly referred to fail to understand gender based violence, work-life the role of quotas. balance, sexual and reproductive rights, etc. This does not mean that only women can support these types of policies or that only these fields are important for women. I believe there is no need for me to argue how important green policies, measures to fight poverty and to increase 28 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu
In what way does feminising politics «Feminising» can be a debatable term Carmen Castro: I don’t think the — The Feminisation of politics is mean a step towards more justice and to define this change in priorities debate should be focused in the idea Even though definitely a tenet of the change that inclusion of other oppressed subjects as it may be accused of implying an of ‘feminization of politics’ because, many «rebel cities» are bringing and collectives? «essentialised» notion of female despite the good intentions, there the issue of forward throughout Europe, characteristics. What’s your take on is a high risk of it being used as an feminizing especially in Spain. In what way the Oana Băluță: If feminising politics this? ploy to distract, to reinforce the «new municipalities» or local politics means more than descriptive stereotypically gendered system politics are translating or should translate the representation and if the demands Oana Băluță: The concept of through the symbolic value of labeling seems to be concept of feminisation of politics of activists become part of the strategic essentialism was introduced certain skills –desirable in politics– as into practice? formal political agenda, the answer in the 1980s by Gayatri Spivak. «feminine». activating is yes. Feminists have addressed It is a political tactic that helps, we need to directly address a very Carmen Castro: I firmly believe that diversity issues for a number of for instance, minority and ethnic the specific inequalities that take it is necessary to insist in a change of decades. Feminist ideas/ theoretical groups to mobilise on the basis of place within the political structure, interesting the symbolic imaginary. Leaderships approaches and feminist community shared gendered, cultural or political the subtle and not-so-subtle violence debate, like Ada Colau’s (Barcelona), Manuela activism are dedicated to promoting identity. It is sometimes important mechanisms that are always present, Carmena (Madrid), or Mónica Oltra social justice and inclusion not only of from a strategic viewpoint to mobilise or the playing down of feminists I argue that (País Valencià) encourage another women, but also of other vulnerable starting from some «essentialised» in politics. There has to be zero for it to be way of making politics, closer to persons. Think about feminists features to advance your interests tolerance to mansplaining in left- everyday life concerns, explicitly supporting green causes, or fighting and redesign the political agenda. wing organizations, to the resistance more than dealing with social care; it has to do poverty, or feminists that have been This does not mean that those shared to direct the public budget to gender a pose with the advocacy of public services, allies of the LGBTQ community. The features define all aspects of the equality, and an eradication of such as aid for dependent people, unity principles of Women’s March individuals. It is important to be aware femicide, with the active implication nursery school, nursing homes, and from 2017 are a good example to of the fact that intersectionality, the of the whole political structure. These the prevention of male violence. understand that feminism is inclusive term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, are just some aspects of the whole It is obvious that these leaderships and nowadays it visibly and publicly is again a very powerful and vivid process of de-patriarchalization. encourage a willingness towards these addresses different subjects and concept that provoked universalism, issues, but they do not guarantee that collectives. These principles address: racism, and sexism. Coming back to the patriarchal and heteronormative LGBTQIA+ rights, workers’ rights, the essentialised perception of female structures will start questioning male disability rights, immigrant rights, characteristics, when I argue that privilege, developing feminist politics, environmental justice https://www. kindergartens and crèches need to be or creating a real change in the order womensmarch.com/principles/. among policy priorities or that women of their priorities. Show me another ideology or must have access to reproductive movement that is so inclusive and rights, I do not believe that women are aware of other oppressed subjects and their bodies or that gender roles are collectives… static. Women and men have different Carmen Castro will be running a workshop gender roles in real life (we know about on «de-patriarchalization of politics» in Carmen Castro: Paritary democracy gender socialisation that teaches boys Transeuropa. is necessary for the normalization and girls about «their place»). If some of democracy, and for social justice. roles generate inequality, I think it is As parity increases, we widen the our responsibility to advance those diversity in politics and rise the policies that will either reduce or possibility of including those who are eliminate inequality. These policies further from hegemonic masculinity, also reflect a change in priorities and have historically been excluded. towards a «feminised agenda». If I argue for access to safe abortion, this does not mean that giving birth is women’s duty. It is a choice and when materialised, I consider it a political responsibility to make sure women have access to safe public maternities. Romania has the highest morality rate in Europe due to cervical cancer. Policies to address the incredibly high mortality rate due to breast cancer or cervical cancer ought to be a priority. Does this mean feminising healthcare policies? It might, but the honest truth is I do not care. I only care for the development of a responsive health strategy that also includes the problems, needs and interests of women. Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 29 What’s after globalisation?
all to see. At the same time global «Locally, new Transeuropa partners with What shape would a renewed Lorenzo Marsili is a writer, activist, and the institutions - from the G7 to the regional and The Kyiv International − Kyiv Biennial international solidarity take? What director of European Alternatives. G20, passing via the IMF and the 2017 to take this conversion head on. kind of sensibility, conceptual World Bank - appear stalled and split municipalist We will do so in a split-symposium structures, paths of thinking and Nation states increasingly appear between competing interests, while a claims hosted in Madrid (October 28th) and imagination should we develop? as insufficient vehicles to approach new geopolitics of global power is being in Kyiv (November 22nd). Ukraine What could be the basis for new the challenges brought about by drawn. The same, from the perspective demand a new and the countries of the European transnational cooperation and who technological innovation, migration, of citizens and social movements, can democracy of Union share a great number of should be its subjects? If the nation climate change, or financial flows. be said of the experience of the World challenges and threats. Ukraine has is moribund and globalisation stalled, Locally, new regional and municipalist Social Forum and other global activist proximity. The been recently living through powerful what’s next? claims - from Wallonia to Barcelona forums. traditional new experiences – the enthusiasm, - as well as a thriving discourse on Precisely the crisis of the and the disappointment of the Maidan commons and autonomy, demand EU and of global governance, at a form of the revolution, the shock of war, mass a new democracy of proximity. The time when more and more of our nation-state is displacement of people, - whilst Transeuropa 2017 partners with The Kyiv traditional form of the nation-state is challenges have a clearly European the EU has been facing waves of International − Kyiv Biennial 2017. being undone at once from above and or global nature, point to the need being undone refugees, the shrinking of its territory from below. to deeply restructure our capacity to at once from after Brexit, and the rise of far-right Lorenzo Marsili and Vasyl Cherepanyn And yet the crisis of the do politics beyond borders. In the age populism and terror. The absence of will be speaking in Transeuropa on nation-state is matched by an equally of the crisis of both nationalism and above and ready-made patterns for dealing with Saturday October 28th in Matadero aggressive crisis of any attempt to globalisation, when the maintenance from below» these experiences, the discontent with of Madrid (Paseo de la Chopera, 14) to move beyond it, matching globalisation of transnational status quo is being the preexistent structures, along with take this conversion head on in a split- of the economy with a globalisation of constructed on the violations of a strong desire and the urgent need symposium hosted in Madrid and in Kyiv politics. The European Union - the borders, peripheral wars, and the for change, is a conductive context (November 22nd). world’s most advanced experiment in emergence of new walls and conflicts, a for intense intellectual and creative post-nationalism - is seen by many renewed, progressive and inspirational search for a new way forwards. as a coercive, undemocratic space vision for cross-border unity and entrenching unjust economic policies. international solidarity appears to be Its failure in promoting a common of highest urgency. migration policy, common measures against multinational tax evasion or true economic solidarity is clear for 30 / The official journal of the Transeuropa Festival www.transeuropafestival.eu What Europe does Ukraine need? A Statement on the European International
first of all, the Europe «Europe needs Thirdly, the Europe we need europe needs a Re-Union. Vasyl Cherepanyn is a director of the that we all need today is a Europe a Re-Union. is a Europe of the Spring of the Peoples The current model of the EU has to Visual Culture Research Center (Kyiv, of Enlightenment. This refers to the − the most widespread revolutionary be renewed and expanded to deal with Ukraine) and member of Political Critique centrality of freedom and democracy, The current wave in European history, changing new global political challenges and to in Ukraine. most of all the freedom to use one’s model of the political leadership, increasing apply its principles and rules on the intelligence − «Dare to know!», as people’s’ participation in governments, whole European continent. What Europe Does Ukraine need? Kant stated it succinctly. Challenging EU has to be bringing freedom of press and the end The constitution of Putting the question about Europe the traditional authorities, this renewed and of serfdom in Eastern Europe. Today, European citizenship would be the this way obviously reminds us of principle results in secularization, so Europe is experiencing a new spring of best European revolution one could Freud’s famous question that has much required in times of religious expanded the peoples − immigrants, refugees, ever imagine. never been answered: «What does a fundamentalisms, and has led to the to deal with and escapers from the warfare in woman want?» Having «need» instead Declaration of Human Rights, the Europe’s south and east are coming Res publica est res populi. of «want» inverts the perspective − the Declaration of Independence in the new global from different sides and changing Europe that Ukraine wants apparently USA, and to the end of slavery and political Europe onwards. differs from the Europe Ukraine really aristocracy. To accomplish the European needs. Moreover, the Europe needed Secondly, the Europe we challenges» project nowadays means to fulfill Transeuropa 2017 partners with The Kyiv by Ukraine is also the one needed need today is a Europe of modernity. its most urgent need, which is International − Kyiv Biennial 2017. by Europe itself, even if its current This is a readiness to create utopias for establishing European citizenship. embodiment in the form of the EU social change, to search for political Overcoming the limits of nation- Lorenzo Marsili and Vasyl Cherepanyn does not long for it. alternatives, the priority of equality, states in Europe means creating the will be speaking in Transeuropa on and anti-conservatism. Modernity first international democracy − the Saturday October 28th in Matadero also means an aesthetic revolution European International based on the of Madrid (Paseo de la Chopera, 14) to − the emancipation of art and its common European citizenship. take this conversion head on in a split- ability to capture our experience in symposium hosted in Madrid and in Kyiv its wholeness. Modernity, as we know (November 22nd). from Habermas, is an unfinished project − like Europe itself, both need fulfillment and accomplishment. Transeuropa Festival 2017 / 31 Shifting Baselines of Europe New Perspectives BEYond Neoliberalism and Nationalism
What if another Europe already exists? The new book of European — Alternatives follows this question and explores a Europe beyond With contributions Neoliberalism and Nationalism. Etienne Balibar opens the book, by Etienne Balibar, asking for «Our European incapacity». Ulrike Guérot, In her reply Ulrike Guérot reflects on what «Our European capacities» Gesine Schwan, could be. Together they tackle the Renata Avila, fundamental crisis underlying the European integration process, the Barbara Spinelli, missed opportunity to become a Andreas Karitzis, Union of Citizens by giving up on national sovereignty. Lorenzo Marsili, Jonas Staal, The publication is inspired by a meeting of 80 activists, researchers among others, and artists from across the continent and interviews with which took place in 2016. European Alternatives invited them to its city governors from biannual Campus to develop strategies Madrid to Naples for an open and democratic Europe. Many of the projects presented at the Campus are to be found in the book: from the municipal level to the level of transnational media, from technology and counter-surveillance to a concrete proposal to revive the European refugee policy.
The book proves that a shift towards a new way of thinking and doing politics is not only possible, but actually already happening.
Available now! www.transcript-verlag.de/en!/978-3-8376-3954-4/shifting-baselines-of-europe