T HEME SECTION Inspiring alterpolitics Edited by Stefano Boni and Riccardo Ciavolella Aspiring to alterpolitics Anthropology, radical theory, and social movements Riccardo Ciavolella and Stefano Boni Th is theme section inquires into the contribu- as that of the nation-state. Among critical the- tion of political anthropology to radical theories, orists, too, the debate focuses on the search for social imagination, and practices underlying new forms of representation, decision-making political “alternatives”, which we propose to call processes, and political subject formation. “alterpolitics”. Th e issue of an alternative to con- In contrast to modern perspectives on power temporary powers in globalization is a central considered as “hierarchical” and transcendent, topic in social movements and radical debates. the emphasis is on the historical possibility for Th is sense of possibility for political alternatives more horizontal political formations, allowing a is associated with the desertion of the belief in truly popular and direct participation in poli- “the end of history”: the current economic cri- tics for the wide variety of contemporary sub- sis and the decline of Western hegemony pre- jectivities. In this context, while anthropology sumably announce a radical transformation of is wondering about its relevance in the public the neoliberal world, opening space to alterna- debate (e.g., Borofsky 2000; Eriksen 2006; Pelk- tives. Actually, the reconfi guration of twentieth- mans 2013), some anthropologists, and many of century capitalism is associated with a growing the students approaching the discipline, are af- mistrust of political institutions, the crisis be- fi rming its usefulness in envisioning alternative ing “organic”, in the Gramscian sense (Gramsci politics. By illustrating the wide range of human 1975). Recent social movements and insur- political experiences through the ethnographic rections around the world—from the “colored literature, anthropology has oft en acted as a tool revolutions” in Central Asia to the Spanish in- for denying both the universality and the stabil- dignados, the US Occupy movement, the Arab ity of political and social organizations. Th is is Spring, uprisings in Bosnia—have raised the particularly true for those anthropologists who issue of alternatives as a reaction to the inca- are engaged in social movements and think that pacity of capitalist political institutions—from their expertise can serve grassroots mobiliza- electoral democracy to dictatorships—to deal tions, as in the case of Marc Edelman’s (1999) with people’s problems and meet their aspira- and Sian Lazar’s (2008) ethnographies of Latin tions for emancipation and a better future. Con- American social movements, June Nash’s (2004) temporary political subjects, characterized as a support of the Zapatistas, and many anthropol- “network” (Castells 2012) or “multitude” (Hardt ogists now blending political involvement and and Negri 2004), no longer fi nd their place in academic research, like David Graeber (2002, traditional categories such as class, party affi li- 2009), Marianne Maeckelbergh (2009), John ation, or in territory-centered paradigms such Postill (2014), and Maple Razsa (2013), direc- Focaal—Journal of Global and Historical Anthropology 72 (2015): 3–8 © Stichting Focaal and Berghahn Books doi:10.3167/fcl.2015.720101 4 | Riccardo Ciavolella and Stefano Boni tor of the ethnographic fi lm Bastards of Utopia or “savage” others were oft en seen as character- (2010), all off ering the general public empathic ized by mutual help, equality, communal cohe- portrayals of emerging social movements. A crit- sion, and solidarity; later, Pierre Clastres (1974, ical anthropological perspective may also have a [1977] 2010) and, more recently, James C. Scott less explicit practical commitment but neverthe- (2009) have focused on alterpolitics to illustrate less aim at engaging its ethnographic research some of the forms taken by the refusal of dom- and theoretical considerations in a broader dis- ination. On the other side, Marxists have rather cussion with critical political thinking. insisted on hierarchy and exploitation in other Th is theme section aims to explore those the- contexts to affi rm them as a general constant in ories, ethnographies, engagements, and political human history. As shown by the famous Pari- struggles where we can recognize a circularity sian controversy between Clastres and the phi- of inspirations between anthropology, radical losophers of Socialisme ou barbarie on the one political theory, and social movements in en- hand and Althusserian Marxist anthropologists visioning and constructing alterpolitics. All ar- on the other, anarchists usually accuse Marx- ticles presented here focus on this interaction, ists of being unable to see people’s aspiration although they diff er in regard to the preference for freedom and their autonomous capacity given to one inspirational relation or another, in for emancipation; while the Marxists usually order to grasp the overlaps between the three strike back by accusing libertarian anthropol- from diff erent angles. Th at is why articles in this ogists of a primitivist and exoticizing vision of theme section consider “alterpolitics” in a range political otherness (Amselle 1979; Augé 1977; of possible diff erent meanings. Th e more obvi- Bloch 1983). Since then, libertarian and Marx- ous use of “alterpolitics” refers to how the other’s ist tendencies have transformed their respective political systems can inform and inspire radical stances, responding to reciprocal critiques, both theories and practices; but there is also a more engaging in a humanist approach to history, general refl ection on how anthropology can in- which recognizes in social groups and collective spire “alterpolitics”, that is, its contribution to the actions the capacity to transform reality. production of a diff erent way of thinking and Ciavolella’s paper shows how libertarian exot- living politically. Paraphrasing the brilliant title icism is still present in contemporary anthropol- of an article on this matter, can the anthropology ogies and critical theories. To do that, it traces of noncapitalism turn into an anthropology for the anthropological inspiration of nomadology, noncapitalism (Shear and Burke 2013)? from Deleuze and Guattari’s use of Clastres to Certainly, it is around the contemporary al- the alterpolitical anthropologies of scholars like terpolitical use of their research that critical po- James C. Scott and David Graeber and critical litical anthropologists oft en diverge according theorists of contemporary social movements to ideological orientations. Most notably, diver- like Hardt and Negri. Ciavolella’s conclusions gences are to be found between Marxist and an- are that “nomads” have historically inspired lib- archist perspectives, especially concerning the ertarian theorists as a metaphor for a spatial exit issue of primitivism and exoticism, despite their option—an “alterotopy” outside the state and glo- convergence in trying to imagine societies more balization—while ethnographic evidence of con- desirable in terms of equality, autonomy, labor temporary pastoralist societies rather shows that, relations, and political participation. In particu- since their defi nitive incorporation into “moder- lar, libertarian or anarchist anthropologists have nity”, nomads call for a diff erent type of alterpoli- systematically sought backing to the Rousseauist tics; that is, new forms of political representation critique of political modernity in “acephalous”, inside power to overcome their marginalization. “nomadic”, or “antistate” societies: in this tradi- A similar point is raised by Sabrina Mele- tion, since its infancy (Kropotkin [1902] 1972; notte’s article. Th e author proposes a critique Reclus 1883–1893), the “primitive”, “barbarian”, of the alterpolitical use of “alter-natives” in the Aspiring to alterpolitics | 5 political struggle of Chiapas, even if here the also in political decision-making processes: the predominant libertarian posture interestingly aim is an overall cultural change, necessitating converges with heterodox Marxist traditions like the patient construction of a multiplicity of lo- autonomism. Melenotte’s article analyzes the rea- cal struggles. Th e belief that once institutional sons for the crucial infl uence the Chiapas insur- power is conquered—through elections or rev- gence has had on theories and practices of con- olutions—society will be transformed at will temporary social movements. Th e Zapatistas’ by implementing alternative policies is largely discourses insist on the promotion of “political replaced by the idea, resonating with anthro- alterity”, both as a project of self-government and pological holism, that only if there is a radical a mobilization against neoliberalism on a global cultural shift in everyday practices can political scale, by presenting indigenous populations as transformation be achieved. “alter-natives” and by involving in their struggle In this perspective, Boni’s article compares the critical political theorists, especially anthropolo- emerging egalitarian trends in the management gists and philosophers. Th ese considerations on of assemblies in Europe and North America with the alterpolitical potentialities gravitating around gathering procedures described in classic eth- Chiapas are nevertheless recast in an anthropo- nographic settings. Egalitarian assemblies face logical perspective. Actually, Melenotte