Description
Book SynopsisWithout the State explores the 201314 Euromaidan protests a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine through in-depth ethnographic research with leftist, feminist, and student activists in Kyiv. The book discusses the concept of self-organization and the notion that if something needs to be done and a person has the competence to do it, then they should simply do it.
Emily Channell-Justice reveals how self-organization in Ukraine came out of leftist practices but actors from across the spectrum of political views also adopted self-organization over the course of Euromaidan, including far-right groups. The widespread adoption of self-organization encouraged Ukrainians to rethink their expectations of the relationship between citizens and their state. The book explains how self-organized practices have changed people’s views on what they think they can contribute to their own communities, and in the wake of Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine
Trade Review
“Anchored in events in Kyiv in 2013–2014, Without the State offers insights relevant for other societies that were once part of the Soviet Union and that may be currently engaged in their own efforts to extricate themselves from Moscow’s grasp. This book sheds needed light on the ideational struggles of people worldwide seeking participatory alternatives to the neoliberal economic order.” -- Jessica Pisano, New School for Social Research * The Russian Review *
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Note on Language Introduction: “we provide the content of Maidan!” 1. Without Any Help from the State: Self-Organization in Ukraine 2. Twenty-First Century Leftists 3. Decommunization and National Ideology 4. #LeftMaidan: Violence, Repression, and Re-creation 5. “For free education”: Education Activism and Maidan 6. “These aren’t your values”: Gender and Nation on Maidan Conclusion: Volunteerism after Maidan Afterword Notes Bibliography Index
