This chapter explores the concept of conjunctural analysis, which involves examining the immediate forms and contradictions in society that can be contested or resisted. The speakers discuss the deeper levels of determination and historical transformation that need to be considered, as well as the importance of periodizing and understanding the current political strategies that are most effective. They also question whether the left is agentic in creating conjunctures and periods or simply victims of external forces.
Featuring Amna Akbar, Gabriel Winant, and Thea Riofrancos on the American conjuncture. Did an era that began with Occupy and Ferguson—marked by teachers strikes, two Bernie campaigns, the explosive growth of DSA, Standing Rock, and summer 2020 rebellions—just end? What social, political, and economic terrain is emerging in the wake of the pandemic, and how should the left navigate it? The first of a two-part and wide-ranging interview.
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