New Books in Critical Theory

Steve J. Shone, "Dangerous Anarchist Strikers" (Brill, 2023)

Nov 25, 2024

In this thought-provoking discussion, Steve J. Shone, a Political Science lecturer at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and author of "Dangerous Anarchist Strikers," dives into the impactful stories of radical women in labor history. He sheds light on figures like Virginia Bolten, Helen Armstrong, and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, emphasizing their often-overlooked contributions to labor strikes across the Americas. Shone also explores the intersection of anarchism, feminism, and democracy, challenging conventional narratives and advocating for a re-examination of historical activism.

47:53

Episode guests

Steve J. Shone

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The podcast emphasizes the need to reassess historical narratives to accurately recognize the contributions of overlooked figures like Virginia Bolten and Helen Armstrong in anarchist discourse.

It critiques the misconception that voting alone ensures democratic governance by highlighting issues of mass incarceration and the true values of justice and fairness in society.

Deep dives

The Connection Between Anarchism and Democracy

The podcast discusses the relationship between anarchism and democracy, particularly how voting is often misinterpreted as an indication of a democratic society. Anarchists argue that mere voting does not equate to fairness or justice in governance. For instance, the speaker highlights troubling statistics about mass incarceration in the United States, emphasizing that high incarceration rates among marginalized communities suggest a lack of true democratic values. This challenges the conventional belief that electoral processes alone can signify a functional democracy.

Intro

2min

Anarchism, Feminism, and Democracy

13min

Unveiling the Legacy of Helen Armstrong in Labor History

6min

Female Pioneers in Labor Activism

11min

Revolutionary Journeys: From Anarchism to Global Movements

14min

Dangerous Anarchist Strikers (Brill, 2023) explores the ideas of three largely forgotten radical women who participated in labor union strikes in Argentina and Uruguay, Canada, and the United States: Virginia Bolten (c.1876-1960), one of the most militant anarchists of southern South America; Helen Armstrong (1875-1947), a major leader of the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, whose involvement in that important event in Canadian history was, for a long time, obscured by accounts that emphasized the accomplishments of men; and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (1890-1964), the Wobbly leader who directed many industrial strikes throughout the United States, and was one of the founders of the American Civil Liberties Union, who eventually became the leader of the Communist Party, USA. It also examines the contributions of two similarly neglected anarchist men who participated in labor union strikes and industrial action in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and Japan. Tom Barker (1887-1970) was an anarchist who eventually became a socialist who worked to promote labor unionism on four continents and who tried to create a global One Big Union for sailors. Kōtoku, Shūsui (1871-1911) was a liberal who became a socialist and finally an anarchist. An opponent of governmental imperialism and ecological mismanagement, he studied and translated the works of Western thinkers and sought to apply what he learned from other cultures to the development of Japan.

Steve J. Shone is Lecturer in Political Science at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He received his Ph.D. (1992) in political science from the University of California-Riverside. He has taught at Winona State University, Gonzaga University, and the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. He is the author of Lysander Spooner: American Anarchist(Lexington Books, 2010), American Anarchism (Brill, 2013), Women of Liberty (Brill, 2019), and Rose Summerfield: Australian Radical (Lexington Books, 2022).

Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter.

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