New Books in Intellectual History

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

Nov 25, 2024

Steve J. Shone, a Political Science lecturer and author, dives into the lives of radical women like Virginia Bolten, Helen Armstrong, and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, exploring their crucial but often overlooked roles in labor activism. The discussion highlights how their legacies challenge conventional narratives around strikes and feminism. Shone also reflects on the contributions of anarchists like Tom Barker and Kōtoku Shūsui, illustrating the global fight against oppression and the continuing relevance of their ideas in today’s movements.

47:53

Episode guests

Steve J. Shone

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Quick takeaways

The podcast highlights the critical role of forgotten radical women like Virginia Bolten and Helen Armstrong in shaping labor movements and challenging societal norms.

It critiques traditional notions of democracy by arguing that mere electoral systems do not ensure justice or equality, as evidenced by historical labor struggles.

Deep dives

Anarchism and Feminism: A Serious Consideration

The podcast addresses the often-overlooked intersection of anarchism and feminism, emphasizing that both ideologies offer critical perspectives on democracy and societal structures. It highlights the works of various forgotten anarchists and feminists, advocating for their recognition and the validity of their ideas. A central theme is the critique of traditional voting as a measure of democracy, suggesting that the presence of voting alone does not guarantee justice or equality. The discussion raises important questions about the state of democracy today, arguing that many nations, despite having electoral systems, do not meet true democratic standards.

Intro

2min

Rethinking Democracy: Anarchism and Feminism

10min

Exploring the Anarchist Ideology of Virginia Bolton

5min

Women in Labor Activism: Armstrong and Flynn

11min

The Radical Journey of Tom Barker

8min

Anarchism and Resistance in Japan

10min

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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