OT26 Preview

The 26th issue of the OT is out tomorrow, just in time for London’s Anarchist Bookfair, where you will find us distributing copies. This issue’s theme, Apocalypse Now?, looks at the struggles we face as we head into a rapidly evaporating future. A number of articles explore the many forms, histories and potentials of living and organising at the ends of worlds.

To highlight just a few pieces: the centre spread of this issue was produced by libcom.org blogging collective Out of the Woods who have been writing compelling analysis for the past year about the politics and science of climate change. Larry Lohmann has written a piece examining the discursive framework of universal catastrophism presented by ‘apocalypticians’, warning against some of the voices who would sound the alarm of Apocalypse in the interest of political forms that are far from liberatory. Kerem Nisancioglu offers some historical context to the very notion of the ‘End of the World’, arguing that amid the turbulent breakdown of feudalism and the emergence of capitalist modes, many societies across the world based their politics around Apocalypse. Brian Tokar’s piece advocates for decentralised communities of resistance at the sites of environmental destruction as a foundation for the struggle towards climate justice.

We were very excited to be able to interview feminist and political theorist Silvia Federici. The author of Caliban and the Witch and Revolution at Point Zero answered questions on reproduction, wages for housework, the nuclear family, elderly care, climate change and much more.

There has been a troubling shift of focus away from the aftermath of Israel’s recent military offensive on the population of Gaza. In a spread which attempts to highlight action continuing to offer support to people in Palestine, Sami Çapulcu tells the story of London Palestine Action. A group formed one year ago, LPA aim to offer a more sustained horizontal approach to solidarity, taking action to stifle and oppose the everyday violence of life under Israeli occupation. There has been renewed focus on Palestinian-led calls for a Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement. This issue’s infographic offers advice to those wishing to be involved in a successful boycott of Israel.

We also have articles written by members of two vital, current groups. Focus E15 recount the story of their campaign so far, following the successful occupation on the Carpenters Estate in Stratford, and an article by Drew Rose from Police Spies Out of Lives looks at recent revelations in undercover policing in the UK and delves into it’s broader historical context. PSOL was set up to support the legal action by eight women deceived into long term intimate relationships with undercover police officers who were infiltrating environmental and social justice campaign groups.

Copies of OT26 will be distributed at events and within communities throughout the next two months. You can also find us on the shelves of various outlets across the capital, including Housmans, Black Gull Books, Banner Repeater, 56a,Freedom Bookshop, Cafe Crema and the London Review Bookshop. The full list of stockists can be found on the OT Stockists Map on our website.

Follow the OT on Twitter at @OccupiedTimes, Facebook at The Occupied Times, or visit our website at TheOccupiedTimes.org

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