CFP: “Challenging the rhetoric of non-State actors, political violence and ‘terrorism’"

Affinities: A Journal of Radical Theory, Culture, and Action [www.affinitiesjournal.org]

Call for papers for Issue #6: “Challenging the rhetoric of non-State actors, political violence and ‘terrorism’"

Affinities, a journal of contemporary radical politics,  is now accepting submissionproposals from individuals or collectives interested in contributing to a special edition focused on non-State actors, political violence and ‘terrorism.’  The purpose of this special edition of  Affinities is to reengage critical anti-authoritarian scholarship with themes that challenge Statist attempts to control discourses around violence.  Who is a terrorist? What is terrorism?  When does resistance become violence?  How does one label direct action movements?   This special issue seeks to create space for an evolving discourse beyond the ‘violence versus non-violence,’ debate. How can we move stagnant conversations about tactical efficacy, the ethics of non-violence, the strategy of economic sabotage and direct action forward?

Submissions are warmly invited for this special issue as it our intent to open up a space for reflection, critique and revolutionary analysis.  Submissions can come from any and all ‘disciplines’ including but not limited to: anarchist studies, critical theory, Marxist studies, Queer theory/LGBT studies, public anthropology, cultural studies, terrorism studies, security studies, peace studies, conflict analysis or others. We also accept nonpeer reviewed submissions from artists, activists, journalists and others outside of the academy.

Possible topics for submission include (but are not limited to):
● Effective challenges to statist monopolization of discourses involving violence, terrorism, and the ethics of state vs. non-state violence
● Anti-statists and their relationships to nationalist (liberation?) movements
● What is militant non-violence and can it be effective?
● Anarchist and other perspectives or critiques of violence in the
Palestinian intifada, the Chechen jihad, the Angry Brigade, the Occupy movement…
● How can radical communities respond to State terrorism and/or non-State violence?
● What role can horizontal direct action movements have in mediating conflict?

To see previous issues of Affinities, or for more information on the journal, please visit www.affinitiesjournal.org. To propose a paper, please submit an abstract (500 words max.) no later than June 30, 2012, to Michael.Loadenthal@gmail.com.  Authors whose abstracts are accepted for the special issue will be contacted by mid-July, with final articles to be due mid-October.

Please direct inquiries & abstracts to the issue editor: Michael Loadenthal (Michael.Loadenthal@gmail.com)