[artinfo] Assembly by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri

[ari]

Assembly
by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri

In the face of rising right-wing movements and governments throughout 
the world, along with the ever-increasing control of finance over 
social life, forms of protest and resistance that disrupt the ruling 
order are essential. But they are not enough. How can today's social 
movements transform themselves so as to initiate a process of 
liberation and create the bases for a lasting social alternative? 
Each year a new eruption of 'leaderless' social movements - from 
North Africa and the Middle East to Europe, the Americas, and East 
Asia - leaves journalists, political analysts, police forces, and 
governments disoriented and perplexed. Activists too struggle to 
understand and evaluate the power and effectiveness of horizontal 
movements. Why have movements which address the needs and desires of 
so many not been able to achieve lasting change and create a new, 
more democratic and just society? Some people assume that if only 
social movements could find new leaders they would return to their 
earlier glory. Where, they ask, are the new Martin Luther Kings, Rudi 
Dutschkes, and Stephen Bikos? Although today's leaderless and 
spontaneous political organisations are not sufficient, a return to 
traditional, centralised forms of political leadership is neither 
desirable nor possible. Necessary instead, as Michael Hardt and 
Antonio Negri argue, is an inversion of the roles of the multitude 
and leadership in political organisations. Leaders should be confined 
to short-term, tactical action, while the multitude drives strategy. 
In other words, the formulation of long-term goals and objectives 
must come from the collective, rather than designated figureheads. 
Assembly outlines how large-scale, horizontal movements can 
collectively develop political strategy and decision-making to effect 
lasting democratic change. This event, organised by Westminster 
Institute for Advanced Studies (WIAS) alongside Oxford University 
Press (OUP), launches Assembly, Hardt and Negri's follow-up book to 
the Empire trilogy, consisting of Empire (2000), Multitude (2004) and 
Commonwealth (2009).

https://www.westminster.ac.uk/events/book-launch-assembly-by-michael-hardt-and-antonio-negri

Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri on The State of the Neoliberal Global Order

12 Oct 2017 - 13:00 to 14:00
Chatham House. The Royal Institute of International Affairs.
10 St James's Square, St. James's, London SW1Y 4LE

The global economic and political order that emerged over two decades 
ago has been transformed in recent years, in particular by the 
re-emergence of nationalism and by the authoritarian turn of 
neoliberalism.  Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri will sketch the basic 
outlines of the global order today and will attempt to discern the 
resources for change within and outside the global and national 
institutional structures. How are social movements able to challenge 
unjust aspects of the current global order? And what alternative 
social arrangements, political strategies and decision-making can 
effect lasting, democratic change?

https://www.chathamhouse.org/event/state-neoliberal-global-order