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Anarchism and Poststructuralism

For some, anarchism is portrayed as being congruent with the philosophy of post-structuralism. It is claimed that the post-structuralist’ celebration of difference with its anti-authoritarian impulse, it’s rejection of top-down power in favour of localised bottom-up resistance and its rejection of political representation is said to find its political expression in anarchism. However, doubts remain as to the validity of such claims. While anarchists do advocate such post-structuralist elements, post-structuralists such as Todd May and Andrew Koch omit any reference to solidarity and equality of wealth and social resources which are inimical to anarchism.
What lies lurking in the murky waters around the ‘pristine’ island of post-structuralism are notions of ontological and epistemological relativism, a rejection of universalism, an hostility towards humanism and an all out assault on objectivity. “Taken together - the relativity of both ontology and epistemology, the pl...

Posted by: Rheannon Androckitis

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