Novara - Season 01

Season 1 of the Novara show on Resonance FM.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 27, 2013

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S01E002 - The 'democratic paradox' - discussing the politics of Chantal Mouffe

On this week's show Aaron Peters is joined by Matt Hall and Guy Aitchison as they discuss the idea of the 'Democratic Paradox' in the work of political theorist Chantal Mouffe.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 27, 2013

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S01E003 - The 'New College of the Humanities' and the future of UK HE

On this week's show Aaron Peters is joined by Sean Rillo Racza and Andrew McGettigan as they discuss the future of higher education in the UK after the news that AC Grayling is to head up the 'New College of The Humanities'.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 27, 2013

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S01E004 - New movements, new unions?

On this week’s show Aaron Peters is joined by Mark Bergfeld, Jacob Bard Rosenberg and Donnacha De Long (President of the NUJ). They discuss different and innovative kinds of organising in the context of the Great Recession.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 26, 2013

S01E005 - Autonomia – 1968 to the ‘Year of ’77′

An edition of the Novara radio show discussing the history and analysis of the Italian workerist movement, Autonomia and its continued relevance and resonance within anti-austerity movements today with Federico Campagna of Through Europe.

Submitted by wojtek on January 7, 2012

This week, Workerism, Autonomia and Lessons from the Italian Left; What can 2011 learn from Italy in the 1970s - with Federico Campagna from Zed Books.

Novara - a weekly show on Resonance FM discussing political theory, practice and aesthetics. Discussions and interventions will be with workers, theorists, students and activists. Hosted by Aaron Peters.

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Juan Conatz

12 years ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on March 31, 2012

I really like this show and wish there was something similar in the U.S., although I imagine it would be hard because we're so spread out.

Harrison

11 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Harrison on July 1, 2012

this was great

Joseph Kay

11 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Joseph Kay on July 10, 2012

This is a great introduction to the movements and theories of 1968-77. The discussion of the refusal of work as driving capitalist innovation reminded me of this:

Adam Smith

in consequence of the division of labour, the whole of every man's attention comes naturally to be directed towards some one very simple object. It is naturally to be expected, therefore, that some one or other of those who are employed in each particular branch of labour should soon find out easier and readier methods of performing their own particular work, wherever the nature of it admits of such improvement. A great part of the machines made use of in those manufactures in which labour is most subdivided, were originally the inventions of common workmen, who, being each of them employed in some very simple operation, naturally turned their thoughts towards finding out easier and readier methods of performing it. Whoever has been much accustomed to visit such manufactures must frequently have been shown very pretty machines, which were the inventions of such workmen in order to facilitate and quicken their particular part of the work. In the first fire-engines, a boy was constantly employed to open and shut alternately the communication between the boiler and the cylinder, according as the piston either ascended or descended. One of those boys, who loved to play with his companions, observed that, by tying a string from the handle of the valve which opened this communication to another part of the machine, the valve would open and shut without his assistance, and leave him at liberty to divert himself with his playfellows. One of the greatest improvements that has been made upon this machine, since it was first invented, was in this manner the discovery of a boy who wanted to save his own labour.

Joseph Kay

11 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Joseph Kay on July 10, 2012

To elaborate on that, it would suggest the current crisis has its roots in capital's success in smashing working class power, employing spatial fixes (e.g. moving big factories from the west to low-wage dictatorships) rather than technical fixes (labour-saving innovations). Without a strong antagonistic subject forcing it to innovate, capital grinds to a halt.

Paradoxically, that would suggest an upsurge in class antagonism (infsofar as it falls short of communisation) might be just what capitalism needs to jump start accumulation. It does seem plausible, e.g. the repression of finance and some redistribution of wealth would be a likely response to a powerful class movement, and these might at the same time re-establish conditions for accumulation (e.g. boosting effective demand and limiting destructive bubbles).

A provocative hypothesis at least.

Anatta

11 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Anatta on July 10, 2012

Any chance of making this available for download on SoundCloud again?

georgestapleton

11 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by georgestapleton on July 10, 2012

Joseph Kay

To elaborate on that, it would suggest the current crisis has its roots in capital's success in smashing working class power, employing spatial fixes (e.g. moving big factories from the west to low-wage dictatorships) rather than technical fixes (labour-saving innovations). Without a strong antagonistic subject forcing it to innovate, capital grinds to a halt.

Paradoxically, that would suggest an upsurge in class antagonism (infsofar as it falls short of communisation) might be just what capitalism needs to jump start accumulation. It does seem plausible, e.g. the repression of finance and some redistribution of wealth would be a likely response to a powerful class movement, and these might at the same time re-establish conditions for accumulation (e.g. boosting effective demand and limiting destructive bubbles).

A provocative hypothesis at least.

Provocative indeed!

However, once again its important not to overstate the slow down in labour productivity growth.

Here's a graph of the US, UK and Germany's labour productivity growth from 1950-2010, with 1980 being used as the base year. (i.e. 1980 every country is equal to 100, so you are looking at change relative to 1980).

Or to look at the same stats in a different way, here are bar charts showing increase in labour productivity for the same countries.

Posting graphs on libcom could easily become my new hobby.

By-the-by, I actually think your idea has quite a lot too it. I do literally mean - "its important not to overstate" the problems with increasing labour productivity.

georgestapleton

11 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by georgestapleton on July 10, 2012

Gah the labels didn't come out on those graphs.

Its the same throughout.

Black/Grey - US

Blue - UK

Red - Germany

Harrison

11 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Harrison on July 11, 2012

Anatta

Any chance of making this available for download on SoundCloud again?

JDownloader will get you the file
http://jdownloader.org/download/index

Joseph Kay

Paradoxically, that would suggest an upsurge in class antagonism (infsofar as it falls short of communisation) might be just what capitalism needs to jump start accumulation. It does seem plausible, e.g. the repression of finance and some redistribution of wealth would be a likely response to a powerful class movement, and these might at the same time re-establish conditions for accumulation (e.g. boosting effective demand and limiting destructive bubbles).

Looking at it in a positive light, if this is correct, it means we will remain in crisis until a strong class movement emerges, with all the radicalisation of various elements that this entails.

If anything, i think it is greater evidence of the inadequacy of orthodox/'revolutionary' (ie. bolshevik) marxist 'do class struggle however we can' (including through parliament) and confirms the prefigurative aspect of struggle, and how it is not the reforms in themselves, but how they are won, that will positively reinforce future industrial tactics making more direct conflict with capital and lead to a resultant growth in conscious communist struggle.

Even if communisation doesn't occur, the success of direct methods of struggle at winning results will still be internalised into the collective memory of the class. I think the evidence for this lies in the (much neglected) fact italy saw several waves of base committees including in 1986, which lies outside the period of struggle usually associated with them.

A reactionary quote (about Hull 1978) from someone my university loves and i hate, relevant to this:

‘The lower-class bastards’, poet Philip Larkin told his friend Kingsley Amis, ‘can no more stop going on strike now than a laboratory rat with an electrode in its brain can stop jumping on a switch to give itself an orgasm.’

georgestapleton

11 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by georgestapleton on July 11, 2012

That is an amazing quote!

S01E007 - Strikes, direct action and new technologies

On this week’s show Aaron Peters is joined by Simon Behrman and Joss Hands as they discuss the impact of technological change on various protest repertoires and industrial action.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 26, 2013

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S01E008 - Anarcho-syndicalism – a new world in the shell of the old?

An edition of the Novara radio show discussing anarcho-syndicalism with Joseph Kay of Solidarity Federation.

Submitted by wojtek on January 7, 2012

"Anarcho-syndicalism; a new world in the shell of the old? Joseph Kay - Solfed - talks to Aaron John Peters". http://www.solfed.org.uk/

Novara - a weekly show discussing political theory, practice and aesthetics. Discussions and interventions will be with workers, theorists, students and activists. Hosted by Aaron Peters.

Comments

S01E013 - What is the role of the intellectual within crisis?

On this week’s show Aaron Peters is joined by Federico Campagna as they discuss the role of the intellectual in relationship to the body politic before focusing on the role of the intellectual (or lack thereof) during the Great Recession.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 26, 2013

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S01E015 - After the future. In conversation with Franco ‘Bifo’ Berardi

On this week’s show Aaron Peters is joined by Federico Campagna and Franco Bifo Berardi as they discuss life after the global financial crisis, semiocapitalism and the end of ‘future as utopia’.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 26, 2013

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S01E016 - Capitalist realism. In discussion with Mark Fisher

Mark Fisher

An edition of the Novara radio show in discussion with Mark Fisher, the author of 'Capitalist Realism, is there no alternative?', which is out under Zer0 Books and available to read here. As a blogger he writes as K-Punk.

Submitted by wojtek on April 4, 2012

Novara - a weekly show on Resonance FM discussing political theory, practice and aesthetics. Discussions and interventions will be with workers, theorists, students and activists. Hosted by Aaron Peters.

Comments

S01E017 - Student movement(s) and Millbank 1 year later

On this week's show Aaron Peters is joined by James Butler and 'Mediocre Dave' as they look ahead to the November 9th student demonstration and prospects for resistance from students and higher education workers one year after Millbank.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 27, 2013

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S01E022 - Happy new year. predictions for 2015 – ‘austerity dysphoria’

On this week’s show Aaron Peters and James Butler are joined by Federico Campagna as they discuss possibilities as the Great Recession continues all the way up until, and beyond, the next general election in 2015. The Rise of the Millenariat.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 26, 2013

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S01E023 - Anarchist practice with the ‘new social movements’ after 1989

On this week’s show Aaron Peters is joined by Saul Newman as they discuss the relationship between anarchist practice and the ‘new social movements’ specifically after 1989.

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 26, 2013

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S01E026 - The problem with full employment utopias

A still of John Maynard Keynes from the edutainment rap 'Fight of the Century'

An edition of the Novara radio show in discussion with Danny Hayward looking at 'Full Work Utopias' and recent variants of vulgar Keynesianism which seek to situate themselves as 'solutions' to the current global financial crisis.

Submitted by wojtek on March 28, 2012

Novara - a weekly show on Resonance FM discussing political theory, practice and aesthetics. Discussions and interventions will be with workers, theorists, students and activists. Hosted by Aaron Peters.

Comments

S01E027 - DEBT>DEBT>DEBT

An edition of the Novara radio show talking to David Graeber about debt, its history and the possible future(s) for the debt-riddled countries of the global north.

David Graeber is an anarchist anthropologist and is a lecturer at Goldsmiths University in London. He is the author of 'Debt: The First 5,000 Years' and you can follow him on Twitter at @DavidGraeber.

Submitted by wojtek on June 7, 2012

Novara - a weekly show on Resonance FM discussing political theory, practice and aesthetics. Discussions and interventions will be with workers, theorists, students and activists. Hosted by Aaron Peters.

Comments