<nettime> Assembly - book events in London

[ari <ari@kein.org>]

Book launch: Assembly by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri

12 October 2017 - 7:00pm to 10:00pm
The Westminster Institute for Advanced Studies
Fyvie Hall, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London W1B 
2HW

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

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