After a Cycle of Contention: Post-Gothenburg Strategies of Left-Libertarian Activists in Sweden

Abstract

This article considers the strategic choices that radical activists face when a cycle of contention ends. It investigates the reorientation of the autonomous anarchists or left-libertarian activist milieu in Sweden after the riots at the Gothenburg summit in 2001, which ended a cycle of anti-globalization protests in Sweden. The article identifies five strategies by which this activist milieu attempted to reconstruct collective agency, build a new alliance structure, and renew the repertoire of contention: (1) rescaling and targeting of micro-politics; (2) moving from secluded to open communities; (3) rethinking collective agency with the help of a new movement theory; (4) reversing dominant discourses and opening up discursive space; and (5) redefining militancy and shelving of violent confrontation. The study builds on activist interviews and ethnographic research in Stockholm and Malmö.

Keywords::

• Autonomous
• activists
• cycle of contention
• left-libertarian
• militancy
• Tarrow

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

Research conducted at Södertörn University, School of Social Sciences.

^1. This parallel has also been drawn by Gillan (2006), who describes ‘the movement of movements’ as including three phases: the alternative globalization movement, the anti-war movement, and the social forum movement (Gillan, 2006, p. 58).

^2. All quotes have been translated from Swedish into English by the authors. Names are fictitious and informants thus anonymous. Authors are indebted to PhD Magnus Wennerhag, Södertörn University, for carrying out a number of the interviews.

^3. We participated in approximately 10 events in the environment, for example a series of discussions at cafe Hängmattan and an Internet-based reading group on ‘The Coming Insurrection’. We also analyzed a broad range of texts from journals (such as all issues of Direkt Aktion and Brand from 2000 and onward), activist blogs, wikis, and homepages from the groups in which activists were active in during the period of study. Several of our informants participated in these events or as authors. Text material was coded in relation to the themes of the article, but also more broadly in relation relevant for the broader research project. This data have been used mainly for validating interview data.

^4. Allemansrätt is a Swedish legal term that gives people in Sweden (including visitors) the right to move freely in nature (on land and water), irrespective of private ownership, as long as nothing is disturbed or destroyed.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council [grant number 421-2007-8782].

Notes on contributors

Kerstin Jacobsson

Kerstin Jacobsson is Professor of Sociology at University of Gothenburg, specialising in the field of political sociology. Social movements, citizenship and governance are among the topics in which Professor Jacobsson has made contributions, published in several books and journals such as Social Movement Studies, Critical Sociology and Social Anthropology.

Adrienne Sörbom

Adrienne Sörbom is Associate Professor at Södertörn University, specializing in the field of political sociology. Political globalization, individualization and social movements are among her main research interests, published in for example Critical Sociology and several books.