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Anarchism: Theory, Practice, History

Module description

This module examines anarchism as a social and political movement from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. It will examine the ‘anarchist canon’ of writers (including Proudhon, Bakunin, Kropotkin and Goldman) and significant reference points in anarchist ‘canonical’ history, including the Paris Commune, the Russian Revolution and the Spanish Civil War. In addition, it will aim at a further objective; to examine the reflexive relationship of anarchist theory to historical practice and historical practice to anarchist theory. Here it will assess both the viability of anarchist approaches to historical investigation, and the possibilities such approaches may offer for anarchist practice.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to:

• Furnish you with a comprehensive critical understanding of anarchist and post-anarchist theory and practice as these have developed historically
• Critically evaluate anarchism’s success and failures in practice
• Enable you to critique anarchism’s relationship with history as written and practised
• Engage substantively with anarchist tropes in popular culture

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the main themes in the subject, together with a very close knowledge of the areas selected for essay and presentation work
• 2. Trace the changing nature of, and approaches to, the history of anarchism as a social movement and a body of political thought

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Analyse the key developments in an under-investigated yet significant intellectual and political movement
• 4. Handle profoundly different approaches to history in relation to social, political and intellectual history
• 5. Show an understanding of and deploy, complex political and theoretical terminology in a comprehensible manner

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Carry out independent study and group work, including the presentation of material for group discussion, developed through the mode of learning
• 7. Digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment
• 8. Present arguments orally, and work in a group

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Anarchy is order – An introduction to anarchist thought
• Historicising anarchism
• The anarchist canon 1: Theory or practice?
• The anarchist canon 2: Postanarchism
• Against the grain: Anarchism in the longue dureé
• Anarchy in action 1: France and Russia
• Anarchy in action 2: Spain
• Seeds beneath the snow: ‘practical’ anarchisms in ‘non-revolutionary times’
• Anarchism and social ecology
• Occupy This: Anarchy and the politics of popular culture
• Anarchism and the practice of history

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Adams, M. S., Kropotkin, Read and the Intellectual History of British Anarchism: Between Reason and Romanticism. London: Palgrave, 2015.
• Bourg, J., From Revolution to Ethics: May 1968 and Contemporary French Thought. Montreal: MQUP, 2007.
• Bakunin, M., God and the State. New York: Mother Earth, 1882.
• Bookchin, M., The Ecology of Freedom: The emergence and dissolution of hierarchy. Oakland CA: AK Press, 2005.
• Chomsky, N., On Anarchism. London: Penguin, 2014.
• Goldman, E., Living My Life. London: Penguin, 2006.
• Goodway, D., Anarchist Seeds Beneath the Snow. Oakland CA: PM Press, 2011.
• Herman, E. S. and Chomsky, N., Manufacturing Consent: The political economy of the mass media. London: Vintage, 1995.
• Jun, N., Anarchism and Political Modernity. London: Bloomsbury, 2011.
• Kinna, R., The Continuum Companion to Anarchism. London: Continuum, 2012.
• Kinna, R., Anarchism: A beginner’s guide. London: OneWorld, 2004.
• Kropotkin, P., Mutual Aid: A factor of evolution. London: Freedom Press, 2009.
• Marshall, P., Demanding the Impossible: A History of Anarchism. London: 1992.
• Purkis, J., and Bowen, J. (eds.), Changing Anarchisms: Anarchist theory and practice in a global age. Manchester: MUP, 2004.
• Rousselle D., and Evren, S. (eds)., Post-Anarchism: A Reader. London: Pluto, 2011.
• Scott, J. C., Two Cheers for Anarchism: Six easy pieces on autonomy, dignity, and meaningful work and play. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2012.
• Scott, J. C., Against the Grain: A deep history of the earliest states. New Haven CT: Yale University Press, 2017.
• Ward, C., Anarchy in Action. London: Freedom Press, 1973.
• Ward, C., Anarchism: A very short introduction. Oxford: OUP, 2000.
• Wilson, C. M., Anarchist Essays (ed. N. Walter). London: Freedom Press, 2000.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11329 

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• Hopscotch Films, Accidental Anarchist (2017).
• Battle in Seattle (2008).
• Pacific Street Films, The Free Voice of Labor: The Jewish Anarchists (1980).
• Pacific Street Films, Anarchy in America (1983).

Key words search

Anarchism; Libertarian socialism