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Anarchist World Ordering

Module description

With the end of the Cold War and the collapsing hegemony of Marxist-Leninism on the left, many on the right claimed that the neo-liberal world order constitutes the ‘end of history’ (Fukuyama 1989). And yet capitalism is in crisis, protest erupts everywhere, and nation states seem to be doubling down on the repression of protest. Over the past twenty years, anarchism has reclaimed its position as the main intellectual and practical framework for thinking about alternatives to capitalism across large swaths of the activist left. Once consigned to Trotsky’s ‘dustbin of history’, the re-emergence of ideas of horizontalism, general assemblies, anti-hierarchical organising, and a DIY philosophy, has caught many by surprise. Few if any have more than a superficial understanding of this infamous tradition in the history of political thought, despite gaining a notoriety far outstripping its numerical weight. The turn of the twentieth century was defined by anarchist terrorism and the anarcho-syndicalist movements, while the turn of the and twenty first century, saw the rise of the alter-globalisation movement, Occupy Wall Street, and climate justice movements. This research-led module will provide you with a unique account of this resurgence by locating anarchism as a social practice in the historical development of ‘the international’.

Module aims - intentions of the module

By approaching the development of ‘the international’ from the perspective of anarchist international political theory, you will come to see the world through a unique set of lenses. This will help clarify your own views on a range of topics form global capitalism to international law, climate change and US empire. This research-led module will provide a deep and broad understanding of anarchist approaches to world ordering and explore how anarchist practices themselves shape the contemporary world order.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

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

• 1. contrast historic and contemporary world orders
• 2. identify the contrasts and similarities in anarchist thought as it evolved over time

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

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

• 3. demonstrate understanding of anarchist approaches to international relations
• 4. critically engage mainstream accounts of international relations from an anarchist perspective

ILO: Personal and key skills

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

• 5. present complex arguments with clarity and concision;
• 6. identify spurious conclusions and distinguish rigorous from merely persuasive argument, and
• 7. express complex ideas clearly in both written and oral form

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• The political philosophy of anarchy;
• capitalism and slavery;
• anti-imperialism;
• transanarchism;
• anarchist theories of war and peace; 
• environmental activism

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)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Alex Prichard, Anarchism. A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022)
• Ruth Kinna, The Government of No One. The Theory and Practice of Anarchism (London: Penguin, 2020)

Key words search

Anarchism, World Ordering, International Political Theory, International Relations, Political Theory, Climate Change, Activism