The anarchist bookfair (or is it book fair?) is a staple of the anarchist tradition. Despite the contradiction of a presumably anti-capitalist event centered around selling books, anarchist bookfairs are perhaps the primary way anarchists from wider regions gather face-to-face and spend time together (as well as spend $$$). But the anarchist bookfair has its disadvantages: it can be formulaic, with a predictable structure of workshops, tablers, and potato-and-kale burritos; it can be exclusive, such as when presenters or tablers are banned for involvement in controversial content; and it can be a burden on organizers who put immense effort into coordinating logistics, content, and hosting for an often-unappreciative and passive audience.

Perhaps it was this 'organizers' burden' that led the organizers of one of the largest and longest-running North-American anarchist bookfair to cancel this year's bookfair, citing current events being "particularly wrenching, from the pandemic dragging on, to the housing crisis, from fascism only worsening, to the genocide in Gaza, all straining our collective capacities and breaking our hearts." But in the vacuum left by this cancellation, a new event emerged, one that proposes "an experiment, and perhaps the start of a new tradition":

We call on the wider anarchist community to help create something that doesn't rely on just one institution. CONSTELLATION will be a decentralized series of events that will include tabling at the usual bookfair location... as well as workshops, games, an anti-conference, a dance party, and other new, weird, fun shit you'll have to come check out for yourself.

Anyone can publish events to the calendar for this gathering, and although 'organizers' will "be reading over submissions to make sure they're suitable", their "moderation will be relatively relaxed. Events don't have to be explicitly 'anarchist." And in a call for proposals the 'organizers' assert that they "want to step outside the classic bookfair mould and move away from a workshop-centric event, ,and that they "aspire not to curate a singular experience but rather to create a space for anarchists to gather, conspire, and share in a multitude of experiences. We’ll provide the space but we need you to fill it!".

Are anarchist bookfairs in need of an overhaul? And can decentralized gatherings like this work? Two recent events come to mind that might shed light into the potentials (and possible pitfalls) of decentralized anarchist "gatherings" (i.e., larger anarchist events that aren't strictly bookfairs). The first is the summer 2023 International Anti-Authoritarian Gathering in Saint Imier. The author in one reportback raises the question, "How much structure does it take to organize such a major event - in the kitchen, the book fair, the campsite, the workshop and cultural program?" and goes on to describe a situation where, "there was no fixed and assessed program" which resulted in many hosts not showing up, controversy and conflict that was handled 'polemically', and 'isolated events with conspiracy mythological, anti-semetic, or patriarchical thought'.

The second is the winter 2024 International Gathering of Anarchist and Autonomous Practices Against Borders in Tijuana, Mexico. There were not many reportbacks for this event, but in one reportback an organizer described it this way:

“What I would like is if the people who came to the gathering later planned their own gatherings. And not wait for us. People should organize a gathering themselves in the places where they came from and create it for themselves. Rather than waiting for someone to plan a gathering for you.”

Is it important to have these larger regional face-to-face anarchist gatherings? is it important that they are explicitly anarchist? And can the logistics work out with decentralized planning? What are your wildest visions for how such a gathering could be amazing and anarchist? And what are the most obvious pitfalls you think could be avoided?

LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION HERE!

Comments

anon (not verified) Mon, 04/22/2024 - 12:02

“Is it important to have these larger regional face-to-face anarchist gatherings?”

yes, how else am i supposed to know it’s not just me online imagining things?

“is it important that they are explicitly anarchist?”

yes, why else would i care about it or why would it be called anarchist gathering and talked about on this site.

“And can the logistics work out with decentralized planning?”

yes. it can even work out better, but i expect less turnout.

“What are your wildest visions for how such a gathering could be amazing and anarchist?”

Six anarchists meet up at a library and they pen a large essay with 25+ bibliographic references, only to find out similar groups have done so elsewhere and they share their texts with each other and pat themselves in the back.

“And what are the most obvious pitfalls you think could be avoided?”

The most obvious pitfall is that it becomes so decentralized it’s not a gathering at all, just tablers tabling in some random spot like Jehova’s Witness.

anon (not verified) Mon, 04/22/2024 - 19:19

decentralization done for its own sake, like anything done for its own sake... becomes a fetish ruling over the people who otherwise think they're free.

sometimes a centralizing of points, a convergence, can be a good thing.

the way is to be flexible... to ask, "does it make sense for this or that to be decentralized, or not? am I worshipping the concept of decentralization independent of it's practical application in this situation, or am I following this principle even when it makes no sense to do so?"

in reality tho we all know nothing will actually be "decentralized". its just gonna be a tiny hardcore group of people bottomlining the whole thing, as it is with most things.

anon (not verified) Tue, 04/23/2024 - 02:41

Right. I think the question of what we are doing rather than how at least at this point is superior. Sure, it's bad not to have a centralized meeting point with certain daily specified times for "popular" activities. It seems avoiding too much structure isnt really all that hard.

Fetishizing strugglismo or "autonomous action" planning are both numbingly lame at this point. Not sure which is worse.

For this canada event..it seems it became infected by liberalism for whatever reason. That alone is worth an alternative and anarchists (not left college kids) will see value in it.

NPCMTL (not verified) Tue, 04/23/2024 - 08:29

Can't wait! We members of the Nudist Poutine Collective of Montréal will be serving nutritious, locally sourced, poutines during the festivities. We welcome one and all. Come for the anarchy, stay for the curds!
BYOT

anon (not verified) Tue, 04/23/2024 - 08:35

everyone stay home. cross-contamination of bad ideas only makes things worse. find your people, or just deal with the ones you have, and figure out what works for you. gatherings are usually just a place to show off, pretend you are doing something, and dabble in the meat-market. and by stay home, by today's standards, i mean stay off-line too.

anon (not verified) Wed, 04/24/2024 - 13:49

"Despite the contradiction of a presumably anti-capitalist event centered around selling books,"

This perennial complaint relies on the idea that selling things is inherently capitalist, as if selling things doesn't pre-date capitalism by 5000 years.

anon (not verified) Fri, 04/26/2024 - 01:11

In reply to by anon (not verified)

True, but hey, observe these 2 trolls commenting under this reply, going on about solidarity and compromise over and over and over again!! We true anarchs are individualists who have no business with these petty identarian ideologues!

anon (not verified) Wed, 04/24/2024 - 21:45

No, none of that is important. In my experience (going back to the late 90s), official “anarchist” events are mostly magnets for corny, self-important dorks and undercover pigs. Anarchists can be found anywhere there is resistance - head to your local Gaza solidarity camp, they’re spreading from coast to coast. If you can’t hold your own when it comes to interacting with people who support the right causes for the “wrong” reasons, then it doesn’t matter what clubhouse you hang out in or with who, or if you get offline at all.

anon (not verified) Thu, 04/25/2024 - 18:01

In reply to by anon (not verified)

> Anarchists can be found anywhere there is resistance - head to your local Gaza solidarity camp,

lolwut?

Last time I went I found a lot of nationalists, flaming liberals, tankies and antisemites...

anon (not verified) Thu, 04/25/2024 - 01:22

How many bookfairs sell books? I've only been to one tho and all the zines were free.

"Is it important to have these larger regional face-to-face anarchist gatherings? is it important that they are explicitly anarchist? And can the logistics work out with decentralized planning? What are your wildest visions for how such a gathering could be amazing and anarchist? And what are the most obvious pitfalls you think could be avoided?"

I believe the large meetings are important, they spread anarchy and they're cool. Spreading ideas about rebellion and anti-capitalism is important for me cause this capitalist hell hole fucken sucks. If I want to spread anarchy it's important that these are anarchist gatherings. Parties and gatherings with people who don't care for anarchy are also cool, and a good way to not convert or indoctrinate people but spreads seeds of anarchy. Decentralized planning works, think about how people plan a party with their friends. I agree with the sentiment that people should plan their own gatherings near where they live and not wait for others hours away to plan them. Self-sufficiency, autonomy and all that. Less over-thinking, less perfectionism and more anarchy. A dance party with tons of free zines, free food and drinks. A giant pile of bricks that people can adopt and bring home. Maybe some education on throwing bricks cause some windows are stronger than people and mass media would have you believe. Lots of flag burning and free spray paint.

Pitfalls to avoid: hierarchy, phones, self-doubt, depending on how large of a gathering not knowing what to do if someone has a stroke or some medical emergency is something to avoid (I don't know who to call.) trying to make anarchy palatable to liberals.

anon (not verified) Fri, 04/26/2024 - 10:16

yes meeting people irl is important. which is why we're trying to put together a NEET Convergence at the end of august in chicago. if you're interested in getting involved email feraldistro@proton.me

anon (not verified) Sun, 04/28/2024 - 07:19

How is decentralization always a good idea? If you got this new openly-anarchist gathering in the middle of nowhere, some state, set up by people you know nothing about, does it read like a good plan to go on your own in the context of FBI counterinsurgency programs as well as the proliferation of CHUDs? I wouldn't think so.

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