Resisting neoliberalism? Movements against austerity and for democracy in Cairo, Athens and London

Abstract

Drawing on interviews conducted with activists from Athens, Cairo and London in 2013, we examine activists' understandings of, critiques of and concerns around neoliberal policies. We demonstrate that activists often imply, and sometimes explicitly formulate, a fundamental incompatibility between the current economic system and their conceptions of democracy, but also that 'anti-neoliberal' is a very inadequate label for describing their political positions and practices. We demonstrate how activists developed deeply interlinked critiques of both the political system and the economic policies that emanated from it. We maintain that at least as important as their discourses were their practices. We analyse how solidarity and self-help practices were perceived as political interventions, rather than acts of charity, through which activists confronted the state with its failure to provide basic services.

Revisiting ‘The Birth of Biopolitics’: Foucault's Account of Neoliberalism and the Remaking of Social Policy

“…Such absences, in fact, are a ‘perennial limitation’ of his work (Brown, 2015: 73–74). In contrast, a good deal of current analysis within the field of social policy explores such forces of resistance (Dukelow and Kennett, 2018; Gruegel and Riggirozzi, 2018; Ishkanian and Glasius, 2018; Papadopoulous and Roumpakis, 2018; Schram and Pavlovskaya, 2017).…”

“…Bill Dunn (2017: 443) goes on to assert that, whilst it is a term of the political left, neoliberalism is mostly associated with 'left elites' and the discourses dominating 'academic texts and relatively highbrow media'. Progressive social movements do not, it is maintained, tend to have much recourse to the term (Ishkanian and Glasius, 2018). Consequently, the 'conceptual proliferation' of neoliberalism continues to 'reflect and encourage the dissociation with broader social movements and legitimises a retreat into a self-referential world of our own' (Dunn, 2017: 444).…”

Social work and neoliberalism: the Trondheim papers

“…The introduction of the Social Protection System in 2000 has served to embed depoliticised and individually oriented approaches within the profession. Despite this, practices of resistance to this apparent hegemonic order can still be identified (see also Ishkanian & Glasius, 2018).…”

Social Movements, Brexit and Social Policy

“…In 2010, two years after the 2008 financial crisis, we saw the explosion of protest movements throughout the globe. It is important to recall that these were movements that were against austerity and inequality and for greater democracy, dignity, and social justice (Ishkanian and Glasius, 2018). Many writing about recent movements argue that the protests and occupation of squares beginning in 2010 were an expression of anger and reflected growing concerns around the lack of democracy, social justice and dignity (Kaldor and Selchow, 2012; Glasius and Pleyers, 2013; Tejerina et al ., 2013; Della Porta, 2015), representing a tipping point in a globalisation of discontent (Biekart and Fowler, 2013) and indignation (Calhoun, 2013).…”

“…The global wave of protests of the early 2010s were as much concerned with the economy as with the political system (Ishkanian and Glasius, 2018); moreover, as already stated, they brought together individuals with shared grievances around the status quo. As such, they can be seen as embodying what Laclau and Mouffe call ‘diverse antagonisms and points of rupture’ (1985: 191).…”