(1) Could you please identify what you think are the core defining features and institutions of society that need to be changed i.e. economic, political, cultural, gender/sexual, ecological, etc.?
It depends somewhat on the society. In the U.S., where I live and work, we need to address all that you mention and probably more, too. More specifically, I think that we need to replace private ownership of productive assets, markets, corporate divisions of labor, inequitable remuneration, entirely representative one or two party democracy, the adjudication system, critical attributes of kinship and family relations – though I am very unclear about which ones, as compared to the sexist features of all of them, of course – and likewise the racist and otherwise community denigrating features of our culture.
(2) What are your goals for this change, do you seek to reform them, if so with what changes, broadly? Do you seek to fundamentally replace these institutions with some others? If so what do the replacement structures look like, what are their defining features, of course in brief?
There are many institutions and structures that will likely only be altered in part, but for those I mentioned, I think we need wholly new institutions. For the economy I favor participatory economics or parecon. I am happy advocating that. For politics, I like anarchist sentiments, in many respects, and the start that Stephen Shalom has made toward elaborating structures able to fulfill them, which he calls participatory politics or parpolity. I would say I advocate parpolity, his model, but it is more like advocating the on-going elaboration of what he has begun into a whole model from the partial vision it is now. I think feel that way as well about Justin Podur’s presentations on participatory culture, I would sort of like to call it intercommunalism, and Cynthia Peter’s presentations on participatory kinship, or maybe it ought to be called participatory feminism, though I think those two later cases are less developed so far.
(3) Who do you think the strategic actors are in achieving these goals i.e. political parties, workers, women, queers, immigrants, particular countries or regions, etc?
In general, it seems to me that the most reliable and likely advocates for thorough liberating change in any part of society will be the sectors that are most denied, oppressed, and repressed by that part of society as it now stands. So we are talking about precisely the groups you list. I see no point in trying to place one above another, however. The point is developing a political style, program, and organizations that can appeal to and empower all those constituencies at once and get cutting edge contributions in particular regarding its own focused area from each.
(4) What tactics do you see being centrally used in achieving these changes i.e. voting, direct action, media action, strikes, demonstrations, etc.?
Tactics are just that, tactics. They are chosen to fit a context, parts of which are very volatile and temporary. I can imagine all kinds of actions, methods, behaviors, demands, and whatnot that are applicable and effective sometimes, and not other times. But, yes, at the broad level that you are asking about, I think the list you give are all very relevant and applicable, often, as are certain others, as well. I think there also some commitments that I would call strategic that are deeper and less contextual. Here I would include essentially embodying the seeds of the future in our present efforts.
(5) How do other perspectives, which have different ideas about societal change, fit into your strategy and vision?
I think the kind of commitments I have are quite consistent with feminism, anti-racism, and anarchism – at least when those are held compatibly with broader social aims. I don’t feel close affinity with Marxist approaches, often – beyond sharing an opposition to capitalism – and while I might respect and even admire some Leninist efforts, for the most part I don’t, and I am convinced, in any case, that they cannot win the type society I desire, nor often even win useful changes regarding this one.
IPPS
