On August 24, 1978, Murray Bookchin gave a lecture in Amherst, Massachusetts. In his speech, Bookchin argued against the ideology of futurism and for ecological utopianism. In the Q&A session, he pointed out that he was not against technology itself, he was against technocracy, and...

The coronavirus shutdown has had a devastating effect on European city’s economy like Amsterdam, Prague and Barcelona. Tourism is the lifeblood of many of these continent’s historic cities, many hope the pandemic will end up changing tourism for the better. According to Shaul Bassi, director...

In Naples, the outsider candidate Luigi de Magistris, only supported by local movements and civil society, won the municipal elections in 2011. To be able to maintain their municipalist promise and face neoliberal challenges, there is a need for alliance with other communities. Photo: Lovefood...

Earthworker is a worker owned coop in Morwell, Australia. Within this coop is a solar hot water enterprise, Red Gum Cleaning Cooperative, an energy retailing coop and plans for hemp manufacturing and a journalists’ coop. The  organization Earthworker was shortlisted for the Transformative Cities People’s...

The results of the French municipal elections are a call on our elected representatives, civil society and citizens to mobilize in favour of the necessary democratic, ecological and social transformation of our societies. Because our representative democracy has never been so out of breath. Because...

Berlin inhabitants are discussing a series of radical measures to limit private interests and reverse the housing crisis. The struggle, led by citizens and supported by the municipal government, could be on the cusp of a housing revolution. However, this revolution could founder due to...

For a long weekend in September, 29 2019 organizations dedicated to participatory democracy and the solidarity economy gathered in Detroit for Symbiosis, a “Congress of Municipal Movements.” Despite working on similar projects, it was the first time that many participants had the opportunity to meet...

In the Netherlands, as in other parts of the world, municipalist experiences are emerging as a way out to n alternative to the deep crisis in traditional centralist social democratic power parties. New progressive left wing political initiatives have emerged, putting the citizens in cities,...

The climate crisis today demands nothing less than a worldwide social and political transformation. Piecemeal reforms, technocratic schemes, and state-driven ‘climate resilience’ have proven not only ineffective at stymying the effects of climate change, but also utterly incapable of combating its underlying cause: a capitalist...

‘Municipal politics’ may raise new types of demands crucial in organising powerful social movements and improving material conditions, while orienting us towards new understandings of what is possible. Photo: Toni Cuenca

Across Europe, urban solidarity movements are gaining momentum. Under the label of ‘Welcoming Cities’, ‘Cities of Refuge’ or ‘Solidarity Cities’, civil society groups, local politicians and city administrations are defying the growing restrictions of border regimes and migration policies on the European and national level....

For many people in Santiago de Chile, October 18, 2019 marked the beginning of a new reality, one which required adapting to the emerging culture of rebellion. In a time when even the most peaceful of marches are broken up with tear gas and water...