“Leftists” outside Ukraine are used to listening only to people from Moscow: Interview with anarcho-syndicalists in Eastern Ukraine

Yavor Tarinski from the Greek libertarian journal Aftoleksi interviews two anarchists from eastern Ukraine. They themselves were politically active for decades in eastern Ukraine until before the 2014 invasion – where the possibility of any unmediated political action collapsed. They are both what many people tend to simplistically call “Russian-speaking” citizens of Ukraine. This interview was prompted by the referendums conducted by the occupying Russian forces in that region, as well as the resurfacing of fake news about their anarchist organization RKAS, in which they themselves participated and were founding members. We continue to give voice to those directly involved in this barbaric war of physical violence and vilification. A voice that states and organized political interests are attempting to silence.

Beyond Self-Help and Esotericism: Freedom as Political Action

By Yavor Tarinski

Without action, all pleasure, all feeling, all knowledge is nothing but a postponed death.

~Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz[1]

The Commune and the Balkans: The Case of Bulgaria

By Yavor Tarinski

If we are to try to identify some of the most important aspects of the history of the Balkans, we cannot but point out the persistent vision of a surprisingly consistent utopia…

~Andrej Grubacic[1]

Interview with a Finnish anarchist

Yavor Tarinski of Greek libertarian journal Aftoleksi interviews Antti Rautiainen, from Finnish antiauthoritarian group A-ryhmä, on the latest developments in Finland as it applies for Nato membership.

Democracy and Ecology as Forces of Change: Interview With Yavor Tarinski

Interview with author and activist Yavor Tarinski, whose latest book “Concepts for a Democratic and Ecological Society” (Zer0 books, 2022) has just came out. He participates in social movements around the Balkans, as well as in transnational organizations, dedicated to the production of grassroots knowledge. Among his previous works are “Common Futures: Social Transformation and Political Ecology” [co-authored with Alexandros Schismenos] (Black Rose Books, 2021) and “Direct Democracy: Context, Society, Individuality” (Durty Books, 2019). Questions: J.H. Kagi.

Imagining Democratic and Ecological Society: An interview with Yavor Tarinski

An interview with author and activist Yavor Tarinsi on the occasion of the publication of his latest book “Concepts for a Democratic and Ecological Society” (Zer0 Books, 2022). Tarinski is an Athens-based independent researcher, activist and author. He participates in social movements around the Balkans, as well as in transnational organizations, dedicated to the production of grassroots knowledge. He is a member of the administrative board of the Transnational Institute of Social Ecology, the editorial board of the Greek digital journal & publications Aftoleksi, and is a bibliographer at Agora International. Among his works are “Common Futures: Social Transformation and Political Ecology” [co-authored with Alexandros Schismenos] (Black Rose Books, 2021) and “Direct Democracy: Context, Society, Individuality” (Durty Books, 2019). The questions for this interview were prepared by Not White.

The Federalist Principle in Castoriadis’ Project of Direct Democracy

By Yavor Tarinski

A much more humane society is possible and desirable.

~Cornelius Castoriadis[1]

The philosopher Cornelius Castoriadis insisted that what he envisioned as project of autonomy- the project of a society in which all citizens have an equal, effectively actual possibility of participating in the institution of society – is far from a utopian vision. On the contrary, he was convinced that it is possible and its realization depends only upon the lucid activity of individuals and peoples, upon their understanding, their will, their imagination.[2]

The Significance of Emancipated Neighborhoods for the Project of Direct Democracy

By Yavor Tarinski

Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.

~Jane Jacobs[1] 

Balkan Federation and Bulgaria’s liberation movement of the 19th century

By Yavor Tarinski

Nowadays the project for Balkan Federation seems to have been forgotten. Few people still talk of it, and for most of them, it is connected to certain efforts by socialist governments from the region in the 20^th century to form one unified federal state. But historically and politically there once were much more nuances to the idea of Balkan Federation. It is a concept that could have helped the people from the region to avoid decades of bloodshed, militarism, rising chauvinism, nationalism, and generalized xenophobia etc. In another region, not far from the Balkans – the Middle East – the Kurdish liberation movement has been building a stateless democratic federation, based on a political project they call Democratic Confederalism[1]. Through it an attempt is being made at nourishing the numerous cultures and traditions in the area, in opposition to the quarelling nation-states that promote national and religious homogenization.

The elites can’t stop climate change, but democratic cities can

By Yavor Tarinski

We should not kid ourselves: the climate catastrophe is an epic war of the rich on the poor; corporate criminality on a global scale.

~Dimitrios Roussopoulos[1]