The first part of the book provides a window into the way direct democracy networks and movements coalesced around a major protest in Quebec City in 2001. It is written in the tradition of deep ethnography, with detailed descriptions and rich material without ever becoming overwhelming or dry. The second part of the book translates ethnography into theory in an exemplary fashion. In it, David articulates some of the arguments he continued to develop in later books and articles such as the political role of imagination, theory of direct action and the significance of representation.

by Andris Suvajevs

PREFACE
SOME WORDS OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT
THE MOMENTARY SUSPENSION OF HISTORY
THEN HISTORY BEGAN AGAIN
A FEW ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION: YOU BEGIN WITH RAGE, YOU MOVE ON TO SILLY FANTASIES …
ABOUT THIS BOOK
STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK

CHAPTER 1: NEW YORK DIARY: MARCH 2001

CHAPTER 2: A TRIP TO QUÉBEC CITY

CHAPTER 3: FROM BURLINGTON TO AKWESASNE

CHAPTER 4: SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS, QUÉBEC CITY

CHAPTER 5: DIRECT ACTION, ANARCHISM, DIRECT DEMOCRACY
I) WHAT IS DIRECT ACTION?
II) WHAT IS ANARCHISM?
III) VIOLENCE AND NONVIOLENCE
IV) AN EXTREMELY BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RELATION BETWEEN DIRECT ACTION AND DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN THE US SINCE 1960

CHAPTER 6: SOME NOTES ON “ACTIVIST CULTURE”
DILEMMAS OF WHITE PRIVILEGE
DILEMMAS OF PRIVILEGE THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY RACIAL
THE MYTH OF TRUST FUNDS
SO: WHO ARE ACTIVISTS REALLY?
I) Work and Education
II) Class Backgrounds and Trajectories
ART AND ALIENATION
STYLES OF BOHEMIANISM
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS ON ACTIVIST CULTURE
Notebook extracts: June 2000, with some later jotted additions
Frailty:
Notebook extract, July 2000
Cigarettes:
Other drugs:
ACTIVIST LANDSCAPES
THREE PARTIES
Rooftop Party in Queens
Reclaim the Streets Party

CONCLUSION, WITH SOME NOTES ON THE IDEOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION

CHAPTER 7: MEETINGS

SECTION I: BACKGROUND
AFFINITY GROUPS
THE RISE AND FALL OF CONTINENTAL DAN
CONTINENTAL DAN PRINCIPLES OF UNITY
ABOUT NEW YORK DAN SPECIFICALLY
PLEASE FORWARD FAR & WIDE

SECTION II: PROCESS
CONSENSUS AND FACILITATION
TOOLS AND RULES
CONSENSUS DEFINED BY ITS OPPOSITES
CONSENSUS DEFINED BY ITS OPPOSITES
UNDERSTANDINGS EMERGENT FROM PRACTICE

SECTION III: PROBLEMS
THE SAGA OF THE THIRD FACILITATOR
INTERNALIZED OPPRESSION
FINAL NOTE: ENGAGING WITH HIERARCHICAL GROUPS

CHAPTER 8: ACTIONS

PART I: SOME EXAMPLES OF PARTICULAR STYLES OF ACTION
FIRST EXAMPLE: PROTEST (MARCHES AND RALLIES)
SECOND EXAMPLE: PICKET LINE
THIRD EXAMPLE: STREET PARTY
FOURTH EXAMPLE: CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE (BLOCKADE)
FIFTH EXAMPLE: BLACK BLOC ACTION

PART II: STATE POWER
DETENTION
SOME BRIEF NOTES ON THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
CONCLUSIONS

CHAPTER 9: REPRESENTATION

SECTION I: CORPORATE MEDIA
AN INITIAL NOTE ON THE EFFECTS OF MAINSTREAM MEDIA REPRESENTATION
A WORD ABOUT POLICE

SECTION II: ANARCHIST RESPONSES
COLLECTIVE REPRESENTATION (BECOMING THE MEDIA)

SECTION III: MYTHOLOGICAL WARFARE
WHY DO COPS HATE PUPPETS?
THE HOLLYWOOD MOVIE PRINCIPLE
CONCLUSIONS

CHAPTER 10: IMAGINATION
EXCURSUS ON TRANSCENDENT VERSUS IMMANENT IMAGINATION
ON ALIENATION
ON REVOLUTION
ON TERROR

BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
ENDNOTES