52212017 ‘Building new solaries between movements: insurectonary polities of food autonomy inthe ity of Athens | openDemocracy openDemocracy free thinking for the world Avout | Arsbawakening | openGlobatRights | Human rights and the intaret | Shine Light | Can€uropeMakat? insurrectionary politics of food autonomy in the city of Athens INES MORALES BERNARDOS 6 Apr. 2017 Their inurrectionary politics of autonomy, euch as food autonomy in “Athons, is crucial for building new solidarties and emancipatory Imaginares within elves. Cyt 7/ nen. ‘The openklovements saris Invites leading social sclent ch results and porspectves on contemporary socilstrugales, tosh ‘Every town should have is agora, where al who are animated by 9 common passion can mest gether” The Evolution ofthe Cites, 1805, Else Reclue Tre global tndancy that we are witnessing, a6 Gopie Agamben described, of ‘convergence ofan absoluolyiteral paradigm in tho economy wih an unprecedented and equaly absolute paradigm of state and police contr, leading to the re-emergence ofa soco-spatial imaginary defined not so much by insttlons and polit! pats, but by movements eeaing, In thie practees, courses and modes of action, new pola, sail and economic Soot Ssving to 10.10070424s00802-017-38. Bung new soldat eteen movenen. hitps:fwwrw opendemocracy.netines-moralas-bemardos/oulsing-new.soidaites-botwoer-movements-insurrectonary-pollts-offood- wr52212017 ‘Building new solaries between movements: insurectonary polities of food autonomy inthe ity of Athens | openDemecracy Under these cicumstances, and since the 2008 capa (dob) css, we ‘evidenced how the autonomy of he exes i being challenged by racical movements across the Southern European peripheries. Besides the rational economic, bow or more controntatonalstuggles, these radical movemen's are directly connecting withthe material and emotional concons to organize and sini Hn cos, Furthermore a process that tis embedded within the deconstruction of what ‘hay perceived as increased lant urban order imposed by state and capital and tat tis leo roled he hislorcal unsustainable modes of ood production Following his observation, we have explored the creative insurrectonist process released by 2008 rvais in Athens. And more special the onvergences of the autonomous movement gether with oes radiea ‘movemens 9s performed and experanced in this cty which have been consiuctng he food autonomy since 2008 ‘The autonomous food geography of the city of Athen: new contested territory “They tried to bury s, they dont know we were seeds” Graft n Parko Novarinoy, Exarchia, 2017 ‘Tne insurectonay poles of autonomy "as invavng a sensityto the hagity shouldbe preserved, slong wit a desire to reccaly modly other social forms thal Sau Newman induced in hie work about evolonay fantasies and autonomous zones, expresses some of he meanings ofthe practice of autonomy developed in te cy of Athens sinos 2008 ovo “Thraughthe shared memories ofthe rvels and the everday He of the cy wo «came along to understan that th caret geography ofthe food autonomy of ‘Anns isa complex contesed space. More precisely. 2 space hat was boosted and has boon shaped sinco the stools wsro acupiedin Docombor 2008 ater the assassination of Alex Gigoropatos an trough the cooperation of hteregensous radical movemen. “Acomplealy different time and space fom what we have experienced bere 95 created. We fot wo cout intervene onthe realty ina more sect orm. Wo fet har we cous solve the problems ofthe cy” Katerina, remembering 2008 December revels, Exarchela, 2015, ‘As Katerina shared these revolts boosted aime and space that made them bole toy could “sole the probioms ofthe cy. What others expressed theough sr dose to Naipvoune vn Ga was ava ipa pag” Cake back her Jvesinteirhands") (Are, Woe, Michal, Vas, and many cer rele ot December 2008). The “spr of Docombor (Giorgos, Exarx0i, Athens, 2015) released passions and desies which gradually have been tansfomed in 8 Create re-appropsaton ofthe ety andthe setting up of new autonomous ‘The porsstenty changing mater and emotional neds rose (09. outage, unemployment, hunger ints period of moblsatons andthe answer of ‘various racial movements fo them have been shaping simultaneously thei new politcal imaginrios and these new spaces Saving to 10.10079624s00842-017-38 Bung new soot eteen movenen. Spit hitps:fwwrw opendemocracy.netines-moralas-bemardos/oulsing-new.soidaites-botwoer-movements-insurrectonary-pollts-offood- an52212017 ‘Building new solaries between movements: insurectonary polities of food autonomy inthe ity of Athens | openDemocracy ‘Spaces where we have observed, ie, and thus abo fo production, is curently resal]-aganized to feciitate gaining the needed condons fr their pursuing take back our ves in our hand", poltical autonomy From sate and capa, Among them, we find community urban gardens, colectve kichons, fod cooperatives, slt-organzed food banks and se organized formas markets, ‘The everyday le encounters within these spaces an the support ofthe exiting eatt-organczad structures of te ractonal autonomous movment) havo let tho reconfiguration ofthese movements and othe emergence of new cher acical movements. Moreover, ha resulled in bling new “sporadic” es amang them and more soca” palicalimaginars (Gorge, Social Conte Nosotos; Thanos, Social Conve Euopia, Aton, 2018). Meaning, he tradtonal autonomous movement aie isl with the ‘Koukolous” rebels that met onthe barcades during the 2008 evo and which characterized themselves with a more confertatonal miany, And ater 2011 sow uprising and occupation of Sylagma square, als wih acts wth ‘mote “hippe-tke values" and socio-ecological concems. These allances resulted main in preasing the "soods af the rvol” and the desi of trends of new specie movements. In answering te incraated rats of Unemployment, have come together wit the radical ends ofa now "Socal and soldarty economy movement when has baen bul by establishing networks of "euctures of slay ‘ih tne Gree rend of the naw "Back to theland movement’ bul by the increasing number of tho “educated young” urtian unemployed meovig tothe countyslde to farm in Greece since 2008. Ana the ‘No midalersan movement ‘which has boon bull since 2012 by the cooperation srnong farmers and consumers nthe eles to facltate both the dlstouton and he consumption of ‘ood. Movements ad allances that have brought gather a great diversity of consivences, From students fo elzed sett. Unemployed and pubic servants, fom women to men. Migrants andetugees, consumers, formers, lt actives and new rebels “The profigurative polis (assombly, horizontally, consensus decision-making) that ae busing hexe spaces and relaon of he movements, have rested in diving @ceoentalsd and hizomate cooperative structs to their ‘elationshps. Besie ths oucome, the preiguave poles are perceived to be ucla create the emerging new soldartes, ust and mutual ai etations, Moreover, o enable these movements to adap thamseles tothe increased Lncorainty and changing everyday to noods of to cy and its neighbourhoods “Tne performance of hese relations and the geography of the fod autonomy, has Boon bul n syncronization wih the goograzhy othe rot. mths way the googapty of food autonomy has been expanding rm he history contested nlghbouriad in the oly cane (Exarche), tough socal centzes “stk, squats or community urban garde, to various neighbourhoods (eg Petroupa, Lambidona, Nkoiae, Akademia Platonos, Zogratou) and its polteal organzational srucures and neighborhood asseméls. ‘And tom them to other cos 0.9 Thesseleniki) and tel suraunsing countysde tough faring collectives. Through this processes of decontatisaon and densification they nave been engaging the neighbourhoods andthe colctives on thi everyday organization ane mintonance a fe. Moreover, they are bulking new relations betweon new and ‘ractonal farmers anda broad umbrella of consumers inthe oy “The previous existence of certain spaces nthe neighbourhood of Exarchela and soar wth movements from he suthornperighores of Latin America and Europe have boen cxciato bath to tigger the process and to usta Meaning, social centre, squats and steka fom the autonomous scene and the histoseal cooperate Sporos (Seed) Saving to 10.10079624s00842-017-38 Bung new soot eteen movenen. Spit hitps:wurw opendemocracy.netines-moralas-bemardos/bulsing-new.soidaites-betwoer-movements-insurrectonary-pollis-offood- ar52212017 ‘Building new solaries between movements: insurectonary polities of food autonomy inthe ity of Athens | openDemocracy Furthermore, the ongoing inspiration ofthe pales af autoronyy and the strength of ransntional solar of urban and rural movements suchas the Zapatsias in Moxico,“Pquelros, asamblisas, and “Yabricasrecuporacas" of ‘the 2001 upisng in Argentina, te Kurlsh communes in java, and European urban autonomous movements Tensions in the everyday life of building new solidarites [A porsistont e-conguraton of these movers, thar lations and spaces have been occuring during these years. Such phenomenon can be understood, ‘on one sido a resting by ther material and peltclcificutes to crate omen spaces of stuggle. Ang on the her 8, by the roaty and awareness that alowed to adapt themselves tothe cranging material or ‘emotoral needs arson (e.g. anger, unemployment, food emergency) [As Alox was sharing wth us the passion, and the individ “antasios or polteal projects, are leading ta constant fragmentations (Exarchela, 2018) “The radcal features ofthese movements are among others the causes that «eale tensions between. Looking to certain spaces such food cooperatives of farmers markets, an the changing constuction of thir common ground, we have come to cently tensions due tothe dficutes of gang he material autonomy needed. Besides the calctve neads ofthe movements, individu needs ofthe actvsts-afected, such as waged labour ar incomes, nave transformed som of these spaces trom volunteers bases to formal woking cooperatives, While looking athe se-rganzed fod banks we ent tensions between tale ‘ransfomatve cimention and ine humantarian ane, Atension that can be found in the pats that constretsoidartes and reject pitantropy trough the mutual or delgatverelatonships between ‘activst-soldarous and “ateced’, and the construction ofthese two diferent identtes, “Tho politcal constuction ofthe spaces and tha movements, keeping the habitus” of heratehea and delogative forms of organization and etn, ‘intainingivormalnerarches (eacership, group af vanguard) i parcetved aftr various conversations, andthe observation ofthese space, to porsistont compettverlatons and vais ofthe movements. The pata socialization of many ofthe activist within te racitonal polical pate (Greek Communist Party (KE), oF Sytza) and the rations ade unions is pocoive asthe min cause for mainianing these Nearchies. “The cferent rural or uban features of hase movements can crete also some {ensons dvs to ther oferant constants and sometimes undertancings of thei same stuggles and aims. Meaning hot teren needs of organization, ‘ore lose relations and times, or dfrent needed logistics, nancial neces transports Irstabitty win these movements and thi allances has boon expoionced ‘so due to thar poost tobe infuenced ty the parlamntarypolial context. “This has been mainly observed in between the 2012 Greek elections, when the poltical party Syria fst got nto partament, and thei ccoptance of 8 now ‘memorandum 2015 once they got elected n 2015 referendum. Oalegation has boon the main process identified creating tnsions between the movements due {to thor diferent relations and approaches to the unbrela f organizations 1 to Sytiza and set up in 2012, Salary fo Al “The ncressed contel anc destabilisation oftheoe movements nave also occured through pole repression athe raditonal let parties conta of thee spontaneous" nsurectonist features. The economical and matera conta implemented through the various memorandums since 2010 bythe Intemational Monetary Fund, European Usion and the European Cental Bank and the resulted increases taxton on food goods and professional actives (farmers, working fod cooperatives) make dct th more stable and formal Status ard olatone, Besides ths, hase ropressions have been percalvad to {eeate boundares and stronger tes bul on trust and mutual a among the parcipans an the vious movements Saving to 10.10079624s00842-017-38 Bung new soot eteen movenen. Spit hitps:iwurw opendemocracy.netines-moralas-bemardos/busing-new.soidaites-botwoer-movements-insurrectonary-pollis-offood- an52212017 ‘Building new solaries between movements: insurectonary polities of food autonomy inthe ity of Athens | openDemocracy The relatos wih the eal instutons have been established in a top-down directo, trough Salary for Al and hrough som program from the ‘muniialty of Ans tying to establish fod policies (Le. urban agriculture, schools gardens). Some ofthe spaces or groups have spore relations with ‘he local governments to r-egetate the management of material resources such as watar or oletraly (e.g. community urban gardens Clenko), Since he last prove ofthe memorandum in 2015, and tough continuous material cuts, the few spaces of negations wih poll partes or NGOs have almost csappeared. Univesitos ao ths formal instutons hat remain having more exchanges and co-operation wih hese spaces ‘The city of Athens as an opportunity for new ‘emancipatory scenarios Inthe inreasingly polarized and global cy of Ahons, we have perceived the reconstruction of urban fod autonomy as an increased complex space whe its possible the colaboration ofthe autonomous movement wth ban ang ral heterogeneous movements, a local evel but alo worldwide (2.9, OME (Trossalni, Grosca), Zapatista (México). ‘Asrsult ofthe new food geography now relatonships based on cooperation, rst and mutual ad between fermorsin the countyside ana consumers inthe cy of Aihens are resulting, wedding the oty andthe countryside and thus ‘modifying tho metabolism ofthe city. Furthermoro, the multiple connecons and Collaboration between these radical movements, between the courtside and ‘he ety, at a local an lobe evel, seers to influence posively the creation of strongor bonds within tro movements (ties, and inthis ease, the ety of Athos, are perceived as relational Incubators for new emancipatory scenarios. But the exstence and the ‘everyday ie cllectve constuction of certain autonomous spaces (2. commurny whan gardons, cet ktchens) tough prefiguatve pois ‘wnat erates tha sab ground for new cooperative relations and ne emancipatory imaginares. [As exparenced drng 8 years inthe cil of Aen the expansion ana ‘mltpleaton ofthese spaces and the everyeay lite encounters and plies that have emerged from hem, have lad tem 9 work on the coneret (@9 food emergency, unemployment and inthis way o gradual leave asio poical ‘vorgences between the diferent parlpants and movements that cor on them. Yet, e-poliiciing te everyday by engaging the neghbournoods and the collectives on the organizing and maintenance of He, of fod production, and inthis way widening ther transformative dimension. Ie important to nates thatthe focus of hess movements onthe everyday Me Related Articles Fostering alliances across progressive movements ‘SABRINA ZAJAK From civil rights to the occupy movement: talking across issues in independent media AMOSHAUN TOFT ‘Ssving to 10.10070424s00002-017-38 Bung new soot eteen movenen. Spit Intemational ance. ¥ you htps:wurw opendemocracy.netines-moralas-bemardos/bulsing-new.-soidaites-botwoer-movements-insurrectonary-pollts-offood-52212017 ‘Building new solaries between movements: insurectonary polities of food autonomy inthe ity of Athens | openDemocracy Ploase chock indvidusl Images for Neonsng deta We encourage anyone to comment, please consult the ‘oD commenting guidelines if you have any questions. ‘Ssving to 10.10070424s00002-017-38 Bung new soot eteen movenen. Spit hitps:wwrw opendemocracy.netines-moralas-bemardos/oulsing-new.soidaiies-betwoer-movements-insurrectonary-pollis-offood- uw