Sian Lazar Livres

A central motor of Argentine historical and political development since the early twentieth century, unions have been the site of active citizenship in both political participation and the distribution of social, economic, political, and cultural rights. What brings activists to Argentine unions and what gives these unions their remarkable strength? The Social Life of Politics examines the intimate, personal, and family dimensions of two political activist groups: the Union of National Civil Servants (UPCN) and the Association of State Workers (ATE). These two unions represent distinct political orientations within Argentina's broad, vibrant labor movement: the UPCN identifies as predominantly Peronist, disciplined, and supportive of incumbent government, while the ATE prides itself on its democratic, horizontal approach and relative autonomy from the electoral process. Sian Lazar examines how activists in both unions create themselves as particular kinds of militants and forms of political community. The Social Life of Politics places the lived experience of political activism into historical relief and shows how ethics and family values deeply inform the process by which political actors are formed, understood, and joined together through collectivism.

The Anthropology of Citizenship introduces the theoretical foundations of and cutting edge approaches to citizenship in the contemporary world, in local, national and global contexts. Key readings provide a cross-cultural perspective on citizenship practices, and an individual citizen’s relationship with the state.

i/iIntroduction, Sian Lazar Part I: Labour movements and the state The Egyptian workers' movement: problems of organisation and politics, Anne Alexander and Mostafa Bassiouny From the grassroots to the presidential palace: the coca-growers unions and the Movement Towards Socialism in Bolivia, Thomas Grisaffii/i The Labour Movement and the Culture of Protest in Tunisia, Mohamed-Salah Omri Activists Against Terror in Guatemala, Enrico Tortolano Workers' Rights, Political Opportunities and the 'Battle for Discourse' in Bahrain, Luke Bhatia Part II: Identity and precarity Migrants' struggles? Rethinking citizenship, anti-racism and labour precarity through migration politics in Italy, Irene Peano The experience of grassroots syndicalism in Greece: workplace restructuring and the role of traditional trade unions in the tertiary sector, Aris Anagnostopoulos and Angelos Evangelinidis The Crisis in Spain: from complacency to discomfort, and from discomfort to mobilisation, Salvador Martí i Puig and Marco Aparicio Wilhelmi Potential strategies for the emergence of a democratic, revolutionary workers' movement in Lebanon, Walid Daou 'To struggle is also to teach'. How can teachers and teaching unions further the global fight for another world? Mary Compton Part III: Rank and file challenges to traditional unionism From Invisible to Invincible: the Story of the 3 Cosas Campaign, UK, Jason Moyer-Lee 'Organizing the Unemployed': Trade Unions, Grassroots Associations and Neoliberal Policies in the Making of the Unemployment Movement in Argentina, Virginia Manzano Unruly politics and the right to (sell in) the city: street vending and protest in Brazil, Lucy McMahon Afterword, Peter Waterman

El Alto, Rebel City combines ethnography and political theory to explore the astonishing political power exercised by the indigenous citizens of El Alto, Bolivia in the past decade.

A comparative, ethnographic approach to the question of labour struggles and workers' political agency