Around the commons: an essay referenced in the humanism of praxis

Bien común, común, comunes, son expresiones que en las últimas décadas han sido crecientemente utilizadas con un sentido positivo, sea en términos de alternativas a un status quo que genera problemas de diversos matices, sea para referirse a un denominador común que congrega algo que se supone deseable, utópico o no. En este ensayo, se discute el bien común haciendo un pasaje por marcos teóricos y éticos: los “recursos comunes agregados”, lo “común” como principio político y la “ética del bien común”. La discusión se fundamenta en una rememoración del Foro Social Mundial como un marco de la discusión de alternativas planetarias y universales; y del humanismo de la praxis, perspectiva filosófica y práctica que se expresa en el imperativo categórico declarado por Marx en un texto clásico escrito en 1844 de “echar por tierra todas las relaciones en que el ser humano sea un ser humillado, sojuzgado, abandonado y despreciable”. Estos marcos posibilitan discutir el bien común desde el interrogante de potencialidades y posibilidades: el bien común, que se presenta como fenómeno categorizado como recursos comunes agregados, adquiere una existencia más profunda, radical, humana, utópica y universal cuando es pensado como ética.Common good and commons are expressions that have been increasingly used in a positive sense, either in terms of alternatives to a status quo that generates problems of various orders, or to refer to a common denominator that brings together something that it is supposed to be desirable, utopian or not. In this essay, the common good is discussed by passing through theoretical and ethical frameworks: the ‘common pool resources’, the ‘Common’ as a political principle and the ‘ethics of the common good’. The discussion is based on a remembrance of the World Social Forum as a landmark for the discussion of planetary and universal alternatives; and of the humanism of praxis, a philosophical and practical perspective that is expressed in the categorical imperative declared by Marx in a classic text written in 1844 in which he declares the necessity to ‘destroy all relations in which the human being is a humiliated, subjugated, abandoned and negligible being’. These references make it possible to discuss the common good from the question of potentialities and possibilities: the common good, categorized as common pool resources, acquires a deeper, more radical, human, utopian and universal existence when it is thought of as ethics

From practice to theory: reflections on the organization of social movements and popular struggles

This paper argues for an explicit materialist ontology to study social movements and popular struggles that oppose and confront the capitalist social order. Taking into consideration that differences between theories or theoretical systems should be discussed at the ontological dimension, not merely at the epistemological, empirical or logic-formal, we address the differences between the conventional set of Social Movement Theories, the post-Marxist approach, and an alternative approach that dialogues with those engaged in contemporary struggles, through the ontology of social being formulated by György Lukács. These constitute the first part of this paper, which aims to present our ontological, theoretical and methodological positions. In the second part, we offer some theoretical reflection on the themes provided by the activists in their actions and debates, in dialogue with propositions from intellectuals who engaged with social movements and/or oriented their work to oppose the system of capital

Marcha contra a mineração em Mendoza: ‘El agua no se negocia’

Nos início de março de 2012, a cidade de Mendoza na Argentina celebrou a festa do vinho, Vendimia, tradição na Província há décadas. Na mesma data festiva, a Unión de Asambleas Ciudadanas (UAC) organizou lá seu 18º Encontro. O ápice do Encontro foi a marcha pelas ruas da cidade de Mendoza. Os membros da Asamblea Popular por el Água de Mendoza se ocuparam de organizar a marcha, que foi uma festa. O dia estava lindo, as ruas tomadas de gente (foram contabilizadas aproximadamente 8 mil pessoas), crianças, famílias, idosos, cães de estimação, todos engrossando o coro “El agua de Mendoza no se negocia”

From practice to theory : reflections on the organization of social movements and popular struggles

This paper argues for an explicit materialist ontology to study social movements and popular struggles that oppose and confront the capitalist social order. Taking into consideration that differences between theories or theoretical systems should be discussed at the ontological dimension, not merely at the epistemological, empirical or logic-formal, we address the differences between the conventional set of Social Movement Theories, the post-Marxist approach, and an alternative approach that dialogues with those engaged in contemporary struggles, through the ontology of social being formulated by György Lukács. These constitute the first part of this paper, which aims to present our ontological, theoretical and methodological positions. In the second part, we offer some theoretical reflection on the themes provided by the activists in their actions and debates, in dialogue with propositions from intellectuals who engaged with social movements and/or oriented their work to oppose the system of capital.Este artigo argumenta por uma ontologia materialista explícita para estudar movimentos sociais e lutas populares que se opõe e confrontam a ordem social do capital. Levando em consideração que as diferenças entre teorias ou sistemas teóricos devem ser discutidas na dimensão ontológica, não meramente na epistemológica, empírica ou lógico-formal, abordamos as diferenças entre o conjunto convencional de Teorias Sobre Movimentos Sociais, a abordagem Pós-Marxista, e uma abordagem alternativa que dialoga com aqueles engajados em lutas contemporâneas, através da ontologia do ser social formulada por György Lukács. Estas formam a primeira parte do texto, que visa apresentar nossas posições ontológicas, teóricas e metodológicas. Na segunda parte, oferecemos algumas reflexões teóricas sobre temas emergentes nas ações e debates de ativistas, em diálogo com proposições de intelectuais que se engajaram com movimentos sociais e/ou orientaram seu trabalho para se opor ao sistema do capital.Este artículo argumenta por una ontología materialista explícita para estudiar movimientos sociales y luchas populares que se oponen y confrontan el orden social del capital. Tomando en consideración que las diferencias entre teorías o sistemas teóricos deben ser discutidas en la dimensión ontológica, abordamos las diferencias entre el conjunto convencional de Teorías Sobre Movimientos Sociales, el abordaje Post-Marxista y un abordaje alternativo que dialoga con aquellos involucrados en luchas contemporáneas, por medio de la ontología del ser social formulada por György Lukács. Estas constituyen la primera parte del texto, que visa presentar nuestras posiciones ontológicas, teóricas y metodológicas. En la segunda parte, ofrecemos algunas reflexiones teóricas sobre temas que nos fueron indicados por los activistas en sus acciones y debates, en diálogo con proposiciones de intelectuales que se involucraran con movimientos sociales y/o desarrollaran su trabajo en oposición al sistema del capital

Contribuciones de una ontología materialista para el conocimiento crítico cerca de los procesos de trabajo e de las luchas de los trabajadores

This essay argues that a materialist ontology can contribute to a renewal of the analysis of contemporary labour processes and indicate new possibilities for addressing workers struggles. An ontological/explanatory critique is indispensable to a transformative praxis that confronts the capitalist organization of labour and creates alternatives for the emancipation of labour and humankind. Part of this critique would have to be directed to theory itself, including Labour Process Theory. The main contributions of a materialist ontology in this respect are related to: commodity production inserted in a wider historical context; the overcoming of the subjectivist/objectivist dilemma; labour processes and struggles as open-ended dynamics in which the possibility of freedom always plays a central role; the focus on the qualitative aspects of value (social form), its manifestations and expressions in concrete labour processes and the ways it conditions or determines social relations of production, actions and struggles; the consideration of everyday life and its ontological deep determinants; the analysis of workers organisations and struggles as social exercises of freedom (conscious choices) under structural historically constructed constrains.Este ensaio argumenta que uma ontologia materialista pode contribuir para renovar as análises de processos de trabalho contemporâneos e indicar novas possibilidades para as das lutas dos trabalhadores. Uma crítica ontológico-explanatória é indispensável para uma práxis transformadora que confronte a organização capitalista do trabalho e crie alternativas para a emancipação do trabalho e da humanidade. Parte desta critica deve ser dirigida à teoria em si, incluindo a Teoria do Processo de Trabalho (Labour Process Theory). As principais contribuições de uma ontologia materialista a este respeito são: a produção de mercadorias inserida em um contexto histórico mais amplo; a superação do dilema subjetivo/objetivo; processos de trabalho e lutas como dinâmicas de final aberto nas quais a possibilidade da liberdade tem papel central; o foco nos aspectos qualitativos do valor (forma social), suas manifestações e expressões em processos de trabalho concretos e as formas pelas quais condiciona ou determina relações sociais de produção, ações e lutas; a consideração da vida cotidiana e seus determinantes ontológicos profundos; a análise de organizações de trabalhadores e lutas como exercícios sociais de liberdade (escolhas conscientes) sob restrições historicamente construídas.Este ensayo argumenta que una crítica ontológica materialista puede contribuir para renovar las análisis de procesos de trabajo contemporáneos e indicar nuevas posibilidades para las luchas de los trabajadores. Una crítica ontológico-explicativa es indispensable para una praxis transformadora que confronte la organización capitalista del trabajo y crie alternativas para la emancipación del trabajo y de la humanidad. Parte de esta crítica debe ser dirigida a la teoría en sí misma, incluyendo la Teoría del Proceso del Trabajo (Labour Process Theory). Las principales contribuciones de una ontología materialista en este respecto son: la producción de mercancías insertada en un contexto histórico más amplio; la superación del dilema subjetivo/objetivo; procesos de trabajo y luchas como dinámicas de final abierto en las cuales la posibilidad de la libertad tiene rol central; foco en los aspectos cualitativos del valor (forma social), sus manifestaciones y expresiones en procesos de trabajo concretos y las formas por las cuales condiciona o determina relaciones de producción, acciones y luchas; la consideración de la vida cotidiana y sus determinantes ontológicos profundos; la análisis de organizaciones de trabajadores y luchas como ejercicios sociales de libertad (elecciones conscientes) bajo restricciones históricamente construidas

The Praxis of Resistance and Hegemony in the Organization

This article has two purposes: the first one is to continue a collective effort to confront the exclusion proceedings usual in the organizational studies field. By taking social movements as our research object, we also take the risks of ‘isolation’ by ‘silence of reason’. The second purpose is to contribute to make visible a part of the multiplicity of organizational worlds present around us and denied by the hegemony of organization. The word hegemony here refers to an alignment of the political discourse which produces a specific social meaning: the definition of organization by a structural systemic approach as a formalized object. For us, to get involved on this task, we need to expose ourselves to other possibilities: not only those which already exist in our field and which adopt a process approach of the organization, but also through cross fertilization with other fields. Hence, we review theories on the issue of resistance, specifically related to knowledge appropriation; and mention some knowledge produced by academic activists or by non academic activists, both of them as part of their praxis as organic intellectuals

The dilemma of open access

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar o processo de transformação de uma tradição cooperativa no campo da produção e disseminação do conhecimento – o projeto SciELO – em interesses de negócios operado por um grande grupo mundial de informação. Ao longo do tempo, SciELO se tornou referência de qualidade e se constituiu em possibilidade efetiva de disputar a hegemonia na divulgação do conhecimento acadêmicocientífico, especialmente da produção latino-americana e caribenha, com o mercado editorial globalizado. Contemplamos uma breve síntese histórica do movimento pelo acesso aberto e do projeto SciELO. Avançamos para o momento atual, quando questões críticas mobilizam os interessados na temática, em especial, a criação do SciELO Citation Index na plataforma Web of Knowledge. Analisamos as questões elencadas sob o prisma do pensamento marxista, particularmente nos aspectos contemporâneos da acumulação do capital, como a crescente privatização dos bens comuns.The objective of this paper is to analyze the process of conversion of a cooperative tradition in the field of production and dissemination of knowledge - the SciELO project - in target business operated by a big player in the information sector. Over time, SciELO has become a quality reference and an effective possibility to contest the hegemony in the dissemination of academic and scientific knowledge, especially for the Latin American and Caribbean production, with the global publishing market. We offer a historical overview of the open access movement and the SciELO project. We then analyze the contemporary moment, when critical issues mobilize those interested in the subject, in particular the creation of the SciELO Citation Index in Web of Knowledge platform. We analyze the listed issues through the prism of Marxist thought, particularly in the contemporary aspects of capital accumulation as the increasing privatization of common goods

Contributions of Latin American revolutionary intellectuals for the study of the organization of liberating struggles

The aim of this paper is to establish a dialogue with the ideas of three revolutionary Latin American intellectuals – José Carlos Mariátegui, Ernesto Che Guevara and Paulo Freire, in order to share, from our intellectual tradition, a different vision, from the US/UK/European one, of what means to be critical; and to discuss possible inspirations for those of us working in Latin America and interested in contributing to the political processes of liberation which happen around us. We constructed this text in dialogue with the words of these three organic intellectuals which were able to engage creatively with the European thought, producing political appropriations and new theoretical developments informed by their praxis. These intellectuals produced worthy political theories based on their revolutionary praxis, offering ideas, insights and arguments for our analysis of the organization of social struggles and for social practices which confront our society in its imprisonment by the law of value. The paper defends the relevance of history as a space for creative dialogues with the ideas of intellectuals involved in direct activism and producing testimonies of political rebellion against external aggressions, discrimination, marginality, and social injustices; and intellectuals which produced knowledge in solidarity with these struggles