Disruption has been critical to the emergence of new subjects and subjectivities. Here you will find documents by subjects who rejected their given roles, descriptions, and functions in order to redefine themselves on new terms.
All
Black
Students
Colonized
Queer
Latino
Indigenous
Women
Workers
Subjects Redefined
All
Pre-Modern
1700-1830s
1840-1945
1946-1989
1990-2010
2011-Present
Stanford “Disorientation Guide” (2005)
Published in 2005 by student activists, this Stanford University “Disorientation Guide” did an in depth analysis of the history of Standford Unviersity in relation to racism, sexism, and capitalism.
Organizing the Unemployed in the Bronx in the 1930s (1949)
This document is Rose Chernin’s account of the disruption and organizing of the unemployed through the formation of Unemployed Councils. They organized disruptions at places such as grocery stores and organized rent stri…
Amalgamation – Trade Union Educational League (1922)
The Trade Union Educational League was founded in late 1920. It was supported by the Communist Party USA and a majority of members were also members of the Communist Party USA. Its goal was to build a union and workersâ…
Message to the Tricontinental by Che Guevara (1967)
Che Guevara’s Message to the Tricontinental was a seminal work for the 1960s global movement against imperialism through its expression of solidarity between all colonized people of the world. Its words and sentiment wer…
“Student Slain” Flyer (1967)
In 1967, student Benno Ohnesorg was killed at a protest against the Shah of Iran visiting Germany. Shocked by his killing by the police, the German Social Democratic Student Association (SHB) released this flyer, condemn…
The Wretched of the Earth – Conclusion (1961)
Frantz Fanon – who was born in the French colony Martinique – extensively wrote about decolonization. According to Fanon, decolonization is always a violent process. The violence involved in decolonization for Fanon is a…
The Woman Identified Woman
The Radicalesbians identified lesbianism as the result of a woman acting on natural impulses to deviate from society and instead pursue a more liberated form of existence. Lesbianism is the product of rage. Most importan…
The Railroaders’ Next Step – Trade Union Educational League (1921)
The Trade Union Educational League was founded in late 1920. It was supported by the Communist Party USA and a majority of members were also members of the Communist Party USA. Its goal was to build a union and workers’…
The National Liberation Movement Al-Fateh (1960s/70s)
This document is an outline to familiarize the public with the demands and organization of Fateh, a political party within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) advocating against the occupation of Palestine. This…
Speech by Guillermo Suarez at an Anti-Klan Conference (1981)
This is a transcript of a speech by Guillermo Suarez, a member of the Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional, a national Puerto Rican and Chicano/Mexicano organization. In his 1981 address, Suarez highlighted the need to resi…
Statement of Indigenous Youth Standing in Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en (2020)
On February 6, 2020, Indigenous youth in Canada began their occupation of the ceremonial gates and steps to the B.C. Legislative Assembly in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation, who were resisting an encroachment…
Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts – Vietnam War
Black activists and students across the United States have utilized their radical groups to protest the Vietnam War
The Radical Women Manifesto – Platform (2001)
The Radical Women Manifesto: Socialist Feminist Theory, Program and Organizational Structure is the manifesto of the Radical Women (RW). RW is an intersectional, multi-issue based organization rooted in intersectional, s…
“Eternal Vigilance” – Minneapolis Truckers’ Strike (1934)
This document was written by James P. Cannon on August 6, 1934 during the Minneapolis Truckers’ Strike. It describes the importance of resisting the violence and remaining persistent in their demands and needs.
Newsletter From the Free Speech Movement (October 9 1964)
The Free Speech Movement (FSM) was a student protest which took place during the 1964–65 academic year at the University of California, Berkeley. Students protested the ban of on-campus political activities and asserte…
Grunwick Strike (1976-1978)
The Grunwick strike in London involved predominantly Asian women workers at Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories, led by Jayaben Desai. They went on strike demanding better working conditions, fair pay, and union recogn…
Preface to The Wretched of the Earth by Franz Fanon (1961)
This book discusses the dehumanizaing effect of colonialism and the implications of a social movement for decolonization, especially focusing on the role of violence.
Occupy Wall Street – Students (2011)
This document declares the occupation of student, university spaces during Occupy Wall Street.
“Two Military Operations in the Heart of the Beast” Democratic Palestine (1984)
“Democratic Palestine” was a publication started in 1979 with the intention of cultivating solidarity among all global struggles against imperialism in the context of Palestine. This issue, “Two Military Operations in th…