"Maybe this topic [self-organisation] is argumentative as it obviously, from where I am coming from, draws on a lot or marxist thought and can be seen to be very pertinent now, I feel, with the threat of cuts to services, the possible dismantling of community initiatives and voluntary services. As well as the governments vision of a 'Big Society' which brings up so many questions on what do they mean by society and the problematic issue of placing communities against one another to gain funding and support from one pot of money, which will inevitably lead to privatised services. With the recent cuts to the arts in England (I am not sure what exactly has taken place in Scotland, maybe you can enlighten me) it seems a lot of community based organisations, especially those who work in digital media have been targeted (Isis Arts, Folly, Access Space, Mute magazine etc.) with the idea that larger organisations will take over the work they were doing. Is this a deliberate strategy to increase the institutionalization of socially minded art? What is to be Done?
With this in mind attached is the next text Communities of the Question or Who Wants to Know? by Susan Kelly. This text asks several questions, 'What is the ‘self’ that constitutes and seemingly generates self organisation? What is the nature of the collective or community produced in this way and how might a mode of self-organisation encounter other forms of organisation? Does it take any specific form?' Taking ideas from two exhibitions Susan Kelly was involved in, the essay will 'set up a framework of concrete practices through which to trace what I believe are the central issues at stake in the concept of self-organisation – that is, the question of community and potential forms of political organisation.' (Kelly, 2006, p233).
This essay can be found in the book ‘Self-organisation/ counter-economic-strategies’, edited bySuperflex, Sternberg
Press (2006) p. 233-253. I found a free downloadable pdf here of the book on Kevin Flanagans blog."
With this in mind attached is the next text Communities of the Question or Who Wants to Know? by Susan Kelly. This text asks several questions, 'What is the ‘self’ that constitutes and seemingly generates self organisation? What is the nature of the collective or community produced in this way and how might a mode of self-organisation encounter other forms of organisation? Does it take any specific form?' Taking ideas from two exhibitions Susan Kelly was involved in, the essay will 'set up a framework of concrete practices through which to trace what I believe are the central issues at stake in the concept of self-organisation – that is, the question of community and potential forms of political organisation.' (Kelly, 2006, p233).
This essay can be found in the book ‘Self-organisation/ counter-economic-strategies’, edited bySuperflex, Sternberg
Press (2006) p. 233-253. I found a free downloadable pdf here of the book on Kevin Flanagans blog."