Organise!

A favourite publication of mine that's still going on is Organise! produced by UK's Anarchist Federation. Currently it comes out twice a year, fortunately all its issues are available for free online here. Issue 90 the Summer 2018 edition that was published online in time for May day, though issues with the printers delayed the physical distribution a bit. I just got my copy in the post today. I've been waiting for it for awhile and not just because I'm in it.

Shortly after writing Listen Gamer! I was contacted by a member who was on its publishing committee asking if they could print it in their next issue as it was supposed to have a theme about depictions of socialism and anarchism in the media. I was quick to agree, aside from being really flattered I've really enjoyed the magazine and so the thought of being in it was pretty overwhelming.

Though if you look at the cover and the issues table of contents, the theme seems to have taken a bit of a back seat to other issues. I don't mind to be honest I think its better that the magazine tackles important issues as they're developing.

To quote the opening of the Editorial "We Fear Change"

The paradigms and assumptions we've cemented into our zeitgeist as a society are often all too comforting and reliable and even for the fearless (and reckless), ready to build the new world, the way forward can seem impossible, the suffocating fear of change, of transition permeates every thread of our community, suppressing and restricting progressive development at every juncture. In this edition of Organise! We dip our toes into two very differant forms of transition, the personal and the Social and we look at how the fear of new ideas and change is having an impact.

  Oh, if you're not aware at the time the collective was gathering articles for publication there had been an increase in activity by a group of anti Trans feminists in London. I actually don't have any connections to London aside visiting it, so I'm pretty much out of the loop concerning what goes on down there, but apparently a group with some connection to the Green party (a couple were Green party parliamentary candidates) has been confronting public spaces in London to spread propaganda opposing the Gender Recognition Act. One of the places they turned up at was the London Anarchist Book fair (never been myself) it caused quite a stir as some of the participants were long time activists and campaigners. To cut the story short its lead to some fallouts and splits, there's a thread on libcom about it here. It has a lot more information, but it also has a lot of ugly language and some deliberate misinformation so read with caution.

Anyway, I've been working through the issue and its very interesting. I also really like the design and the layouts of the articles, its a lot more distinct and attention grabbing then most political magazines and journals.