Interview with David Graeber at Toward Freedom
Never before been to Toward Freedom, but they’re running an interview with David Graeber, today. For those of you not in the know, David Graeber is an anarchist anthropologist who’s been denied tenure at Yale. Savage Minds did a piece on Graeber back in May. There’s been little news on his case since that time.
Sadly, not too much news in the Toward Freedom interview, either, and, as usual, very little discussion of the more anthropological and less academic-political sides of Graeber’s life and work. It seems to me that it’s really important not to let people like Graeber’s ideas fall by the wayside: The academic-political case is lost, which is a blow for Graeber, but it’s a Pyrrhic victory for those who wanted rid of him if his work is taken seriously and his ideas continue.
I don’t mean to lionise the man — he’s a serious martyr to Steven Durel:
Like numerous other “radicals” throughout history, from Thoreau to Gandhi, Prof. David Graeber will not only not be returning to his place of employment next year, he will probably also continue being attacked by every institution that views him as a threat for the rest of his life. Graeber can find solace, however, in knowing that he ranks among the heroes of times passed, amongst men who not only had principles, but also acted accordingly.
Graeber’s history and plight just don’t seem that heroic to me. But I think he’s a person we need to take seriously, or else risk letting financial and political power define the terms of debate in this country more than it already has.
That said… I got nothin’ to offer.
6 December 2005 at 09:00
I didn’t know about the Graeber case. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
“You have complete intellectual freedom within the bounds we set.”
It is one of the constants in academe.
On the flipside, one of the constants in anarchist/revolutionary circles is:
“Why did your institutions reject me just because I have the analysis that I reject your institutions and all they stand for?”
What’s worse is this: “Why does the rejection hurt so much when your institutions reject me just because I have the analysis that I reject your institutions and all they stand for? I feel so dirty when it does.”
I hate everything these rotten, moribund institutions and their outdated thinking and modes of conducting themselves stand for … except the weekly paycheque they deposit in my bank account … but other than that, I reject absolutely everything about them.