Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
2019 State University of New York
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Carley, Robert F., 1973- author.
Title: Culture and tactics : Gramsci, race, and the politics of practice / Robert F. Carley.
Description: New York : State University of New York Press, [2019] | Series: SUNY series, Praxis: theory in action | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018053985 | ISBN 9781438476438 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438476445 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Social movementsPolitical aspects. | State, The. | Ideology. | Race. | Gramsci, Antonio, 18911937Political and social views.
Classification: LCC HM881 .C3657 2019 | DDC 303.48/4dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018053985
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A good deal of the impetus for writing this book is connected to the conversations that happened between myself and many others who are often connected to the scholarly meetings that I attended between 2011 and 2018. Many of these conversations, especially in the case of people affiliated with cultural studies, were based on reimagining, rethinking, and disrupting the link between culture and discourse (or rhetoric and communication) when thinking about resistance. My intervention is to think about the connection between culture and protest tactics. Although none of the people mentioned in these acknowledgments bear any responsibility for the limitations of this book, I owe a debt of gratitude, in some cases deep, to the following people and organizations for the following reasons.
To begin, fragments of Culture and Tactics were presented at several academic meetings. Principle among these was the Union for Democratic Communications (UDC). My work found its home here and also with some of the Gramsciani from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Brazil who organized and participated in panels and special seminars at the National Communication Association (NCA), the Cultural Studies Association (CSA), Rethinking Marxism, and the American Association of Geographers Socialist and Critical Geography Knowledge Community or Socialist Geographers Circle, and the International Social Theory Consortium.
At the NCA and in the Union for Democratic Communications, I wish to thank the following people. First, I want to thank the organizers of Revolutionary Voices: Marxism, Communication, and Social Change preconference seminar at the 2011 meeting of the NCA in New Orleans, where I presented portions of what would become the second chapter of this book: Stephen H. Macek, Marco Briziarelli, Dana L. Cloud, Bryan J. McCann, and Mary E. Triece. Special thanks to those who spoke to me about my work, critically, at the UDC meetings in Tallahassee, San Francisco, and Detroit, particularly, Steve Macek, Lee Artz, and Deepa Kumar. All have made incisive remarks about my work at crucial moments, which has helped me clarify arguments and positions. Finally, Dana Cloud has made substantially important comments to me at the meeting in San Francisco. Special thanks also go to Michelle Rodino-Colocino and T. C. Corrigan, who made me feel especially welcomed at the UDC meetings and suggested and (in T. C.s case) nominated me for the organizations steering committee. I admire all of these folks for their scholarship, activism, comradeship, and community. I also have to thank others who have found the time to discuss and support my work at these meetings: John Anderson, Stevie Berberick, Dan Berger, Brian Creech, Stuart Davis, Brian Dolber, Aaron Heresco, Jeffery Masko, Anthony Nadler, Russell Newman, Allessendra Renzi, Rianne Subijanto, John Sullivan, Rich Templin, Doug Tewksbury, and Mary Triece. Finally, I wish to thank Robin Andersen, Matthew Crain, Aimee-Marie Dorsten, Dorothy Kidd, Cristina Misln, Molly Niesen, Andy Opel, Christine Quail, and Chris Robe. I was pleased to meet and present with Zack Furness, whom I knew from his book Punkademics and also from CSA meetings. Im lucky to have him as a friend, too. In so many ways, this book is a product of my sustained relationship with the UDC and with all of you.
Since the 2013 Cultural Studies Association meetings in Chicago at Columbia College and also at the Rethinking Marxism and American Association of Geographers meetings Ive received attention, support, and insight into my work from Marxist scholars and Gramsciani whose work Ive read and admired prior to meeting them. I have to begin by thanking Joseph A. Buttigieg, Marcus E. Green, and Joel Wainwright, all of whom have facilitated the presentation of work that has gone into this book, in some form, and who have been kind, generous, and supportive beyond the mere organization and facilitation of panels. In particular, Joseph Buttigieg has made it possible for so many of us to have access to Gramsci in the English language. Hes simply a wonderful person and welcoming to so many early career scholars focused on Gramsci. Marcus Green is an extraordinarily sharp and focused scholar of Gramsci. Hes already contributed so much to the current wave of Gramsci scholarship. I owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. Other Gramsciani who have been helpful, kind, and supportive are Alessandro Carlucci, Giovanni Pizza, Peter Ives, and Nicola Short. Alessandro, Giovanni, and Peters work has helped me craft this book. Ive received support and am grateful for the work and friendship of Joseph Zompetti. At CSA meetings, I had the good fortune to talk with Julian Ammirante (especially), Antonio Callari, Daniela Mussi, and also S. Charusheela, Peter Hudis, and Azfar Hussainthe latter two Ive been acquainted with prior to these meetings. Finally, Bob Jessop was the respondent on the panel at the Geography meeting. His enormous stature as a scholar is met by his enormous capacity for gentleness and generosity in critique. Kate Crehan, who also presented at the Geography meeting, was a joy to meet and speak with, however briefly. I am grateful for her work and am enjoying her latest book.
The following thanks go to my new CSA friends, as well as old friends and colleagues in cultural studies with whom Ive had the longest association. I want to begin by thanking Christopher M. Sutch, Sean Johnson Andrews, and Pablo Andrs Castagno with whom I formed close relationships and remain in thrall of their intellectual contributions. I would also like to thank Jaafar Aksikas, Wendy Burns-Ardolino, Katy Razzano, Paul Smith, Eero Laine, Chris Alen Sula, Stefanie A. Jones, Andrew Culp, Ricky Crano, Eric Morales-Franceschini, Christian Quaresma, Don Hedrick, Gilbert B. Rodman, Helen Kapstein, Jodi Davis-Pacheco, Lia Uy-Tioco, Charles Thorpe, and Michelle Fehsenfeld.
