Without the State: Self-Organization and Political Activism in Ukraine Emily Channell-Justice is an English-language printed textbook that focuses on political and social change in Ukraine. This book is suitable for students in higher education and professionals in the social sciences.
The work examines the Euromaidan protests of 2013-14 in Ukraine through extensive ethnographic research among activists in Kyiv. At the center is the concept of self-organization: the idea that anyone with sufficient competence takes on tasks independently. The author shows how this way of organizing did not only emerge within left-wing circles, but was also adopted by a variety of political groups, including the far right. This broad application of self-organization led to new insights into the relationship between citizens and their government.
The book describes how these self-organized practices strengthened civic engagement during and after the Euromaidan protests. In addition, it inspires mutual aid networks, especially since Russia’s renewed invasion in 2022.
Without the State is a valuable analysis of transformations in the relationship between citizens and the state in post-Soviet Ukraine, with a focus on social and cultural anthropology and politics.
Series: Anthropological Horizons