Search results

In recent times, Spain has seen the emergence of a number of social movements advocating for decent housing. This has been in parallel with the deepening and generalization of this problem for an important part of the population. These movements integrate political ideas and forms of collective action that have developed and matured over the last two decades in markedly different situations. This article proposes that, rather than disconnected groups and movements, we can speak of a long sequence of on-going mobilization with various waves of urban protests, which reached their maximum relevance under the economic crisis. This narrative takes the city of Seville as a case study and depicts the main features of this cycle as observed from an investigation based on direct participant observation. ; In recent times, Spain has seen the emergence of a number of social movements advocating for decent housing. This has been in parallel with the deepening and generalization of this problem for an important part of the population. These movements integrate political ideas and forms of collective action that have developed and matured over the last two decades in markedly different situations. This article proposes that, rather than disconnected groups and movements, we can speak of a long sequence of on-going mobilization with various waves of urban protests, which reached their maximum relevance under the economic crisis. This narrative takes the city of Seville as a case study and depicts the main features of this cycle as observed from an investigation based on direct participant observation. ; L'Espagne a assisté récemment à l'émergence d'une série de mouvements sociaux qui prônent un logement décent alors que l'on voit en parallèle l'approfondissement et à la généralisation de ce problème pour une partie importante de la population. Ces mouvements intègrent des idées politiques et des formes d'action collective qui se sont développées et mûries au cours des deux dernières décennies dans des situations nettement différentes. Cet article propose que, plus que des groupes et mouvements déconnectés, on puisse parler d'une longue séquence de mobilisations en cours avec plusieurs vagues de protestations urbaines, qui ont atteint leur maximum de pertinence sous la crise économique. Le texte prend la ville de Séville comme une étude de cas et décrit les principales caractéristiques de ce cycle à la suite d'une enquête basée sur l'observation participante.

In recent times, Spain has seen the emergence of a number of social movements advocating for decent housing. This has been in parallel with the deepening and generalization of this problem for an important part of the population. These movements integrate political ideas and forms of collective action that have developed and matured over the last two decades in markedly different situations. This article proposes that, rather than disconnected groups and movements, we can speak of a long sequence of on-going mobilization with various waves of urban protests, which reached their maximum relevance under the economic crisis. This narrative takes the city of Seville as a case study and depicts the main features of this cycle as observed from an investigation based on direct participant observation. ; En los últimos tiempos, España ha sido testigo del surgimiento de una serie de movimientos sociales que abogan por una vivienda digna, paralelamente a la profundización y generalización de esta problemática para una parte importante de la población. Estos movimientos integran ideas políticas y formas de acción colectiva que se han desarrollado y madurado durante las dos últimas décadas en situaciones marcadamente diferentes. Este artículo propone que, más que grupos y movimientos desconectados, podemos hablar de una larga secuencia de movilizaciones en curso con varias oleadas de protestas urbanas, que alcanzaron su máxima relevancia bajo la crisis económica. El texto toma la ciudad de Sevilla como caso de estudio y describe las principales características de este ciclo como resultado de una investigación basada en la observación participante.

Smart Mobs are groups of individuals that emerge when communication and computing technologies amplify human talents for cooperation. Although these mobs have been studied from their impact in social and political structures –with mobilizations like the one that toppled President of the Philippines Joseph Estrada in 2001–, their role in the production of urban space has not been deeply analyzed. From this spatial approach, this research aims to unravel practices and meanings that Smart Mobs attributes to urban space. From this point of view we have studied one of the most important Smart Mob's mobilizations in recent history: the 15M Movement.

El 15 de mayo cambió para siempre el escenario político español. A partir y desde la movilización se gestó un movimiento que puso en vilo las estructuras institucionales y cuestionó la democracia española. Su éxito no radica en la permanencia o capacidad de movilización, sino en lo novedoso y complejo de su organización y en las raíces profundamente democráticas sobre la que se sustentó el proceso. Comprender por qué desde esta iniciativa nace una organización que sacude la política tradicional y cuáles mecanismos facilitaron su emerger requiere aprovechar las herramientas que brindan las Ciencias de la Complejidad.

In this article I compare the different forms of participation of young anti-capitalists in two post-15M Spanish social movements in Lleida: White Tide and Platform of those Affected by Mortgages. The objective of the article is to analyze how biopolitical normalization processes work within social movements themselves. The article explains the normalization processes that adult activists exercise against young anti-capitalists, and the ways in which young people resist and seek to break with these processes in post-15M movements. All this allows us to understand how this normalization affects current social movements, establishing what is seen to be the 'correct' way to be an activist and creating processes of marginalization and censorship of those activists who occupy non-hegemonic social positions and who use other political forms. ; This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC), under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 742705.

The many voices of opposition: activism and translation in a global context -- Translation-as-tradition: the 15M between past and present -- The 'commons': rethinking collective agency -- Towards the 'care' strike: translation and the rise of the feminist movement -- Sea, sun, and dissent: activist critiques of the 'Spanish model' -- Podemos: successes and contradictions of a 'translational' party -- Conclusion: the ongoing task of translation.

RESUMEN En el presente artículo se comparten algunas reflexiones generadas a partir una experiencia de investigación-colaboración con el movimiento 15M. En particular, se abordan los principales retos, las tensiones, los obstáculos y los aprendizajes metodológicos y epistemológicos que surgieron durante el proceso y cómo se enfrentaron. De acuerdo con los postulados de las epistemologías del Sur, se defiende la importancia de construir teorías de retaguardia con metodologías de investigación colaborativa capaces de contribuir a la descolonización colectiva de las actividades de investigación y producción de conocimiento, en este caso de la investigación en filosofía política. ABSTRACT This article shares some reflections generated from a collaborative research experience carried out with the 15M movement. In particular, the main challenges, tensions, obstacles and methodological and epistemological learnings arose during the process and how they were faced and addressed. In accordance with the postulates of the epistemologies of the South, the importance of constructing rearguard theories with collaborative research methods capable of contributing to the decolonization of research activities and knowledge production, in this case of research in political philosophy, is defended.

In recent times, Spain has seen the emergence of a number of social movements advocating for decent housing. This has been in parallel with the deepening and generalization of this problem for an important part of the population. These movements integrate political ideas and forms of collective action that have developed and matured over the last two decades in markedly different situations. This article proposes that, rather than disconnected groups and movements, we can speak of a long sequence of on-going mobilization with various waves of urban protests, which reached their maximum relevance under the economic crisis. This narrative takes the city of Seville as a case study and depicts the main features of this cycle as observed from an investigation based on direct participant observation.

Este artículo examina los imaginarios sobre Internet y su influencia en las formas de apropiación tecnológica por parte de los movimientos sociales. Se incide en el concepto de mito, la sublimación digital y la retórica ciberlibertaria que mistifica el poder emancipador de Internet. Mediante un trabajo empírico basado en 37 entrevistas, tres grupos focales y observaciones participantes, se analizan los imaginarios y las prácticas mediáticas del 15M.
Nuestros resultados destacan tres tensiones híbridas entre: la fe en el poder democratizador de Internet y la praxis política; la acción complementaria en el espacio virtual y físico; y el uso simultáneo de redes corporativas y medios alternativos. Se concluye que los mitos utópicos sobre Internet son negociados con la realidad de formas complejas e inspiran la acción política y la innovación tecnológica.

Translating the Crisis discusses the multiple translation practices that shaped the 15M movement, also known as the indignados (outraged'), a series of mass demonstrations and occupations of squares that took place across Spain in 2011 and which played a central role in the recent global wave of popular protest. Through a study of the movement's cultural and intellectual impact, as well as some of its main political evolutions (namely Podemos and Barcelona en Com), Fernndez shows how translation has contributed to the dissemination of ideas and the expansion of political debates, produced new intellectual and political figures, and provided support to political projects. Drawing on fieldwork, interviews, and a large repertoire of sources in various languages, this monograph provides an in-depth study of the role of translation in the renewal of activist language, the development of political platforms, and the creation of new social references, while also presenting a critical perspective on its limitations and shortcomings. Combining first-hand experience of the Spanish reality with a keen transnational awareness, Fernndez offers a nuanced, present-day perspective on the political events taking place in Spain and connects them with wider transformations across the world. This book is invaluable for scholars and researchers in Translation Studies, Spanish Studies, Social Movement Studies, and Politics.

From data obtained in a survey conducted in May 2011 to identify some characteristics of the media impact of Spanish 15M Movement, this paper presents a critical reflection on the role of new media, especially social networks, in the generation of massive social actions. As a result of current information processes, social networks have been positioned in the imaginary as informative multiplication scenarios, and as spaces that generate immediate social mobilizations. However, the rapid spread, spontaneity, immediacy and volatility that characterize these movements contrast with the lack of lengthy movements, which arise from deliberative processes, necessarily built on institutionalized public spheres. The article shows the opposition between the change in media consumption habits and the reception of information by citizens and their permanent apathy to action-mobilization. Thus, changes in the forms of communication, individualization, connection and multipresence keep unchanged collective action spaces, and can even reduce these spaces if they are not utilized properly.

From data obtained in a survey conducted in May 2011 to identify some characteristics of the media impact of Spanish 15M Movement, this paper presents a critical reflection on the role of new media, especially social networks, in the generation of massive social actions. As a result of current information processes, social networks have been positioned in the imaginary as informative multiplication scenarios, and as spaces that generate immediate social mobilizations. However, the rapid spread, spontaneity, immediacy and volatility that characterize these movements contrast with the lack of lengthy movements, which arise from deliberative processes, necessarily built on institutionalized public spheres. The article shows the opposition between the change in media consumption habits and the reception of information by citizens and their permanent apathy to action-mobilization. Thus, changes in the forms of communication, individualization, connection and multipresence keep unchanged collective action spaces, and can even reduce these spaces if they are not utilized properly.

How to identify and assess the social and political impacts of a social movement such as the 15M/Indignados in Spain? A particular challenge comes up, first, when its limits and identity are blurred so here we distinguish three types of movement goals and explain how they emerged. Secondly, in order to evaluate their achievements we pay special attention to the usually neglected dimensions of movements' impacts – their self-reproduction, the non-institutional effects and the 'unintended consequences'. We argue that the 15M was able to challenge the authorities over the first three years of its existence by creating a counter-hegemonic political culture as well as a manifold set of practical initiatives of self-organisation. However, the institutional impacts were very limited, in spite of some significant successes and side-effects in the electoral arena. This is mainly explained by the resilient cohesion of the power elites and the continuation of the prevailing socio- economic structures. ; Cómo identificar y evaluar los impactos sociales y políticos de un movimiento social como el 15M/Indignados. El primer reto que se suscita es el relativo a los difusos límites e identidad del movimiento, por lo que en este trabajo distinguimos tres tipos de propósitos del movimiento y explicamos cómo emergieron. En segundo lugar, evaluamos los logros del movimiento de acuerdo a tres dimensiones insuficientemente analizadas por la literatura académica: la auto-reproducción del movimiento, los efectos no institucionales y las consecuencias no intencionadas. En este sentido argumentamos que el movimiento 15M fue capaz de retar a las autoridades durante sus primeros tres años de existencia por medio de la creación de una cultura política contra-hegemónica y una variedad de iniciativas prácticas de auto-organización. Sin embargo, los efectos institucionales fueron muy limitados a pesar de ciertos éxitos significativos y de los efectos indirectos en la contienda electoral. Estos procesos son explicados en función de la persistente cohesión de las élites de poder y la continuación de las estructuras socio-económicas dominantes.