Looking for reading material on the history of UK anti-fascism
January 6, 2010 11:38 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for reading lists and resources concerned with the history and practice of anti-fascism in the UK.
I'm particularly looking for recommendations of books, resources, magazines, blog posts, anecdotal data, films, etc. By 'anti-fascist' I mean opposition to domestic fascist parties/groups/organisations within the UK (such as the National Front) rather than, say, the history of British volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.
As an example, I'm looking for anything from Larry O'Hara's Notes from the Borderland to Searchlight Magazine to Shane Meadows This Is England. Debate about historical tactics ('no platforming', for instance) would also be ace.
I'm particularly looking for pieces concerned with local, grassroots or community-based anti-fascist activity.
Thank you!
I'm particularly looking for recommendations of books, resources, magazines, blog posts, anecdotal data, films, etc. By 'anti-fascist' I mean opposition to domestic fascist parties/groups/organisations within the UK (such as the National Front) rather than, say, the history of British volunteers in the Spanish Civil War.
As an example, I'm looking for anything from Larry O'Hara's Notes from the Borderland to Searchlight Magazine to Shane Meadows This Is England. Debate about historical tactics ('no platforming', for instance) would also be ace.
I'm particularly looking for pieces concerned with local, grassroots or community-based anti-fascist activity.
Thank you!
Best answer: Dave Renton has numerous articles about the Anti-Nazi League and Rock Against Racism movements in the '70s/early '80s, plus has published a number of books on the broader topic of fascism/anti-fascism as well.
There's also a recent documentary about RAR called Who Shot the Sheriff?, discussed here, but I can't tell if it's been released on DVD in the meantime.
posted by scody at 12:10 PM on January 6, 2010
There's also a recent documentary about RAR called Who Shot the Sheriff?, discussed here, but I can't tell if it's been released on DVD in the meantime.
posted by scody at 12:10 PM on January 6, 2010
The Battle of Cable Street, in which Jewish and left-wing groups confronted Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists is an important anti-fascist moment in UK history. The wikipedia page has quite a few links to contemporary and recent commentary on the event, and might be a good springboard if you're interested in events that far back.
posted by eatyourcellphone at 3:58 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by eatyourcellphone at 3:58 PM on January 6, 2010
Best answer: I made this post a while back about the 43 Group; there's a memoir of the organisation by sometime member Morris Beckman.
There was article by members of AFA on the history of the organisation and earlier militant anti-fascism that's been lost with the closure of Geocities (and doesn't seem to be on archive.org); I have a copy I was editing for republication that I can send to you if you me-mail me an address. Could almost paste it up here though it's a touch long. You might want to check out the now-defunct Red Action site too; they were prime movers in AFA.
posted by Abiezer at 6:35 PM on January 6, 2010
There was article by members of AFA on the history of the organisation and earlier militant anti-fascism that's been lost with the closure of Geocities (and doesn't seem to be on archive.org); I have a copy I was editing for republication that I can send to you if you me-mail me an address. Could almost paste it up here though it's a touch long. You might want to check out the now-defunct Red Action site too; they were prime movers in AFA.
posted by Abiezer at 6:35 PM on January 6, 2010
libcom.org has a bunch of stuff, including Bash the Fash - Anti-fascist recollections, 1984-1993, originally published by the Kate Shapely Library and 1985-2001: Anti-Fascist Action (AFA), a short history of AFA.
posted by tallus at 8:11 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by tallus at 8:11 PM on January 6, 2010
For recent debate about tactics, there's this piece in a recent Red Pepper and two articles in response: Anti-fascism isn’t working
posted by Abiezer at 7:05 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by Abiezer at 7:05 AM on January 7, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks guys! Your responses are really appreciated.
I'd already seen a couple of links (I'm familiar with AFA, Libcom, Red Pepper and Red Action), but some of it was totally new.
Harmfulray, I'm ashamed to say I hadn't come across that meta post (and I thought I'd searched the archives so thoroughly!) I'm wincing at the fact I didn't even think of checking the AK Press, thanks so much for pointing me over there, nestor_makhno.
posted by somergames at 10:24 AM on January 7, 2010
I'd already seen a couple of links (I'm familiar with AFA, Libcom, Red Pepper and Red Action), but some of it was totally new.
Harmfulray, I'm ashamed to say I hadn't come across that meta post (and I thought I'd searched the archives so thoroughly!) I'm wincing at the fact I didn't even think of checking the AK Press, thanks so much for pointing me over there, nestor_makhno.
posted by somergames at 10:24 AM on January 7, 2010
Just remembered another one: Lewisham '77; "Remembering and reflecting on the 'Battle of Lewisham' in August 1977, when a mobilisation by the far-right National Front in South East London was met by mass opposition."
posted by Abiezer at 11:25 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by Abiezer at 11:25 AM on January 7, 2010
Just seen these two links to old Pathe newsreels of Mosley being no-platformed in 1962, plus fascists failing to get their message across on a picket line in 1956.
posted by Abiezer at 8:20 PM on January 13, 2010
posted by Abiezer at 8:20 PM on January 13, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nestor_makhno at 11:54 AM on January 6, 2010