Description
Anarchist theory and practices have often been connected with violence and chaos with limited connections made to social ties and community-building. Yet, as Ruth Kinna on anarchist internationalism and Benedict Anderson on historical transnational anticolonial anarchism have shown, there are examples of historical anarchist-led solidarity in thought and practice. This paper takes inspiration from Kinna and Anderson, among others, to consider meanings of antiauthoritarian solidarity and internationalism through the ideas and experiences of early 20th century Asian anarchists. Methodologically, the project draws upon writings and life experiences of historical Asian anarchists, especially from Japan and India. It also analyzes texts, popular representations of key anarchist-led movements and anarchist activists (e.g Har Dayal of India and Kanno Sugako of Japan) to illustrate how early 20th century Asian anarchists saw the world and their place in it. Overall, this project argues that an analysis of these anarchists’ experiences and ideas offer ways to understand anarchist solidarity and community beyond ethnonationalism as well as theorize a globalized orientation with regard to meanings of internationalism and world society. The paper also offers opportunities to reflect on historiography of women anarchists, especially those whose narratives-like Sugako’s-were (re)written by their male contemporaries.
