Surplus Citizens: Struggle and Nationalism in the Greek Crisis

The crisis in Greece has elicited a range of responses, from optimism for a left parliamentary politics inspired by Syriza's electoral victory to pessimism about the EU and calls for the reinstatement of full national sovereignty. Dimitra Kotouza's book "Surplus Citizens" challenges the terms of the debate by demonstrating how the national framing of social contestation posed obstacles to transformative collective action, but also how this framing has been challenged. It analyzes the increasing superfluousness of subordinate classes in Greece as part of a global phenomenon with racialized and gendered dimensions, interrogating the strengths, contradictions, and limits of collective action and identity in the crisis. The book argues against the strategic fixation on unified identities and highlights the transformative potential of internal dispute within movements, making it relevant to collective action beyond Greece.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 20 July 2019
Publisher: Pluto Press

The crisis in Greece has sparked a wide range of reactions, from hope for a left-wing parliamentary politics inspired by Syriza's electoral victory to pessimism about the EU's intransigence and demands for the restoration of full national sovereignty in Europe. In her book, Surplus Citizens, Dimitra Kotouza challenges the dominant terms of the debate by showing how the national framing of social contestation has hindered transformative collective action, while also highlighting how this framing has been challenged. By examining the growing superfluousness of subordinate classes in Greece as part of a global phenomenon with racialized and gendered dimensions, the book interrogates the strengths, contradictions, and limitations of collective action and identity in the crisis, ranging from the movement of squares and neighborhood assemblies to new forms of labor activism, environmental struggles, immigrant protests, anti-fascism, and pro-refugee activism.

Kotouza argues against the strategic fixation on unified identities and emphasizes the transformative potential of internal disputes within movements. She highlights the relevance of discussing Greece to collective action beyond its borders, as we navigate a global financial crisis that has sparked conflicts over nationalism, immigration, and the rise of neo-fascism. Surplus Citizens offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the dynamics of collective action and identity in times of crisis.

Weight: 334g
Dimension: 135 x 216 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780745337784