Academia vs activism

Discussion / brainstorming during Vienna NMM meeting:

"Is writing a book action?

(end of Vienna minutes)
 * We do no have to think in B&W. it is not academia versus activist. But something in between. ( Patrice) Academic activists. Activist academics. We are still into research or gathering /describing urban struggles and urban situations.
 * This debate is part of the History of INURA (Academia versus activism is an ongoing debate for more than 20 years) and people had been mixed (Richard), it is important to find a balance: Inura stands for theory and action not academia and action; we should overcome this duality.
 * However, there are/were activists, who have problem with academics and reject academia, and somehow did not participate any longer in INURA. Activsts rejecting INURA because they are a bunch of academics. ( Lorenzo)
 * It is true though that activists and academics have different agenda and tasks. Academics parallel situation as activist. Academics have specific interests ( e.g. saying what does INURA add to may publication list?) and activism what INURA add to my battle? Glenn didn’t feel comfortable anymore in the environment. Not in their place, not at ease. Gilde, we don’t need it, we don’t want it, we don’t have time, and Luton Not their agenda, not their needs, not necessary, no benefit beyond of political, emotional, occasional practical support.
 * And yet INURA has a much broader perspective than both sides (Patrice)
 * Networking connecting is a some form of action. Networking is the main agenda of INURA (laura) e.g. I worked in the past with ctiymined which are non academics but activists because of INURA. Things mix up.
 * Keep the dialectics alive and the nourishing dialogue between academia and activist. In the sense of Gramsci. Organic intellectual. Intellettuale organico.(Marvi, it means intellectuals that are part of the political groups (or class) that is fighting to overcome inequality, unfair and want to built different possible urban worlds). The aim is to overcome injustice, you can contribute in different way, but the aim is not the theory, is not the action is to do a revolution (!), as a radical change of the existent. Because we act and do reseach in a world that is characterised by the egemony of neoliberal thought and practices there is always the danger of cooptation (that make your collective and individual effort useless or (worse) damaging. Margit Mayer writes about how groups are being coopted ( marvi) and about movements and phases (the contribution during INURA Tallin).
 * Are there other networks, social movements have their work going for 20 years and try to make theory?
 * Organic intellectual as part of the (new?) declaration?"

slideshow on INURA as a think tank, linking theory and action, presentation by Marvi Maggio in INURA athens 2008