Spotlight On: Pluto Press
By Mollie Gregory-Clark and Zoe Maple
Based in London, Pluto Press is a radical and political publisher. Established in 1969, this independent press is one of the world’s oldest radical publishers and has been home to well-renowned political writers such as Karl Marx and bell hooks. With its publications ranging from treatises on current affairs and political theory to discussions on gender, race and class, Pluto Press prides itself on being firmly anti-capitalist, internationalist and politically independent. Their books have been the recipients of numerous accolades, including The Palestine Book Award, CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book Prize and The Frantz Fanon Lifetime Achievement Award.
Recent Releases
Greater than the Sum Of Our Parts: Feminism, Inter/Nationalism and Palestine by Nadia Elia
In this powerful book, Palestinian activist Nadia Elia breaks down Zionism, exploring environmental destruction, hyper-militarism, incarceration and gendered violence. Elia offers up her analysis of how Palestine’s freedom is connected with other freedom struggles. She argues that Palestine’s fate is dependent on the solidarity and interconnectedness of other communities covering race, gender, indigenous and LGBTQIA+ communities. She also presents an intersectional feminist understanding of the Israeli apartheid. Both informative and hopeful, Elia brings to light the role of the Palestinian youth, diaspora and women in the global struggle against white racism, capitalism and colonialism.
After the Postcolonial Caribbean by Brian Meeks
Despite the Caribbean’s previous optimism for postcolonial life, expectations of what Caribbean independence could amount to were not met. As the possibility of radical change appears slim, Brian Meeks makes a case for re-establishing the previous optimism held by the Caribbean people; for him, this optimism is essential for the development of progressive movements in the region. In the first part of his book, Meeks presents an autobiographical account of his memories and experiences of radical politics in the Caribbean, whilst also exploring the decades following the end of colonialism. Part two, titled Imagining, offers up a new theoretical framework, inspired by Edna Manley, George Lamming and Stuart Hall. Meeks hopes that this could be the beginning of new movements of political resistance and change. Covering a range of topics, including political theory, economy and pop culture, Brian Meeks discusses the meaning of social transformation with the avoidance of pessimism and hopelessness.
Stopping Oil: Climate Justice and Hope by Sophie Bond, Amanda Thomas and Gradon Diprose
In Stopping Oil: Climate Justice and Hope, geographers Sophie Bond, Amanda Thomas and Gradon Diprose document how a climate justice campaign in Aotearoa (the current Māori-language name for New Zealand) became politicised. Following the country’s pursuit of deep-sea oil, a range of “Oil Free” groups came together in a powerful climate justice campaign. However, as their influence grew so did the state’s tactics to silence them, employing a range of methods from surveillance and delegitimising media representations to state-sanctioned violence. The authors provide a compelling analysis of climate justice and progressive change, discussing the impact of power relations on the possibilities and constraints for change.
Notable Releases
Ain’t I a Woman by bell hooks
In this ground-breaking work of feminist history and theory, bell hooks examines the various forms of oppression that Black women have faced since the 17th century to the present day. Intertwined with moving personal accounts, bell hooks criticises the failure of many middle-class white feminists to address issues of race and class within their movements. She also challenges the notion that gender and race are two separate issues, instead suggesting that the struggles to end sexism and racism are inextricably linked. This classic study from one of our most influential cultural critics is as pertinent to today’s society as it was upon its initial publication nearly thirty years ago.
Culture of Terrorism by Noam Chomsky
In his scathing critique of US political culture, Chomsky dissects the events of the 1986 Iran-Contra scandal. The scandal involved US government officials secretly facilitating the sale of arms to Iran, which was the subject of an arms embargo, with the purpose of using the proceeds to fund a right-wing rebel group in Nicaragua. Chomsky points to these “acts of supreme state terror” as symptoms of the wider issue of the Western imperial project, encouraging Americans to pursue integrity instead.
Frantz Fanon: Philosopher of the Barricades by Peter Hudis
Frantz Fanon was an African-Caribbean psychiatrist, philosopher and activist who brought his interests in psychology and philosophy directly to bear on such issues as mutual recognition, democratic participation and political sovereignty. His works, notably The Wretched of the Earth and Black Skin, White Masks, have been hugely influential in the fields of post-colonial studies, critical theory and post-Marxism. In this brilliant critical biography, Peter Hudis chronicles Fanon’s extraordinary life, from his upbringing in Martinique to his contributions to the anti-colonial struggle in Algeria, countering the monolithic assumption that Fanon’s contribution to modern thought is defined by the advocacy of violence.