For many, anarchism may conjure scenes of disarray and chaos, or perhaps even riotous punk rock shows in dingy basement venues. But in this video, the historian Sophie Scott-Brown, a self-described anarchist, reframes anarchism as a movement that can be practically applied to, and even strengthen, contemporary liberal democracies. In a wide-ranging interview, Scott-Brown discusses the form of anarchy she ascribes to – pacifist, centred on direct democracy, and not inherently opposed to all forms of leadership structures – as well as the thinkers and personal experiences that influenced her.
Video by the Institute of Arts and Ideas
video
Meaning and the good life
Why strive? Stephen Fry reads Nick Cave’s letter on the threat of computed creativity
5 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
‘I know that change is possible’ – a Deaf prison chaplain’s gospel of hope
18 minutes
video
Technology and the self
An artist swaps her head with everyday objects in a musing on consumerism
4 minutes
video
Art
The overlooked polymath whose theatrical oeuvre made all of Rome a stage
30 minutes
video
Film and visual culture
An augmented-reality filter reveals the hidden movements all around us
7 minutes
video
Beauty and aesthetics
The grit of cacti and the drumbeat of time shape a sculptor’s life philosophy
11 minutes
video
Language and linguistics
Messages born of melody – hear the whistled language of the Hmong people
18 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
A gentle soul in an oppressive land – Bonnie’s story of life in America
11 minutes
video
Sex and sexuality
For ages, solo sex was hardly taboo. What led to its centuries-long dry spell?
4 minutes