Lucien van der Walt, 2001, "Les Anarchistes contre L'impérialisme Anarchiste: ‘Dans cette lutte, seuls les ouvriers et les paysans iront jusqu' au bout,’" Refractions, number 8, (France) pp. 27–38. Get the PDF here.
Author: Lucien van der Walt
I teach at Rhodes University, the Eastern Cape. I’m 10th generation South African, born and bred. I have long been involved in union and working class education, and have a background in social movement and left-wing activism, the Workers’ Library and Museum, the Anti-Privatisation Forum, and the National Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU).
I’ve presented or published 450+ papers, including conferences and workshops, co-edited 4 journal specials (on global and African labour history, and the left), and produced five books. Southern Africa editor for the 2009 'International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest' (Blackwell). I won the 2008 international ‘Labor History’ PhD thesis prize, and the 2008/2009 Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) award for best African dissertation, for my thesis on South African anarchism, syndicalism and black militants. I have also done research in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
[JOURNAL] Byrne, van der Walt, 2015, “Review Article: Worlds of Western Anarchism and Syndicalism: Class Struggle, Transnationalism, Violence and Anti-imperialism, 1870s–1940s”
Sian Byrne and Lucien van der Walt, 2015, "Review Article. Worlds of Western Anarchism and Syndicalism: Class Struggle, Transnationalism, Violence and Anti-imperialism, 1870s–1940s". Canadian Journal of History / Annales canadiennes d'histoire, volume 50, number 1, pp. 98-123. Get the PDF here.
[PHOTO]: Lucien van der Walt, lecturer, addressing rally, in support of mass student protests at University of Witwatersrand, September 2010.
Lucien van der Walt, lecturer, addressing rally, in support of mass student protests at University of Witwatersrand, September 2010. The problem is the system.
[ANALYSIS] : Sefalafala, van der Walt, 2015, “Building a Mass Anarchist Movement: The Example of Spain’s CNT”
Thabang Sefalafala and Lucien van der Walt, 2015, "Building a Mass Anarchist Movement: The example of Spain's CNT," Zabalaza: a journal of southern African revolutionary anarchism, number 14, pp. 25–26. Text below. Get the PDF here. "BUILDING A MASS ANARCHIST MOVEMENT: THE EXAMPLE OF SPAIN’S CNT", 2015, Thabang Sefalafala and Lucien van der Walt, in Zabalaza: … Continue reading [ANALYSIS] : Sefalafala, van der Walt, 2015, “Building a Mass Anarchist Movement: The Example of Spain’s CNT”
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Self-Managed Class-Struggle Alternatives to Neo-liberalism, Nationalisation, Elections,” ‘Global Labour Column’
Lucien van der Walt, 2015, "Self-Managed Class-Struggle Alternatives to Neo-liberalism, Nationalisation, Elections," Global Labour Column, Number 213, October 2015 Text below. Get the PDF here or directly at the Global Labour Column site. Introduction by Global Labour Column (GLC) editors: "In this week’s article, van der Walt expresses pessimism against statist Left policies as … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Self-Managed Class-Struggle Alternatives to Neo-liberalism, Nationalisation, Elections,” ‘Global Labour Column’
[AUDIO]: Lucien van der Walt, 21 August 2015, “Classes, Commons, Collectivisation: Labour and the Left” (at “Class, Colonialism and the Commons: The Case of Southern Africa” colloquium: Rhodes University, South Africa). Chaired by Mazibuko Jara (United Front)
[SPEECH]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Working Class Struggle, Blazing a Path to Freedom”
Lucien van der Walt, 2015, "SPEECH: Working Class Struggle, Blazing a Path to Freedom [24 Sept 2012, Heritage Day event, Joza Township, Grahamstown]," Zabalaza: A Journal of Southern African Revolutionary Anarchism, no. 14, pp. 26-27. Talk by Lucien van der Walt at 24 Sept 2012, Heritage Day event, Joza Township, Grahamstown Get the PDF here … Continue reading [SPEECH]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Working Class Struggle, Blazing a Path to Freedom”
[PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing the NUMSA-initiated “Anti-Corruption March”
Numsa pact: Shifting deckchairs or the real deal? 18 Sep 2015, Mail and Guardian, here Sarah Evans The launch of a new anti-corruption coalition could be a sign that major labour shifts are afoot. NEWS ANALYSIS It is like watching a pair of nervous teenagers flirt. Perhaps they are on a dance floor: their hands … Continue reading [PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing the NUMSA-initiated “Anti-Corruption March”
[WORKSHOP]: July 2015 Vuyisile Mini Winter School in Makhanda/ Grahamstown
I enjoyed the July 2015 Vuyisile Mini Winter School in Grahamstown/ Makhanda. The School was organised by the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) and the Neil Aggett Labour Studies Unit (NALSU), Rhodes University. Nicole Ulrich and I gave the input “A Historical Perspective on the South African Labour Movement and the National Question,” … Continue reading [WORKSHOP]: July 2015 Vuyisile Mini Winter School in Makhanda/ Grahamstown
[TRANSLATION] Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Dal Salario Di Esistenza Al Contropotere Della Classe Lavoratrice”
Italian translation of Lucien van der Walt, 2015, "From Living Wage to Working Class Counter-power," South African Labour Bulletin, volume 39, number 2, pp 35-39 which you can get here. This translation is from anarkismo.net Dal Salario Di Esistenza Al Contropotere Della Classe Lavoratrice Lucien van der Walt, 2015, South African Labour Bulletin, volume 39, … Continue reading [TRANSLATION] Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Dal Salario Di Esistenza Al Contropotere Della Classe Lavoratrice”
[SPEECH]: Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “Report on ‘Le Autre Futur’ Summit, Paris: Another Future Through Social Resistance”
In 2000, I was able to attend an exciting international summit -- anarchist and syndicalist -- in Paris, France. I had been at an academic conference in the Netherlands ("Revolutionary Syndicalism and African workers in South Africa: a preliminary account of the Industrial Workers of Africa, 1917-1921", at the ESSHC) and working in the archives … Continue reading [SPEECH]: Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “Report on ‘Le Autre Futur’ Summit, Paris: Another Future Through Social Resistance”
[RADIO]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Poverty and The Living Wage Campaign, ” 26 August 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUHfQmfATJU Lucien van der Walt arguing for autonomous, self-managed unified working class movement to win living wages and build a breakthrough to new, better society on South African radio, 2015.... FROM: SAFm, “Workers on Wednesday,” Wednesday 26 August 2015, 10 am, DISCUSSION on POVERTY AND THE LIVING WAGE CAMPAIGN. Studio guests: Professor Lucien van … Continue reading [RADIO]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “Poverty and The Living Wage Campaign, ” 26 August 2015
[PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing crisis of steel industry, South Africa
Mail and Guardian here Foes unite to keep job crisis at bay 21 Aug 2015 00:00 Sarah Evans The local steel industry is vanishing and about 190 000 people face losing their jobs. It is Monday morning in Newtown, Johannesburg. The meeting of traditional foes has one thing on their agenda uniting them: to save … Continue reading [PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing crisis of steel industry, South Africa
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “From Living Wage to Working Class Counter-power”
New article: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, "From Living Wage to Working Class Counter-power," South African Labour Bulletin, volume 39, number 2, pp 35-39 Get the PDF here **Based on a talk given in Kenya, this article argues that, while official minimum wages and other improvements are welcome gains, they are inadequate in an exploiting … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “From Living Wage to Working Class Counter-power”
[PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing state of the unions in South Africa
Mail and Guardian here 'Workers do not have a good story to tell' 30 Jul 2015 16:09 Sarah Evans Between the second quarters of 2014 and 2015, union membership in South Africa decreased by 17 000 members Levels of unionisation in South Africa remain stable relative to other countries, but union membership is on the … Continue reading [PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing state of the unions in South Africa
Lucien van der Walt 