Activists and the Surveillance State: Learning from Repression

by Aziz Choudry (Editor)

In this age of unchecked emphasis on national security, even liberal democracies seem prone to forgetting the histories of political policing and surveillance undergirding what we think of as our safety. Challenging this social amnesia, Aziz Choudry What can we learn about the power of the state from the very people targeted by its security operations?

Drawing on the knowledge of activists and academics from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Chile, Activists and the Surveillance State delves into the harassment, infiltration, and disruption that has colored state responses to those deemed threats to national security. The book shows that, ultimately, movements can learn from their own repression, developing a critical and complex understanding of the nature of states and capital today that can crucially inform the struggles of tomorrow.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2019

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Wide range of essays that really dig into collective organizing vis a vis state surveillance and unpackages how the notion of ‘national security’ and police power are harmful. There is a lot movements can learn from this collection around repression, and ideally can use this to inform organizing of today and tomorrow.

[Emma-Louise Ekpo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal yet chilling read.
This selection of essays is not just for activists but for anyone remotely interested in state surveillance.
Choudry includes a broad range of text forms, such as an interview and personal perspective essay.

Being from the UK I found the chapters and references to the UK throughout this text overwhelming and unbelievable.

A chapter that particularly stood out for me was ‘Political policing in the UK: A personal perspective’ by Emily Apple. She details extensively her personal experience as an activist and organiser (among other things) and her run ins/harassment from the state. She explains the details of surveillance of protesters that ‘takes two forms: overt and covert surveillance, although some of the aims and impacts overlap’ (Apple, 2019, p.177).
The first I had heard in great depth of the undercover policing scandal, where the high profile case of the undercover office Mark Kennedy was exposed in 2010. Unfortunately he was not the only officer and some went as far as having children with activists/organisers and ultimately left them once their undercover mission was over.
What struck me the most about this was the lack of results undercover policing provided, officers would withhold important evidence and taking part in and organising illegal activity.

A chilling but essential read that I would highly recommend.

[Rachel H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great compilation of essays covering state surveillance of activists from a variety of regions and perspectives.