Make Rojava Green Again: Building an Ecological Society

by Internationalist Commune of Rojava, Debbie Bookchin (Contributor), Matt Bonner (Illustrator)

What is it about the social structures of Rojava that so inspires the fierce loyalty of its defenders and its people?

Make Rojava Green Again: Building an Ecological Society answers that question. In language that bridges the Utopian and the concrete, the poetic and the everyday, the Internationalist Commune of Rojava has produced both a vision and a manual for what a free, ecological society can look like. In these pages you will find a philosophical introduction to the idea of social ecology, a theory that argues that only when we end the hierarchical relations between human beings (men over women, young over old, one ethnicity or religion over another) will we be able to heal our relationship with the natural world.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Environment, History, Activism, Middle East, Feminism

125 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2018

Reviews

[LunaSanguine · Rating 5 out of 5]

[2019]
Beautiful ilustrations and photographies.
But what's more important of course is the text itself: The whole part criticising capitalism wasn't really new to me but I liked how precisely it was put into words, it felt heartbreaking true. The parts about Rojava and its ecology and also general ecological solutions were pretty instructive and inspiring to me (though I have to admit my knowledge in environmental questions is pretty small, I'm working on it).
Recommended to absolutely everybody. It's a WONDERFUL book.

Also: Solidarity with Rojava!

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely little book by the Internationalist Commune of Rojova giving an introduction to social ecology and the practical steps the people of Rojova are taking to rebalance their lives with nature to live in harmony and democratically.

It's quite an inspiring book to be honest, especially the last third where the steps the Commune and the people in Rojova are taking to improve their homes. I was particularly taken with the approaches to using human waste and 'grey-water' (from showers etc) differently to improve the environment and self reliance. The book shows creativity humans have at their disposal, and their spirit to create a better world. I also appreciated the sections on their aspirations and limitations as it makes the actions they have taken all the more credible and inspiring. It also shows that Rojova is a society in transition, it isn't anarchist, but everything I read and see is that it is far more democratic and balanced than anywhere else on Earth! I am reminded of Emma Goldman and how our deeds must preconfigure the world we want to live in. Rojova gets in the headlines for their armed defence against Syria, Turkey and ISIS, but the true story isn't of bullets, it's of tree planting and of democracy - particularly the role of women.

The start of the book is couched in anti- capitalist theory and the history of humankind and it's changing relationship to nature, leading to a proposal of what social ecology is.

It's nothing new to those exposed to anarchism or ecological ideas, and since it is a short book could be easily torn apart by critique as there are a few 'leaps' in it. That said, it is a useful introduction.

Highly recommended and inexpensive from https://dogsection.org/

See more from the Commune here https://makerojavagreenagain.org/

[Caitanya]

Sehr schöne kleine Broschüre, die das sozial-ökologische Konzept der Internationalistischen Kommune von Rojava näher bringt. Dabei nie wirklich in die Tiefe gehend, gibt sie doch einen interessanten Überblick auf die Ideen, Hindernisse und Vorhaben der Beteiligten. Zusätzlich erhält man eine kurze Einführung in die Geschichte der kapitalistischen Moderne und die damit einhergehende Entfremdung des Menschen von der Natur. Dabei schafft es das Buch tatsächliche eine Vision von einer sozialeren, grüneren Gesellschaft zu wecken. Es bleibt nur zu hoffen, dass das Projekt sich gegen die sabotierenden und unterdrückenden Versuche der kapitalistischen und autokratischen Mächte zu behaupten weiß.

[lil · Rating 4 out of 5]

a sweet and hopeful little book <3 i didn’t know anything about rojava prior to reading and thought it was a good introduction!

[Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make Rojava Green Again is een erg interessant boekje over de ecologische problemen in Rojava en een verslag over de pogingen deze problemen te bestrijden via internationale helpers die hun expertise delen met de plaatselijke bevolking. Het is overigens ook online te lezen. Het boek heeft verschillende delen en doelen. Ten eerste kent het een theoretisch gedeelte, waarin ook de inleiding van Debbie Bookchin — uiteraard de dochter van de grote Murray (van wie ik een boek hier heb gereviewd) — te vinden is. Dit was een beetje gesneden koek voor me en daarom niet echt spannend, maar dit kan voor andere lezers anders liggen. Hierin wordt ten eerste Murray Bookchins social ecology behandeld, vooral echter aan de hand van de ideeën van Abdullah Öcalan (mijn review van één van zijn boeken hier). Dit is echter vooral een filosofisch essay over mens en natuur, niet over de inrichting van het communalistische Rojave via het libertarisch municipalisme, hetgeen ik jammer vind. Dit was ook mijn kritiek in beide reviews waarnaar ik al heb verwezen. De vraag blijft: Maar wat is nou precies het plan? Dit boek gaat niet op deze politieke kwestie in, al wordt het wel in de praktijk gebracht in Rojava op dit moment. Make Rojava Green Again is gewoon niet de plek daarvoor en dat begrijp ik voor dit werkje beter dan bij de verwezen boeken. Na dit deel gaat het boek verder met de praktische kant van de ecologische en klimaatcrisis in het heden wereldwijd. Het gaat onder andere over de manier waarop kapitalisme de natuur gecommodificeerd en er daardoor geen evenwicht bestaat tussen mens en natuur. Natuur zonder marktwaarde heeft geen waarde. Dat kapitaal ons oordeel over de natuur bepaald wordt onder andere uitgelegd aan het voorbeeld van de oerwouden die verbrand worden om er olijfplantages neer te zetten. Welke is meer waard op de markt, niet voor de aarde, de dieren, of het voortbestaan van de mensheid.

Hierna wordt het pas echt interessant, aangezien de loep zich op Rojava richt. Eerst worden de problemen in kaart gebracht, en dat zijn er veel. Onder andere de Syrische economische sturing van voor de Burgeroorlog wordt uitgelegd: door op monoculturen aan te sturen en alle bossen zijn vervangen met deze monoculturen is kennis over de natuur, landbouw, en een vruchtbare grond kwijt geraakt en is het land niet zelfvoorzienend. Met daarbij de isolatie door Syrië en Turkije is het qua voeding schaars. Dan is er de Grote Vijand van het moment Turkije die rivieren afsluit vanuit het noorden waardoor het land met grote droogte te maken heeft. Daarnaast is de erfenis van de vorige Grote Vijand ook nog erg aanwezig: Daesh heeft grote ecologische schade aangericht door veel afval te storten in rivieren en door fossiele brandstoffen grootschalig te verbranden. De verhalen over de landbouw zijn zeer technisch en vereisen enige kennis van agricultuur en biologie, doch is het zeer goed leesbaar voor de leek.

Tot slot de oplossingen. Pas sinds een klein jaar is de Internationalistische Commune van Rojava bezig met haar project om Rojava Green Again te maken, maar de eerste resultaten zijn er al. Met kennis en hulp van internationalisten is er een Academie opgezet in de oostelijke provincie van Rojava om de lokale bevolking te leren een goede en gezonde verhouding te hebben met de natuur via een ecologische agricultuur en door een samenleving te propageren waarin de dominantie van mens over natuur (en man over vrouw, oud over jong, etc.) is geëlimineerd. Enkele Nationale Parken zijn ingericht en er worden veel bomen gepland (naaldbomen en diverse Mediterraanse vruchtbomen) om het land weer te bebossen, de grond weer vruchtbaar te maken en dieren aan te trekken. Alle waterputten zijn geïndexeerd en er wordt geprobeerd deze zo te gebruiken dat het grondwaterspiegel niet nog verder daalt. Er wordt grijs water opgevangen voor hergebruik. Er wordt afval gescheiden en menselijke ontlasting opgevangen voor een biologische mest.

Kortom: dit dunne boek, dat een verslag is van slechts een kort jaar, is een mooie uiteenzetting van plannen en praktijk. Ik heb het fysieke boek, en het is ook zeer mooi uitgegeven, wat een first is voor een anarchistische uitgeverij. Ook mooi trouwens dat de uitgeverij bij de Triodosbank zit! Nou ja, ik ben benieuwd naar de update van volgend jaar, als die er komt. Dat gaat helemaal liggen aan hoe de Syrische Burgeroorlog zich doorontwikkeld.

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and a beautiful book makes me see the hope under the war. Syrian civil war is still ongoing, along side with Rojava revolution, but it’s beautiful to see in Rojava they tried to rebuild their home during the war, take the pollution due to the war into consideration. I imagine during the war, the priority is survival, human rights and sustainability seems like a luxury, yet in Rojava, this movement truly represent the spirit to respect the nature and aspired to build a ecological society. I also went on their website which is still updating how this campaign contributes in women’s liberation, ecology and sustainability.

[JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I probably heard about Rojava might have actually been from a BBC radio panel on Thomas More’s “Utopia” (Dilar Dirik, a fellow at Oxford, was on the panel to talk about Rojava), but the name Rojava in no way managed to make a home for itself in my memory and soon enough faded into the blurry recesses of forgotten detritus that my brain has a reputation for amassing in dim inaccessible voids.

Curiously, the first time Rojava did register in my consciousness was after listening to Rev Left Radio, a podcast hosted by a non-sectarian Marxist-Leninist (fairly sympathetic to anarchist politics). The host even interviewed Debbie Bookchin one time.

Debbie Bookchin (Murray Bookchin was her father) wrote the introduction to this book put out by the Internationalist Commune of Rojava. From the time Rojava was first mentioned on Rev Left Radio (in positive terms), to the next time it came up (in more skeptical terms), there had grown (at least in my own awareness) a serious split in opinion over Rojava between Marxist-Leninists and anarchists. There was a growing assertion from MLs (e.g. Max Blumenthal, who I presume to be an ML simply for the disdain he expresses for Trotskyists, even though Trots also think of themselves as MLs) that there was absolutely no role that the US Military should play in the area calling for immediate departure of troops from the regions surrounding Rojava. On the other hand, somewhat ironically, anarchists like CrimethInc (in their podcasts), Chomsky (in interviews and correspondences), and Graeber (in an article for the Guardian) said that the American military should not simply leave the Rojava area, because Erdogan’s forces would close in swiftly and brutally on the autonomous Kurdish region (with military equipment largely supplied, maintained, serviced, and repaired by American and European contractors as Graeber emphasizes).

All this sectarian leftist drama aside, I was very fascinated by Rojava because it is ‘really existing socialism’ of a fairly different sort than what has been attempted in various State Socialist experiments – though of course it’s likely too early to determine how it will turn out and how long such a project can be sustained. However, the ideas of social ecology and libertarian socialism written about by the likes of Murray Bookchin are exchanged and studied throughout the autonomous region, though I do confess there seems to be a sort of ‘cult of personality’ around Ocalan (a founding member of the PKK, and once a Marxist-Leninist, but now more libertarian in his politics).

There was a fascinating interview with David Graeber on libcom.org where Graeber talks about this police academy he visited in Rojava where people had to go through courses on non-violent conflict resolution and feminist theory before even being allowed to touch a gun, and that the end goal was to have everyone in the region to go through police training such that the need of ‘the police’ as such would be eliminated. This reminds me of that scene in Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” where Tom wishes to his mom that poor people like themselves, and all the folks in the migrant camps they lived in in California, could police themselves, instead of being subject to the police constantly breaking up migrant encampments during the Great Depression.

Another fascinating aspect of Rojava are the badass all-women cadre (YPJ) that have been on the front lines fighting ISIS in the region. I think people are rightfully cautious of romanticizing all the things unfolding in Rojava. I’m sure there are many problems there, some known, some kept well out of sight. I hope that their libertarian posture keeps open a sustained flow of critical dialogue from within and without. Yet I still feel there’s something still worth celebrating about Rojava, even while it’s still trying to work out its flaws.

Regarding, this book itself, I think it emphasized the alienating and destructive aspects of capitalism in a clear and accessible manner, as well as highlighting the environmental constraints our planet faces. This is an example of the sort of writing you can find throughout this tract:

“For many peoples of the world, the triumphant advance of capitalist modernity meant rape, burning forests, defoliation, and Agent Orange. The Western missionaries' promises of salvation have not come to pass. For hundreds of millions of people the capitalist system has left only its garbage - the plastic bags littering the steppes of Africa have become a symbol of this. The poorer parts of the world's population, the global sub-proletariat, bear the brunt of climate change and environmental degradation. The societies of Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, still reeling from wars, colonialism and neo-colonial exploitation, are those hit hardest by drought and other environmental disasters, even though they contribute a relatively small part of the greenhouse gases.”

I would however take some of the statistics in the text with a grain of salt. Most are not referenced, and for example I encountered one statistic about there being only 50 harvest cycles left, and this likely came from a UN FAO executive being quoted in a Reuters/Scientific American article as saying there are only 60 harvest cycles left globally. I’ve looked up this statistic and have yet to find any constellation of studies that shows this number to apply globally. There are a few for some regions of the UK that suggest soil depletion is at a point where there are likely only 60 harvest cycles left. Whatever is the case, the general idea is true. Soil is rapidly depleting globally, and there will be food shortages if we do not seriously consider what it takes to replenish our planet’s soil resources – not to mention the vast number of other ecological crises lying at the precipice of actualization.

The thing I appreciated most about this book though was a geopolitical perspective of a region I know little about. I’m very interested in the politics of water, because that was what my thesis was on and it’s something I still try to read on whenever I can, whether through history or current affairs. This was a fascinating perspective I encountered on Rojava’s encounters with the Turkish state:

“the construction of dams in Turkish-occupied Northern Kurdistan and the massive extraction of groundwater for Turkish agriculture is a problem. As a result, there has been a dramatic decline in the amount of water flowing from the north to Rojavan rivers and a steady drop in the groundwater level.”

I was also not aware of the oil resources that fall within the Rojavan region:

“Most of Syria's oil fields are in Rojava, especially in Cizire Canton. As the policy of the regime was to locate all manufacturing industries in the metropolises of Syria, the processing of crude oil into fuel did not take place in Rojava but rather in the regime's industrial centres. With the revolution, Rojavan oil refining began. The biggest fuel needs are for emergency electricity (from small generators) and transport. In “winter, diesel is also used to generate heat in household stoves.

Today, about 5 per cent of all oil produced in the Middle East comes from Rojavan fields; however, due to the lack of parts and the embargo, this production is conducted at a very low level technically. Since current demand exceeds the capacity of the existing refineries, much of the crude oil is processed only to a very basic level. This reinforces the negative impact of the already heavily polluting oil industry. Thus, production and transport are associated with pollution of the environment, soil, water and air. This damage is particularly visible in the ponds created by the extraction and processing of the oil. There are currently no technically or financially feasible methods for avoiding this ecological burden available in Rojava.”

I think understanding how social ecology intersects with a region that still has substantial fossil fuel reserves left is interesting because, this community is thinking hard over the damaging impact of oil extraction and processing, as well as carbon emissions, but a realistic focus on how a transition can take place in a way that does not replicate capitalist hierarchies and inequalities, or authoritarian socialist technocracies and coercive bureaucracies - all of which is valuable to consider. Combatting alienation seems to be a very central goal in Rojava, and I’m personally excited for Rojava’s future. Yet the threats of war loom large, and will continue to have devastating health impacts long after the shells finish exploding:

“The effects of the war on the ecological situation in Rojava have been considerable, in particular the pollution of the soil and water by ammunition. T'he use of depleted uranium shells by the international coalition causes severe health problems, and their residue lingers in the environment for a long time. Mortar ammunition, rockets and other explosive weapons include heavy metals and TNT, which are carcinogenic. When these weapons were used in urban areas, e.g. in Kobani and Heseke, these substances mixed with dust from the destroyed buildings and found their way into citizens' respiratory tracts, into the water, and onto agricultural land. From there they found their way into the food.”

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libricino che riassume in poche parole e bellissime immagini perché è necessario dare una svolta alla Storia, non solo del Rojava ma di ogni paese. Consigliato a chi non conosce l'ambizioso progetto curdo o il concetto di anarcoecologismo e vuole un'introduzione ben fatta. Per chi già conosce abbastanza approfonditamente le problematiche politico-sociali e ambientali del che sono alla base della rivoluzione in Rojava (e che in realtà riguardano tutti) forse potrà essere un po' ripetitivo e generico. D'altronde, questo libro è una richiesta di collaborazione e di cooperazione e in quanto tale non può entrare troppo nello specifico della situazione attuale, ma più giustificare la visione del futuro che viene presentata e le soluzioni che si vorrebbero attuare in Rojava.
Bonus point: si può leggere gratuitamente sul sito Make Rojava Green Again.

[Melek · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOW WE DONATE TO ROJAVA????!!!! let me know plz

[Michael Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little beginners guide to the revolution in Rojava

[Dan Sumption · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most important thing about this book is that it exists. I am repeatedly surprised and frustrated by how few people have heard of Rojava, the radical society in Northern Syria formed upon ecological and feminist values. On the few occasions when its people make it onto the news in the UK, it is because of the "girls with guns" fighting ISIS: no context is ever given to why these women are fighting, or the radical new form of society they have built within a region of the world not generally known for its egalitarianism.

The book itself is a little basic - the first half of it describes the world's worsening ecological crisis and the failures of capitalism, none of which were new to me. Another quarter desribes the specific ecological and political challenges faced in the region between Syria and Turkey, both of which states are opposed to the Rojava Commune, with Turkey in particular doing everything in its power to eradicate it. The final quarter of the book describes the incredible work being done, under the hardest circumstances imaginable, to build a democratic society and to re-green Northern Syria. I would love to have read much more on this subject, but as a primer, and as a way of getting people more engaged and supportive of the Rojava Commune, this book is a great start.

[R. Reddebrek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative primer on social ecology. It quickly covers many of the interconnected ecological problems, from waste production, climate changes, pollution and soil erosion, and talks about many of the ways people in SANES and elsewhere are dealing with them and plan to take more steps further down the line. All in the middle of a deteriorating military situation while the major local powers esp Turkey and the Syrian government do what they can to divert and hamper this work both to reassert control and because they both view nature as a resource to exploit as commodities on the world market.

[Saif Elhendawi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was busy with exams so I have a bit of a backlog on reviewing my books this year, not easy catching up especially that I am still reading new stuff. Anyway, one down, seven more to go.

Part manifesto part polemic, this work details the multifaceted efforts undertaken in Rojava, the autonomous region in Northern Syria. These efforts range from the tangible and restorative – "raising fruit trees, building up depleted soil, and instituting safe water practices" – to the foundational societal transformations of fighting fascism, building schools, and fostering a political culture driven by "a woman-led society and care of the earth". A work like this is just what we need right now, given the concerning rise of authoritarianism and the far right all over the world. Sadly most revolutionary movements seem small and ineffective in their response, thus Rojava not only acts as a living example of revolutionary theory but is a noble effort to make a difference in the here and now. Given my latest political readings, I was looking for positive examples that showcase how we can build a better world, rather than just critique the bad one we currently reside in. It resonates deeply with the anti-authoritarian and cooperative ethics of Peter Kropotkin (see this and this as well ), the degrowth imperatives articulated by Jason Hickel ( in Less is More ), and Naomi Klein's urgent call for systemic change in the face of the climate crisis (particularly in her work, This changes everything ). Furthermore, the Rojava experiment itself, particularly its model of democratic confederalism, provides a compelling, albeit imperfect and embattled, contemporary example of decentralized, anarchic principles in action. The book's enduring value lies not in an exact depiction of a static reality, but in its mission statement for a just, ecological, and liberated society.




The practical implementation of democratic confederalism in Rojava relies on a nested system of councils and communes designed to facilitate bottom-up governance. At the base of this structure are the local communes (komina), typically organized at the neighborhood or village level. These communes are the primary sites of direct participation, where residents discuss local issues and make decisions. The communes then send delegates to larger assemblies at the town, cantonal (now regional), and ultimately, general assembly levels. This structure is intended to embody "bottom-up democracy," where decision-making power resides primarily at the local level, and problems are solved as directly and realistically as possible. Delegates to higher bodies are generally understood to be mandated by their sending communes and are tasked with reporting back, rather than possessing independent decision-making authority that could override local consensus. Parallel to this political structure, Rojava's economic model seeks to integrate cooperative principles with private enterprise, under the guiding notion of "ownership by use". The "People's Economy Plan" was launched to promote the development of communes and worker co-operatives across various sectors, including agriculture, construction, energy production, and local markets. This economic approach aims to meet the needs of the population and foster self-sufficiency, rather than prioritizing profit accumulation.



The book inevitably captures a specific moment in a rapidly evolving and intensely complex situation. The very nature of the Rojava conflict and the geopolitical dynamics of the Syrian war mean that the precise details on the ground are in constant flux. However, this temporal specificity does not necessarily diminish the book's core value; rather, it highlights the distinction between a snapshot of events and an enduring mission statement. The Rojava experiment is of immense significance as one of the few contemporary, large-scale attempts to construct a society explicitly based on anti-authoritarian, ecological, and feminist principles. The courage and innovation demonstrated in pursuing such a radical vision amidst unrelenting war, regional instability, and international power plays are remarkable. Updated versions of the book have been released and new ones will probably come out, you can get the book for free as well as a ton of other informative content at their website (also the source for the images in this review).

[Yoann Negre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le livre explique comment construire une société écologique, ni plus ni moins, et l'avancement du Rojava dans cette construction. Dans une première partie, il est question de théorie écologique, et donc de repositionner l'être humain à un niveau égal aux autres espèces du monde du vivant. Le lien est ainsi effectué entre la naissance de l'exploitation animale organisée à grande échelle dans les sociétés claniques et la rupture de cohésion entre humanité et nature, où la première cesse de prélever que ce que la seconde ne peut renouveler.

Le livre prône ainsi une déconstruction de nos besoins pour tendre vers une cohérence entre écosystèmes et les dits besoins. Ainsi qu'un changement d'échelle dans la façon que l'on a de produire de l'énergie, en passant des systèmes centralisés et dépendants (de façon permanente) de l'importation à des systèmes décentralisés qui multiplie les sources d'énergie, quitte à des importations temporaires pour obtenir de quoi produire des panneaux photovoltaïques ou du géothermique, c'est toujours plus rentable que du pétrole en terme d'autonomie. Surtout dans un contexte d'embargo et de contrôle de flux par la Turquie et le régime Syrien.

Le livre parle aussi de la façon d'organiser le traitement des déchets, la production d'engrais et la création de forêts, en plus de l'organisation de la production alimentaire en lien avec l'urbanisme. Il est mention de jardin forestiers, de Sylviculture et de développement d'écosystèmes dans les villes. Il est mention aussi de changer nos matériaux pour construire les maisons, avec de l'argile pour avoir de meilleurs isolations thermique que le béton, et d'autres éléments pour mieux organiser nos sociétés, comme la diversification des sources alimentaires, en opposition à la monoculture qui détruit les sols ou l'utilisation de l'eau grise pour l'agriculture.

Dans une dernière partie, le livre détaille le projet de l'académie internationaliste, actuellement en construction, pour accueillir des populations venant d'autres pays pour échanger sur la façon d'organiser la société, sur l'écologie mais aussi sur la démocratie radicale.

Le livre est court (130 pages) pour un prix de 8€ MAIS il est disponible gratuitement en ligne pour les personnes qui n'en auraient pas les moyens et qui voudraient le lire quand même. Lisez le, c'est aussi important qu'inspirant.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cool, little primer on the work happening in Rojava. It provides a nice introduction to social ecology, critiques capitalist modernity, and then describes the ecological challenges unique to Rojava, and what they're doing to address them.

I find the Rojavan social ecologist system of governance very appealing. Their system enables direct democracy at every level of government returning power to communities and municipalities. Such a system requires an educated populace, but I think the results speak for themselves. Rojava has sought to abolish hierarchy at every level, and in so doing, they've taken special care to restore humankind's relationship with the environment, as well as empowering women to be equal voices in their communities. As social ecology's founder, Murray Bookchin, writes, "Social ecology advances a message that calls not only for a society free of hierarchy and hierarchical sensibilities, but for an ethics that places humanity in the natural world as an agent for rendering evolution social and natural fully self-conscious." And Rojava is striving to accomplish exactly that.

As for capitalist modernity, they critique the endless pursuit of more and how it's ravaged our planet and even our interpersonal relations. In order to restore our communities and healthy, non-coercive relations with one another, we must also reckon with the rotten mentality inherent to capitalism. "Capitalism can no more be persuaded to limit growth than a human being can be persuaded to stop breathing."

It concludes with a call to action to anyone interested in supporting Rojava, whether with resources, a voice, or joining the commune. They ask for anyone with certain skills willing to come and be a part and they've even established an academy for visitors to learn about their system, the local language, and to assist in building up the commune. They've even asked for people with physics backgrounds so I may be able to finally put my degree to use...

They open the book with this quote from Che Guevara that captures the radical spirit of how I envision Rojava:

Above all be sensitive, in the deepest areas of yourselves, to any injustice committed against whoever it may be anywhere in the world. This is the most beautiful characteristic of revolutionary.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

We hope that we can contribute to finding ways out of the ecological crisis of our time. In the face of this crisis, so much seems lost and irrevocable. But we believe that people can make life better with their creative power, their understanding of justice, and their will to change. One of the most important aims of this book is to express this confidence.

Self-sufficiency, autonomy, organic fertilisation & capitalist modernity are your buzz words for this one.

It's one of those books which seamlessly melds text, illustrations, pop-out quotes (I now have a love for Murray Bookchin) and photography into one. It's very pleasing to sift through.

It adds to the growing literature on what must be done to protect our staggeringly unique environment. Importantly, it does not come across as over-ambitious, but focuses on real, achievable change. It also demonstrates this with real-world examples. (Although it's message is distorted by a call for donations, an implication that, ultimately, there is a limit to what can be done without money).

It made me think a lot. Here are some of my thoughts:

I think creativity has been lost in some way. Not in the sense that we lack creativity in society; there are masses of artistic people who make amazing products and experiences that we are fortunate to consume. I'm referring to the natural creativity that exists in every person. That creativity which requires time and headspace to sink in.

I feel strongly that individual creativity can much easier come to fruition through a relationship with the land. Although an outdoorsy job may be repetitive, it doesn't rival the monotonous content beamed into our smartphones. We just hook up to the matrix. Day after day. You get the same content as a person living 12,000 miles away. Social media powers can be used for good. But as always, moderation is key (and is not often not acheived).

The liberty-based market-capitalism dogma is that it allows us the freedom to choose what we want. But there is an irony here. Especially in its modern forms, social media & communication makes us more and more similar. Broadly speaking we don't see different things through our phones, we see the same things, and it dilutes our individuality and creativity.

One way we can get back to a personal sense of worth and meaning must be through a relationship with the land. So many people seem lost because they aren't comfortable with themselves. It's easier to plug in the online drip-feed than actually deal with the causes of their discontent.

Electronic engagement must be offset by engagement with nature. We are natural beings. We should never forget that.

In modern times humans have become a wolf not only to humans, but to all nature.

P.S. Much respect to Dog Section Press who, true to their motto, 'make books that bite'.

[Natú · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great, short book (that's available as a free PDF to boot). First of all, it presents a great working definition of social ecology, which is valuable considering how relatively young the discipline is. Namely, it defines social ecology as the study of the dialectic between human society and the natural environment. Humans (and by extension, their forms of social organization) are part of the natural world, not separate from it, so both the economic base and superstructural organization of human society are intimately bound up with the health, balance, and development of the rest of the natural world.

This book offers up a good theorization on how the development of economic relations and the resulting shifts in the superstructure affected humans' relationship to the rest of the natural world, and how a break with the capitalist conceptualization of nature as something to be dominated requires not just a "moral" break with the current status quo, but a reorganization of the set of economic relations which produce our relationships to nature in the first place.

Finally, the book offers brief looks at the Kurdish Freedom Movement's ecological struggles in both Rojava and Bakur, and how ecological struggle is inextricably tied to women's emancipation and the socio-economic emancipation of society more broadly.

[Edmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make Rojava Green Again is a short booklet aimed to give a brief overview of the historical background and context of the struggles and the building of an ecological society in Rojava. It does this relatively well, with easily understood language, illustrations and pictures. Of course, this is a somewhat propagandised account of Rojava, which is to be expected, but one can see their beliefs and actions aligned. I think that this booklet is powerful as a primer to the ideas of Öcalan in action, and the logic of their actions in the contexts are well explained.

However, I do think that there are some criticisms that can be levelled at this booklet. The romanticisation of pre-industrial, indigenous ways at the start of the book is at times overdone, and the scientific justifications for things like climate change are slightly inaccurate. I can only assume that the agricultural and ecological parts are more accurate. The section that discusses the actual efforts are unfortunately too short.

Overall, this is still a good booklet that elucidates well the motivations and function of a democratic self-governance, and a somewhat biased account of its actual implementation. It functions well to introduce people to the ideas of Öcalan and Bookchin, and hopefully inspires people to dream of creative alternatives to the systems we have in place today.

[Roxerg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick introduction to the infrastructural challenges facing contemporary Rojavan autonomous administration and potential as well as ongoing measures to fight them ecologically and sustainably.

At least half of the book (pamphlet?) was dedicated to general discussion of destructive philosophy of capitalism, and framing of humanity as outside of nature. The transition from this broad topic to the current state of Rojava felt a bit abrupt. The Rojava-specific part of the book felt very rapid-fire and spent very little time on each of the topics it touched upon. I personally hoped for more introduction to the region and its history rather than that of global capital, but looking back at the title of the book I suppose it makes sense as ecology gets the spotlight.

It works fine as a quick introduction of Rojava's green potential, has some great quotes by Öcalan and Bookchin, and includes a welcome call-to-action with some concrete pathways to contribute.

[Blake Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, really.

Rojava is an amazing project and I'm so happy to know about it. It seems to be one of the most truly revolutionary things happening in the world right now.

The book spends a lot of time talking about the ecological sides of the project, which are all super interesting, but it needs some more meat on its bones. Sharing more practical knowledge or introducing Rojava's systems for health care, education, community peacekeeping, etc. would have made it feel more substantial. It also starts out by romanticizing early human cultures and expounding ideas about societal progression that are just not complete/true.

Read this as a quick primer if you want, then go research Rojava more on your own. This book really only skims the surface.

[Noah Skocilich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying practical description of the ecological work being done by the autonomous democratic confederation of Rojava in Northern Syria.

The text describes the specific projects being undertaken, and contextualizes it all in the historical situation of Rojava and the specific political project (Democratic Confederalism) now being undertaken in that context.

Very helpful in beginning to get a sense not only of the practical reality of life on the ground there, but also the reality of the historical situation and the nature of the overall political project.

[Monika Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great plug for the Internationalist Commune of Rojava. It explains their political, economic and social-ecological project in a way that is probably hard to find elsewhere.
It offers a great summation of the concept of social ecology before moving toward an analysis of Rojava’s struggles and their plans for pathway forward. It even provides straightforward suggestion of how you can get involved in their movement.
It’s good, quick read.

[Dylan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. Go eco socialism. Some of the claims seemed like they needed further explanation. And then did not get that further explanation. Also was hard to differentiate if the authors were the ones who liberated rojava and made these changes or some international foreigners who are coming in and helping but haven’t actually done anything yet. If it’s the latter this is lowkey pathetic but I hope it’s the former.

[Rose Kali · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about their analysis of the genesis of capitalism, I philosophically completely agree that the belief of seeing ourselves as one with the world is essential to the liberation of all parts of it. Social ecology is actually fascinating as an ideology and the brave people of Rojava are doing amazing things to truly create a society that I hope other areas take note of. I really need to read the works of Abdullah Ocalan to get a further understanding.

[Mitchell Stern · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic primer on the problems and promises of the ongoing development of Rojava. It both makes the case for social ecology and democratic economics and offers a blueprint for how such a society can be structured and function (an essential component in making the case for a vision all too rarely implemented).

[OskariF · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tiivis paketti yhteiskunnan rakentamisen ekologisista haasteista. Sisältää myös Rojavan yhteiskuntamallista kiinnostuneille maistiaisia demokraattisen konfederalismin ideologisesti sisällöstä. Yhteiskuntaekologiaa tai Rojavaa paremmin tuntevalle kirja ei tarjoa kuitenkaan kauhean paljon.

Kirja itsessään on hyvin tuotettu ja siinä on kivoja valokuvia sekä kuvitusta.

[Alp Yüksel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Educational book, short read. Turkey and IS cutting or poisoning the soil or the water even in the middle of a lost battle shows what kind of evil forces these two are. Ecology is one of the most important but the most ignored aspect of democratic confederalism, so shoutout the authors for actually touching this topic for once.

[Lea]

I don’t think this is a very ratable book as it reads more like a brochure or mission statement. The first half about the communist/ Marxist explanation on ways of living and production was not very new to me, but the second half about the specific situation in Rojava was interesting.

[Iker · Rating 5 out of 5]

La biblia para el bolsillo del siglo XXI.

[Serena VCK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational project that makes me hopeful for all of our futures. Being involved and on top of Rojava makes you a good international comrade! IMO.