Berkman Luncheon Series

The Spanish Revolution & the Internet: From free culture to meta-politics
Mayo Fuster Morell, Berkman Center Fellow

Tuesday, November 22, 12:30 pm (Boston Time Zone – 18:30 Spanish State time
zone)
Berkman Center, 23 Everett Street, second floor

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2011/11/morell

In the context of multiple crises – ecological, political, financial and
geopolitical restructuring – there are emerging forms of social cooperation.

In the Spanish case, we have seen some of the largest demonstrations since
the country made its transition to democracy in the 70s with massive
occupations of public squares, attempts to prevent parliaments? functioning
and citizen assemblies of thousands of people taking place in spring and
autumn 2011. Large mobilizations are also taking place in other countries
(such as Arab countries, Iceland, Greece, and more recently the United
States). In the Spanish case, the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement
played an important role in the rising and shaping of the mobilization. The
campaign against “Sinde Law” (on restrictive Internet regulation) in
December 2010 and its afterworld meta-political derivation into “Don’t vote
them” campaign (meaning do not vote for the parties which approved Sinde
law) are considered a starting point and one of the trajectories that most
contributed to the generation of the “Indignate”/15th of May mobilization
cycle for a “True Democracy Now”. Additionally, the Free Culture and
Digital Commons Movement has influenced the organizational logic of the
“Indignate” mobilization (particularly in terms of new technologies usage
for the collective achievement of common goals); however, in turn, the
“Indignate” mobilization has also stressed a split between two sectors in
the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement itself (the performative one
focusing on building commons keeping a political ambivalence and the
campaigning sector aiming to mobilize citizens and intervene in the
institutional politics arena).

In sum, Mayo Fuster Morell will first present the role of the Free Culture
and Digital Commons Movement in the genealogy of the “Indignate” Movement
in Spanish State. Then, she will analyze the commonalities and differences
between both emerging forms of social cooperation (contrasting “digital
commons” initiatives such as Wikipedia and “society commons” initiatives
such as Square Occupations) that together suggest a shift to a more active
role of civic society in managing and producing public goods and services.
However, this shift to a more active role of civic society is taking place
at a time in which the State adopts more authoritarian modes and is
controlled by private interests of an each time more concentrated market
agents.

The presentation will be based on the results of previous/ongoing
qualitative and quantitative research on the Free Culture and Digital
Commons Movement and the “Indignate” Movement, and develop a political
analysis.

Webcast: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/webcast
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