Sozialrevolutionäre Stadtteilarbeit

A few years ago, a strategic debate emerged within the radical left in Germany regarding how political work can shift from a focus on one's own scene to the broader society and its social struggles. From this search movement, various neighborhood groups have arisen, aiming to counter profit orientation, competition, and isolation with a solidarity-based and needs-oriented practice. They connect with local living conditions through grassroots work and contribute to the politicization of the neighborhood along everyday conflicts. In their active engagement with neighbors, they distinguish themselves from traditional info shops and leftist scene meeting places, while also clearly separating themselves from social work and reformist approaches due to their revolutionary aspirations. Their organizing efforts in the neighborhood encompass issues such as rent and labor struggles, feminism and care work, as well as anti-racism, thereby linking various social movements at the local level. To contribute to the further development of this practical approach, the group Vogliamo tutto interviewed five of these initiatives about their experiences and long-term perspectives, seeking to understand the specifics of their practice, their strategies, what succeeds and what does not, and why. The conversations provide rich material for reflection—both for activists pursuing or planning similar practices and for anyone wondering how we can contribute to an emancipatory transformation of our society.