The Palgrave Handbook of Anarchism

by Carl Levy (Editor), Matthew S. Adams (Editor)

Overview

This handbook, in its second edition, unites leading scholars from around the world in exploring anarchism as a political ideology, from an examination of its core principles, an analysis of its history, and an assessment of its contribution to the struggles that face humanity today. Grounded in a conceptual and historical approach, each entry charts what is distinctive about the anarchist response to particular intellectual, political, cultural and social phenomena, and considers how these values have changed over time. In this second edition, eight new chapters cover salient political issues, including Black Anarchism, the American Individualists, Anarchism and Psychology, Anarchism and Punk, Anarchism and Disability, and other topics. At its heart is a sustained process of conceptual definition and an extended examination of the core claims of this frequently misunderstood political tradition. It is the definitive scholarly reference work on anarchism as a political ideology, and should be a crucial text for scholars, students, and activists alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031980299
Publisher:	Springer Nature Switzerland
Publication date:	03/07/2026
Edition description:	Second Edition 2026
Pages:	800
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Carl Levy taught and researched at the Open University, the University of Kent at Canterbury, Queen Mary, University of London and at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he was Professor of Politics. He has published eleven edited or single-authored books and eighty journal articles and edited chapters, including Gramsci and the Anarchists (Berg/NYU, 1999) and Carl Levy and Saul Newman (eds.), The Anarchist Imagination: Anarchism Encounters the Humanities and the Social Sciences (Routledge, 2019), and he is currently writing a biography entitled, Errico Malatesta: the Rooted Cosmopolitan, the Life and Times of an Italian Anarchist.

Matthew S. Adams is Senior Lecturer in the History of Political Thought at Loughborough University, UK and co-editor of the journal Anarchist Studies.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction.- 2. The State.- 3. Individual and Community.- 4. Freedom.- 5. Anti-Capitalism and Libertarian Political Economy.- 6. Tactics: Conceptions of Social Change, Revolution, and Anarchist Organisation.- 7. Anarchism and Cosmopolitanism.- 8. Anti-Imperialism.- 9. Anarchism and Religion.- 10. Anarchism and Science.- 11. Mutualism.- 12. Individualism.- 13. Anarchist Communism.- 14. Syndicalism.- 15. Anarcha-Feminism.- 16. Green Anarchism.- 17. Postanarchism.- 18. Black Anarchism.- 19. The American Individualists.- 20. The French Revolution and 1848.- 21. Anarchism and the First International.- 22. The Spectre of the Commune and French Anarchism in the 1890s.- 23. Haymarket and the Rise of Syndicalism.- 24. The Era of Propaganda by the Deed.- 25. Anarchism and the First World War.- 26. Anarchism and Marxism in the Russian Revolution.- 27. The Spanish Civil War.- 28. Anarchism and 1968 - 29. From the Zapatistas to Seattle: The ‘New Anarchists’.- 30. Utopianism and Intentional Communities .- 31. Anarchist Education.- 32. The City, Urban Planning & Architecture.- 33. Anarchism and Ethics.- 34. Literature and Anarchism.- 35. Anarchism and Art.- 36. Gender and Sexuality.- 37. Post-Industrial & Digital Society.- 38. Farming and Food.- 39. Anarchism and the Newest Social Movements.- 40. Non-Western Anarchisms and Postcolonialism.- 41. Anarchism and Indigeneity.- 42. Squares, Occupy Movements and the Arab Spring.- 43. Archaeology and Anarchism.- 44. Anarchism and Psychology.- 45. Anarchism and Punk.- 46. Anarchism and Geography.- 47. Anarchism and Disability.- 48. Anarchism and Black Lives Matter.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This excellent collection of essays shows how anarchist critique has given rise to a living, dynamic tradition and why that critique remains vital.” (Ruth Kinna, Loughborough University, UK)

“This is an indispensable reference work for anyone interested in the history and theory of anarchism.” (Gregory Claeys, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)

“Will certainly become the key text on anarchism....No anarchist stone is left unturned or thrown.” (Donald Sassoon, Queen Mary, University of London, UK)

“This is an illuminating, comprehensive, and thought-provoking volume.” (Duncan Bell, Christ's College, University of Cambridge, UK)

“This book will be essential reading to anyone interested in making sense of both our past and of the politics of 21st century.” (Ilaria Favretto, Kingston University, London)

Editorial Reviews

This resource provides a thorough account of anarchist history and ideas. … This exceptional book makes an important contribution to the study of this topic. Essays could be assigned to students in various disciplines including history, political science, environmental studies, and women’s studies. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.” (E. S. Danowitz, Choice, Vol. 56 (5), January, 2019)​

From the Publisher