Abstract

The Zapatista Army for National Liberation burst onto the world stage on 1 January 1994. Zapatista commander Subcomandante Marcos announced a revolution, and declared war on the Mexican government and global capitalism. Since then, the Zapatistas have inspired thousands of activists across the world. They have attracted much attention from political theorists and analysts. Despite this, there is little consensus about the real nature and efficacy of the movement.

Zapatistas provides a bold new approach to understanding the insurrection. Mentinis spent nine months visiting the Zapatista autonomous zone, and the result is this unique exploration of the indigenous political theory emerging within the movement. Combining this with an analysis of the integrity of the Zaptista project, Mentinis draws on the concept of the 'event' from Badiou, ideas from Situationism, the 'project of autonomy' of Cornelius Castoriadis and the 'constituent power' of Antonio Negri, to present a rigourous account of the movement and the impact it has had on radical political theory.
'A bold new approach to the Chiapas insurrection, to explore what the Zapatistas mean for the future of radical politics everywhere. Drawing on situationist and autonomist ideas, this is a truly innovative read!'
Philosophy Football
'Shows convincingly that various discourses which have tried to explain the movement from within their pre-constituted terms are flawed'
Raymond van de Wiel, Birbeck University of London, Political Studies Review
'Illuminates new modes of political organisation, and provides theoretical and practical engagement with the Zapatista uprising against contemporary neoliberal capitalism. The reader will be better armed with a desire for revolution'
Professor Ian Parker, Manchester Metropolitan University
'Very interesting. Mentinis takes discussion of the Zapatistas to a level beyond most commentaries'
Professor John Holloway, Instituto de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades of the BenemÈrita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla in Mexico