RPA Mag

A publication of the Radical Philosophy Association

Editors’ Introduction

Introduction to RPA Mag from the editors.

by Brandon AbsherFebruary 18, 2018

Welcome to RPA Mag!

RPA Mag is an online publication of the Radical Philosophy Association. With this online magazine, we hope to allow philosophers, who are often engaged in highly technical and abstract debates, to reach a wider public and to promote discussion of important issues from a radical philosophical perspective.

The urgency and necessity of such an intervention of radical philosophy into public debate is hard to overstate. Since the Occupy Movement of 2011, the United States has seen waves of protest and social struggle unlike anything since the 1960s — culminating in the unprecedented Women’s March in response to the inauguration of President Trump. At the same time, young people in the United States are increasingly sympathetic to socialism and critical of capitalism. Yet, regressive forces have also grown in strength. The rise of Donald Trump to the US presidency was unmistakably fueled by both racist and sexist reaction and popular resentment of the political establishment. Along with him, organized white supremacist, anti-immigrant, and sexist organizations have seen a rise in visibility and popularity. These trends are being replicated all around the globe. Given the current state of things, it seems, the center cannot hold.

There is much to fear in this situation. As Noam Chomsky has stated repeatedly and as recent events have made apparent, the presidency of Donald Trump poses an existential threat to humanity. The absurdity of his crude posturing aside, his escalation of nuclear tensions around the world and his willingness to use unimaginably devastating conventional weapons raises the likelihood of a world-ending war to levels unseen since the fall of the Soviet Union. His climate denialism and pro-fossil fuel policies are no less dangerous — even if their effects unfold at a slower pace. Sea levels are rising and climate related natural disasters likewise appear to be increasing in frequency and ferocity. The world is already experiencing the first intimations of a massive climate refugee crisis — likely exacerbating nativism and anti-immigrant attitudes in the affluent centers of global capitalism — but the leader of the world’s largest economy and most powerful military cannot be relied upon to even face the problem. Nonetheless, in this midst of this crisis there is much room for hope.

We are at a crossroads. But another world is possible. Please join us here at RPA Mag as we explore the possibilities of this radical alternative!

We accept submissions for publication from members of the Radical Philosophy Association. You can go here to join the RPA. For instructions about how to sign up and submit, take a look at our About Page. Please share what you read here widely and follow the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.


Yours In Struggle,
The Editors (Tanya, José, Richard, and Brandon)