S2E13 — Revolution in Rojava

Socialist Rifle Association Podcast

Faye and Austin collect eyewitness accounts of the revolution in Rojava — the remote corner of northeastern Syria where Kurds and other peoples organized to defend themselves from ISIS, and constructed an experimental new society in the midst of the Syrian Civil War. Based on the political theory of Abdullah Ocalan, synthesizing socialism, feminism, and the writings of American anarchist Murray Bookchin, northeast Syria's Democratic Confederalist system has been an inspiration to socialists and anarchists the world over. Today the Rojavan Revolution is in a dire and uncertain position, betrayed by the Trump administration, caught between a genocidal invasion by Turkey from the north, and the authoritarian Syrian state to the south.

To document what has transpired in the region, we've interviewed journalist Robert Evans who visited Rojava in August 2019, as well as Josh and Charlie, two members of the International Brigades of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who fought in the liberation of Raqqa from ISIS in 2016-2017. We hope that their first-hand perspectives can help shed light on the situation in the region, and inspire western socialists and anarchists to learn from Rojava and apply lessons from their revolution to their own activism and organizing.

Guests:
Robert Evans
Twitter: @IwriteOK
Behind the Bastards: https://www.behindthebastards.com/
It Could Happen Here: https://www.itcouldhappenherepod.com/
Worst Year Ever: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-worst-year-ever-49377032/

Charlie & Josh
Twitter: @SabCharlie

Socialist Rifle Association
Website: https://socialistra.org/
Twitter: @SocialistRA
Instagram: @SocialistRA
Facebook: @SocialistRifle
Faye's Twitter: @FayeEcklar