Surplus citizens

The crisis in Greece has elicited the full spectrum of responses—from optimism for a left-leaning parliamentary politics inspired by Syriza’s electoral victory, to pessimism about the intransigence of the European Union and calls for the reinstatement of a full national sovereignty. In ‘Surplus Citizens’, Dimitra Kotouza draws on ethnographic research and direct involvement in movements to explore the social struggles in Greece during the recent period of crisis: from the citizen-centered movement of the people’s assemblies to new forms of labor activism, environmentalism, anti-fascist resistance, and pro-refugee activism. Interrogating the strengths, contradictions, and limits of collective action, ‘Surplus Citizens’ highlights the relevance of Greece’s struggles to movements across Europe as we continue to traverse a global financial crisis.