Friederike Habermann is an independent economist, historian, and scholar-activist. Her research is particularly concerned with the interlinkage of sexist, racist, classist, anthropocentric and other power relations with market society. She views commoning as a promising alternative to these power relations and she has been active as a press coordinator in the global grassroots movement, Peoples’ Global Action.
This is a refreshing and challenging book. It confronts the only scientific question that is left to us, how to get rid of capitalism (or market society), and in the process it brings together an impressive range of sources and ways of thinking and struggling. It opens doors, suggests directions, stirs us up. Just what is so desperately needed. John Holloway, Professor of Sociology, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico Friederike Habermann has given the world a wonderful gift in Overcoming Exploitation and Externalization. Not only has she analysed and distilled two hundred years of Marxist, decolonial, and feminist social theorists, but she has brought a unique and piercing insight that exceeds them all. This is the work of a giant standing on the shoulders of giants. Raj Patel, Research Professor, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin, USA Friederike Habermann combines her decades of activist experience on global and local levels and her profound knowledge of economic, Marxist, feminist, poststructuralist and postcolonial theory to weave an intersectional theory of hegemony – a theory which allows us to perceive of the huge task of overcoming global capitalism not as something deferred to a utopian future, but as a practical work we can tackle every day in our lives. A thoughtful manual for revolution through commoning which highlights our agency while not ignoring the structures, spreading hope and courage. Professor Aram Ziai, Professor of Development Policy and Postcolonial Studies, University of Kassel, Germany