ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book considers a range of international protests and cycles of contention that emerged after the financial crash of 2007/2008. It focuses on the impact of digital media on the left-wing movement RevSoc in Egypt and draws on the famous Gezi Park rebellion in 2013, located next to Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey. The book also focuses on urban activism and its relationship with the touristification in European cities. It discusses the evolution, situation and prospects of left-wing parties and groups in Chile, with a special focus from the student protests of 2011 up to the present time. The book demonstrates flaws in the particular school of thought around hegemony and argues that left-wing movements need to bring K. Marx’s critique of political economy back into their practical analysis of contemporary capitalism.
