ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews how contemporary notions of capitalist ‘self-management’ are economically exploitive and socially oppressive and provides an overview of the ways the anarchist ideal of ‘self-management’ challenges this capitalist concept. It introduces concept of ‘anarchic selves-management’ that focuses on expanding the opportunities a person has to experience multiple identities and lifestyles. The chapter explores how this idea of ‘selves-management’ can guide the creation of alternative forms of anarchist organizing and organization. The idea of ‘self-management’ may sound new but has deep historical roots. In contrast to the neo-normative management strategies, which encourage the management of self, there are longstanding anarchist ideas of ‘self-management’ which show how the concept could be understood quite differently. By contrast, anarchism is suspicious of capitalist demands for ‘self-discipline’ as a form of ‘self-management’ in favour of an individual and collective life focused on experimentation and exploration. Anarchism thus offers a novel and quite revolutionary perspective for thinking about ourselves as individuals with different identities.
