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The Institutions of Extraterrestrial Liberty Charles S. Cockell (Editor)

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TheInstitutionsofExtraterrestrialLiberty

TheInstitutionsof ExtraterrestrialLiberty

SchoolofPhysicsandAstronomy,UniversityofEdinburgh,UK

GreatClarendonStreet,Oxford,OX26DP, UnitedKingdom

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©CharlesS.Cockell2022

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PublishedintheUnitedStatesofAmericabyOxfordUniversityPress 198MadisonAvenue,NewYork,NY10016,UnitedStatesofAmerica

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7.EssayontheScottishIslands,theirlessonsforextraterrestrial governance,andasketchoftheapplicationsofthisknowledge tosettlementsbeyondEarth

2.FromMucktoMars:ASummaryofthePotentialofScottishIslands

3.LessonsontheEstablishmentofInitialSettlementsfrom ScottishIslands

3.1Ontheformsofcommunityandlibertyinsmallsettlements

3.2Ontheformsofgovernanceinmediumsettlements: Lairdshipversusdemocracy

3.4Conversation:Anunderappreciatedmechanismof communitycohesion

3.5Ontheneedforcommonpurposeandthecontroloffaction

3.6Ontheneedforasphereofself-governance

3.7Onthetensionbetweencapitalisticorsocialisteconomics

3.8Ontheroleofinformationindilutingtyranny

4.AGeneralSketchoftheTrajectoryofaNewExtraterrestrial SettlementConstructedfromtheExampleofScottishIslands

8.ThelawofMars’colonization

RaphaëlCosta

1.InternationalSpaceLawtoRegulateMars’Colonization

2.1ThelegalityofMartiancolonizing

2.1.1ThelegalityofthedefinitivehumanoccupationofMars

2.1.2ThelegalityofMars’mining

2.1.3ThelegalityofMars’militarycolonization

2.2ThelegalconditionsofMars’colonization:Respect ofinternationalspacelawprovisions

2.2.1Exclusivelyusepersonaljurisdiction

2.2.2Protectthesettlers

2.2.3Theenvironmentalobligations:Thehypothesisofterraforming

2.2.4Thecooperationobligations

3.TheLegalProblemsofaLong-durationMartianColony

3.1LegalissueswithintheMartianbaseitself

3.1.1Thelegalorganizationofthecolony

3.1.2Thelegalregimesofthehabitats

3.1.3ThelocaluseofMartianresources

3.1.4Theprogressivedevelopmentofinstitutionsandofa complexlegalsystem

3.1.5ThelegalrelationshipbetweenMartianforeigners

3.2.2Thehypothesisofacolony’sIndependenceDay

3.2.3Therelevanceofamaintainedunequallinkwiththecolony

3.2.4Theopportunitytocreateastatefreeofterritory

3.2.5Theendofactualspacelaw?

9.Brighteningtheskies:Institutionalsolutionstothesocietal andgeopoliticalrisksofspaceexpansionism

12.‘WehavecometoMarsforgood’:Sciencefiction,sovereignty, andthechallengesofliberty 173

SimonMalpas

1.Introduction:LivingonMars

2.‘ForGood’:PoliticsandColonizationinKim StanleyRobinson’sMarsTrilogy 174

3.A‘StateofException’:ThePsychologicalChallenges ofExtraterrestrialExistence 176

4.‘ACommonPowertoKeepThemAllinAwe’:Extraterrestrial Sovereignty

5.WritingLiberty:ScienceFiction’sExplorations ofExtraterrestrialSovereignty

13.Securingthelong-termpeacefuluseofspace

AllanMcKenna 1.Introduction

2.4Inadvertentescalation

3.CooperationorCompetition?

14.Indigenousinclusionwithinthedemocratizationofspace

TonyMilligan 1.DemocratizingSpace

15.Decouplingphysicalandspiritualascentnarrativesin

18.Makinghistorycosmic,makingcosmichistory:Waking uptotherichnessoflife’spotentialsbeyondEarth,or,how consequenceandcontingencybecameastronomicalinscope

2.TheExpandingHorizonofHistory

2.1Makinghistorycosmicenablesmakingcosmichistory

4.PenuriesofBeingPlanet-Locked,#1:ScarceHabitability

21.Sovereignstates,privateactors,and(national)spacelaws.A rapidlyevolvinglandscape

StefaniaPaladiniandIgnazioCastellucci

1.SpaceAge2.0.ABraveNewWorld

2.TheExistingLegalFramework

2.1The‘OuterSpaceTreaty’(OST)1967

2.2The‘RescueAgreement’(RA)1968

2.3The‘LiabilityConvention’(LC)1972

2.4The‘RegistrationConvention’(RC)1976

2.5The‘MoonAgreement’(Moon)1979

3.AnOutdatedFramework?

4.TheCaseofIridium33andCosmos2251Collision

5.SpaceLaw,Governance,andRegulation—BacktotheFuture?

5.1SpaceLawandGovernance:acomplexenvironment

5.2TheWestphalianparadigm

5.3Theneedforapost-Westphalianparadigm

5.4Thecaseforgloballegalpluralism

5.5Anewparadigmforspacelaw

5.6Nationalstatesandterritorialspacelaws

6.WhichNationalSpaceLaw?AComparativeApproach

6.1USA:U.S.CommercialSpaceLaunchCompetitiveness Act—Title51(PublicLaw114–90114thCongress,25 November2015)

6.2Luxemburg:‘Loidu20juillet2017surl’explorationet l’utilisationdesressourcesdel’espace’andfollowing regulations

6.3TheUK—SpaceIndustryAct2018

9.HowWeDealwithaDevelopingSpaceNormative Environment.ScenariosandOpportunities

BurkhardSchafer

1.CountdowntotheChapterin10,9,8…

2.WhenFriedeMeetsMaria

3.NoticeandTakedownRequestsfromGroundControlto MayorTom

23.Justiceinspace:Demandingpoliticalphilosophyfor demandingenvironments

JamesS.J.Schwartz

24.Extraterrestrialgovernance:Whytheconstitutionsofplanets shouldbegroundedintheconstitutionoftheirinhabitants

MichaelShermer

25.Globallegalpluralismandouterspacelaw:TheAssociation ofAutonomousAstronautsasasocio-legalcommunity

26.Onlibertariancommunitiesin/aroundouterspace:Is ecologyanantithesistoliberty?

27.LawandlibertyontheMoon

ListofContributors

ZarinahAgnew,SocialScienceObservatory,CommunesResearchCommune,District Commons(withEldridgeCruse,KevinBruce,EngelbertWilfredPerlas,andJosephKrauter).

StephenBaxter,c/oChristopherSchelling,SelectricArtists,9UnionSquare#123,Southbury, CT06488,USA.

AnnaleaBeattie,AmityUniversity,Mumbai,RMITUniversity,Melbourne,MarsSociety Australia,NationalSpaceSocietyofAustralia.

MukeshBhatt,Birkbeck,BirkbeckCollege,UniversityofLondon,London,UK.

OctavioAlfonsoChonTorres,UniversidaddeLima,Lima,Perú.

ElenaCirkovic,EcosystemsandEnvironmentResearchProgramme,HelsinkiInstituteof SustainabilityScience(HELSUS),UniversityofHelsinki,Finland.

CharlesCockell,SchoolofPhysicsandAstronomy,TheUniversityofEdinburgh,Edinburgh, UK.

RaphaëlCosta,Paris–SaclayUniversity,Paris,France.

IanA.Crawford,DepartmentofEarthandPlanetarySciences,BirkbeckCollege,MaletStreet, London,UK.

JanetdeVigne,MorayHouseSchoolofEducationandSport,TheUniversityofEdinburgh, Edinburgh,UK.

MartinElvis,Harvard–SmithsonianCenterforAstrophysics,60GardenStreet,Cambridge MA,USA.

SimonMalpas,EnglishLiterature,TheUniversityofEdinburgh,Edinburgh,UK.

AllanMcKenna,SchoolofLaw,UniversityofGlasgow,Glasgow,UK.

TonyMilligan,CosmologicalVisionariesproject,King’sCollegeLondon,London,UK.

LucasMix,DurhamUniversity,Durham,UK.

EthanMorales,UniversityofCalifornia—Berkeley,Berkeley,CA,USA.

SimonMorden,13EgremontDrive,Gateshead,UK.

ThomasMoynihan,StBenet’sCollege,TheUniversityofOxford,Oxford,UK.

ChrisNewman,NorthumbriaLawSchool,NorthumbriaUniversity,Newcastle,UK(with WilliamRalston).

AnthonyPagden,UniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles,CA,USA.

StefaniaPaladini,BirminghamCityUniversity,Birmingham,UK(withIgnazioCastellucci).

BurkhardSchafer,EdinburghLawSchool,TheUniversityofEdinburgh,Edinburgh,UK.

JimSchwartz,DepartmentofPhilosophy,WichitaStateUniversity,Kansas,USA.

MichaelShermer,TheSkepticsSociety,USA.

SaskiaVermeylen,LawSchool,UniversityofStrathclyde,LordHopeBuilding,141StJames Road,Glasgow,UK.

MatjazVidmar,TheUniversityofEdinburgh,Edinburgh,UK.

FransvonderDunk,UniversityofNebraska-Lincoln,Lincoln,NE,USA.

SheriWells-Jensen,BowlingGreenStateUniversity,BowlingGreen,OH,USA.

JoanneWheeler,AldenLegal,London,UK.

RobertZubrin,MarsSociety,11111W.8thAve.unitA,Lakewood,CO,USA.

Introduction

ThereisaviewthatwhenweestablishpermanentsettlementsbeyondtheEarthwe shouldstartagain,thatweshouldnottakewithusthemistakesandconflictsofour pastandrepeattheminspace,thatweshouldstrivefornewsocialarrangementsthat transcendthedisagreementsofthepast.Yethumanscannotescapethemselvesand therearecertainargumentsanddisagreementsthatwillcontinueinspacewhether wewishthemtoornot.Oneofthoseistheeternaldiscussiononlibertyandwhat libertiespeopleshouldorshouldnothave.AsThomasHobbesrecognizedoverthree centuriesago(Hobbes1651),thisisamatterthathasnoobviousresolution:

ForinawaybesetwiththosethatcontendononesidefortoogreatLiberty,andon theothersidefortoomuchAuthority,‘tishardtopassebetweenthepointsofboth unwounded.

Ifweweretoaskourselveswhenpeoplefirstbegantoconsiderthequestionof libertyintheextraterrestrialenvironment,wewouldrealizethatalthoughpeople maynothaveexplicitlyusedtheword‘liberty’inconnectionwithspaceexploration andsettlementuntilquiterecently,thematterisimplicitineverythingtodowith theseactivities.WhenKonstantinTsiolkovskymemorablywrote:‘Earthisthecradle ofhumanity,butonecannotremaininthecradleforever’,hewasmakingastatementaboutthechoicetoremainshackledtoEarthorseekthelibertytomoveout beyondit(Tsiolkovsky1911).Thiswasinessenceastatementabouthumanlibertyof asort.

Thefirsttentativestepstoformulateideasabout‘planetaryprotection’inthe1950s and1960s,regulationsthatgoverntheacceptablecontaminationofotherplanetary bodieswithbiotafromEarthandviceversa,werealwaysgoingtoimpingedirectlyon missioncosts,planning,andeventhelocationswherewecouldsendspacemissions. Planetaryprotectionisadiscussiononthetypesandexpressionsofscientificand technicallibertyinthespaceenvironment.Needlesstosay,alldiscussionsaboutthe weaponizationofspaceareovertdiscussionsaboutthelibertiesthatpeoplehavein spaceandthewayinwhichtheconductofpeopleinspacemightinfluenceothers.As onEarth,noactioninspace,ordecisionabouttheuseofspace,whetherscientific, technical,orlegal,isdevoidofconsequencesforthewayinwhichotherscanoperate. Therefore,argumentsaboutlibertyinspacehadbegunassoonashumansimagined movingintothatdomain.

Nowadays,peopleunsurprisinglytakemuchoftheirleadinthesediscussionsfrom existinginstrumentsofspacelawthattouchonmattersoffreedomtooperateinspace suchastheUnitedNationsOuterSpaceTreatyorMoonTreaty.Inthisvolume,these CharlesS.Cockell, Introduction.In: TheInstitutionsofExtraterrestrialLiberty EditedbyCharlesS.Cockell,OxfordUniversityPress.©CharlesS.Cockell(2022). DOI:10.1093/oso/9780192897985.003.0001

legalinstruments,andothers,arecitedoften.Itisaltogethersensiblethatexisting legalframeworksaredeveloped,refined,andimprovedinanevolutionarywaysince agreatdealoftimehasalreadybeenspentondevelopinganddebatingthem.However,weshouldnotunderestimatetheextenttowhichspacemayofferenvironments, andgiverisetopopulations,thatcouldleadtocompletelynovelconstitutions,legal structures,andsocietiesthatwishtopartwithearlierEarth-boundlegalframeworks. Adegreeoftherevolutionaryispossible,particularlyiforganizations,mandates, agreements,accords,andotherlegalstructuresareperceivedtobecoerciveor countertothewishesofthoseinspace.Inthisvolume,weexploresomeofthese possibilities.

Weshouldnotbeunderanyillusionthatthematteroflibertyinspacewillever cometoanendorberesolved.Itmayseemparadoxicaltostatebutweshouldnot evenwishfordiscussiononextraterrestriallibertytobecomplete.Asocietyinwhich thereisnodisagreementaboutliberty,andinwhichallpeopleareincompleteunion onthematterofhowmuchfreedomandauthoritythereshouldbe,isasocietyin whichfreedomofthoughtisextinguished.Passionatedisagreementsonlibertyarethe symptomoflibertyitself.Hobbes’conundrumwillneverbesolvedandnorshouldit be.Itshouldfollowustothestars.

Nevertheless,itisalsotruetosaythatdisagreementsaboutthelevelofcontrol thatoneperson,orgroupofpeople,shouldbeabletoexertoverotherscanlead tobloodyconflict,anditdoesnotrequirealonglistheretoconvincethereaderof thistruth.Acursoryexaminationofthetwentiethcenturyaloneissufficient.Thus, althoughwedonotwishtostymiedebateonfreedom,itisalsothecasethatweshould encourageitspeacefulandcontinuousresolutiontopreventdiscordorwarinspace. Thatcharacteristicofdisuniononthematteroffreedomweshouldtrytoavoidatall costs.Howisthistobedone?Trivially,again,themosteffectivewaytoachievethe peacefulresolutionofdisputeistoencourageavibrantandvigorousdebateonthe formsoffreedomandtheirrealizationinspace.

TheInstitutionsofExtraterrestrialLiberty bringstogetheradiversityofthinkers withawidescopeofexpertiseinmattersofspacescience,ethics,law,philosophy, andotherfields.Ourinterestwasinconsideringtheinstitutionsthatwouldbelikely tosecurelibertyinspace.Howshouldearlygovernancestructuresbeassembled? Whataretheidealformsofinstitutions,fromscienceacademiestoschoolsandgovernments?Needlesstosay,althoughlibertyencompassesideas,andoftenideals,the wayinwhichweexperiencefreedomsisnecessarilyshapedbyhumaninstitutions andthewayinwhichtheseinstitutionsoperateandtreathumanbeingsinaneverydaysense.Inthisbook,authorsconsidermanydimensionsoffreedominspaceand whatourendsmightbeinsecuringdifferentformsofhumanliberty.Weespecially wantedtoinvestigatethepracticalimplicationsofthesegoalsforthewayinwhichwe goaboutbuildingorganizations,rules,andlawsonEarthandinspace.

Althoughlibertywithinfuturespacesettlementswasofspecialinterest,wealso wantedtoconsidermoreimmediatemattersthatareaconcerninthepresenttime— thelawsthatinfluencethefreedomthatorganizationshavetochoosesatelliteorbits andthechallengesofpreventingwarinspace,forinstance.Thus,thechaptersinthis volumeconsiderboththenear-termandlong-termprospectsfordifferenttypesof freedom.

Ourdiscussionsunderlinethefactthatspaceisnotahomogeneousenvironment. Thefreedomonehastouseaparticularsatelliteorbit,andtheargumentsthatmight existinwhocanclaimit,andhowanorbitistobeclaimed,isaquitedifferentmatter tohowcoerciveastationcommandershouldbeinencouragingagroupofspace settlerstoincreaseoxygensupplyonMars.Justastheformsoflibertyhavevaried acrossEarth,thespaceenvironmentwouldseemtoofferanalmostinfinitevarietyof permutationsofdifferentformsoflibertyindifferentlocations.

Thetypesoflibertythatcanexistinthespaceenvironmentwillchangenotjust overspatialdimensionsbutalsoovertime.Thelibertiesexperiencedbyasmallgroup ofsettlersontheMoonmaybedifferentfromthoseexperiencedbyalaterhypotheticalsettlementcontainingmanythousandsofpeople.AsonEarth,noagreementon theformoflibertywillbestaticandchangingcircumstances,technologies,andscales ofactivityarelikelytobringforthdifferentcombinationsandrequirementsforsocial control.Inmuchthesamewaythattheinfinitespatialscalesofspacemightseemto makepossibleavastmanifestationofsocialarrangements,sowemightalsospeculatethatthegreatexpansesoftimeoverwhichhumancivilizationmightexploreand settlethisfrontierwillallowforanever-endingdiscourseonthechangingconditions forlibertyandhowitistoberealized.Politicalphilosophershavetheirworkcutout forthem.

Despitethisvisionoftheinfinitepossibilitiesfornewdiscussionsonliberty,there maybe,runningthroughthem,universalformsoffreedomthatwehopetoencourage.Forexample,onEarth,freedomofconscience,thecapacitytowriteorspeak one’sopinionswithoutimprisonment,isregardedbymanypeopleasafreedomthat isindependentofgeography,history,orculture.Similarly,inspace,therearelikelyto besuchformsoffreedomthathavenorelevancetowhetheroneisontheMoon,Mars, inEarthorbits,orininterplanetaryspace.Wecanonlyfindoutwhatthesefreedoms arethroughenlighteneddiscussionabouttheformsoffreedombeyondEarth.

Thechapterswepresentherefollowafour-dayonlineconferencethatweheld8–11June2021,hostedbytheUKCentreforAstrobiology.Originallyplannedasan in-personmeetinginEdinburgh,ironicallyavirusconfinedustoourhomes,justas thelackofoxygenwillconfinefuturespacesettlerstotheirhabitatsandspacesuits formuchoftheirtime,influencingthelibertiestheyexperience.Thefourdaysof discussionwereopentothepublicandtheyprovidedameansfortheauthorsto refineandconsiderthechaptercontentscontainedherein.

Therewasthematterofhowtoorderthechapters.Ididconsiderarrangingthe chaptersinspatialorderfrommattersoflibertynearEarth(satelliteorbits)tothe furthestreachesofliberty(interstellarworldships),butthecontentsofmanychapters canbeappliedatmanyscales,makingthisafalseseparation.Theymightalsobe groupedaccordingtocontent(e.g.legal,scientific,philosophical).However,thistoo doesaninjusticetothemultidisciplinarynatureofmanyoftheproblemsweaddress. Intheend,Ioptedforarrangingthechaptersalphabeticallybyauthor.Thisistheleast invidiousandprovidesthereaderwiththeoptionofreadingchaptersinanorderthat mightreflectthereader’sowninterestsorpriorities.

Theworkpresentedhereshouldbynomeansbeconsideredexhaustiveandwe hopethatitis,albeitwrittenbyEarth-boundscholars,ausefulcontributiontoa discussiononthedepthandbreadthoflibertyinspace,adiscussionthatwillbeas

endlessinspaceasithasbeensincetheemergenceofhumansocietiesonEarth.We alsohopethatthisbookmaybeofvalueasasnapshotofideasin2021.Theexplorationandsettlementofspaceischangingataremarkablerateand,aswillbeclear inthesechapters,therearemanyunresolvedquestionsabouthowhumansshould operatethere.Futurescholarsmayfindthesechaptersusefultocomparetotheirown perspectivesasanhistoricalrecordofhowideasandthoughtshavechangedsincewe wrotethisbook.

References

Hobbes,T.‘LettertoMr.FrancisGodolphin,fromParis’in Leviathan (firstpublished 1651,PenguinBooks,2017).

Tsiolkovsky,K.‘Aletter’(1911)<http://www.uranos.eu.org/biogr/ciolke.html>.

Arewereadyfornewliberties?

Stewardingmutuallyassuredautonomythrough place-basedexperiments

ZarinahKarimAgnew,EldridgeCruse,KevinBruce,EngelbertWilfred Perlas,andJosephKrauter

1. TowardsPosthumanism

‘Wemustactasifthefutureistoday.’

Theterm‘human’comesfromtheLatintermhumus,meaningsoil.Thesettlingand migrationawayfromplanetEarth,then,representslinguistically,symbolically,and materially(untilsoiliscreatedorfoundonotherplanets),steppingintoposthuman times.Inrelationtogeologictimerequiredtoproducesoil,ourcollectivehistoriesas aspecieshavebeenbothrelativelybriefandextremelydynamic.Humansocietyhas grownandshrunk,evolvedandflourished,manytimesover.Presently,wehavean internationalworldforgedonandnowdominatedbycolonialandterritorialframeworksandWestphalianstatesovereignty.Yetformanythesettlingofspaceisthe ‘utopianimpulse’(Jameson2005),thatis,botharesponsetoandcritiqueofexisting socialconditions,alongsideavisionthatgoesbeyondthese,anattempttotranscend ortransformthoseconditionstoachieveanewsociety.Aswebearwitnesstocorporateinterestsandultra-elitetourismforgingtheirwaytotheforefrontofexploration (ShammasandHolen2019),wemustcastacriticaleyeoverwhetherourtechnologicalachievementsaresufficienttopromisespacefuturesthatareanydifferentatall toourearthlypasts.Itseemsoursocialtechnologiesarewoefullylackingbehindour technicalachievements.InMurrayBookchin’s1978speech(Bookchin1978),heclarifiesthedistinctionbetweenfuturismandutopianism(orwhatBookchinreferstoas ‘ecology’);‘Futurismisthepresentasitexiststoday,projected,onehundredyears fromnow’.Whatweneed,hesays,isutopianism.Heassertsthatweneedtochange thepresentinordertoenableafuturethatdiffersfromwhatwehavetodayinorder thatthefuturecanrevealitselftobedifferentfromthepresent.Muchhasbeenwrittenabouthowourcollectiveimaginationshaveinsomewaysstuntedthefuturesthat areavailabletous.Todayoursocietiesareorganizedaroundcapitalism,andthesystemisentrenchedtothepointthat,asFredericJamesonfamouslynoted,itiseasier toenvisiontheendoftheworldthantheendofcapitalism(Fisher2009).Prominent inthisfieldofinquiryisMarkFisher’swritingoncapitalistrealism(Fisher2009)in

ZarinahKarimAgnewetal., Arewereadyfornewliberties?.In: TheInstitutionsofExtraterrestrialLiberty EditedbyCharlesS.Cockell,OxfordUniversityPress.©ZarinahKarimAgnewetal.(2022). DOI:10.1093/oso/9780192897985.003.0002

which,itisargued,ourcollectiveinabilitytoimaginealternativefuturesrendersthe futurecancelled.

Whatistobedoneinthismomentwheretheexpansivefuturesweseekareoutof reach?Notbecauseofourtechnicalinabilitybutperhapsbecauseweareblindedbya naïveoptimismthatnewtechnologiesforgedinpresentdaysocioeconomicsaresufficienttocreatenewfutures;atechnooptimismthatneglectstorecognizethatweare adeeplyandfundamentalsocialspecies,withsubjectivitiesforgedinsocietalpressuresthatinmanywayskeepusanchoredinthepast,stuntingourabilitytoenvision wideenoughhorizonsforhumanity.Understandingthatthepossibilityofpresentdaychangeisperhapsa(necessarybutnotsufficient)prerequisitetorealizingfuture extra-terrestrialliberties,itisnecessarytodefinethewho:thatis,whowemustbe andwhowemustbecomeinordertobeagentscapableoftransformingoursocial structuresinordertorealizeourdesiredfutures.Theterm‘NewSpace’denotesthe arrivalofcapitalisminspace,andasShammasandHolendescribe,onlybenefitsa selectportionofEarth-basedsociety(ShammasandHolen2019).Yetifallhumans aretoparticipateandbeagentsinextra-terrestrialliberties,thenallhumansshould atleastbeabletoexperienceandaccesslibertiesnow/inthepresent/inthehere andnow.OnEarth,wearefarfromthisreality.Definingwhatconstitutesthecategoryofhuman,andwhoqualifiesfortheprotectionsthatthiscategoryconfers,has historicallybeenatopicofdebateandpronetodireerrors.Defining,reflectingon, andexpandingwhatandwhoconstitutesthecategoryofhumanisvitalifweareto avoidrepeatingthemistakesofhistoryaswesendourfirstcommunitiesintoextraterrestrialdomiciles.Intheirworkonposthumanism,Braidottiwrites:‘Notallofus cansay,withanydegreeofcertainty,thatwehavealwaysbeenhuman,orthatweare onlythat.Someofusarenotevenconsideredfullyhumannow,letaloneatprevious momentsofWesternsocial,political,andscientifichistory’(Braidotti2017).Inasimilarvein,Bratton’spieceonterraformingremindsusthatwhilstterraformingusually referstothetransformationoflandmassesofotherplanetstorenderthemacceptable tolife,weurgentlyneedtodothesamehereonEarthforthisplanettoremainviable tolifeaswecurrentlyknowit(Bratton2019).

Theselinesofthinkingbegthequestionsofwhoarethepeoplesofthefutureand howdowegetfromheretothere?Herewepositthatquestionsofextra-terrestrial governancewillneverbesufficienttoachieveutopiansocietieswithoutalsoaddressinghowtopreparehumansraisedincurrentsocialmodesforlivesoflibertythat arenotcentredaroundthelibertarianindividualismsbutinsteadfocusoncollectiveandmutuallyassuredautonomies.Inaddressingthetypesofinstitutionsthat mightbecreatedinspacetomaximizeliberty,weaskrelatedquestions:Areweas actorsreadyforsovereignty?Dowehavetheskills,relationships,knowledge,and experiencetoforgenewliberties,and,ifnot,howdoweprepareforthekindsofliberties,andchallengestoliberty,thatspacemigrationwillaffordus?Wearguethatour worktopreparetobethespeciesthatweneedtobe—theactors,co-operators,and participants—mustbeginhereandnow.Insodoing,weaimtoadoptanapproach outlinedbyFerrando(Ferrando2016)inwhichtheyadoptanonto-epistemological inwhich‘spacewillbethusaccessedas“awayofrevealing”,allowingforanoriginal understandingofthenotionofspace’.

Asacasestudyforthistypeofexperimentation,wedescribetwoprototypespaces, alongsidetheirlessons,theory,andpraxis,thathaveexploredthecollectivefreedoms forperhapssomeofthemostlibertyrestrictedanddisenfranchised:theformerly incarcerated(henceforth‘returningcitizens’).Inthesespaces,halfoftheresidents haveallservedindefinitelifesentences,andhavecollectivelyservedmanycenturies incarcerated,andhavenotonlybeenraisedintheabsenceofaccesstoeffective governmentinstitutionsbuthavealsoarguablyinternalizedtheirconstraints.

Smallcommunitydomicilesareanidealformatforlearningaboutanditeratingon howtoobtainfreedomandbefree,toexplorenewlibertiesandkinship.Thosewho comprisethefirstcommunitiesof‘spacemigration’(Ferrando2016)(atermused todenotemovingawayfromcolonialistlanguage)willalsobesmallgroups,sharing space,community,andvitallifelines;thesewillbesmallgroupsforwhomtheability tocooperate,becohesive,andstewardeachother’slibertywillbeapersonalmatterof lifeanddeathandalsoacollectivematterofexistenceandpersistence.Thesesmall, stablecommunities,insomewaysthen,parallelthedynamicsofwhatarelikelytobe early‘spacemigrations’.Moreover,weargue,thesociallogics,norms,andprinciples thatseedtheseearlyextra-terrestrialcommunitieswillbeformativeintheevolution andsocialreproductionofculturalnormsasnewgenerationsjointheminspace. Thus,learninghowtobuildnewliberties,mutuallyassuredfreedoms,andkinshipin smalldomesticgroupsisanessentialpartofthesocialpreparationthatthefutureof humanityinspace,andonEarth,deserves.

2. MutuallyAssuredStewardedAutonomy

Iammostgladtohavemypersonalliberty,butIonlyhaveittotheextentthatthere isasphereoffreedominwhichIcanoperate.Thatsphereiscoproducedbypeople wholivetogetherorwhohaveagreedtoliveinaworldinwhichtherelationsbetween themmakepossibletheirindividualsenseofbeingfree.

Soperhapswemightregardpersonallibertyasacipherofsocialfreedom.Andsocial freedomcannotbeunderstoodapartfromwhatarisesbetweenpeople,whathappenswhentheymakesomethingincommonorwhen,infact,theyseektomakeor remaketheworldincommon.Theworldisgiventomebecauseyouarealsothere asonetowhomitisgiven.Theworldisnevergiventomealonebutalwaysinyour company.Withoutyou,theworlddoesnotgiveitself.Weareworldlesswithoutone another.

ButlerandBerbec2017

Hannah Arendt(2018) wrotethatfreedom‘doesnotcomefrommeorfromyou;it cananddoeshappenasarelationbetweenus,or,indeed,amongus’.Buildingon theseideasinaninterview,Butlerspeakstotheideaofpersonallibertyasa‘cipher ofsocialfreedom’(ButlerandBerbec2017),andindoingso,speaksdirectlytothe issuewefocusonhere.Liberty,bothonplanetEarthandelsewhere,isasociallyheld, mutuallyassuredphenomenon.Assuch,thetypesoflibertyandfreedomthatwecan

hopeforwillbedeterminedbyoursociality.Oursociallogicsaffectourdevelopment asindividuals,thedevelopmentofourrelationshipswitheachother,thekindsof kinshipandcommunitiesthatweforge,allthewaytotheinstitutionsthatshapeus andthegovernancethatempowersus.

Wearguethatlibertyrequiresindividualdevelopmentandcollectivenurturingif wearetoencounternewformsofitinextra-terrestrialsocieties.Asindividualsand asgroups(collectives,teams,kin,corporations),weneedtocultivatetheabilityto knowwhatonewantsandneeds(autonomy)aswellascollectivelyensurethateach individualhasthematerialresourcesneededtoenactthoseneeds(agency).Mutually assuredautonomydictatesanunderstandingofandrelationshipwiththeautonomy ofothers,anembodiedsensethatweare,asButlerputsit,makingasphereoffreedomincommon.Likeallcommons,mutuallyassuredautonomyneedstendingtoif itisnottobedegraded.Freedomisacommons,acommonwealthwhereby‘Collectivefreedomandcollectivehappinesscanexistonlyasthesumofthefreedomand thehappinessoftheindividuals’(Bakunin).Andthuswhenanindividualfreedom isdegraded,takenfromorusedtobenefitanother(extracted),collectivefreedomis weakened.Wepositthataformof‘antiindividualisticindividuality’(Gee2003)is requiredtocreatetheconditionsforflourishing.Bythatwemeanamovefromindividualismtomutuallyassuredautonomy.Asagentsofthefuture,itisessentialthatwe collectivelydevelopandcultivatetheskillsforautonomy(moral,political,andpersonal)aswellasagencyandself-determinationwithoutleaningintoindividualism orcollectivismintheextreme.

3. Place-basedExperimentalSpacesinFuture CraftingandSocialInnovation

Thesharedimpulseofallversionsandunderstandingsofsocialinnovationisthe efforttodesigninitiativesinaparticularpartofsociety—anorganisation,apractice oranareaofactivity—thatsignalapromisingpathofwidersocialchangeevenas theymeetapressingneed.Theinnovationsthatthemovementseekstoadvance convertexperimentsdesignedtosolvesocialproblemsintotransformativeambition: theefforttochangesomepartoftheestablishedarrangementsandassumptionsof society.Thefocusofthemovementfallsonproblemsthathavenotbeensolvedby eitherthestateorthemarket.

Unger,2015

Domiciles,residentiallivingenvironmentsand home arecrucialsitesoflastingand stableexperimentation.Assuch,thesearevitaltestbedsforsocialtechnologiesof thefuturethatwesuggesthavemuchtoofferinpreparingcommunitiesofpractice forextra-terrestrialliberties.Wehavewitnessedasurgeintestbedsandlivinglabsfor theexplorationofsociotechnicalavenues.Engels,Wentland,andPfotenhauer(2019) arguethatsuch insitu sitesofexperimentationconstituteamarkedapproachto advancesociotechnicalinnovationacrossgeographyandtechnicaldisciplines.These approachesservetomovebeyond,orhaveariseninreactionto,theincreasinglyclear

observationthatpolicyshiftsto‘grandsocietalchallenges’arelacking.‘Testbedsand livinglabsrepresentanexperimental,co-creativeapproachtoinnovationpolicythat aimstotest,demonstrate,andadvancenewsociotechnicalarrangementsandassociatedmodesofgovernanceinamodelenvironmentunderreal-worldconditions’ (Engels,Wentland,andPfotenhauer2019).

Physicalspacesareonelocusforprototypingalteredsociallogics.Theyarebyno meanstheonlysiteofcollectivetransformationbutthesesitesofdomesticityare long-lasting,sharedsocialenclosuresthatallowthedevelopmentandexploration ofdecision-making,governance,conflictresolution,andresourceallocationanddistribution.Manyofthesecollectivebehaviours,bydefinition,requirecollectivityto experimentwith,andthereforeexperimentingwithhomeisapowerfulsiteforsocial innovation.Homeandtheeconomicsofhomearealsowidelyscalableasasetoflocal behavioursthathavehistoricallybeenadoptedinwidespreadways,aswehaveseen, forexample,withtheemergingdominanceofthenuclearfamily.

Thehome,asamajorsiteofhumansocialreproduction,isalsoapointofleverage forthealteringof‘biopoliticalproduction’,atermthatbuildsonFoucault’sconception ofbiopower.ForFoucault,theselfisproducedbyregulatorypowerstructuresthat surroundit,andthesubject,therefore,istherealizationofbothhistoryandpower. Biopowerreferstotheforcesthatadministerandregulatehumanlife,lives,andpopulations.Biopoliticalpowerthendescribestheimpactoftheseregulatorymechanisms asextendedto‘quantitativelytosocialreactionsandqualitativelytoconsciousness, intimacyetc’(RuivenkampandHilton2017).

Herewerefertocommons-basedplaces—thatis,physicalspacesthatconstitutea commons,wherecommoning isthemodeofbeingtogether.Inhisessay‘Commoning asaTransformativeSocialParadigm’,DavidBollierwrites:

Infacinguptothemanyprofoundcrisesofourtime,wefaceaconundrumthathas noeasyresolution:howarewetoimagineandbuildaradicallydifferentsystemwhile livingwithintheconstraintsofanincumbentsystemthataggressivelyresiststransformationalchange?Ourchallengeisnotjustarticulatingattractivealternatives,but identifyingcrediblestrategiesforactualizingthem.(Bollier2020)

Thisispreciselywhattheseexperimentalspacesattempttodo.

Wepresentthenotionthatplace-basedstewardedautotomybuildscollectivesocial logicfor‘beingotherwise’andsocialfuturecrafting(RattiandClaudel2016).Inhis essayonsocialinnovation, Unger(2015) writesthat‘socialinnovationsmustpoint beyondthemselves’andhewarnusthattheseeffortsarelikelytobemostimpactful inthearenasofsociallifethatarenotencompassedbyeitherthestateorthemarket, thatliebetweentheeconomicandpoliticalworlds.Thehomeispreciselysuchasocial sphere.Home,then,forthesecasestudiesaresitesofprefiguration(Boggs1977),asite toembodythemodesoforganizationandsocialrelationshipsthatstrivetoreflectthe futuresocietythatweseek.Prefigurativepoliticscombinesfiveprocesses:‘collective experimentation,theimagining,productionandcirculationofpoliticalmeanings, thecreationofnewandfuture-orientedsocialnormsor“conduct”,theirconsolidation inmovementinfrastructure,andthediffusionandcontaminationofideas,messages andgoalstowidernetworksandconstituencies’(Yates2015).

Youcannotadvanceliberationorsupportsocialtransformationifyouhavenot transformedyourownpracticesandthewaysyourorganizationdoesthings.Change beginswiththeorganization,andthepeoplewithinit,embodyingwhatchangelooks like.Thatisarequirementtobemeaningfulcontributorstothetypeofchangethat justicemovementsareenvisioningandbuildingeveryday.

Inthismodeofexploration,theinterventionofcreatingandprefiguringhomeeconomicsisitselfthethingthattransformseachoftheparticipants.Inasimilarvein, HowardEhrlichdescribesaconceptknownastransferculture(Ehrlich,1996),an attemptatfutureworldsrighthereinamongstthestatusquo,theoldworld,anexperimentinthefuture,manifestedinthepresent.Sitesoftransferculturesupportthe manifestationoftheideas,processes,behaviours,skills,andactivitiesthatareneeded tohelphumanstransitionfromthecurrentsocialformationtotheincomingone.We positherethathome,bothassitesofprefigurationandtransferculture,servesasa vitaltestbedforsocialtechnologiesofthefuture.

4. WisdomsoftheFormerlyIncarcerated

Intheearly20thcenturyCaliforniaprisonsfollowedanormsystemcalledthe convictcode(‘don’tsnitch’andsomeotherthings).Bytheendofthecentury,selfgovernanceviathecodehadcollapsedandthesystemreorganizedaroundrace gangs.Someinstitutionaleconomistsapproachprisonsaslaboratoriesforemergent selfgovernance,becauseitisatoughenvironmentforstablegovernancetoemerge in,butitemergesanyway,andthat’simportant.

(Skarbek2014)

4.1 Socialorderemergesinalteredplaces

Socialorderemergeswhereverandhoweverwearrangehumans,fromtheyoung humansdepictedinthereallife LordoftheFlies scenario(Bregman2021),toonline communities,ortotheemergenceofsignlanguageinNicaraguanschoolsfordeaf children(KeglandIwata1989).Thesameistrueofprisons.AsSkarbeknotes (Skarbek2014),gangsuseacommunityresponsibilitysystemwhereallmembersare responsiblefortheactionsofanymember.Thegroupsgovernpropertyrights,regulateinternalmarkets,andpromotecooperationwhenthestatefailstoorisunable tointerveneorgovern.Thesesocialrelationsofcontrolandregulationreachoutside prisonstotheoutsideworld.Crucially,theseare,accordingtoSkarbekandFreire, notbasedontrustandarefocusedonpeacekeepinginordertomaintainprofitabilityofafewindividuals.Howthen,onre-entrytocivilianlifedowetransformthese dynamicsintomutualcare,solidarity,andcollectivefreedoms?Durkheimtellsus thatsocialorderaroseoutofthesharedbeliefs,values,norms,andpracticesofagiven groupofpeople,andsoitisherethatthesespacesstarttheirwork.USincarceration ratesarehigherthananywhereelseintheworld.Oneinnineprisonersisservinga

lifesentence.Californiahasthehighestpercentageofprisonersservinglifesentences, around35,000.Thesehumansoftenenterthesystemaschildrenandfrequentlyserve inexcessof20years.Ontheirreturn,housing,home,andcommunity—fundamental partsofsurvival—arelacking.Thisrendersmuchoftheirexistencetobaresurvival. Undertheseconditions,theideaofbeingfreeisatreacherousone,andbegsthe question,towhataretheyreturning?

InanessayaboutsurvivingincarcerationStevenPowersreflects:

It’sfunnytoappreciateacityfromajailbus,becauseit’sthatverycitythat’ssendingyouaway.AndImeanallofitissendingyouaway—fromthedisciplinarians thatfancythemselveseducators,tothebullshitjobsthattreatyoulikeacrookfrom thefirstday,tothepolicewhomenaceyoueverywhereyougo.Thecitytaughtme thesurvivalmechanismsitwouldultimatelypunishmefor.There’snootherwayto understandit.(Powers2018)

Thispointsdirectlytotheissuethatthisgroupfaceonre-entrytocivilianlife, thatreturningtothesameconditionsthatledtoharmfulbehaviourislikelytolead tosimilarissues.Weaskinstead:whatifthisgroupreturnedtoadifferentsetof socialconditions?Cantheexperiencesandwisdomsofthisliberty-disenfranchised populationteachusaboutthefutureoflibertyandemancipation?

Cockell(2018) haspilotedaprogrammeinScottishprisonsthatallowsincarceratedindividualstodesignsettlementsonMarsaspartofamulti-weekeducational andfuture-orientedsocialreformprocess.Partoftheprogramme(‘LifeBeyond’) includesconsideringgovernance,socialarrangements,andcivicdutiesforthese environments—cruciallybringingtheirownexperienceofsociallogicsinprisonto theseissues.Cockell’spaperconcludesthat‘LifeBeyondhashelpedharnesstheoften latenttalentsofpeopleinprison,helpedgeneratepositivecontributionstosociety andstimulatedhopeforrehabilitationandfutureplansforlifebeyondprison’.

Inmanywalksofsocietythen,formerlyincarceratedindividualshavebeenshown tobeaguidingforcenotonlyinpersonaltransformationbutinsocietalchangealso. Carcerallyimpactedleadersplayakeyroleascatalystsinshiftingpublicnarratives empoweringcommunityleadership,influencingandcollaboratingatmultiplelevelsofcivicresponsibilityandgovernment(SturmandTae2017).Nowhereisthis moreevidentthaninthemovementtoreduceincarceration,tocultivaterestorativeandtransformativejusticeandtherevitalizationofcommunitiesthathavebeen affectedbymassincarceration.Thisisdowntohavingwhatisreferredtoas‘experientialcarceralknowledge’(Binnall2021).JamesBinnall,anassociateprofessorof law,criminology,andcriminaljustice,writes:

Intheend,experientialknowledgederivedfromacarceralexperiencehasvaluein allcontexts—thejuryincluded.Withoutit,effortstochangeourcarceraltrajectory areincomplete.Asoneofmystudentsisfondofsaying:‘Youscoopedusupand lockedusin.Nowlistentowhatwehavetosay—youmaylearnsomething.’

Wearguethatthiscommunitynotonlyhasmuchtoofferthefieldsofcriminaljusticereform,violenceprevention,carceralprocesses—whatmightbecalledthenature

ofbeingunfree—butalsothenatureofbeingandgettingfree,aswellasthefuture craftingofliberty.Theindividualscontributingtothischapterhaveservedindefinite sentences(‘lifesentences’),havebeendeeplyliberty-deprivedindividualswhoeach havedecadesofexperientialcarceralexperiencebutwhohavemanagedtotransform themselves,overcomethechronicnegationoftheirautonomy,toreturntosociety, freeindividuals.Assuch,theirjourney,collectiveexperience,andwisdomprovide auniqueandvaluablesetoflessonsaboutthefutureofnewliberties.Hereweconsidertheprocessoflearningtobesociallyfreeandliberatedafterthesocialdeathand chroniceliminationoflibertythatincarcerationimposes.

Thespacesthatwedescribeherewerebuiltwiththispreciseprobleminmind,and weaskwhetherwecanensurethatthosereturningtosocietyarenotreturningtothe samesocietalstructuresthatletthemdowninthefirstplace,butareleapfrogginginto theautonomousparticipatorycommons.Canenteringintothesenew(orperhaps old)sociallogicsnotonlyhelppeoplerecoverfromachronicabsenceoffreedom andbypassoldmodesbutactuallydevelopandprototypenewformsofcollective autonomyandsovereigntythroughhome?Inbuildingadomesticcommonscentred aroundtheneedsandwisdomofthisgroup,thesespacesandcommunitiesforgedthe co-creationofliberatoryspacesthatprovidelessonsabouthowgroupscanachieve collectivefreedoms,andlearnmethodsofassuringourmutualautonomy.These lessonsarecrucial,notjustforreturningcitizensemergingfromthesocialorderof prisonsbutalsoforthegeneralpopulationwhomustemergefromanincreasingly individualized,zero-sumbasedsocietyiftheyaretobequalified,preparedagentsof newliberties,onthisplanetandothers.

5. PrinciplesofNewLiberties—LessonsfromPlace-based StewardedMutualAutotomy

‘Wehavetotalkaboutliberatingmindsaswellasliberatingsociety.’ —AngelaDavis

5.1 Whatcanbelearntforextra-terrestriallibertiesfromincarceration?

Bothprisonsandthesettlementofextra-terrestriallocicanbeseenasprojectsthat abandontheirnegativeexternalities.Prisonsarewhereweholdwhatweviewasour failedprojects,howeverwemightbewisertoobservethattheseindividualsarethose whomwehavefailed.

‘Prisonsdonotdisappearsocialproblems,theydisappearhumanbeings.Homelessness,unemployment,drugaddiction,mentalillness,andilliteracyareonlyafewof theproblemsthatdisappearfrompublicviewwhenthehumanbeingscontending withthemarerelegatedtocages.’

—AngelaDavis

Similarly,thesettlementofspaceisoftenmotivatedasaversionofAlbertHirschman’s formof‘exit’orescapefromthenegativeexternalitiesofthelifewehavemadefor

ourselvesonEarth;inhistreatiseonExitorVoice, Hirschman(1970) describesthe ultimatumthatconfrontshumansinthefaceofdeterioratingqualityofgoods;actors caneithercan exit bywithdrawingfromthesituation,orcanremainbutinstead deploy voice asatacticinpursuitofrepairandtransformationofthesituation(see Dowding2016).Howthentoensurethatspacemigrationdoesnotfallintoeither categoryofexitorvoicebutinsteadservesasaplatformofsomething,new,transformative,trulyexplorative,thatneitherrejectsourpastsnorpermitsthepastto obfuscatethefuture?

Lawsaresomethingputinplacetodealwithconflict,anduntilthereisconflict thereislittleneedforlawsorrules,northeenforcingofthem.Indeed,anarchydoes notmean‘nolaws’,itmeansnoneedforlaws(Gee2003).Andcertainlynotlawsmade bysome‘other’tobeenforcednon-consensuallyanduncritically.Andso,inthecommunitiesdescribedhere,thatarecentredaroundmutualemancipationandcollective autonomy—wherewerecognizethatuntilweareallfree,wearenoneofusfree— wediscussmodesofbeingtogether,inevolution,inconsensualconflict,inmutual freedomandsurvival.Insitesoftransferculturesuchasthese,self-governedcommunitiesareformulatingmodesofconflictresolutionthatbothhelphealfromthepast andprefiguresafuturesociallogictocome.Thissectionoutlinessomeprinciples thathaveguidedlearningandpraxisfromtheseprototypedspaces.

I’vebeenacagedanimalallmylife,youcan’tjustopenthedoorandletmewalkout intothejungle,Iwillbeeatenalive.

—BertPerlas,incarceratedfor22years

5.2.1 Socialfreedom

Asearlierdescribed,anumberofauthorshavewrittenabouttheideaofpersonal libertyasacoverforsocialfreedom;thatliberty,autonomy,andfreedomarephenomenathataremeaninglesswithoutourmutualrespectandcollaboration.Inthese emancipatoryspacesandhomesbuiltbyformerlyincarceratedindividuals,thereis anunderstandingthattheautonomyofeachindividualisstewardedbytheothers. Thisincludesbeinggivenspacetomakemistakes,topushovertheedgeofwhat isacceptableinordertoknowthatedgebetterandnavigatewithmoredatainthe future.Thisispremisedonrecognizingthatgettingfreeisajourneythatweareall ontogether,anddifferentpeoplewhomoveatdifferentrateswillfinddifferentelementsdistinctlytroubling,butthatthegroupworksthroughthisprocesstogether.It istherecognitionthatgettingfreeisnotalinearprocessbutacomplexjourneyinvolvingdynamicinteractionswitheachother.Byung-ChulHan’sanalysisofmodernday freedom(orlackthereof)indicatesthatthereisnofreedomotherthanself-realization incollectiveformation:‘Freedomissynonymouswithaworkingcommunity(i.e.,a successfulone)’(Han2017).

5.2.2

Anti-individualisticindividualityandtransindividuation

Thesovereignhumanknowsthatitisnotthewhole,butthatitlivesasapartofthe wholeandknowshowtorelatetoit.

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