Author: AK Thompson

AK Thompson is an activist, author, and social theorist. Currently a professor of social movements and social change at Ithaca College, and author of Black Bloc, White Riot: Anti-Globalization and the Genealogy of Dissent.

  • On ‘Rioting’ and State Violence

    The uprising that emerged following the murder of George Floyd reignited debates about violence both in the media and among activists and scholars of social movements. Under pressure to distinguish … Keep reading »

    Social Movements, Theory  •  November 6, 2020  •  Clare O'Connor and AK Thompson

  • The Politics of the Mask

    Today we face the paradox of states simultaneously criminalizing masks, and mandating them because of COVID-19. In this interview, social theorist AK Thompson explores the history of masks in protests and why rioting is politically effective. Keep reading »

    Social Movements  •  June 22, 2020  •  AK Thompson and Clare O'Connor

  • Premonitions: Fragments of a Culture of Revolt

    AK Thompson’s newest book, Premonitions: Selected Essays on the Culture of Revolt, is focused on strategic and analytical insights about how our social movements work, and don’t, and what they … Keep reading »

    Culture/Media  •  December 10, 2018  •  AK Thompson