The end of alternative organising (just as we were getting to know it)? A conjunctural analysis of the prefiguration terrain

The last fifteen years have seen a rise in interest in alternative organising within CMS. Although this work covers a diverse world of organisational forms, this academic interest is commonly connected to the prefigurative turn in social movements. Yet the momentum of such movements has recently stalled, and academics and activists are increasingly rejecting prefiguration. This shift in the radical imaginary is hugely important, but CMS scholars appear to have overlooked it. Here, I argue that CMS has too often followed a case-study approach, and that as a discipline it should pay closer attention to the wider landscape of radical praxis. I suggestStuart Hall’′ use of conjunctural analysis is useful for understanding alternative organisations and their possible futures. I offer my own conjunctural perspective on the state of prefiguration, and suggest some ways in which we might develop work which can help inform debates about the future direction of radical politics.