Number 295 is the issue ringing out the old year of 2003 and ringing in the new, 2004. New Year, but same old problem: war- and strife-torn Iraq; Antonio Cardella and Maria Matteo report on the situation there today.
Strangely, in the period leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth, the burning issue was the symbol of his death, the crucifix; Carlo Oliva discusses the outrage provoked by its proposed removal from Italian state schools, accompanied by accusations of “Islamic intolerance”.
Time was that democracy was participation; not any more, in Francesco Codello’s view. And for those who increasingly have trouble telling their left from their right, Andrea Papi looks at the history of these political terms. Speaking of left, a series of reflections by Francesco Berti on the myths and realities of Fidel’s Cuba, followed by a review by Lily Litvak of Frank Fernández’ book on Cuban anarchists, “Cuba Libertaria”.
The big question taken on by Antonio Paolella in this issue is that of energy sources and the environment. Marvi Maggio of the International Network for Urban Research contributes a piece on the issue of reproduction in the feminist movements.
In this month’s “... e compagnia cantante”, Alessio Lega looks at the songs of Herbert Pagani and, sticking with music, in “Musica & Idee” Marco Pandin reviews the June concert by the Jan Garbarek Quarter in Verona. More music follows, this time a throughly informative article by Arianna Fiore on thre songs of the Spanish Revolution (1936-39): Ni militares ni curas, ni jueces ni gobernantes, podrán detener los pasos de anarquistas militantes.
These days no issue of “A” is complete without something on Malatesta; this one has Piero Brunello’s introduction to his anthology, edited with Pietro Di Paola, of Malatesta’s writings: “Autobiografia mai scritta. Ricordi (1853-1932)”.
Another article-book link is Tim Jordan’s piece on culture jamming, coinciding with his volume on the phenomenon, “Azione Diretta”, published by Elèuthera.
In “à nous la liberté”, Felice Accame discusses the book “Flicts” by Ziraldo Alves Pinto, recently reissued. In this issue’s “Ritratti in piedi”, Massimo Ortalli looks at the work of Fulvio Abbate.
Concluding the issue, as ever, the letters: in response to Felice Accame’s article on “madman” Carlo Cafiero, Donato Romito replies by means of a long piece by Cafiero himself, and regular “A” contributor Luigi Veronelli controversially proposes lists of “social centre” candidates for the European elections.

by Leslie Ray