Anthony Obst
@aobst.bsky.social
Researches racism and state violence
Reposted by Anthony Obst
“Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate."
― Edward W. Said
― Edward W. Said
January 4, 2026 at 6:13 AM
“Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate."
― Edward W. Said
― Edward W. Said
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Thanks to everyone who read and shared the piece I wrote that was published in the G & M. I had no gift links but if you want to read it and cannot access it, now you can.
web.archive.org/web/20251228...
web.archive.org/web/20251228...
Opinion: The murder that led to an uprising around the world
The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, proved, again, there are people to whom seemingly anything can be done with impunity
web.archive.org
December 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Thanks to everyone who read and shared the piece I wrote that was published in the G & M. I had no gift links but if you want to read it and cannot access it, now you can.
web.archive.org/web/20251228...
web.archive.org/web/20251228...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Innerhalb weniger Tage kündigen Sparkasse Göttingen und GLS-Bank alle Konten der Rote Hilfe e.V. Der Grund: US-Druck über SWIFT. Auch DKP, ABC und weitere linke Organisationen sind betroffen. Das ist kein Einzelfall. Das ist politisch. Jetzt ist Solidarität gefragt. rote-hilfe.de/meldungen/ko...
December 23, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Innerhalb weniger Tage kündigen Sparkasse Göttingen und GLS-Bank alle Konten der Rote Hilfe e.V. Der Grund: US-Druck über SWIFT. Auch DKP, ABC und weitere linke Organisationen sind betroffen. Das ist kein Einzelfall. Das ist politisch. Jetzt ist Solidarität gefragt. rote-hilfe.de/meldungen/ko...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
1/ New chapter out (with Franz Knappik): “G.W.F. Hegel, Frantz Fanon, and Angela Davis on Recognition, Slavery, and Liberation” – in Matt Congdon and Thomas Khurana’s Recognition: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives.
⬇️ Short thread below:
⬇️ Short thread below:
G.W.F. Hegel, Frantz Fanon, and Angela Davis On Recognition, Slavery,
This article explores a classical text in the philosophy of recognition – Hegel's discussion of the dialectic of lordship and bondage in the Phenomenology of
www.taylorfrancis.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:32 PM
1/ New chapter out (with Franz Knappik): “G.W.F. Hegel, Frantz Fanon, and Angela Davis on Recognition, Slavery, and Liberation” – in Matt Congdon and Thomas Khurana’s Recognition: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives.
⬇️ Short thread below:
⬇️ Short thread below:
Reposted by Anthony Obst
#tdih 1951, Paul Robeson submitted a petition (edited by William Patterson) to the U.N. titled, “We Charge Genocide: The Crime of Government Against the Negro People,” signed by close to 100 U.S. intellectuals and activists. ⬇️🧵
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/we...
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/we...
Dec. 17, 1951: “We Charge Genocide” Petition Submitted to United Nations
Paul Robeson and William Patterson submitted a petition from the Civil Rights Congress (CRC) to the United Nations, signed by almost 100 U.S. intellectuals and activists.
www.zinnedproject.org
December 18, 2025 at 4:45 AM
#tdih 1951, Paul Robeson submitted a petition (edited by William Patterson) to the U.N. titled, “We Charge Genocide: The Crime of Government Against the Negro People,” signed by close to 100 U.S. intellectuals and activists. ⬇️🧵
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/we...
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/we...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Wer in Deutschland Asyl sucht, muss damit rechnen, zu Unrecht und unter menschenunwürdigen Bedingungen inhaftiert und abgeschoben zu werden.
www.akweb.de/politik/absc...
www.akweb.de/politik/absc...
Eines Rechtsstaates unwürdig - ak analyse & kritik
Freiheitsentzug ist das höchste Strafmaß im deutschen Rechtssystem. Dabei sind die Gerichte, die eine Haft beschließen, stets dazu verpflichtet, mildere Mittel zu prüfen. In einem Bereich werden die H...
www.akweb.de
December 16, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Wer in Deutschland Asyl sucht, muss damit rechnen, zu Unrecht und unter menschenunwürdigen Bedingungen inhaftiert und abgeschoben zu werden.
www.akweb.de/politik/absc...
www.akweb.de/politik/absc...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Berlins Polizeibudget wächst seit 15 Jahren ununterbrochen – während bei Bildung, Sozialem und Kultur gekürzt wird. Das Justice Collective zeigt: Pro Kopf gibt es hier nun mehr Polizeibeamte als in New York City.
Berlin: Mehr Polizei als New York City
Berlins Polizeibudget wächst seit 15 Jahren ununterbrochen – während bei Bildung, Sozialem und Kultur gekürzt wird. Das Justice Collective zeigt: Pro Kopf gibt es hier nun mehr Polizeibeamte als in…
buff.ly
December 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Berlins Polizeibudget wächst seit 15 Jahren ununterbrochen – während bei Bildung, Sozialem und Kultur gekürzt wird. Das Justice Collective zeigt: Pro Kopf gibt es hier nun mehr Polizeibeamte als in New York City.
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Excellent new report on the need to defund the Berlin Police. (Available in English)
Berlin hat mehr Polizei pro Einwohner*in als NYC oder London. Und das ist ziemlich teuer: Personalkosten machen ca. 3/4 des jährlichen Polizeibudgets aus. Und es geht noch weiter: 2026/27 sind weitere 1.224 neue Stellen geplant. Zu lesen in unserem Bericht www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/news...
Neuer Bericht: Sicherheit statt Polizei
Justice Collective deckt Berlins massive Ausgaben für die Polizei auf: Berlin hat mittlerweile mehr Polizei pro Einwohner*in als New York City. Auf Grundlage unserer Analyse der Polizeiausgaben in Ber...
www.racismontrial.org
December 13, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Excellent new report on the need to defund the Berlin Police. (Available in English)
Reposted by Anthony Obst
CIVICUS stuft Deutschland 2025 weiter ab: Von „offen“ zu „beschränkt“. Repression gegen Protest, Verbote, Polizeigewalt und Zensur zeigen Wirkung – nicht nur auf der Straße, sondern jetzt auch im internationalen Freiheitsranking. Grundrechte? Immer weniger. rote-hilfe.de/meldungen/ze...
Zensur, Verbote, Gewalt: Repressionsbericht stuft BRD herab
Die BRD ist immer vorne mit dabei, wenn es darum geht, den moralischen Zeigefinger gegenüber anderen Gesellschaften zu heben. Gleichzeitig erleben wir seit Jahren eine autoritäre Wende, die weiter an ...
rote-hilfe.de
December 13, 2025 at 10:16 AM
CIVICUS stuft Deutschland 2025 weiter ab: Von „offen“ zu „beschränkt“. Repression gegen Protest, Verbote, Polizeigewalt und Zensur zeigen Wirkung – nicht nur auf der Straße, sondern jetzt auch im internationalen Freiheitsranking. Grundrechte? Immer weniger. rote-hilfe.de/meldungen/ze...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Berlin hat mehr Polizei pro Einwohner*in als NYC oder London. Und das ist ziemlich teuer: Personalkosten machen ca. 3/4 des jährlichen Polizeibudgets aus. Und es geht noch weiter: 2026/27 sind weitere 1.224 neue Stellen geplant. Zu lesen in unserem Bericht www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/news...
Neuer Bericht: Sicherheit statt Polizei
Justice Collective deckt Berlins massive Ausgaben für die Polizei auf: Berlin hat mittlerweile mehr Polizei pro Einwohner*in als New York City. Auf Grundlage unserer Analyse der Polizeiausgaben in Ber...
www.racismontrial.org
December 13, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Berlin hat mehr Polizei pro Einwohner*in als NYC oder London. Und das ist ziemlich teuer: Personalkosten machen ca. 3/4 des jährlichen Polizeibudgets aus. Und es geht noch weiter: 2026/27 sind weitere 1.224 neue Stellen geplant. Zu lesen in unserem Bericht www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/news...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
According to analysis by @justicecollective.bsky.social, there are more police officers per capita in Berlin than in New York city.
Berlin police also recently acquired extensive new surveillance powers. www.heise.de/en/news/Berl...
In this context, I find their propensity for violence alarming.
Berlin police also recently acquired extensive new surveillance powers. www.heise.de/en/news/Berl...
In this context, I find their propensity for violence alarming.
Shifting Funds from the Police to the People — Justice Collective
Justice Collective reveals Berlin's outsized spending on police: Berlin now has more police per capital than New York City. Based on our budgetary analysis, we argue that we should reinvest police bud...
www.justice-collective.org
December 12, 2025 at 11:30 AM
According to analysis by @justicecollective.bsky.social, there are more police officers per capita in Berlin than in New York city.
Berlin police also recently acquired extensive new surveillance powers. www.heise.de/en/news/Berl...
In this context, I find their propensity for violence alarming.
Berlin police also recently acquired extensive new surveillance powers. www.heise.de/en/news/Berl...
In this context, I find their propensity for violence alarming.
Reposted by Anthony Obst
For more than 2 years, police in Berlin - encouraged by city and national politicians - have systematically used excessive violence in an attempt to beat the Palestine solidarity movement into silence.
I wrote about this phenomenon for the @lrb.co.uk
I wrote about this phenomenon for the @lrb.co.uk
Harry Stopes | Police Violence in Berlin
In the last six months human rights officials at both the Council of Europe and the United Nations have written to the...
www.lrb.co.uk
December 12, 2025 at 7:27 AM
For more than 2 years, police in Berlin - encouraged by city and national politicians - have systematically used excessive violence in an attempt to beat the Palestine solidarity movement into silence.
I wrote about this phenomenon for the @lrb.co.uk
I wrote about this phenomenon for the @lrb.co.uk
Während der Berliner Senat an allen Ecken und Enden kürzt, fließt immer mehr Geld in die Polizei. Mit @justicecollective.bsky.social haben wir den Etat näher unter die Lupe genommen und fordern eine radikale Umverteilung.
www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/news...
www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/news...
Neuer Bericht: Sicherheit statt Polizei
Justice Collective deckt Berlins massive Ausgaben für die Polizei auf: Berlin hat mittlerweile mehr Polizei pro Einwohner*in als New York City. Auf Grundlage unserer Analyse der Polizeiausgaben in Ber...
www.racismontrial.org
December 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Während der Berliner Senat an allen Ecken und Enden kürzt, fließt immer mehr Geld in die Polizei. Mit @justicecollective.bsky.social haben wir den Etat näher unter die Lupe genommen und fordern eine radikale Umverteilung.
www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/news...
www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/news...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Happy A Love Supreme day to all who celebrate, within or without the Church of John Coltrane. Here 's a recording of the 4th movement "Psalm," with the words to his poem that he plays verbatim.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kOu...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kOu...
Psalm- A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
YouTube video by MarleeIMystic
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Happy A Love Supreme day to all who celebrate, within or without the Church of John Coltrane. Here 's a recording of the 4th movement "Psalm," with the words to his poem that he plays verbatim.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kOu...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kOu...
Da durch das BKA-Lagebild mal wieder die Sau namens »Ausländerkriminalität« durchs Dorf getrieben wird: Ich hab für @justicecollective.bsky.social vor einigen Monaten mal was dazu geschrieben. www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/pers...
Kriminalisiert: Die Anti-Migrationsdebatte legitimiert und verschleiert rassistische Politik und Praxis
Mit der durch vereinzelte Gewalttaten der vergangenen Monate aufgeheizten Anti-Migrationsdebatte konnte sich ein rassistisch-autoritärer Konsens formieren, in dem Law-and-Order-Politik als alternativl...
www.racismontrial.org
December 9, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Da durch das BKA-Lagebild mal wieder die Sau namens »Ausländerkriminalität« durchs Dorf getrieben wird: Ich hab für @justicecollective.bsky.social vor einigen Monaten mal was dazu geschrieben. www.racismontrial.org/de/blog/pers...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Heute wurde in Berlin eine Novelle des Polizeigesetzes verabschiedet. Sie erlaubt so ziemlich alles, was an digitaler Überwachung möglich ist: Verhaltensscanner, Gesichtersuche, Palantir-artige Datenanalysen, Staatstrojaner. Ein Kommentar. netzpolitik.org/2025/neues-p...
Neues Polizeigesetz: Berlin wirft die Freiheit weg
Heute wurde in Berlin eine Novelle des Polizeigesetzes verabschiedet. Sie erlaubt so ziemlich alles, was an digitaler Überwachung möglich ist: Verhaltensscanner, Gesichtersuche, Palantir-artige Datena...
netzpolitik.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Heute wurde in Berlin eine Novelle des Polizeigesetzes verabschiedet. Sie erlaubt so ziemlich alles, was an digitaler Überwachung möglich ist: Verhaltensscanner, Gesichtersuche, Palantir-artige Datenanalysen, Staatstrojaner. Ein Kommentar. netzpolitik.org/2025/neues-p...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Always read Rinaldo Walcott. This is no exception. 🖤🖤🖤
Rinaldo Walcott considers Sam Cooke and power, connection and promise in Black music.
A Practice of Speculative Imaginings: On Sam Cooke and the Art of Utopia
Sometimes in a moment of overwhelming emotion you hear a song. You finally hear it. You don’t just get the meaning of the lyrics, or feel the beats and the rhythm, but you hear the unutterable in t…
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Always read Rinaldo Walcott. This is no exception. 🖤🖤🖤
Reposted by Anthony Obst
The LMU announces the cancellation of a seminar on the topic "the targeting of Palestinian academia". The cancellation announcement is titled "LMU as a place of pluralistic discourse". Couldn't make this up.
www.lmu.de/en/about-lmu...
www.lmu.de/en/about-lmu...
LMU as a place of pluralistic discourse
Statement on the Planned Event “The Targeting of the Palestinian Academia” at LMU Munich
www.lmu.de
November 17, 2025 at 8:35 PM
The LMU announces the cancellation of a seminar on the topic "the targeting of Palestinian academia". The cancellation announcement is titled "LMU as a place of pluralistic discourse". Couldn't make this up.
www.lmu.de/en/about-lmu...
www.lmu.de/en/about-lmu...
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Reposted by Anthony Obst
the speech
'We have toppled a political dynasty': Zohran Mamdani speaks after winning NYC mayoral race
YouTube video by CNN
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 5:29 AM
the speech
Reposted by Anthony Obst
Everyone knows that there was a “reverse Underground Railroad” too, right? That there were gangs hunting down Black people — some self-emancipated, some born free, didn’t matter — and dragging them to a slave state? That it wasn’t just Solomon Northup, it was tens of thousands of people? Because ⬇️
NEW: ICE is planning to build a shadow deportation network in Texas. A proposal outlines a 24/7 transport operation run by armed contractors—turning Texas into the logistical backbone of an industrialized deportation machine.
My latest @wired.com: www.wired.com/story/ice-is...
My latest @wired.com: www.wired.com/story/ice-is...
October 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Everyone knows that there was a “reverse Underground Railroad” too, right? That there were gangs hunting down Black people — some self-emancipated, some born free, didn’t matter — and dragging them to a slave state? That it wasn’t just Solomon Northup, it was tens of thousands of people? Because ⬇️
Reposted by Anthony Obst
French police under the command of a former Nazi collaborator massacred anti-imperialist Algerian demonstrators 64 years ago today.
For decades, the French authorities concealed the evidence of one of the worst atrocities in postwar Europe.
For decades, the French authorities concealed the evidence of one of the worst atrocities in postwar Europe.
On This Day in 1961, French Police Murdered Dozens of Pro-independence Algerians
Sixty years ago today, French police under the command of a former Nazi collaborator massacred anti-imperialist Algerian demonstrators. For decades, the French authorities concealed the evidence of one of the worst atrocities in postwar Europe.
jacobin.com
October 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM
French police under the command of a former Nazi collaborator massacred anti-imperialist Algerian demonstrators 64 years ago today.
For decades, the French authorities concealed the evidence of one of the worst atrocities in postwar Europe.
For decades, the French authorities concealed the evidence of one of the worst atrocities in postwar Europe.
Reposted by Anthony Obst
'There are records that crystallise genres, there are albums that carve out new spaces in established scenes, and there are LPs that, over time, end up symbolising the era in which they were created. Records that create a new musical language... Those are rare.'
R.I.P. D’Angelo
buff.ly/ldwrgBO
R.I.P. D’Angelo
buff.ly/ldwrgBO
October 15, 2025 at 10:00 AM
'There are records that crystallise genres, there are albums that carve out new spaces in established scenes, and there are LPs that, over time, end up symbolising the era in which they were created. Records that create a new musical language... Those are rare.'
R.I.P. D’Angelo
buff.ly/ldwrgBO
R.I.P. D’Angelo
buff.ly/ldwrgBO
Reposted by Anthony Obst
We are excited to officially announce Dipesh Chakrabarty as our next Benjamin Chair in 2026. Chakrabarty, leading scholar of postcolonial theory and subaltern studies, will join us as Benjamin Chair in Berlin next summer.
Save the Date - More information coming soon on our website!
Save the Date - More information coming soon on our website!
October 14, 2025 at 9:43 AM
We are excited to officially announce Dipesh Chakrabarty as our next Benjamin Chair in 2026. Chakrabarty, leading scholar of postcolonial theory and subaltern studies, will join us as Benjamin Chair in Berlin next summer.
Save the Date - More information coming soon on our website!
Save the Date - More information coming soon on our website!