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Germany Must End Its Complicity in Gaza Genocide

A Call to Retract Baerbock’s Statement

The Left Berlin
05/01/2025

Germany’s Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has defended Israel’s targeting of civilians in Gaza, stripping Palestinians of their fundamental right to protection under International Humanitarian Law. On 10 October 2024, she told the German Bundestag, “When Hamas terrorists hide behind people, behind schools … civilian sites could lose their protected status.”

In parroting Israel’s old narrative of human shielding, Baerbock provides a flimsy justification for the genocidal campaign against Palestinian civilians. For this claim to hold, Israel would need to prove that Hamas deliberately prevents civilians from evacuating “hostile zones”. Yet, under Israeli occupation, all of Gaza is a “hostile zone”, a concentration camp, where civilians and militants alike are trapped with no means of escape.

Baerbock’s position ignores the crucial fact that, even if Hamas were found to be using human shields, Israel, as an attacking force, remains bound by International Humanitarian Law. This includes obligations to uphold the principles of proportionality, distinction, and precautions to minimize civilian casualties. Most critically, Baerbock disregards that Israel, as an occupying power, cannot invoke the right of “self-defense” under international law when dealing with Gaza, a territory it illegally occupies alongside the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The Foreign Minister’s stance reveals a stark lack of empathy toward the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who endured a year of live-streamed extermination. It also represents a blatant disregard for the principles of international law and human decency. Human rights organizations, UN agencies, and free media have consistently debunked the claims she has uncritically echoed. Instead of advocating for an end to the genocide in Gaza and taking a principled stand, Germany appears to be perpetuating its dark legacy by endorsing mass atrocities against Palestinians.

While the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the global Palestine solidarity movement call for an end to the horrific assault on Palestinians, Germany remains shamefully aligned with genocide, refusing to learn from its past.

We, the undersigned, unequivocally condemn the German government’s support for Israel’s relentless acts of genocide against the Palestinian people. We denounce Minister Baerbock’s stance, which stands in stark defiance of international law and basic human decency. We demand that the German government immediately retract her statement and issue a formal apology to the Palestinian civilians—innocent victims caught in the flames of injustice. It is time for Germany to stand on the right side of history, to reject complicity in these crimes, and to honor the principles of humanity it once vowed never to betray.

Initiated by: The Palestine Academic Group (PalAc)

Palestine Academic Group (PalAc) is an independent non-profit, non-partisan academic organization that aims to broaden deliberation on the Palestinian national project of liberation, self-determination, and safeguarding the human dignity and historical rights of the Palestinian people.
Email: PalestineAcademic@gmail.com

Twitter: Follow @Pal_Ac1

You can sign this statement here.

Undersigned

1. Hendrik Süß, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany

2. Sabine Broeck, University of Bremen, Germany

3. Simon-Rafael Fischer, Institute of Mathematics, Georg-August University, Germany

4. Manfred Liebel, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany

5. Benjamin Schuetze, Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI), Germany

6. Dennis Büscher-Ulbrich, Kiel University, Germany

7. Christoph Günther, University of Erfurt, Germany

8. Robert Sauer-Ernst, FU Berlin, Germany

9. Berit Thorbjørnsrud, University of Oslo, Norway

10. Monica jaeckel, Independent Resaercher, Berlin, Germany

11. Nour Fanous, SSchulamt Dortmund, Germany

12. Mohamed Zinalabdin, Esslingen Hochschule, Germany

13. Juergen Mackert, University of Potsdam, Germany

14. Doris Bühler-Niederberger, Independent Researcher, Germany

15. Juan Cole, University of Michigan, USA

16. Gilbert Achcar, SOAS University, UK

17. Lila Abu-Lughod, Columbia University, New York, USA

18. Sinam Mirza, Oxford University, UK

19. Joshua Landis, University of Oklahoma, USA

20. Joshua Makalintal, University of Innsbruck, Austria

21. Keiko Sakurai, Waseda university, Japan

22. Melania Brito Clavijo, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

23. Astrid Jamar, University of Antwerp, Belgium

24. Minoo Mirshahvalad, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

25. Hayato Saigo, Nagahama Institute of Bio-science and Technology, Japan

26. Chiara Lanfranchi, Geneva Institute, Switzerland

27. Spyros Marchetos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

28. Randi Deguilhem, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France

29. David Lyon, Queen’s University, Canada

30. Juan M. Amaya-Castro, Universidad de los Andes, Columbia

31. Christian Haesemeyer, University of Melbourne, Australia

32. Paola Rivetti, Dublin City University, Ireland

33. Tatiana Filimonova, National Library of Russia, Russia

34. Mulki Al-Sharmani, University of Helsinki, Finland

35. Carolina Nazzal, Universidad de cHile, Chile

36. Khaled Hroub, Northwestern University, USA

37. Fernanda Liberali, PUC-SP, Brazil

38. Sviataslau Valasiuk, University of Warsaw, Poland

39. Stefanie Baumann, New University of Lisbon, Portugal

40. Sari Hanafi, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

41. Natalia Maystorovich Chulio, University of Sydney, Australia

42. Abeer Al-Najjar, The American University in Sharjah, UAE

43. Walid Darwish, Aalborg University, Denmark

44. Andrea Meza Torres, UAM-I University, Malaysia

45. Jody Rosenblatt, King’s College London, UK

46. Ibrahim Fraihat, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Qatar

47. Koray Durak, University of Basel, Switzerland

48. Basem Ezbidi, Birzeit University, Palestine

49. Michele Lancione, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

50. Heba Ezxat, Ibn Haldun University, Türkiye

51. Ulrika Mårtensson, NTNU-Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

52. Yadira Cordova, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Venezuela

53. Marc Oliveras, University of Barcelona, Spain

54. Askoka Thakur, Sister Nivedita University, India

55. Altay Karimli, Baku State University, Azerbaijan

56. Faten Ghattas, СУ “Св.Климент Охридски”, Bulgaria

57. Alessandra Bonazzi, University of Bologna, Italy

58. Oliver Scharbrodt, Lund University, Sweden

59. Yoshiko Kurita, Chiba University, Japan

60. Khaled Shnoune University of Boumerdes, Algeria

61. Sahar AlaaEldin, Göttingen University, Germany

62. Hideaki Shinoda, Tokyo University of Foreign Affairs, Japan

63. Samer Abomoghli, Qadisieh college, Iraq

64. William Youmans, George Washington University, USA

65. Mahmoud Abdurrohman, Aarhus universitet, Denmark

66. Yahya Qtaishat, Hashemite University, Jordan

67. Massih Zekavat, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

68. Aicha Elbasry, Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Qatar

69. Mkhaimer Abusada, Al-Azhar University, Palestine

70. Robert Boyce, London School of Economics, (LSE), UK

71. Silvia Maeso, Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Portugal

72. Federico Della Valle, University of Siena, Italy

73. Ruba Salih, University of Bologna, Italy

74. Luz Gómez, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain

75. Akin Akinade, Goergetown University, USA

76. Mohamed Magout , Free University Berlin, Germany

77. Shaery Yazdi, University of Antwerp, Belgium

78. Monica Dall’Asta, University of Bologna, Italy

79. Heiki Schroeder, University of East Angelia, UK

80. Francesca Biancani, University of Bologna, Italy

81. Eyad Elyan, Robert Gordon university, Scotland

82. Chandana Mathur, Maynooth University, Ireland

83. Jo-Anne Geere, University of East Anglia, UK

84. Lucia amorosi, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy

85. Nadia Fadil, KU Leuven, Belgium

86. Ray Bush, University of Leeds, UK

87. João Rodrigues, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, Portugal

88. Azizi Al-Azmeh, Central European University, Austria

89. Samer Chehayber, University of perugia, Italy

90. Punigeaola Manduca, UNIGE, Genoa, Italy

91. Thierry Nath, The Graduate Institue ,Geneva, Switzerland

92. James Smith, UCL, UK

93. Glenn Bowman, University of Kent, UK

94. Caterina Tono, Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy

95. Barbara Azaola Piazza, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

96. Jonathan Rosenhead, London School of Economics, UK

97. Donatella Della Porta, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy

98. John Esposito, Georgetown University, USA

99. Claire Walsh, University of Edinburgh, UK

100. Pierre-Antoine Vettorello, University of Antwerp, Belgium

101. David Lloyd, University of California, Riverside, USA

102. Richard Rubenstein, George Mason University, USA

103. Eduardo Ballån, Universidad Camilo José Cels, Spain

104. Sondos Sandgren, Uppsala University, Sweden

105. Sevgi Dogan, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy

106. M. Karacan, Germany

107. Sondod Al Sad, UCSF, USA

108. Claudia Laabar, Universität Wien, Austria

109. Les Levidow, Open University, UK

110. Johnny Stiban, Birzeit University, Palestine

111. Sultan Doughan, Glodsmith University, UK

112. Şirin Fulya Erensoy, University of Groningen, Netherlands

113. Omar Elgebely, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

114. Joanne Smith Finley, Newcastle University, UK

115. William Fortich Palencia, Universidad Pedagógica Nacional, Mexico

116. Ana Santos, University of Coimbra, Italy

117. Laura Nkula, University of Capetown, South Africa

118. Maria Grazia Rossi, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

119. Johanna M. Lems, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain

120. Islam Alshamleh Alshamlej, Cambridge University, UK

121. Annelys Devet, Antwerp University, Belgium

122. Lorenzo Iannuzzi, University of Forence, Italy

123. Greg Burris, Northwestern University, USA

124. Liza Goldman Huertas, Yale New Haven Hospital, USA

125. Evelyn Alsultani, University of Southern California, USA

126. Laura Stocker, Universität Wien, Austria

127. Asma Aouragh, TH – Bingen University, Germany

128. Silvana Rabinovich, UNAM university, Mexico

129. Francisco Vidal, Universidad de Jaén, Spain

130. John Gilbert, University of Florence, Italy

131. Ian Almond, Georgetown University, USA

132. Kamile Batur, Vienna University of Technology, Austria

133. Malek Abisaab, McGill University, Canada

134. Jeanette Jouili, Syracuse University, USA

135. Samia Botmeh, Birzeit University, Palestine

136. Stefan Winter, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada

137. Julie Billaud, Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland

138. Yvonne Haddad, Georgetown University, USA

139. Jacqueline Perez, Université de Montréal, Canada

140. Tony Axon, Trinity College, Cambridge University, UK

141. Hipólito Rodríguez, CIESAS, Mexico

142. Yasir Soleiman, Cambridge University, UK

143. Elise Klein, Australian National University, Australia

144. Laura Feliu, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

145. Zena Hadjivasiliou, University College London, UK

146. Salam Kawakibi, CAREP – Paris, France

147. Nick Riemer, University of Sydney, Australia

148. Mohamed Abdelshafy, Coventry University, UK

149. Israa Asker, Newcastle University, UK

150. Patricia Hoyos, Externado, Columbia

151. Nizamettin Karataş, Tekirdağ Namık kemal Üniversitesi, Türkiye

152. Wael Hallaq, Columbia University, USA

153. Randa Farah, University of Western Ontario, Canada

154. Roger Few, University of East Anglia, UK

155. Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown University, USA

156. Laurie Brand, University of Southern California, USA

157. Mohamed Mohamed, University of Wales, UK

158. Dana Alkhiyami, Northwestern University, USA

159. Itab Shuayb, Cambridge University, UK

160. Halla Attallah, Georgetown University, USA

161. Donatella Donatella, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy

162. Eyas Haj-Obeid, Quebec University, Canada

163. Blanca Camps-Febrer, UAB, Barcelona, Catalonia

164. Fadhel Kaboub, Denison University, USA

165. Prasannan Parthasarathi, Boston College, USA

166. Salwa Mohamed, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

167. Lubna Samman, British Colombia University, Canada

168. Yaser Alsulh, Lund University, Sweden

169. Rafael Bustos, University Complutense of Madrid, Spain

170. Anne Maass, University of Padua, Italy

171. Hayal Akarsu, Utrecht University, Netherlands

172. Rosa Barotsi, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

173. Rami Khouri, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

174. Nasri Barghouti, Liverpool College, UK

175. Sami Zemni, Ghent University, Belgium

176. Helga Baumgarten, Birzeit University, Palestine

177. Margaret Pappano, Queen’s University, Canada

178. Kim Van der Borght, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium

179. Anies Al-Hroub, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

180. Ricardo Marzuca, Universidad de Chile, Chile

181. Bassam Al-Agha, University college of applied sciences-Gaza, Palestine

182. Amilcar Figueroa, Universidad Bolivariana de las Comunas, Venezuela

183. Mahdi Fneish, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

184. Razan Shawamreh, Eastern Mediterranean Univesrsity, Cyprus

185. Robert Austin Henry, CIPPSAL, Chile

186. Paolo Cuttitta, Università di Genova, Italy

187. Atef Lubbad, Al Quds University, Palestine

188. Charles Butterworth, University of Maryland, USA

189. Asmaa Abu alhaijaa, Alyarmouk University, Jordan

190. Chandni Basu, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, India

191. Tamer Qarmout, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Qatar

192. Neyda Lopez, Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela, Venezuela

193. Mohamed Alsudairi, Australian National University, Australia

194. Karima Laachir, Australian National University, Australia

195. Belal Salaymeh, Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland

196. Palpo A. de la Vega M., Cátedra Africa, Medio Oriente y Asia de la Universidad de Tifariti

197. Amjad Abu el ezz, Arab American University, Palestine

198. Tariq Modood, University of Bristol, UK

199. M Fneish, Lebanese University, Lebanon

200. Rachid Jarmouni, Université moulay ismail de Meknes Morocco, Morocco

201. Mustafa Jazar, Lebanese University, Lebanon

202. Ramazan Aras, Ibn Haldoun University, Türkiye

203. Raymond Brassier, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

204. Fathy Alsolh, American University of Sharjah, UAE

205. Mustafa Jarrar, Birzeity University, Palestine

206. Baydaa Al Ayoubi, Lebanese University, Lebanon

207. Marta Tawil Kuri, El Colegio de México, Mexico

208. David Mond, University of Warwick, UK

209. Sophie Richter-Devroe, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar

210. Hasan Ayub, Al Najah National University, Palestine

211. Omar Khalifa, Georgetown University, Qatar

212. Hisham Hamad, Al Quds University, Palestine

213. Gabriel Pérez, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico

214. Ahmed Khaled, Birzeit University, Palestine

215. Ali Kuşakcı, Ibn Haldoun University, Türkiye

216. Mira Al Hussein, University of Edinburgh, UK

217. Walid Kharroubi, Belgrad University, Serbia

218. Abdel Hakim Al Husban, Alyarmouk University, Jordan

219. Nada Raslan, RHU, Lebanon

220. Esad Širbegović, Institute for the research of genocide Canada IGC, Canada

221. Carmen Abou Jaoude, University Saint-Joseph of Beirut, Lebanon

222. Haitham Sarhan, Qatar University, Qatar

223. Tariq Dana, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Qatar

224. Alejandrina Reyes, Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez, Venezuela

225. Isabel Piña, Universidad Central de Venezuela

226. Ibrahim Bechouri, CUNY University, USA

227. Salim Tamari, Birzeit University, Palestine

228. Özmen Metin, Akdeniz University, Türkiye

229. Idrees Ahmad, University of Essex, UK

230. Walid Magdy, The University of Edinburgh, UK

231. Marwa Nassar, Arab American University, Palestine

232. Surer Mohamed, Cambridge University, UK

233. Hazel Marsh, University of East Anglia, UK

234. Adrija Bose, Indian Statistical Institute, India

235. Ibrahim Zabad, St. Bonaventure University, USA

236. Rahmi Oruç, Ibn Haldoun University, Türkiye

237. Luisana Colomine, Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela

238. Abdulrahman Ibrahim, Birzeit University, Palestine

239. May Farah, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

240. Javed Khan, TISS, India

241. Atef Alshaed, University of Westminster, UK

242. Muhannad Ayyash, Mount Royal University, Canada

243. Antonio Barrocu, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy

244. Detlev Quintern, Türkisch German University, Istanbul, Türkiye

245. Aryak Guha, S C College, west bengal state university, India

246. Bula Bhadta, Sister Nivedita University, kolkata, India

247. Castro Aurelio, University of Bologna, Italy

248. Ömer Yaman, Ankara Üniversitesi, Türkiye

249. Clara Ferri, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico

250. Mouna Hashem, University of Michigan, USA

251. Lucia Cirianni Salazar, Grupo de Estudios sobre Eurasia

252. Emine Güneş, Samsun University, Türkiye

253. Benoit Challand, New School for Social Research, USA

254. Emannuel Guerisoli, Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility, USA

255. Jenny Pearce, London School of Economics, UK

256. Scott Bollens, University of California, Irvine, USA

257. Mohammed Bamyeh, University of Pitsburgh, USA

258. Nadia Naser-Najjab, University of Exeter, UK

259. M. Nurullah Turan, Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi, Türkiye

260. Recep Köklü, Samsun University, Türkiye

261. Mehmet Fatih İzgi, Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland

262. Beirach Barak, Cinelab Ifilonva, Nova University, Portugal

263. Rashid Yahiaoui, HBKU, Qatar

264. Jihad Alshwaikh, Birzeit University, Palestine

265. Nuhad Dumit, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

266. Karim Eid-Sabbagh, Independent Researcher, Lebanon

267. Fatih Gumus, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi, Türkiye

268. Martha Mundy, London School of Economics, UK

269. James Dickins, University of Leeds, UK

270. Michelle Obeid, University of Manchester, UK

271. Muzaffer üzümcü, Namik Kemal University, Türkiye

272. Anna Kristina Hultgren, The Open University, UK

273. Hikmet Çadır, Namık Kemal Üniversitesi, Türkiye

274. Killian Odochartaigh, University of Edinburgh, UK

275. Nurcan Güneş, Mardin Artuklu University, Türkiye

276. Haideh Moghissi, York University, Toronto, Canada

277. Saeed Rahnema, York University, Canada

278. Bouchra Mossmann, SDU Odense (University of Southern Denmark), Denmark

279. Jork Wiegratz, University of Leeds, UK

280. Francisca Urias, UAM-Xoch, Mexico

281. Che Broadnax, The New School, New York, USA

282. Anthony Gorman, University of Edinburgh, UK

283. Johannes Kurzeder, University of Bologna, Italy

284. Jonathan Jonsson, University of Oslo, Norway

285. Catherine Charrett, University of Westminster, London , UK

286. Ferran Izquierdo-Brichs, UAB, Spain

287. Ziba Mir-Hosseini, SOAS, London, UK

288. Ghassan Khatib, Birzeit University, Palestine

289. Richartd Tapper, SOAS, London, UK

290. Jonas Grabbe, CENIEH, Spain

291. Heike Schroeder, University of East Anglia, UK

292. Betül Başaran, St. Mary’s Collection of Maryland, USA

293. Vanessa Kleinheinz, University of Edinburgh, UK

294. Are John Knudsen, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Norway

295. Mohammad Reza Nilfar, Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities, Netherlands

296. Amir Taha, Amsterdam University, Netherlands

297. Daniel Maldonado Juárez, Centro de Estudios de Asia y África, El Colegio de México, México

298. Teresa Almeida Cravo, University of Coimbra, Portugal

299. Mariateresa Crosta, INAF – OATo, Italy

300. Geraldo Campos, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Brazil

301. Roger Hammersland, Statistics Norway, Oslo New University College, Norway

302. Joseph Bryant, University of Toronto, Canada

303. Daniel Lenkeit, FU Berlin, Germany

304. Yusuf Timol, University of Central Lancashire, UK

305. Lara Urban, Helmholtz Munich / Technical University of Munich, Germany

306. Arturo Hartmann Pacheco, Ceai-UFS, South Africa

307. Faysal Bibi, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin / University of Potsdam Germany

308. Geraldine Hepp, Leuphana Universität, Germany

309. Jean-René Ruault, NEMO, Madrid, Spain.

Mary and her monster

Some thoughts on Mary Shelley and Frankenstein

Judy Cox
04/01/2025

Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797. Mary had the idea for Frankenstein—or the Modern Prometheus as it was known at the time—when she was 18, and she finished writing it when she was 19. This teenager, who was excluded from the kind of education her male peers enjoyed, created not one but two of the most enduring characters in fiction: the obsessive scientist and the monster he creates. For 200 years, Frankenstein has generated multiple stage and film adaptations across all genres, and it remains as firmly embedded in our culture as ever.

Mary Shelley was the daughter of two hugely important radicals: feminist icon Mary Wollstonecraft and political philosopher William Godwin. She was the lover and then wife of the revolutionary poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and friend of the infamous rebel Lord Byron. Frankenstein was conceived while Mary, Shelley, and Byron were trapped indoors by bad weather during their stay in a villa by Lake Geneva in 1816. To occupy themselves, they decided to invent ghost stories, and Frankenstein was Mary’s contribution.

As is so often the case with women writers, Mary has been treated as an appendage to her parents’ and her husband’s literary careers… whose primary function was to guard the reputations of the more illustrious minds that framed her own. Mary’s life after Shelley’s death is usually dismissed as uninteresting. Biographer Richard Holmes writes, ‘She was still obsessed by Shelley’s papers, and trapped by memories both idealised and remorseful, her life attained a curious stillness’. But Mary, who was only 25 when Shelley drowned, was active enough to support herself and her surviving son despite being ostracised by society and by Shelley’s aristocratic family. She was a writer, reviewer, essayist, executor of her father’s estate, and architect of Shelley’s poetic reputation—in addition to writing five further novels which explored gender inequality.

It is apparently quite difficult for some to accept that a young woman was capable of writing Frankenstein. Professor Charles Robinson worked through a hand-written copy of Frankenstein counting some 5,000 changes suggested by Percy Shelley. The professor declared that ‘The book should now be credited as “by Mary and Percy Shelley”.’ This is rubbish. Other critics have noted that Shelley did no more than any editor, mainly correcting spelling and punctuation. When Shelley drowned just before his 30th birthday, he left a literary mess behind him. Many of his poems remained unpublished until Mary edited and published them. Another academic argues that Mary Shelley’s ‘magisterial editions of 1824 and 1837’ were vital in securing the poet’s reputation. Susan Wolfson writes that Mary’s editing demonstrated ‘considerable authority, at times co-creation’. Without Mary, Percy Shelley would never have entered the great canon of English literature. But does anyone claim that Shelley’s poems should now be credited to Percy and Mary Shelley’?

Many women writers are subtly undermined by the patronising assumption that they simply and artlessly describe their personal experiences. Mary Wollstonecraft died after giving birth to Mary, and by the summer of 1816, 18-year-old Mary had already had two children, one of which she buried. In 1817 Shelley’s wife Harriet and Mary’s half-sister Fanny both committed suicide. Bingo! The creation and destruction, the parody of giving birth in Frankenstein can be satisfactorily explained away. But again this will not do. Mary was familiar with all the intellectual and scientific developments of her time. She attended lectures given by chemist Humphry Davy and Dr Luigi Galvani who passed electric currents through dead bodies.

Mary was also a profoundly political woman. Her book is best understood as an imaginative engagement with the Industrial Revolution which threatened to reshape man’s relationship with nature and with capitalism which was still in its blood-soaked infancy. In Frankenstein, she created a tale which continues to resonate because it articulates a powerful response to capitalism, to class division, and to exploitation and revolt.

Frankenstein can also be read as a feminist novel. It is Victor Frankenstein’s attempts to supplant women in the process of reproduction that leads to disaster. The story, with its dead mothers and murdered wives, reveals what happens when women are marginalised.

Frankenstein was set in the 1790s, the decade of the French Revolution and the Haitian Revolution which established the first black republic. As capitalism developed, it provoked a violent response from those it impoverished by new methods of manufacturing—some 12,000 troops were sent to Nottingham to quell the Luddite Rebellion of 1812. Lord Byron’s first (and only) speech in the House of Lords opposed the introduction of the death sentence for machine breaking, but hundreds of Luddite rebels were executed before the movement subsided. Frankenstein’s monster was born out of these social convulsions and protests.

Mary’s monster is not the mute, dumb monster portrayed by Boris Karloff in the 1931 film. He learns to speak and to read, to love music and the poetry of John Milton. ‘I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous’, the monster pleads. Here Mary echoes the pleas of her reforming contemporaries who argued that only improving worker’s lives could prevent violent revolt. But Frankenstein is not just an appeal for worker’s rights—there is a deeper and more fundamental protest going on.

Unlike previous monsters, Mary’s is a dynamic, totalising one. Frankenstein does not stay in the shadows or in the creepy castles like the ghosts in Anne Radcliffe or Lewis Monk’s gothic novels. Frankenstein and his monster chase each other across huge geographical spaces. This reflects how capitalism is also a dynamic system, driven to constantly expand and grow. In addition, the workings of the system are hidden and mysterious and far beyond the control of any individual capitalist, however powerful. From the Communist Manifesto comes this description, ‘Modern bourgeois society with its relations of production, of exchange and property, a society that has conjured up such gigantic means of production of exchange, is like the sorcerer, who is no longer able to control the powers of the nether world whom he has called up by his spells’.

Frankenstein’s monster is a metaphor for the condition of the working classes in the early years of the Industrial Revolution. The monster is not natural, he has been created. Like the men and women being forced into the factories, the monster is stitched together from different elements, and like them, he is deformed and debased.

Through the monster’s naïve eyes, Mary invites us to share his disgust at the degradation of workers. He tells Victor, ‘I heard of the division of property, of immense wealth and squalid poverty, of rank, descent and noble blood. I learned that the possessions most esteemed by your fellow creatures were high and unsullied descent united with riches. A man might be respected with only one of these advantages; but, with either, he was considered, except in very rare instances, as a vagabond and a slave, doomed to waste his power for the profits of the chosen few!’

The Monster warns Frankenstein: ‘Remember that I have my power …You are my creator, but I am your master!’ In the monster, Frankenstein has created his own gravedigger. Two hundred years later, Mary Shelley’s novel is more relevant than ever because capitalism is today more monstrous than even she could have imagined.

Charlotte Gordon’s double biography Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley is available from Bookmarks bookshop .

The Gisèle Pelicot Case: A Catalyst for Change in Justice and Society

The trial over the decade-long abuse involving numerous men has shaken many, and requires us to demand societal and judicial change

Viivi Suhonen
03/01/2025

The case of Gisèle Pelicot, a woman from the small village of Mazan in southern France, has captured attention across France and beyond. Her horrific case made headlines when the court hearings began in September, bringing her harrowing story to light.

For nearly a decade, her husband Dominique Pelicot had systematically drugged her by lacing her food and drinks with sedatives, leaving her unconscious. Initially, Dominique sexually assaulted his wife alone. However, he soon found that this no longer satisfied him.

He later admitted to becoming addicted to assaulting his wife and subsequently began seeking other men to participate. He recruited strangers from a website called “against her will” and invited them into their home to rape her.

Dominique’s abuse extended beyond Gisèle, deeply affecting their entire family. The investigation revealed that Dominique had secretly taken nude photographs of his adult daughter and his sons’ wives without their knowledge, further demonstrating his pattern of abuse and exploitation.

Gisèle’s daughter, Caroline Darian, testified about the devastating impact on the family, describing how they initially believed Gisèle’s symptoms were caused by illness. The emotional toll on the children has been profound, with their son David Pelicot recounting his horror upon discovering that his wife had been photographed without her consent, including during her pregnancy.

Dominique Pelicot’s manipulation of Gisèle went beyond the physical. He gaslighted her into believing she had health problems, such as Alzheimer’s, when she began experiencing memory loss and unexplained weight changes due to prolonged drugging.

What particularly shocked people around the world was that the perpetrators were “ordinary” men. The case broke the stereotype of a rapist. It’s not someone outcast from society, moving in the shadows. It could be your brother, neighbor, or colleague. A trusted member of a community.

It reveals that “roofying” is not limited to nightlife or bars; it can also happen behind closed doors, committed by someone you trust most. In this case, the perpetrators worked in professions such as firefighter, nurse, soldier, journalist, prison officer, and lorry driver. Ranging from highly respected job to more common ones, the French media appropriately referred to them as “Monsieur Tout-le-Monde” (“Mr. Everyman”).

I’ve seen the refrain “Not all men” frequently surface in social media discussions about sexual violence against women. This phrase cannot be justified. While it’s true that not all men are rapists, it’s undeniable that, in this case, all the rapists were men. Such arguments diminish the lived experiences of survivors and deflect attention from the systemic issues that enable sexual violence to persist.

Even more telling is the geographic proximity of these men, all the convicted lived within a 60km radius of the village of Mazan. The case exposes the deeply rooted rape culture in our society that persists through silence, stigma, and complicity. As Gisèle herself said, “Shame must change sides.”

The case was closed on the 19th of December and 51 men were sentenced. 46 men were convicted of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault. While Gisèle has become a role model for women worldwide, the lenient sentences for many of the perpetrators have sparked outrage, showing an urgent need for systemic reform.

While the convictions appear to be a victory, when you look into the sentences, they tell a different story. Dominique Pelicot, the mastermind behind the horrors, received 20 years in prison – significant but arguably insufficient given the gravity of his crimes. Other men also received lighter sentences than the prosecutor requested, with some perpetrators walking free due to medical conditions.

These inconsistencies send a troubling message: the well-being of a rapist is more important than the trauma of the victim. This lack of harsh penalties undermines public trust in the justice system and raises serious doubts about its ability to deliver true justice for victims of sexual violence.

Some perpetrators justified their actions by stating they believed Gisèle had consented because Dominique had told them she did – as if a husband could decide over the wife’s body. Or they believed Gisèle’s silence was part of a consensual “sex game.” These justifications reveal their complicity and the dangerous misconceptions surrounding consent. This is further underscored by the existence of over 20,000 recordings, which clearly show that Gisèle was incapable of consenting as she was drugged into a coma.

Gisèle’s case serves as a catalyst for change. It is heart-wrenching that only after someone has suffered profoundly those in power decide to act. This case highlighted the outdated legal framework in France for addressing sexual violence. The absence of a clear legal definition of consent complicates prosecutions and retraumatizes survivors.

In fact, it wasn’t until a horrific rape trial in 1978, where two women were attacked during a camping trip and brutally beaten and assaulted by three men, that rape was officially recognized in the French Constitution. Even then it came only after intense public debate and pressure.

A rape case in Spain prompted a reform of the laws around consent, leading to the adoption of the “Yes Means Yes” standard, also known as affirmative consent, which has also been implemented in Sweden and Denmark. Briefly explained, this framework requires explicit, mutual, and informed agreement for any sexual activity, marking a significant shift from traditional laws.

Under this model, silence, passivity, or lack of resistance cannot be interpreted as consent, ensuring that the burden of proof lies with the perpetrator to demonstrate that clear and enthusiastic consent was obtained.

While Gisèle’s case highlights national failures, it also underscores the need for broader European-level reforms. One could argue that the European Union could standardize this approach across member states, aligning with its commitments to human rights and gender equality under the Istanbul Convention and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

By implementing “Yes Means Yes” as an EU directive, the bloc could ensure consistent protections for victims and promote a cultural shift toward respect and accountability in all member states.

The case also shows that in addition to judicial reform, we need a societal one too. It shows how rape culture is integrated into our societies and “accepted”. Education plays a critical role. Teaching young people about consent and respect can challenge the attitudes that underpin rape culture.

Communities must move beyond the passive bystander role, actively demand change, and point out the wrongs to prevent abuse. In this case, many of the perpetrators said they noticed something was “off” but still failed to act. After leaving their house, they thought the situation was wrong but still didn’t report that further.

Online platforms like the one Dominique used, which normalize sexual violence, must be held accountable. Stricter regulations are needed to prevent the facilitation of such crimes. The fact that pornography categories like “rape” or “sleeping” exist reflects a societal issue that blurs consent and objectifies women.

Despite the shortcomings of the judicial process, Gisèle’s courage has had a profound and far-reaching impact. By forgoing anonymity and insisting on a public trial, she has shattered the stigma surrounding sexual violence and become a global symbol of resilience and feminist advocacy.

Her bravery has not only inspired survivors worldwide to speak out but also ignited a movement demanding justice, accountability, and change. Across France, public demonstrations have amplified her message, calling for an end to rape culture and stronger protections for victims.

Gisèle’s story is more than one of survival –it is one of empowerment. She has shown that even in the face of unimaginable pain and betrayal, it is possible to reclaim your voice and spark change that resonates far beyond your personal experience. Her strength reminds us that change begins with courage, and her advocacy has given hope to countless women around the globe who have faced similar struggles.

As we reflect on the injustices Gisèle endured, let her bravery inspire us to channel our outrage into action – through judicial reform, education, and grassroots activism. Most importantly, we must listen to survivors. Their voices are invaluable in shaping a society that prioritizes justice, compassion, and equality. Gisèle’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of speaking out, and it is up to all of us to ensure her courage continues to light the way for others.

A Year of Genocide, Repression, and Resistance

A round-up of the most read articles on theleftberlin.com in 2024.

Phil Butland
01/01/2025

2024 was once more dominated by Israel’s ongoing genocide ln Gaza and the repression in Germany against anyone who wanted to protest against it. Demonstrations were banned, and those which did take place faced overwhelming police violence. The Bundestag passed a resolution which effectively blames Muslim non-Germans for antisemitism.

This was reflected in the most-read articles on theleftberlin.com, but lots more happened this year. The two largest economies in the EU – France and Germany – saw their government fall, as did the repressive Assad regime in Syria. We saw the worrying rise of the Far Right throughout Europe, and, in Germany at least, the parliamentary Left seem incapable of rising to the challenge.

2025 will see further struggles, with large protests expected against the AfD conference on January 11th, and elections in Germany in February. Internationally, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as US President in January, and we hope to see protests against his neoliberal racism. Palestine solidarity is as necessary as ever, and we will continue to cover the political developments both as journalists and as activists.

In the last 12 months, The Left Berlin has continued to flourish. We organised 45 Palestine Reading Groups in just over a year, and 12 public meetings and film screenings on Palestine, each attracting over 100 people. Our weekly Newsletter now goes out to nearly 3,000 people and over 9,000 people follow us on Instagram.

We will continue to offer a home for non-German activists in Berlin. We will be organising walking tours, public meetings, another Summer Camp, and Palivision 2 for people who want to boycott Eurovision. Book Club and our Reading Group will continue, and we are introducing a new monthly Film Club.

To keep informed, subscribe to our weekly Newsletter. You can also become more centrally involved in our political and/or journalistic activities. Send an email to team@theleftberlin.com to find out more. That’s enough self-promotion. Here are the 21 articles which received at least 1,000 views last year.

Most Read Article: German Elites Are Redefining Antisemitism So They Can Be the Victims Nathaniel Flakin – 6119 views

In January, Berlin cultural senator Joe Chialo announced that Berlin artists who wanted state funding would have to sign an oath of loyalty to the State of Israel. This was one of Germany’s first uses of the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition which effectively brands all criticism of Israel as antisemitic. Protests later in the year would force Chialo to withdraw the threat – for now – but at the time Nathaniel Flakin reported the political background for theleftberlin.com.

Sample quote: “German elites have convinced themselves that they ‘get’ antisemitism in a way that Jews simply can’t. They seem to have gained enlightenment through genocide.”

2. The AfD and Israel Isobel Knight – 5259 views

In May, Isobel Knight looked at the strange love in between a party full of Fascists and the self-declared “Jewish State”. The AfD and Israel share an Islamophobic, anti-immigrant agenda, and even before October 7th, the AfD was one of Israel’s biggest supporters. Backing Israel has not prevented leading AfD members from repeatedly making antisemitic statements, or from congratulating other parties for supporting Germany’s “antisemitism clause” which blames Muslims for the country’s antisemitism.

Sample quote: “A party that will so readily turn human lives into political pawns, atrocities into justification for bigotry, is a true danger to society, both in Germany and abroad. ”

3. Dominick Fernow (Prurient) Releases Split Album with Neo-Nazi Band Genocide Organ Antifascist Music Alliance – 3832 views

Last year’s most-read article, written in June 2023, continued to reach a large audience. The Antifascist Music Alliance, who regularly write for theleftberlin.com on the politics of the Berlin music scene, uncovered the increasing presence of white supremacist bands in local clubs. In particular, they singled out Dominick Fernow, aka Vatican Shadow/Prurient and called on Berlin’s music platforms and clubs like Berghain to support the boycott called against Fernow.

Sample quote: “The refusal from Resident Advisor, Pitchfork and Berghain to publicly address why they actively supported him while knowing about his fascist ties, is a big part of why he feels comfortable enough to make a comeback.”

4. Boycott of Berghain: from March 2024 to now Antifascist Music Alliance – 3507 views

Speaking of Berghain, in November this year, the Antifascist Music Alliance published an update on the ongoing campaign by artists to boycott Berghain. The boycott, supported by groups like Ravers for Palestine and DJs Against Apartheid, condemns Berghain’s ongoing silence on genocide in Palestine. This is particularly hypocritical from a club which has been very vocal on Ukraine. The article contains interviews with artists about their involvement in the boycott campaign.

Sample quote: “As we’ve seen in other solidarity efforts, it’s those with the least wealth, structural privilege and access that are standing with Palestine. ”

5. A discussion on Antisemitism with almost no Jews Nathaniel Flakin interviews Daniel (Jüdische Stimme) – 3236 views

In April, the anti-Deutsch club ://about blank organised a panel discussion on antisemitism. Four of the five speakers were not Jewish, and the fifth was only added to the platform at the last minute. Jewish anti-Zionists were denied entry, and a protest led by Jews was held outside the event. Daniel, a member of the Jüdische Stimme, infiltrated the event and found it to be superficial and uninspiring. Nathaniel Flakin interviewed Daniel about his experience.

Sample quote: “Throughout the 2.5 hour discussion, none of the speakers was able to provide any concrete opinions, facts, or strategies about hatred toward Jewish people nor strategies on Jewish safety.”

6. “I believe that there is going to be a wave of deportations coming soon” Phil Butland interviews Nadija Samour – 3179 views

In November, on the day that the German government fell, one of its last acts was to introduce a new “antisemitism resolution.” We talked to Palestinian lawyer Nadija Samour from the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) about its implications. Nadija explained that because the resolution is not a law, it cannot be challenged in court. But it will still be used to ban meetings and withdraw public funding. More worrying, she anticipates it being used to deport many Muslims who support Palestine.

Sample quote: “This reminds us of the older, colonial idea of the barbarians. That’s what is meant when they discuss so-called imported antisemitism.”

7. When a Zionist Riot is Reported as an Antisemitic Pogrom Phil Butland – 2913 views

In November, fans of Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv rioted through Amsterdam. Politicians and media worldwide reported the response by locals with migrant backgrounds as “hateful antisemitic violence” and even a “pogrom”. Phil Butland looked behind the headlines to see a coordinated attack by fans of a team with a history of racism. Many of those fans have experience in the Israeli army’s genocidal attack of Gaza. He concluded that Amsterdamers were right to defend themselves.

Sample quote: “Those who say that this is just about football do not understand how a murderous ideology can take over a whole culture.”

8. Saltanat Nukenova’s Murder Highlights Kazakhstan’s Femicides Isobel Knight – 2705 views

In April, Isobel Knight reported on the televised trial of Kazakhstan’s former Minister of Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev, accused of murdering his wife after beating her in a restaurant. The restaurant owner, a relative of Bishimbayev, did not report the incident. The case, which did not receive widespread coverage in the Western press, was the most prominent of many cases of femicide in the country. Bishimbayev was sentenced to 24 years in prison in May. It is not clear whether he will serve the full term.

Sample quote: “this whole trial unfortunately only emphasises the fact that in Kazakhstan, beating and killing women is not a serious offence.”

9. The philosemitic Delusions of Sascha Lobo Dan Weissmann – 2091 views

In April, Dan Weissmann reported on “alpha blogger” and columnist Sascha Lobo. Since October 7th, Lobo has made a career of repeating Isrsaeli press releases in Der Spiegel. He describes reports of deaths and injury in Gaza as “Hamas propaganda” and is reluctant to provide evidence. In February, when the UNWRA aid agency was about the organisation keeping Gazans alive, he called for its disbandment, accusing it of having overlapping interests with Hamas. Lobo’s reports fit a sadly familiar German narrative.

Sample quote: “there is no evidence that Lobo has ever engaged meaningfully with any scholarship or literature other than those sanctioned by the German state.”

10. Why You Should Boycott Eurovision if Israel is Allowed to Compete Ciaran Dold – 1913 views

In March, Corner Späti’s Ciaran Dold – a Eurovision fan – wrote us a guest article on Israel’s participation in the competition. While arguing that Eurovision can be a force for good, Ciaran argued for a boycott in a year of genocide, pointing out the hypocrisy of a European Broadcasting Union. The EBU claimed that it could do nothing but had happily banned Russia in 2022. Listing many examples of past interventions, Ciaran argues that Eurovision has always been political and this is something we should celebrate.

Sample quote: “if Russia can get banned for an invasion, Belarus can get banned for media repression, but Israel can remain, the EBU is sending a pretty clear signal that Palestinian lives don’t matter.”

11. “I think we’re at a very dangerous tipping point” Phil Butland interviews Zoë Claire Miller – 1703 views

In April, at the height of artists’ demonstrations for freedom of expression, we interviewed Zoë Claire Miller, spokesperson of the Berlin artists’ union. Although the union has a range of opinions on Palestine, Zoë stressed that they were united in defending freedom of speech and artistic expression. She argued that attacks by politicians and the right wing press are endangering artists, and new legislation is threatening to hinder not just pro-Palestine art, but also actions against Fascism in Germany.

Sample quote: “Germany seems to be damaging its reputation as a liberal, open-minded and welcoming locus of cultural exchange.”

12. International Cultural Workers Called on to Boycott German Cultural Institutions Antifascist Music Alliance – 1534 views

In January, the Antifascist Music Alliance reported on the Strike Germany movement which was planning cultural and academic boycotts on Germany because of the country’s support for Israel. Actions were planned particularly against Berlin, which gains cultural cachet through its reputation as a home of international culture. The article came shortly after the cancellation by the left-wing Volksbühne theatre of British politician Jeremy Corbyn. It concludes by calling on more Artists to join the boycott.

Sample quote: “With their willingness to censor Palestinians and those who speak in solidarity with them, it looks like Berghain, Volksbühne and other cultural spaces like them are willing and hoping to profit in the Berlin Senate’s McCarthyist era.”

Other articles with more than 1,000 views

Best of recent German-language Cinema Phil Butland – 1480 views
“A lot of Palestinians here have the feeling of being invisible” Molly Hill interviews Anna Younes – 1362 views
German magazine Der Spiegel attacks Jewish student Nathaniel Flakin – 1335 views
Artists and Musicians in Germany Speak Out Against Genocide of Palestinians Antifascist Music Alliance – 1295 views
Why German Media are Lying About the Palestine Solidarity Movement at the Free University of Berlin Nathaniel Flakin – 1285 views
“Actions like this are a symbol for the liberation struggle. It’s an uprising against the right wing In Germany” Phil Butland interviews Iris Hefets – 1234 views
Where does Die LINKE Stand? – Simo Dorn interviews Christine Buchholz 1206 views
Dear German activists, I have some questions on integrity Habe Attia Mousa – 1121 views
German Culture must Confront its Past Emily O’Sullivan – 1121 views
When British pubs said “Black Troops Only” Judy Cox – 1043 views
Berlin Judge declares “From the River to the Sea” chant to be illegal Roser Gari Perez – 1003 views

A Science Fiction Book Revisited

Book Review: Cycle of Fire by Hal Clement

Itziar Cedar
31/12/2024

Reading Cycle of Fire by Hal Clement (1957), which I only knew of because I found in a “Zu Verschenken” box on a Neukölln street, has made me more aware of the political power that hard science fiction harbors. Cycle of Fire is not an abstract futuristic fantasy novel, but a concrete speculative anthropological, geological and biological exercise put into words through a field research journey.

Clement uses the shipwrecked narrative formula to introduce the two main characters, Nil Krüger and Dar Lang Ahn. Nil is a young human and part of an exploratory mission from Earth who ends up crashing in Dar’s planet Abyormen. Dar is a non-human native from this world, who also encounters himself lost as he undergoes a rite of passage, in which young individuals like Dar are expected to travel alone across the planet to gain experience and survive the extreme environmental conditions caused by Abyormen’s dual sun. This extreme climate sets the stage for the main political conflict, while the reader is gradually introduced to the intricate scientific details of Abyormen’s environment and unique ecosystem.

One of the central questions that Clement explores is the interspecies relationship between Earth humans and Abyormen locals. One could argue that the way he initially portrays both kinds of creatures mirrors the classic identity dichotomy between European and native, as Nil tries to technologise Abyormen society with Earth knowledge. However, as the story develops, Nil and Dar’s relationship solidifies, making Nil aware of his intrusive mindset. This is a relevant point as in general, the novel doesn’t have a strong action plot, as most of it is just descriptive scientific documentation, but one of the elements that kept me engaged in terms of character development is the caring and fraternal relationship between both protagonists.

Dar is generally described as a kind of bipedal reptilian with humanoid features, while Nils is a representation of the American white, young, male archetype which characterises every Hollywood superhero story. However, Dar is an incredibly knowledgeable character with a great intellectual capacity and philosophical depth, which gradually affects Nils in his way of perceiving the Abyormen’s natives, making him realise that this “otherness” he was projecting on Dar, was in fact, not so clear (that’s why the following sentence “each was a stranger to each other, but which was the alien?” appears on the front cover of the book). From the beginning, both characters rely on each other for survival and the bigger political question behind it is exactly that one, the symbiotic relationship between species is imperative for the development of life in all forms. This is also treated in a biological sense, as Clement goes through a very detailed explanation of how bacteria helps the natives adapt to their extreme climate environment (as Abyormen has two kinds of Abyromenites, the “hot season” ones and the “cold season” ones, which Dar is part of and constitutes also, a big part of the plot).

I would like to mention Donna Haraway’s work here, in her publication When Species Meet she talks about ethical responsibilities regarding human to-non-human interactions. She is concerned with how we understand and treat other species, particularly when they are framed as “other” or as objects of study or exploitation. In the novel, the humans’ arrival on Abyormen presents an encounter between species with vastly different ways of life and forms of biological understanding. Regarding Haraway, the ethical considerations surrounding interspecies contact become central. Humans, with their technologically advanced but ecologically naive mindset, must navigate the delicate balance of interacting with the native species and ecosystems without exploiting or disrupting them, which is something Nil finally gets to grasp.

From an anti-colonial point of view, this knowledge dichotomy between Nils and Dar can also be interpreted as differences between the Western ideal of self-importance through technological superiority and indigenous symbiosis and ecological knowledge (like in the plot of Avatar). But this also leads us to the conclusion that technological development is a natural process of evolution itself, as seen in the book, and it can’t be avoided. So the interconnectedness between organisms, technology, and the environment is what creates life, (in this case Earthlings, cold Abyormenites and warm Abyormenites) where boundaries between species, technologies, and organisms become diluted in this network of co-constitutiveness (just how historical materialism shows us how we live in a dialectical relationship around us).

However, the fact that Abyormen is constantly under extreme geological and environmental conditions is not unintentional, considering that Clement himself was a chemist and astronomer therefore acutely aware of the impact of human industrial development on Earth during the first half of the 20th century. Abyormen’s ecosystem can also be seen as a critique of colonial exploitation of the environment, where the balance of ecosystems is interfered to serve economic interests. The survival of the native species, like Dar, and their ability to adapt, contrasts with the destructive and (in the case of the initial Nil Krüger and his kind), shortsighted actions of colonizing forces, reinforcing the idea that knowledge comes from understanding the aforementioned symbiotic environmental relationships with the land. By Nil identifying with the Abyormen and developing his love and respect for Dar, he manages to resolve the plot conflict by rejecting any kind of species-based hierarchical differences, allowing to establish a collective and mutual dependency relationship between Earthlings and Abyormenites.

As a final point, I want to mention the role of the Teachers who are the ruling institution in Abyormen and maintain a powerful position as they regulate labour and knowledge. This is also something Nil witnesses and tries to fight against (while we have no information about Nil’s societal organisation forms other than scientific researchers working in teams). These Teachers are described as looking the same as Dar (all Abyormen’s population looks the same) but bigger and taller, which makes Nil argue against their policies of gatekeeping critical survival knowledge and manipulating their society’s ideology by exploiting them through labour and reproduction (he believes that they grow bigger at the cost of sacrificing Abyormenites like Dar). However, the story provides another understanding of their role, which leaves it to the reader to freely interpret their meaning. This aspect of the book can offer further analytical development regarding the sociology of Abyromen which would lead to a debate about the creation of political systems in SF, and their role in learning how to overthrow current systems of oppression and exploitation.

Although Cycle of Fire is not a revolutionary novel, it does serve as a great exploration of interspecies relationships and the consequences of technologised colonisation processes. Through the dynamic between Nil and Dar, Clement invites readers to reconsider hierarchical relationships between species, technology and culture. The gradual transformation of Nil Krüger’s relationship with Dar tells us that co-evolution and co-dependence are imperative processes to survival and collective liberation.