Libertarian movement and self-management of knowledge in the Spain of the first third of the 20th century: «Questions and answers» section (1930-1937) of the journal Estudios

Abstract

Newspaper Q&A sections reflect and contribute to the social historical context in which they are published, and they may play roles as distinct as becoming a tool to sustain social arrangements or, conversely, being an instrument for social change. In a context of complex relations between experts and non-experts within the libertarian movement in Spain in the first third of the 20th century, the Q&A section («Preguntas y respuestas», 1930-1937) of the anarchist magazine Estudios (1928-1937) constitutes a particularly illustrative example of the multidimensional management of knowledge through the effective redefinition of the participation of quite different groups. In this paper, we analyze the exchange between physician Roberto Remartínez (1895-1977), the section coordinator, and its readers, and identify features of the implementation of the libertarian principles of self-management through communication practices in which experts and non-experts jointly take part.