analyse & kritik

ak – analyse & kritik analyzes the evils of capitalism without the ideological blinders of the mainstream media. We do not practice journalism as an end in itself or for profit. Our aim is to advance left-wing, anti-racist, feminist, and social movements: through sound analysis, relevant debates, and perspectives from movements in other countries. Therefore, ak – analyse & kritik is the newspaper for left-wing debate and practice.

Unlike the mainstream media, we want to make social inequality, power relations, and power structures visible and help to overcome them. For us, ak is a contribution to transformative practice. ak aims to support and be part of the movement that will overturn the existing conditions. The newspaper should have practical value for politically active leftists.

ak has a long history. Its predecessor, Arbeiterkampf, founded in 1971, was the central publication of the Communist League (KB) for 20 years. When the KB dissolved in 1991, ak continued. This makes ak one of the few left-wing media projects that have maintained and reinvented themselves since their inception in the 1970s. Today, the newspaper serves as an interface between various currents of the extra-parliamentary left. Our editors are between 30 and 50 years old.

Our main topics are racism, feminism and antifascism, class struggle, climate collapse and capitalism, as well as social movements worldwide. It is important to us that this is reflected in our writing. Therefore, we have a quota of at least 40 percent women for articles in the newspaper and make a point of publishing contributions from leftists in other parts of the world. And we strive to cultivate a culture of discussion that doesn't rely on division but rather brings controversial positions into dialogue – with the goal of further developing the content of left-wing movements as a whole.

In recent years, societal contradictions have intensified, not only in Europe. In many countries, we are witnessing a shift to the right that threatens emancipatory achievements. Reactionary sentiments—whether nationalist, racist, antifeminist, or fundamentalist—are gaining momentum. Around the globe, however, new, progressive movements are also emerging, which in many places have recently taken on the character of uprisings. The question of how to overcome capitalism in times of impending climate collapse is being hotly debated. The need for analysis, critique, and critical engagement is growing.

ak is a collective project, meaning we don't belong to any large publishing house. We have no bosses and make all important decisions together. We also have no wealthy patrons and receive no funding from political parties or other organizations. Almost 90 percent of our income comes from subscriptions. The rest comes from newspaper sales in bookstores, advertising, and donations.

The newspaper is published eleven times a year with varying focus topics. Some articles are published online for free; for the rest, you need a subscription.