50 years ago, the Transnational Institute (TNI) first opened its doors in Amsterdam. Under the charismatic leadership of founding Director, Eqbal Ahmad, TNI emerged as an unconventional player on the international stage. Distinct from the rarefied atmosphere of academia, TNI quickly became a bustling hub for international encounters among scholars and activists, who were deeply engaged with the emancipatory movements of the times. Eqbal was somewhat understated when he said he hoped "we will be known for the work we do." A half century on, he would be proud of how we carried forward his legacy and that of those who followed him.
In the beginning, and thanks to the generosity of philanthropist Samuel Rubin, TNI was able to award fellowships to support promising and committed writers. Over the next twenty years, many of them came to shape the course of history, and contributed significantly to the intellectual formation of the next generation of activist scholars to come. Some of the early fellows included the late Teodor Shanin (Russia), Xavier Gorostiaga (Nicaragua), A. Sivanandan (Sri Lanka), Andre Gunder-Frank (Germany), Fred Halliday (Ireland), John Berger (England), Tom Nairn (Scotland), Miguel Teubal (Argentina), Fouzi El-Asmar (Palestine), Zedna Tominova (Czech Republic), Ernst Utrecht (Indonesia), Michael Manley (Jamaica), Luzviminda Francisco (Philippines), Jitendra Mohan (India), Hamza Alvi (Pakistan), Fayçal Yachir (Algeria),Paresh Chattopadhyay (Bangladesh) and many, many others who are thankfully still with us today.
While the context has changed over time, TNI has consistently supported significant struggles for democracy and against colonialism, dictatorships and Apartheid – from Chile in the 1970s to Myanmar and Palestine today; for peace and against nuclear weapons and militarism – from the threats at the height of the Cold War to the state of permanent war now prevailing; and for socialism and against an international economic order stacked against the South and a neoliberal ideology that seeks to create the optimal conditions for the maximisation of corporate profits at the expense of people and the environment - red threads throughout TNI’s history.
Today is a time of great ferment. We are witnessing the savage decimation of the Palestinian people by the Israeli military, and the threat of regionalisation of that war adding to already record numbers of refugees from war and conflict worldwide; obscene levels of inequality and corporate monopolisation; and an existentially threatening environmental crisis. All of the above is likely to be exacerbated by geopolitical contestations over securing strategic resources, green colonialism to fuel economic growth and competition for leadership on new (digital) technologies and markets. Popular discontent is manifesting in a far rightward shift, as seen in the recent shock election results in Argentina and The Netherlands. The challenge TNI has set itself in these dark times is the development of a clear vision and feasible propositions that are able to capture popular imagination, and for which more and more people will be prepared to fight. As the late TNI Fellow and writer John Berger said, “Hope is not a form of guarantee; it’s a form of energy, and very frequently that energy is strongest in circumstances that are very dark.”
Every day, TNI staff communicate with allies globally, co-creating plans and sharing analysis, connections, and international policy access for social movements to challenge entrenched power and pursue meaningful alternatives. Our history of solidarity and coalition-building, combined with the expertise we have built across a range of relevant topics, has established us as a respected and reliable partner across many social movement confluences.
For over half of TNI’s history, its Drugs and Democracy work has significantly influenced drug policy developments and brought together growers of prohibited crops globally.
Our efforts against corporate power and impunity have halted unjust trade treaties and spurred a UN process for meaningful international regulation of transnational corporations. Over two decades, we have helped catalyse and connect movements working to reclaim and democratise public services through public-community relationships and, most recently, advocating for public pathways for energy transitions.
TNI’s roots in international anti-war movements persist, providing research on militarism, exposing the border industry, and surveillance. We draw connections between securitization and various issues, from drug policy to climate change, urging more just and equitable approaches.
We support small-scale food producers to defend their land and resource rights, advocating for agroecology to ensure food sovereignty, sustainable food systems, and address the climate crisis.
Throughout 2024, TNI will celebrate its half century milestone by honouring those who went before us, showcasing and reflecting on our history such that we can learn the lessons for the challenges now before us.
Warmly yours,
Fiona Dove
Executive Director, Transnational Institute
