James J. Brittain

Professor

Office: BAC 305
Phone: (902) 585-1292
Email: james.brittain@acadiau.ca

Student Hours (Winter 2026)
Every Thursday at 11:00am

Education

BA Hon. (University of New Brunswick – Saint John)
MA (Acadia University)
PhD (University of New Brunswick)

Research/Teaching Interests

Class (Consciousness)
Escape
Labour-Power
Political Economy
Social Reproduction

Teaching (2026-27)

Fall 2026
SOCI-2103, Thinking Through Society
SOCI-3093, Social Thought
SOCI-4123/5603, Seminar in Political Economy and Development [Racial Capitalism]

Winter 2027
SOCI-2533, Popular Culture and the Media
SOCI-3543, Marx(ism): Past and Present

Selected Publications

Books
Dahringer, Heather A. Kitchin and James J. Brittain. 2017. Mapping Geographies of Violence. Halifax: Fernwood Publishers.

Brittain, James J. 2010. Revolutionary Social Change in Colombia: The origin and direction of the FARC-EP. London: Pluto Press.

Peer-Refereed Publications
Beazley, Luke, James J. Brittain, Ioana Cerasella Chis, Arianna Introna, Alison Tarrant, Clare Williams, Emily Kakoullis. Forthcoming. “Introduction: Special Issue,” International Journal of Disability and Social Justice 8(2).

Beazley, Luke, James J. Brittain, Ioana Cerasella Chis, Lydia Hughes, Arianna Introna, Dante Philp. Forthcoming. “Worker’s Inquiry and ‘Disability’,” Notes from Below Issue 28.

Brittain, James J. Forthcoming. “(Capital’s Prevention of) Proletarian Well-Being,” Science for the People 27(3).

Brittain, James J. 2026. “Academic (Un)Freedom in Nova Scotia: Signaling the need for dissent,” Studies in Political Economy 107(1): 86-105.

Brittain, James J. 2026. “Eating’s Cheating and the Reframing of Power in Sport: The peculiarity of male professional road cycling,” Sports in Society 29(1): 48-70.

Brittain, James J. 2024. “Wellness and the Working Class: The artifice of benefits under capitalism,” Perspectives [open access].

Brittain, James J. 2020. “Calling (Intellectual) Bullshit On Inequality’s Perversion of Alienation,” Socialist Studies 14(2): 1-12.

Brittain, James J. 2017. “Reading the (Identity Politics) Market: Articulating the forest past the trees post-Trump,” Capital & Class 41(3): 411-422.

Brittain, James J. 2017. “Violence Beyond the Proximal Subjective: Theorizing an addendum of distal causality,” International Journal of Žižek Studies 11(1): 1-19.

Brittain, James J. 2011. “Revolutionary Emancipation ‘From Below’ in Colombia, a Response to Skocpol,” Critique 39(1): 99-128.

Brittain, James J. 2010. “Contemporary Colombia: The continuity of struggle,” Labour, Capital and Society 43(2): 3-11 [Guest Editor].

Brittain James J. 2009. “Uribe’s Colombia,” Global Dialogue 10(1): 108-119.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2008. “Agrarian Transformation and Resistance in the Colombian Countryside,” Labour, Capital and Society 41(1): 57-83.

Brittain, James J. Barb Moore, and Jim Sacouman. 2008. “Political and Economic Realities behind the ILO Report Applauding Colombian Labour Relations,” The Spark Issue 20: 17-25.

Brittain, James J. 2007. “The Differing Revolutionary Positions of Gramsci and Trotsky in Relation to Classical Marxism, the Peasantry, and the Majority World,” Socialist Studies: Journal of the Society for Socialist Studies 3(2): 65-92.

Brittain, James J. 2007. “Formas de Desarrollo Poco Convencionales e Ilícitas: La compleja industria del narcotráfico en Colombia,” Cuadernos de Sociología Número 41: 13-68.

Brittain, James J. 2007. “FENSUAGRO’s Struggle for Social Justice,” Peace Review: Journal of Social Justice 19(3): 417-426.

Brittain, James J. 2007. “La Vacilante Economía Política de Uribe: Aumento de la tributación dual de clases, acuerdos bilaterales comerciales dilatados o prolongados, y la creciente inestabilidad rural,” Revista Controversia Número 188: 247-289.

Brittain, James J. 2007. “Government, NGOs and the Paramilitary: A Colombian contradiction,” Development 50(1): 122-127.

Brittain, James J. 2007. “War, Evil, and the End of History. Review essay of Bernard-Henri Lévy’s book concerning the global shift toward apolitical conflict,” Rethinking Marxism 19(1): 143-146.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Human Rights and the Colombian Government: An analysis of state-based atrocities toward non-combatants,” New Politics 10(4): 124-129.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “The FARC-EP in Colombia: A revolutionary exception in an age of imperialist expansion,” Monthly Review 57(4): 20-33.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “A Theory of Accelerating Rural Violence: Lauchlin Currie’s role in underdeveloping Colombia,” Journal for Peasant Studies 32(2): 335-360.

Brittain, James J. 2005. The Consequential Effects of Canadian Immigration Policy and Anti-Terror Legislation on Colombian Refugees. Saskatoon: The Saskatchewan Institute for Public Policy, University of Regina.

Book Chapter Contributions
Brittain, James J. 2022. “Atrophying Masculinity within Professional Road Cycling: Contesting ‘the male’ through a (re)scripting of the anti-male,” in The Routledge Handbook of Gender Politics in Sport and Physical Activity. Győző Molnár and Rachel Bullingham (Editors). London: Routledge. pp.94-104.

Brittain, James J. 2017. “A Violent Escape: Scripting intra-class conflict and (fortifying) contemporary capitalist endurance,” in Mapping Geographies of Violence. Heather A. Kitchin Dahringer and James J. Brittain (Editors). Halifax: Fernwood Publishers. pp.76-106.

Brittain, James J. 2017 “Theorizing Violence Through an Approach Toward Power,” in Mapping Geographies of Violence. Heather A. Kitchin Dahringer and James J. Brittain (Editors). Halifax: Fernwood Publishers. pp.8-25.

Brittain, James J. 2015. “The FARC-EP and Consequential Marxism in Colombia,” in Emancipatory Politics: A critique. Stephen Feuchtwang and Alpa Shah (Editors). London: OAC Press. pp.95-132.

Ampuero, Igor y James J. Brittain. 2008. “La cuestión agraria y la lucha armada en Colombia.” en Recuperando la tierra: El resurgimiento de movimientos rurales en África, Asia y América Latina. Sam Moyo y Paris Yeros (coordinadores). Buenos Aires: CLACSO. pp.327-399.

Ampuero, Igor and James J. Brittain. 2005. “The Agrarian Question and Armed Struggle in Colombia,” in Reclaiming the Land: The Resurgence of Rural Movements in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Sam Moyo and Paris Yeros (Eds.). London: Zed Books. pp.359-382.

Publications in Non-Refereed Presses
Brittain, James J. 2025. “Ruling Ideas in Nova Scotia,” Briarpatch 54(5): 4-9.

Brittain, James J. 2019. “Celebrating Our Brutality: Here Comes the Boom,” 18 October On-Line https://zizekanalysis.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/celebrating-our-brutality-here-comes-the-boom-2012-james-j-brittain/

Brittain, James J. 2016. “Hope Amidst Despondency: Interpreting class post-Trump,” 22 November On-Line http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/11/22/hope-against-despondency-interpreting-class-post-trump/#_edn1

Brittain, James J. 2011. “Armed ‘Rescues’ as the Abortion of Dialogue: The Colombian State’s Continuity of Failure,” 2 December On-Line http://upsidedownworld.org/main/colombia-archives-61/3336-armed-rescues-as-the-abortion-of-dialogue-the-colombian-states-continuity-of-failure.

Brittain, James J. 2010. “Is the FARC-EP (really) a Terrorist Organization,” 28 November On-Line http://www.fightbacknews.org/2010/11/28/farc-ep-really-terrorist-organization

Brittain, James J. 2009. “Colombia and America’s War on Drugs,” 30 November On-Line http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16213.

Brittain, James J. 2009. “Celebrating the Victories while Silencing the Costs: (So-called) Decreased coca levels in Colombia,” 23 November On-Line http://www.abpnoticias.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2659&Itemid=1.

Brittain, James J. 2009. “It’s Really a War on the Poor: A war on coca nobody believes in,” 20/22 November On-Line http://counterpunch.org/brittain11202009.html.

Brittain, James J. 2009. “US Strategic Interests in Latin America: The militarization of Colombia,” 28 October On-Line https://www.globalresearch.ca/us-strategic-interests-in-latin-america-the-militarization-of-colombia/15853

Brittain, James J. 2009. “(The Continuity of) Immunity for Tío Sam in Colombia” 27 October On-Line http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/2181/1/.

Brittain, James J. 2009. “Colombia’s Fascist Attack on Academic Freedom” 1 June On-Line http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1887/1/.

Brittain, James J. 2008. “A Third Term in Office? Entrenching Colombian authoritarianism” 3 September On-Line https://upsidedownworld.org/news-briefs/news-briefs-news-briefs/a-third-term-in-office-entrenching-colombian-authoritarianism/

Brittain, James J. 2008. “The Road to Tyranny in Colombia: A third term in office” no date On-Line http://www.counterpunch.org/brittain08192008.html.

Brittain, James J. 2008. “The Case of Liliana Obando and the Rights of Colombian Workers” 18 August On-Line http://colombiajournal.org/colombia291.htm.

Brittain, James J. 2008. “Examining the Continuity of FARC-EP Resistance in Colombia: Not the end of Guerrilla Warfare” 1 August On-Line http://counterpunch.com/brittain08012008.html.

Brittain, James J. 2008. “Anti-Uribe Protests” Z Magazine 21(5): 20-22.

Brittain, James J. 2008. “Colombia: Was the US involved in the murder of FARC-EP leaders?” 13 March On-Line http://links.org.au/node/306.

Brittain, James J. 2008. “Remembering March 6: Anti-Uribe protests in Colombia and the world” 10 March On-Line http://www.counterpunch.org/brittain03102008.html.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2008. “Colombia: Destabilizing ‘the new Latin America’” Green Left Weekly Issue 743: 14.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2008. “A Response to the Murder of FARC Commander Raúl Reyes in Ecuador: Uribe’s Colombia is Destabilizing a New Latin America:” 4 March On-Line http://www.counterpunch.org/brittain03042008.html

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2008. “Uribe’s Colombia is Destabilizing a New Latin America” 3 March On-Line http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/3233

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2008. “Uribe’s Colombia is Destabilizing a New Latin America: A Response to the Murder of FARC Commander Raúl Reyes in Ecuador” 3 March On-Line http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia273.htm.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2008. “Uribe’s Colombia Destabilizing Latin America” 3 March On-Line http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1158/61/.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Organizing Rural Labor in Rural Colombia: A federation of unions struggles to exist in the face of state reaction.” Dollars & Sense Issue 268: 7-9.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2006. “Atlantic Canada Fights Back Against Atlantica.” Canadian Dimension 40(5): 27-28.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2006. “Atlantic Canada Responds to Atlantica: A New Horizon of Struggle in the East,” Union News. 4(2): 2-4.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Colombia’s Paramilitaries go Legit?” Political Affairs Issue 225: 5.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2006. “Atlantic Canadians Respond to Atlantica.” Our Times 25(4): 6.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Censorship, Hegemony, and the Media in Colombia.” Colombia Journal 27 November On-Line http://colombiajournal.org/colombia248.htm.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Censorship and Hegemony in Colombia: The arrest of journalist Freddy Muñoz.” Counter Punch 25 November On-Line http://counterpunch.com/brittain11252006.html.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Abandoning a Negotiated Prisoner Exchange for a Military Rescue Attempt? Uribe’s Failure to Learn from Colombia’s Past.” Counter Punch 25 October On-Line http://www.counterpunch.org/brittain10252006.html.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Uribe Alienates the Elite.” ANNCOL 24 October On-Line http://www.anncol.org/uk/site/doc.php?id=262.

Brittain, James J. 2006. “Abandoning a Negotiated Prisoner Exchange for a Militant-Rescue Attempt? Uribe Further Alienates Colombia’s Elite.” Colombia Journal 23 October On-Line http://colombiajournal.org/colombia246.htm.

Brittain, James J. and R. James Sacouman. 2006. “Is the FARC-EP Dependent on Coca? An Examination of the Insurgency’s Power and the Recent U.S. Indictment against the Leadership.” ANNCOL 24 March On-Line http://www.anncol.org/uk/site/doc.php?id=240.

Brittain, James J. 2005. Increasing Understanding: The influence of contemporary Canadian immigration policy and anti-terror legislation on Canadian society and its consequences for Colombian refugees. Saint John/Ottawa: Council of Canadians.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “Class-Struggle and Saint John, New Brunswick: The need for working class unity.” People’s Voice 13(21): 5.

Brittain, James J. 2005. The Objective Reality of Plan Patriota: A Response to Subjective Propaganda (UN ReliefWeb). New York: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Brittain, James J. 2005. “The Negation of Pacifism and the Necessity of Objective Justice.” ANNCOL 1 July On-Line http://anncol.org/uk/site/doc.php?id=225.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “Clandestine Politics within Colombia: The Bolivarian movement for a new Colombia.” Socialism and Liberation 2(5): 34-36.

Brittain, James J. 2005. The Reactionary Restriction of Justice in Colombia (UN ReliefWeb). New York: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Brittain, James J. 2005. “The Reactionary Restriction of Justice in Colombia.” Colombia Journal 2 May On-Line http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia208.htm.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “Colombia: US-Uribe anti-FARC offensive fails.” Green Left Weekly Issue 620: 20.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “FENSUAGRO: Organic class-consciousness in rural Colombia.” Colombia Journal 21 March On-Line http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia205.htm.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “Run, Fight or Die in Colombia.” Counter Punch 12/13 March On-Line http://www.counterpunch.org/brittain03122005.html.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “The Paramilitaries Burned Wayuu Children Alive and Killed Others with Chainsaws.” Counter Punch 12 March On-Line https://www.counterpunch.org/2005/03/12/the-paramilitaries-burned-wayuu-children-alive-and-killed-others-with-chainsaws/

Brittain, James J. 2005. “The Objective Reality of Plan Patriota: a response to subjective propaganda.” Colombia Journal 24 January On-Line http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia201.htm.

Brittain, James J. 2005. “Petras vs. Saramago.” ANNCOL 1 January On-Line http://www.anncol.org/side/1071.

Brittain, James J. and Jasmin Hristov. 2004. “The War on Campus: notes from the trenches of Colombia.” Critical Times 2(3): 6.

Brittain, James J. 2004. “Colombia: is the FARC planning a new offensive?” Green Left Weekly Issue 608:20.

Brittain, James J. 2004. “United against the state?” ANNCOL 29 November On-Line http://www.anncol.org/side/1001.

Brittain, James J. 2004. “Colombia: Who is committing the abuses?” Green Left Weekly Issue 605: 20.

Brittain, James J. 2004. “Plan Patriota and the FARC-EP.” ANNCOL 14 November On-Line http://www.anncol.org/side/962.

Brittain, James J. 2004. “Plan Patriota and the FARC-EP: a change in the countryside or preparation for a prolonged conflict in Colombia.” Counter Punch 20 October On-Line http://www.counterpunch.org/brittain10202004.html.

Brittain, James J. 2004. “Colombia’s New Budget.” ZNet Colombia Watch 30 July On-Line http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=15&ItemID=5959.