In this book I examine the relationship between the alter-globalization movement and political power in Italy, Spain, and Greece. I argue that not only is the movement anti-political, but that it operates within an apolitical social milieu, as a ritualized holding pattern for youths that find themselves uncomfortably placed between a receding state structure on the one hand, and a rising informal economy on the other. Its ritual liminality allows adherents to explore experiences of social authenticity, racial alterity, and political alternativity, all the while ensuring that the movement’s impact on existing power structures remains relatively limited. I consider the social ramifications of such a movement at a time when Europe finds itself at a political and economic crossroads, and describe fieldwork in three southern European cities: Barcelona, Naples, and Athens. You can find an academic peer-review of this book here.