Rethinking Imperialism

Rethinking Imperialism

RETHINKING IMPERIALISM: A STUDY OF CAPITALIST RULE

 

Rethinking Imperialism: A Study of Capitalist RulePalgrave-Macmillan 2009

 

By John Milios, and Dimitris P. Sotiropoulos

For over a century, “imperialism” has been a key concept in Left theory and politics, connoting both the aggressiveness and the characteristics of modern capitalism. This book aims at presenting and assessing imperialism as a theoretical concept. Since a variety of different definitions are assigned to the concept of imperialism, it is necessary to put to the test the rigour of these definitions. The authors of this volume provide a comprehensive evaluation, focusing especially on the tension between Marx’s theoretical system of the Critique of Political Economy and the theories of capitalist expansion and domination that emerge out of the various discourses on imperialism.

The book critically reviews all major (classical and contemporary) theories of imperialism. The authors embark on a critical interrogation of all innovations introduced into theoretical Marxism by theories of imperialism (for example those concerning the stages of historical evolution of capitalism, the capitalist state, internationalization of capital, crises etc.). They show that most of these theories deviate from the theoretical system formulated by Marx, especially in Capital and his other mature economic writings.

Furthermore, these theories seem to poorly interpret historical development. Is there a theory of the capitalist state to justify the thesis that the collapse of colonialism after World War II is so insignificant to the periodization of international capitalist relations (or “global capitalism”) that the “final stage” of capitalism commencing in the last decades of the 19th century is arguably still continuing? To pose the same question differently: on what theoretical grounds can the “early” colonialism, as opposed to the late colonial era (from the late 19th century to World War II), be bracketed off as a distinct period in the history of capitalism? On grounds of Marx’s theory of the CMP this period now has to be revisited. Why does the second colonial period have more affinities with the present-day non-colonial post-World War II era than with the era of early colonialism? Last but not least, is there a tendency towards expansionism that is innate in every form of capitalist domination, i.e. also in the less developed capitalist states that are not to be classified as being in the supposedly “ripe” or “monopoly capitalist” stage?

The authors propose a conceptualization of the international level which comes into a striking contrast with the majority of contemporary approaches of globalization or “new imperialism”. Their interpretation perceives the international level as a complex interlinkage of different (national-state) economic and social structures, each of which evolves at a different and unequal rate as a result primarily of the different class and political correlation of forces that have crystallized within it.

The book addresses the contemporary contradictions and trends of development of the “international capitalist system” and the evolving global economic crisis, formulating a fundamental reinterpretation of imperialism. Important in this line of reasoning remains the notion of imperialist chain, which is formulated in accordance with Marx’s concept of social capital and his theory of the capitalist mode of production. It thus defends the thesis that internal-national relationships and processes always have priority over international relations.

It is precisely the fundamental discovery of Marxism that the class struggle (which is at the same time economic, political and ideological and is thus consummated within each national-state entity) is the driving force of history. It is through these class correlations and relations of domination that international relations, with all the concomitant interdependence on other social formations, take effect. If imperialism is a permanent possibility emerging out of the structures of the capitalist mode of production, the historical form it will ultimately acquire for a particular social formation depends on the way in which the “external” situation (that is to say the international correlation of forces) over-determines but also constrains the practices that emerge out of the evolution of the internal class correlations.

Contents:
Introduction
* Classical Theories of Imperialism: A New Interpretation of Capitalist Rule, Expansionism, Capital Export, the Periodization and the “Decline” of Capitalism.
* Post World-War II “Metropolis-Periphery” Theories of Imperialism.
* Theories of Imperialism as Alternatives to Classical and Metropolis-Periphery Approaches.
* The State as a Vehicle of both Capitalist Expansionism and Decolonization: Historical Evidence and Theoretical Questions.
*Capitalist Mode of Production and Social Formation: Conclusions Concerning the Organization of Capitalist Power.
* Capitalist Mode of Production and Monopolies.
* Is Imperialism the Latest Stage of Capitalism? Reflections on the Question of Periodization of Capitalism and Stages of Capitalist Development.
* Internationalisation of Capital.
* Financialization: Market Discipline or Capital Discipline?
* The “Global” Level and the Concept of Imperialist Chain.
Epilogue: Rethinking Imperialism and Capitalist Rule.

John Milios, is Professor of Political Economy and the History of Economic Thought at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece. He has authored more than two hundred (200) papers published or forthcoming in refereed journals (in Greek, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Turkish), and has participated as invited speaker in numerous international conferences. He has also authored or co-authored some eleven scholarly books. He is director of the quarterly journal of economic theory Thesseis (published since 1982 in Greek) and serves on the Editorial Boards of several scholarly journals.

Dimitris P. Sotiropoulos is Visiting Lecturer of Political Economy at the Department of Sociology, University of the Aegean, Greece. He has published papers in refereed journals (in Greek, English and German). His research interests include: theories of Political Economy, theories of Imperialism, theory of Value and Money. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the quarterly journal of economic and political theory Thesseis (published since 1982 in Greek).

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

The Gramscian Moment

Gramsci

THE GRAMSCIAN MOMENT

 

The Gramscian Moment: Philosophy, Hegemony and Marxism

Peter D. Thomas

http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=29354

Publication year: 2009
Series: Historical Materialism Book Series, 24
ISBN-13 (i): 978 90 04 16771 1
ISBN-10: 90 04 16771 4
Cover: Hardback
Number of pages: xxv, 477 pp.
List price: € 115.00 / US$ 170.00

Antonio Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks are today acknowledged as a classic of the human and social sciences in the twentieth century. The influence of his thought in numerous fields of scholarship is only exceeded by the diverse interpretations and readings to which it has been subjected, resulting in often contradictory ‘images of Gramsci’.

This book draws on the rich recent season of Gramscian philological studies in order to argue that the true significance of Gramsci’s thought consists in its distinctive position in the development of the Marxist tradition. Providing a detailed reconsideration of Gramsci’s theory of the state and concept of philosophy, The Gramscian Moment argues for the urgent necessity of taking up the challenge of developing a ‘philosophy of praxis’ as a vital element in the contemporary revitalisation of Marxism.

Peter D. Thomas (Ph.D, 2008) studied at the University of Queensland, Freie Universität Berlin, L’Università “Federico II”, Naples, and the Universiteit van Amsterdam. He has published widely on Marxist political theory and philosophy. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Historical Materialism: research in critical Marxist theory.

REVIEWS

Peter Thomas’ book should become the standard text in English on Gramsci’s thought. Acquainted as he is with the latest wrinkle in the Italian debate on Gramsci, Thomas combines an unmatched philological research into the sources and a mastery of the ongoing debates about the sense we should make of key ideas like hegemony. He deftly overturns the received orthodoxy and the various abuses of the ideas of the Marxist militant by theorists of cultural studies, both restoring Gramsci’s work to its true status and opening up fruitful possibilities for understanding his contribution to political theory more generally. The best book on Gramsci’s political theory for three decades — Alastair Davidson, Author of Antonio Gramsci: the Man, his Ideas, and Antonio Gramsci: Towards an Intellectual Biography

Peter Thomas’s Gramsci is the one we need in an era of economic and geopolitical crises that bears some resemblances to Gramsci’s own time. This Gramsci is no embarrassed culturalist, confused strategist, or incipient post-Marxist. Thomas’s Gramsci, developed from rigorous critical study of the Prison Notebooks and of the now extensive scholarly literature, is a deeply consequent thinker intent on reconstructing revolutionary Marxism in opposition to the most advanced bourgeois thought of his day. This is also a Gramsci for whom political economy is of central methodological and substantive significance.  Not content with scholarly interpretation, Thomas draws his Gramsci into dialogue with contemporary radical thought, illuminating both sides of the conversation. This is a book that will recast the understanding of Gramsci, especially but not exclusively in the Anglophone world — Alex Callinicos, Professor of European Studies, Social Theory and International Political Economy, King’s College, London

What superlatives can I use to describe this book? Terms like ‘outstanding,’ ‘superb’ and ‘tour-de-force’ suggest themselves, but even these do not fully capture the extraordinary power of The Gramscian Moment. Peter Thomas’s erudite, wide-ranging, and staggeringly sophisticated reading of Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks completely overturns the dominant interpretations including those of Louis Althusser and Perry Anderson. Never again will we be able to read Gramsci solely through their lenses. Henceforth, Thomas’s magisterial exploration of Gramsci’s thought will become the critical point of reference for all serious work in the field. But Thomas does more than meticulous exegesis. He also insists on the actuality of Gramsci’s work, urging that we approach it in the spirit of “both continuation and transformation, fidelity and renewal.” He succeeds brilliantly on all counts — David McNally, Professor of Political Science, York University, Toronto

Peter Thomas’s The Gramscian Moment demonstrates the extent to which Gramsci’s thought represents a singular synthesis of virtually the entire tradition of Western political thought. The richness of his interpretative frameworks allows him both to integrate partial approaches and contributions and to throw new light on the central questions inherited by this tradition. This work succeeds in presenting Gramsci as a “living classic”, an author absolutely central to our understanding of modernity. Given its scope, richness and originality, I have no doubt that this work will represent a milestone in Gramscian scholarship and an important contribution to contemporary debates in political theory and philosophy — Stathis Kouvelakis, Author of Philosophy and Revolution and Co-editor of a Critical Companion to Contemporary Marxism

The Gramscian Moment is the most thorough and illuminating philosophical study of Gramsci yet to appear in English. It sets a new standard for work not only on Gramsci himself but on the whole complex of issues associated with his legacy – on the mechanics and dimensions of hegemony, on the role and nature of the subject of political action, on the relation between theory and practice, and between civil society and the state. Thomas does more than any previous reader of Gramsci to demonstrate how his philosophy can fairly claim to meet Marx’s famous prescription – not merely “to interpret the world but to change it” — Peter Hallward, Professor of Modern European Philosophy, Middlesex University, London

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Valences of the Dialectic – Fredric Jameson

Porcupine Tree - The Incident

VALANCES OF THE DIALECTIC – FREDRIC JAMESON

 

NEW FROM VERSO

VALENCES OF THE DIALECTIC

BY FREDRIC JAMESON

After half a century exploring dialectical thought, renowned cultural critic Fredric Jameson presents a comprehensive study of a misunderstood yet vital strain in Western philosophy.

The dialectic, the concept of the evolution of an idea through conflicts arising from its inherent contradictions, transformed two centuries of Western philosophy. To Hegel, who dominated nineteenth-century thought, it was a metaphysical system. In the work of Marx, the dialectic became a tool for materialist historical analysis. More recently, the dialectic has come under attack from poststructuralist thinkers such as Deleuze or Laclau and Mouffe.

Jameson brings a theoretical scrutiny to bear on the questions that have arisen in the history of this philosophical tradition, contextualizing the debate in terms of commodification and globalization, and with reference to thinkers such as Rousseau, Lukács, Heidegger, Sartre, Derrida, and Althusser.

Through rigorous examination, Valences of the Dialectic charts a movement toward the innovation of a “spatial” dialectic. Jameson presents a new synthesis of thought that revitalizes dialectical thinking for the twenty-first century.

http://www.amazon.com/Valences-Dialectic-Fredric-Jameson/dp/185984877X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257803840&sr=1-1

Hardback • $49.95 • ISBN 978-1-84467-877-7 • 640 pages
November 2009
Available now in good bookstores and online
Distributed by W.W. Norton: tel. 1800 233 4830
Please submit desk copy requests to clara@versobooks.com

“Fredric Jameson is America’s leading Marxist critic. A prodigiously energetic thinker whose writings sweep majestically from Sophocles to science fiction … One of the great writers of our times, not just one of the most formidably gifted critics and cultural theorists” – Terry Eagleton
“Probably the most important cultural critic writing in English today … It can truly be said that nothing cultural is alien to him.” – Colin MacCabe

FREDRIC JAMESON is the Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at Duke University. His many books include Postmodernism, Brecht and Method, Late Marxism, The Cultural Turn, A Singular Modernity, The Modernist
Papers, Archaeologies of the Future, and The Ideologies of Theory. He was a recipient of the 2008 Holberg International Memorial Prize.

 Links:
   1. http://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Papers-Fredric-Jameson/dp/1844670961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257800242&sr=1-1
   2. http://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Papers-Fredric-Jameson/dp/1844670961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257800242&sr=1-1
   3. http://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Papers-Fredric-Jameson/dp/1844670961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257800242&sr=1-1
   4. http://www.amazon.com/Archaeologies-Future-Desire-Science-Fictions/dp/1844675386/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257805858&sr=1-2

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Ruth Rikowski News Update 33

Ruth at UEA

RUTH RIKOWSKI NEWS UPDATE 33

 

Ruth Rikowski’s 33rd News Update is now out at: http://ruthrikowskiupdates.blogspot.com/

It includes writing on such topics as:  Douglas Kennedy, Gloucestershire Libraries, Energy Monitors, Managing Information, Critical Pedagogy, Peter McLaren, Marxism, Analytical Philosophy, Capitalism, MERD, The Feminist Library, Information for Social Change, … and much more!

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Change in Putin’s Russia

Money

CHANGE IN PUTIN’S RUSSIA

 

You are invited to two events to mark the publication of my book:

CHANGE IN PUTIN’S RUSSIA: POWER, MONEY AND PEOPLE

Simon Pirani

Published this month by Pluto Press

On Thursday 3 December, at 6.30-8.30 pm, a BOOK LAUNCH will be held at the Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Road, London WC1 (5 mins walk from Kings Cross, Russell Square and Chancery Lane tubes). All welcome!

On Wednesday 2 December, at 7.0 pm, I will give a talk about the book, followed by discussion, at Housmans Bookshop, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 (2 mins walk from Kings Cross tube). (Note. This is the place to hear a talk: there won’t be one at the book launch!)

There is more information about the book here: http://www.powermoneyandpeople.com

And you can order it from Amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Change-Putins-Russia-Power-People/dp/0745326900/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256217505&sr=8-1

Please pass this on to others who might be interested.

Best wishes
Simon Pirani

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Chris Harman 1942-2009

Chris Harman

CHRIS HARMAN 1942-2009

 

A message from Sebastien Budgen (07/11/2009 15:24:57 GMT Standard Time, Historical Materialism list)

Chris Harman 1942-2009

Supporters and readers of Socialist Worker as well as socialists from around the world will be sad to hear the tragic news that Chris Harman died last night in Cairo where he was speaking.

Our condolences go out to Talat, his partner, his children and all his family and friends.

Chris Harman was a towering figure on the left in Britain and he made an immense theoretical and personal contribution to the Socialist Workers Party. He was editor of International Socialism Journal and was previously the editor of Socialist Worker for over two decades.

He was also an influential and highly respected figure on the international left.

He was greatly loved and will be sorely missed. We will let comrades know about the funeral as soon as we know any details.

There will be a full obituary in the next issue of Socialist Worker.

If you would like to send any messages of condolences please send them to martins@swp.org.uk and we will make sure they are forwarded to Talat and his family.

In comradeship

The SWP Central Committee

© Socialist Worker (unless otherwise stated)

You may republish if you include an active link to the original.

Socialist Worker Online (statement): http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=19502

Socialist Resistance: http://socialistresistance.org/?p=728

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Harman

Arabist.net: http://arabist.net/arabawy/2009/11/07/chris-harman-rip/  

Dave’s Part (David Osler): http://www.davidosler.com/2009/11/chris_harman_19422009.html  

Chris Harman was a valiant socialist who had an eye for the ‘big picture’ as well as the salient details in the struggle for socialism. He was also an astute and insightful Marxist analyst. His latest book, Zombie Capitalism will become a defining text regarding the current crisis of capital – Glenn Rikowski

Crack Capitalism – A Discussion with John Holloway

 

John Holloway

CRACK CAPITALISM – A DISCUSSION WITH JOHN HOLLOWAY

7-9pm, Monday 26th October, London

At the height of the anti-capitalist movement, John Holloway’s book Change The World without Taking Power _<http://libcom.org/library/change-world-without-taking-power-john-holloway>_provoked an international debate*. Eight years later, after the failure of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined with the failure of the capitalist economy, anti-capitalism is back on the agenda.

John Holloway will introduce his forthcoming book, Crack Capitalism, followed by a discussion on how we can change the world without repeating the tragedies of twentieth century socialism.

Come and join the debate.

*To read the debate around the book Change The World Without Taking Power, go to: _http://www.herramienta.com.ar/debate-sobre-cambiar-el-mundo/presentacion-e-indice-de-articulos_

VENUE: The Great Hall, Queen’s Building, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1, Mile End Tube. (The event will be followed by a social at the Half Moon pub, 213-233 Mile End Road, London E1)

Supported by Mute Magazine (mute AT metamute.org) and the Queen Mary School of Business and Management

Crack Capitalism at Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crack-Capitalism-John-Holloway/dp/0745330088/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256420697&sr=1-8

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Centre for the Study of Education and Work – Update 18th October 2009

The Incident

CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF EDUCATION AND WORK – UPDATE 18th OCTOBER 2009

 

OUR MANDATE: The Centre for the Study of Education and Work (CSEW) brings together educators from university, union, and community settings to understand and enrich the often-undervalued informal and formal learning of working people. We develop research and teaching programs at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (UofT) that strengthen feminist, anti-racist, labour movement, and working-class perspectives on learning and work.

Our major project is APCOL: Anti-Poverty Community Organizing and Learning. This five-year project (2009-2013), funded by SSHRC-CURA, brings academics and activists together in a collaborative effort to evaluate how organizations approach issues and campaigns and use popular education.

To change your subscription settings, visit http://listserv.oise.utoronto.ca/mailman/listinfo/csewbroadcast

For more information about CSEW, visit: http://www.csew.ca

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SOCIAL ECONOMY CENTRE – UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 2009-2010 LUNCHBOX SPEAKERS’ SERIES

October Speakers’ Panel – Student Co-operatives

When:  Wednesday, October 21, 2009, noon – 1:30 pm
Where:  Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto,
252 Bloor St. West, Toronto, Room 12-199

Speakers:

* Marisa Charland will give an overview of Ontario Student Co-operative Association, the federation that unites all Ontario student co-operatives.
* Debbie McKay will present the development of, and services provided by the Guelph Campus Co-operative enterprise at University of Guelph.
* Andrew Haydon will discuss the challenges in developing the newest student housing co-operative in Ontario, located in Cambridge.

* Sonja Carrière, Education Manager of On Co-op, will moderate this panel.

Bring your lunch and a mug – coffee, tea and water will be provided.

For more information, contact Lisa White at secspeaker@oise.utoronto.ca, or visit our website at http://socialeconomy.utoronto.ca

This event will also be webcast live on the Internet. Please see our website for detailed instructions: http://socialeconomy.utoronto.ca/english/webcast.php

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PEOPLE FOR EDUCATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Register now to attend on Saturday November 7, 2009!

Amazing speakers and workshop leaders are looking forward to sharing their expertise with you.

* Meet other parents, principals, school and school board staff from around the province.
* Come and share ideas, raise concerns, find solutions and learn a lot!
* Connect with others who care passionately about our schools.

When: Nov. 7th, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m

Where: York University, Toronto, ON

Cost: $50 and you can save $10 by becoming a member of People for Education (costs $25 but gets you lots of other privileges too!)

To view the registration form, click here: http://www.peopleforeducation.com/registration09 (Fill it out, save to your computer, then email back to jan@peopleforeducation.com)

To view the conference flyer, click here (share this by email – bring a friend or someone from your school): http://www.peopleforeducation.com/conferenceflyer09

To view the agenda and session descriptions, click here: http://www.peopleforeducation.com/conference09/sessionsupdate

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URGENT ACTION: STOP THE U OF T ATTACKS ON ACCESS & EQUITY

October 19 & 21

Students who face barriers to access education are about to be hit even harder. The Transitional Year Program (TYP), a 40 year old access program, is about to face drastic changes that will inevitably destroy it. These changes include taking away TYP’s autonomy by putting it under Woodsworth College, taking away TYP’s independent space, reducing teaching and support staff, and slashing the TYP budget.

We need your support on Monday October 19 and Wednesday October 21. On these dates university bodies will be voting to decide the fate of the program. We need a mass turnout of people to stop these committees from rubber-stamping these heinous changes:

Monday October 19, 3-5pm
Faculty of Arts and Science Council
Munk Centre, Campbell Conference Centre,
1 Devonshire Place (Devonshire and Hoskin)

Wednesday October 2,1 4:30-6pm
Woodsworth College Council
Woodsworth Residence, Waters Lounge
321 Bloor Street (Bloor and St. George)

The University has told students that they are not closing TYP. However, TYP will be unable to serve its mandate and support its students under the proposed move to Woodsworth. Reducing staff, faculty and funding limits the ability of the program to meet the needs of its students. Taking away our space by moving us into a few rooms at Woodsworth further marginalizes us by removing the supportive environment that our home at 49 St. George provides.

The University and TYP administration have been repeatedly asked to consult students through this process. After a battle, the TYP administration began meeting with the Transitional Year Program Preservation Alliance, sharing limited information and calling it consultation. Never have students or the communities TYP serves been allowed input into the process.

The future of these marginalized students is in your hands. Please join us in asking the University of Toronto to reconsider shutting the doors on this essential program.

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THIRD CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

“Living Our Values: Social Enterprise in Action”
November 18-20, 2009

Join hundreds of existing and prospective social enterprise operators from every region in Canada at the Third Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise taking place in Toronto, November 18-20, 2009. The conference will consist of three days of training and work sessions toward a national policy agenda and action plan.

Day 1: Intensive training sessions geared to your stage of planning, development or growth.

Days 2 and 3: Working sessions with fellow practitioners, funders, government officials, network organizations, and supporters designed to create a national policy agenda and action plan for social enterprise in Canada.

The Third Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise is an initiative of the Social Enterprise Council of Canada. For more information on the conference, please email: info@torontoenterprisefund.ca or visit http://www.enterprisingnonprofits.ca/resources/secouncil#CCSE

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WHAT’S WRONG WITH CANADA’S IMMIGRATION SYSTEM?

A Migrant Justice Assembly with Salimah Valiani, Amina Sherazee, Himani Bannerji and David McNally

Friday, October 23
6:00pm
245 Church Street
Room ENG-LG11

* Did you know that in 2008 more temporary workers entered the workforce than permanent residents in to Canada?
* Did you know that Canada has cut its refugee acceptance rate in half over the last 20 years?
* Did you know that there are over half a million people in the country without status, over half in the GTA?

Come and hear about how the broken immigration system is being shattered. Share your own stories. Build relationships. Develop ideas for the way ahead. Come prepared to talk back!

Registration and Refreshments at 6:00; Event starts at 6:30pm sharp.

Read more: http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/336

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NOTES ON NO: ABSTINENCE AND THE PROBLEM OF THINKING IN SEX EDUCATION

CUHI (Centre for Urban Health Initiatives) Youth Sexual Health RIG Seminar Series

With Jen Gilbert, Ph.D., Faculty of Education, York University

Wednesday October 28th, 2009, 1:30-3:00 pm
York University, Room 280N, York Lanes
For Directions: http://www.yorku.ca/yorkweb/maps/keele.htm
Free, all are welcome, please RSVP to adrian.guta@utoronto.ca

This paper explores the problem of prohibition in sex education. Drawing on a two-year study of the language of abstinence in the United States, Dr. Gilbert considers many of the different ways that adults and youth use “no” in sex education. Feminists and other have critiqued the use of “no” as a restrictive and punitive gesture, containing sexuality’s potential in the lives of youth, particularly girls, youth of color, and LGBT youth. While she recognizes the importance of these critiques, she takes a detour through psychoanalytic theories of negation and considers the ways “no” can, often unwittingly, make room for thinking and thoughtfulness.

Please see our website for upcoming seminar summaries and other events: http://www.cuhi.utoronto.ca

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CREATIVE PLACES + SPACES CONFERENCE    
        
Oct. 28-30, 2009

Creative Places + Spaces is a multi-media, interactive, art-infused experience designed to inspire, empower, and connect thinkers, policymakers and practitioners working to build vibrant, dynamic, sustainable and creative places. The conference runs from October 28 – 30, 2009 and is hosted by Artscape.

During Creative Places + Spaces:  The Collaborative City, delegates and speakers together will have the opportunity to hear, see, exchange and practice global perspectives on collaboration and connect them to local opportunities for change. If you are interested in building bridges across boundaries in order to solve problems, generate new ideas, and foster transformation, check out the conference schedule and register today for a crash-course in the global groundswell around collaboration.

To find out more: http://www.creativeplacesandspaces.ca/conference

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THE MAYTREE FOUNDATION: REGISTER FOR THE FIVE GOOD IDEAS FALL 2009 PROGRAM

* Creating an Automatic Marketing Culture

with Donnie Claudino

Thursday, October 22, 2009
12:00 to 2:00 pm

Are you one of those people who rarely forward emails? Yet on that rare occasion, something strikes you as special–and you are inspired to ‘pass-it-on.’ Something about it clicked with you. Perhaps you can’t even explain it; a certain … je ne sais quoi. That ’something’ is often described by marketers as “stickiness.” Stickiness is typically associated with “Viral Marketing.” But who wants to spread a virus? When we connect with a message, a video, a website–we automatically engage with it, and want to share it. We don’t have to be asked, because it’s automatic. Attend this Lunch & Learn to discover 5 things your organization can do to grow an automatic marketing culture–and have your messages exponentially spread by your constituents.

*Managing Volunteers

with Gail Nyberg, Executive Director, Daily Bread Food Bank

Wednesday, November 18, 2009
12:00 to 2:00 pm

Most non-profit organizations rely on volunteers to not only enhance their programming, but run day-to-day operations. At Daily Bread Food Bank the job of distributing over 15 million pounds or food to over 200 food programs would not get done without the hard work of volunteers. Volunteers help to sort food, participate in events, provide information to the public and run community food banks. Last year, 15,521 volunteers helped Daily Bread with over 107,259 hours of work. Our volunteers do great work, and we are constantly looking at ways to improve our programs and our volunteer opportunities. Come and find out more about what we’ve learned over the years (and are still learning) about how to run a successful volunteer program.

Location for both sessions:

St. Michael’s College – Elmsley Hall, Charbonnel Lounge
81 St. Mary Street
At St. Mary and Bay Streets, two blocks south of Bloor, closest subway access from Bay and Wellesley stations.

Please note that though the sessions are free, registration is required. Brown bag lunches are provided on a first come, first served basis.

Please RSVP to: kvukobratovic@maytree.com

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ECHO AND OWHN WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE ON OCTOBER 21, TORONTO

Please join Echo and the Ontario Women’s Health Network and share your views on: The Minister of Health’s 10-Year Mental Health and Addictions Strategy

Date: Wednesday October 21, 2009
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Place: Chestnut Conference Centre
89 Chestnut Street, Toronto
(east of University/south of Dundas )

Together we will:

1)   discuss the Minister’s report called Every Door is the Right Door;
2)   prepare comments that will be shared in a report to the Minister of Health;
3)   enjoy a women-friendly day of sharing and conversation to ensure your voices are heard
4)   share a healthy breakfast, lunch and snacks.  

This is an event for community women, service providers & community planners.

Please register by contacting OWHN at 416-408-4840 or by email at: owhn@owhn.on.ca

Please ask about support for childcare and local transportation.

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REPORT LAUNCH: WHY DON’T WE WANT THE POOR TO OWN ANYTHING?

The Metcalf Foundation invites you to the launch of a new report by Metcalf Innovation Fellow John Stapleton:

Why don’t we want the poor to own anything? Our relentless social policy journey toward destitution for the 900,000 poorest people in Ontario

When: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Where: St. Christopher House – Community Hall
248 Ossington Avenue (Dundas at Ossington), Toronto

This new report explores the issue of the very low levels of savings and assets allowed for people on welfare and some other social security programs. It makes recommendations for reform to rules that are impoverishing people and almost guaranteeing they will grow old in poverty.

Low-income community members may qualify for assistance to attend this event. Please call Rick Eagan at St. Christopher House at (416) 532-4828 ext. 238 for details.

Please RSVP to Heather Dunford at hdunford@metcalffoundation.com or (416) 926- 0366 ext. 33

To view launch details: http://fpyn.ca/system/files/Launch%20invite.pdf

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ORDER NOW! OUR TIMES MAGAZINE SPECIAL FALL ISSUE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

“The division between labour movements and social justice movements is an artificial one that serves to impede our ability to make progressive and sustained change.”
Angela Robertson, Social Justice Activist
“What Binds Us Together”

Here we go again! Our Times’ special fall issue on climate change (Vol. 28 No.5) will be heading to the printer shortly. If you’d like extra copies (more than 20), please let us know as soon as possible.

In this issue we’re featuring the efforts of workers and unions to go green and create long-term sustainable jobs. We’re bringing you a fantastic photostory by B.C. photographer Joshua Berson about the firefighters who fought the massive fires this year in Kelowna. And you’ll hear about the joint efforts of the Highlander Center in Tennessee and Toronto’s Labour Education Centre to build a cross-border, cross-movement dialogue. Of course, we’ll also have great new instalments of our regular columns, including WebWork and the Our Times Tally.

If you think you may want to order extra copies of this issue as an education resource for your workshops, schools, or to include in your conference or convention kits, please contact our business manager by Monday, October 19 at the latest. Telephone: 416-703-7661. Toll-free: 1-800-648-6131. E-mail: office@ourtimes.ca. Discounted prices are available for bulk orders.

Either way, I hope you enjoy the issue and find it of use. Thank you for your support for Our Times.

In Solidarity,
Lorraine Endicott
Editor, Our Times
http://www.ourtimes.ca

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CANADIAN JOURNALISM FOUNDATION FORUM – DIVERSITY IN THE MEDIA: A CASE STUDY

In an effort to bring lessons learned about diversity and programming to a wider audience, CJF Forums presents Joan Melanson, executive producer at CBC Radio, Toronto; and Nick Davis, producer of Metro Morning, in a discussion on reaching out to diverse audiences. Suanne Kelman, a professor at Ryerson’s School of Journalism, will interview the panel.

Date:
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM (ET)

Location:
Innis Town Hall
2 Sussex Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1J5

After the discussion there will be a Q&A with the audience, followed by a cocktail reception.

The event is free, but guests are encouraged to make a $15 contribution to help support CJF programs upon registration.

To register:  http://www.eventbrite.com/contact-organizer?eid=451282799

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BOOK LAUNCH (TORONTO) – HARVEST PILGRIMS: MEXICAN AND CARIBBEAN MIGRANT FARM WORKERS IN CANADA

Between the Lines and the Stephen Bulger Gallery invite you to celebrate the launch of Vincenzo Pietropaolo’s new book of photography. Harvest Pilgrims tells the little-known story of Canada’s migrant workers. The photographs in the “Harvest Pilgrims” collection have been highly acclaimed internationally through many publications and exhibitions, including a travelling show curated by the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography that opened in Mexico City. Pietropaolo will present a slideshow of his work on the subject, and talk about the project, which has been 20 years in the making.

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Stephen Bulger Gallery
1026 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON

For more information, contact Between the Lines, 1.800.718.7201or email: info@btlbooks.com

About the Book:
Harvest Pilgrims: Mexican and Caribbean Migrant Farm Workers in Canada
Vincenzo Pietropaolo
144 pp | paper | 80 + duotone photos
ISBN 978-1-897071-54-0 | $49.95 | October 2009

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OISE/UT DISABILITY STUDIES SPEAKERS SERIES – “DISABILITY IN DANGEROUS TIMES”

With Dr. Catherine Frazee

Thursday, November 5
3:30 pm
OISE Library, 252 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON (above St. George Subway stop)

All Welcome, ASL provided

Catherine Frazee, D.Litt., LLD.
Professor of Distinction
Co-director, Ryerson-RBC Institute for Disability Studies Research & Education

Catherine Frazee has been involved in the equality rights movement for many years, most notably during her term as Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission from 1989 to 1992. Her current work as a writer, educator and researcher focuses upon the rights, identity, experience and well-being of persons with disabilities. Catherine is a committed activist who has lectured and published extensively in Canada and abroad on issues related to disability rights, disability culture and the disability experience. She is currently a member of DAWN Canada’s Equality Rights Committee and serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association for Community Living, where she chairs the Association’s Task Force on Values and Ethics. Catherine was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of New Brunswick in October 2002.

For more info, contact Tanya Titchkosky, 416-978-0451 or email: tanyatitchkosky@oise.utoronto.ca

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SOCIAL ECONOMY CENTRE – UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 2009-2010 WORKSHOP SERIES

October 30: Board-Management Relations
with Vic Murray (Schulich School of Business, York University; School of Public Administration, University of Victoria)

For years, books, articles, websites and consultants have been offering all kinds of advice on how boards ought to operate and relate to the organizations they govern. Yet many boards have a very difficult time living up to these ideals or choose not to even try. Why is this? Is it the fault of the boards and managers? Or is it possible that the advice itself is not always what is needed?

Join us in this workshop to:

* Explore the gaps between the ideal and reality in board governance
* Learn how to develop ways of bringing the ideal and reality closer together
* Learn how to use contingency-based analysis and tailored board development approaches

Date:  Friday, October 30, 2009 – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Cost: $140 + GST; Each additional participant from the same organization will receive a $15 discount, as will those who register for more than one workshop. Student rate available. Refreshments, coffee & tea served, but lunch not provided.

To Register: http://sec.oise.utoronto.ca/english/workshops.php or contact Lisa White at secworkshops@oise.utoronto.ca, 416-978-0022

Location:  Social Economy Centre of the University of Toronto, 252 Bloor St. W. (5th floor), Toronto, ON M5S 1V6, (St. George Subway Station)

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TELELEARNING SESSION 15: POVERTY REDUCTION IN CANADA

1. What are some public policy trends and instruments supporting poverty reduction in Canada?
2. What are some community-based approaches to poverty reduction in Canada?

If you want to know the answers to these questions and more, please join:

Jean Marc Fontan, Professor at UQÀM/Co-director of the Social Economy Community-University Research Alliance in Quebec; and Shauna McKinnon, Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy in an engaging telelearning session hosted by Jessica Notwell, Manager of the Women’s Economic Council.

Call Logistics:

* Session Date: Wednesday October 21st, 2009
* Call begins at 12:00 pm Eastern time, 9:00 am Pacific time
* Call in information will be given upon registration
* Register before October 20 to obtain dial in information and background papers
* This session is in English.

Session Format: 1 Hour
Welcome: 5 min
Presentations: 10 min by each speaker
Discussion: 35 minutes

Registration:
Register by phoning 250-472-4976, or e-mailing sekm@uvic.ca with your name, location, and work or volunteer position.

Limited number of spaces available – Register soon!
(This session is only available to Canadian Residents)

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AUDITOR’S REPORT REINFORCES NEED FOR GREATER PUBLIC CONTROL; LESS PRIVATIZATION: OPSEU

The findings by the Auditor General that greater public oversight would have prevented the spending scandal at eHealth was strongly embraced by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

“Let’s hope the Premier and his government learned a valuable lesson today: the more you hand over control of a vital public service like health care to the private sector, the more costs are going to skyrocket at the expense of the tax-paying public,” said OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas.

“We couldn’t agree more with Auditor General McCarter. The private consultants behind the eHealth spending scandal weren’t able to contain themselves from pinching the public purse for every last dime. That simply wouldn’t happen under a genuine public system with built-in checks, oversight and accountability.”

In his report, the Auditor General specifically pointed to the fact that “there was a heavy, and in some cases almost total, reliance on (private) consultants. By 2008, the Ministry’s eHealth Program Branch had fewer than 30 full-time employees, but was engaging more than 300 consultants …”

Thomas said watching the eHealth scandal unfold was like reading a familiar old story.

He cited the Auditor’s report from 2008 which revealed the privatization of the William Osler Hospital in Brampton cost almost $500 million more than had Ontario used traditional public procurement and financing.

For further information: Greg Hamara, OPSEU Communications, (647) 238-9933 cell

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GROCERY UNIONS JOIN WITH COMMUNITY TO BUILD BETTER SUPERMARKETS

by Tiffany Ten Eyck, Labor Notes

In New York City 11,600 retailers sell food, but fewer than 5 percent of them are grocery stores. In Detroit, more than half the city’s residents live in a “food desert,” where they’re closer to a fast food joint or a convenience store than to a supermarket.

UFCW locals in both cities are building community coalitions to create more and better grocery stores – which they hope, one day, will be union.

To read more: http://labornotes.org/node/2461

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LABOUR BOOK OF THE WEEK – THE KILLING OF KAREN SILKWOOD

It has now been 35 years since the murder of American trade unionist Karen Silkwood.

Silkwood was working at a plutonium processing plant and was killed in a mysterious car crash on her way to deliver important documents to a newspaper reporter.

She had been working on health and safety issues at the plant. She was 28 years old when she died.

To learn more about Karen and to celebrate her life please buy a copy of The Killing of Karen Silkwood — this week’s Labour Book of the Week.

The issues this book explores — whistle-blowers, worker safety, the environment, and nuclear vulnerability — are as relevant today as they were 35 years ago.

To read more: https://ssl30.pair.com/unionist/ccp51/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?rrc=N&pg=prod&ref=silkwood&affl=labourstart

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Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

What is Radical Politics Today?

Radical Politics

WHAT IS RADICAL POLITICS TODAY?

 

What is Radical Politics Today?

Debate and book launch

1.30pm, 25th November 2009, Canada House, Trafalgar Square, London, SW1Y 5BJ

Hosted by:
Catherine Fieschi (Director of Counterpoint, The Think Tank of the British Council; http://www.counterpoint-online.org/)
Jonathan Pugh (Director, the Spaces of Democracy and the Democracy of Space network; http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org)
Dan Porter (Marketing Executive, Palgrave Macmillan).

Those who are interested in attending should contact: counterpoint@britishcouncil.org

The discussion on 25th November will include … Doreen Massey, Saskia Sassen and David Chandler.

NEW BOOK:

What is Radical Politics Today?

Published November 2009, by Palgrave Macmillan

Edited by Jonathan Pugh, Senior Academic Fellow, Newcastle University

A crisis makes you re-think your life. The recent economic crisis is no exception. All of us are now thinking how the world could be run differently. Despite this, a radical alternative has hardly emerged to mobilise the masses, which begs the question: What is radical politics today? In this book, leading academics, politicians, journalists and activists attempt to pinpoint an answer, debating the issues facing radical politics in the 21st Century. Rarely united in their opinions, they collectively interrogate the character and spirit of being radical in our times.

Including original contributions from Zygmunt Bauman, Frank Furedi, Paul Kingsnorth, James Heartfield, Terrell Carver, Clare Short, Edward W. Soja, David Chandler, Hilary Wainwright, Dora Apel, Michael J. Watts, Jason Toynbee, James Martin, Jeremy Gilbert and Jo Littler, Doreen Massey, Gregor McLennan, Tariq Modood, Nick Cohen, Amir Saeed and David Bates, Alastair Bonnett, Ken Worpole, Sheila Jasanoff, Nigel Thrift, Will Hutton, Saul Newman, Chantal Mouffe, David Featherstone, Alejandro Colas and Jason Edwards, David Boyle, and Saskia Sassen.

The project is ongoing, through the Radical Politics Today magazine and events (see http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org)

To purchase the book:
Order online at http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?PID=375741
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Radical-Politics-Today-Jonathan/dp/023023626X
or visit your local bookseller.

Hardback 978-0-230-23625-7
Paperback 978-0-230-23626-4

Those who come to the book launch, or attend Spaces of Democracy and Democracy of Space events more generally, will get 25% off the paperback purchase price.

Keys themes of ‘What is Radical Politics Today?’

*A wide-ranging survey of the spirit and character of radical politics at this pivotal moment in history.
*Thirty influential commentators write original 3000 word essays.
*Offers thought provoking and often conflicting opinions.
*Accessibly written for the general public and student audiences.

Recommendations for ‘What is Radical Politics Today?’

‘This is a bold, brave and timely book. As we emerge, blinking into the light after three decades of neo-liberal darkness, Jonathan Pugh has put together a collection of essays that will provoke and provide clues to the question of what comes next; what indeed is radical politics today ?’ — Neal Lawson (Chair, Compass)

‘This collection is a model for the kinds of discussion we need to move forward.’ — Michael Hardt, co-author of Empire, Multitude and Commonwealth

‘ … we need this sort of sustained critical discussion of the kinds of alternative politics available to us.’ — James Tully (University of Victoria).

‘…a major contribution to the ongoing debate on the problems of our times.’ — Lord Bhikhu Parekh

‘ … what sort of Left can win hearts and minds in this moment of crisis? The answers to these important questions are the stuff of this excellent book.’ — Noel Castree (Manchester University).

‘With impeccable timing, this volume provides a stimulating range of perspectives on what radical politics can offer during this period of crisis and change. It deserves to be widely read and debated.’ — Ruth Lister (Loughborough University).

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

The Ockress: http://www.theockress.com

Walter Benjamin and Bertolt Brecht: Story of a Friendship?

Bertolt Brecht

Walter Benjamin and Bertolt Brecht: Story of a Friendship?

A one-day conference

10am–8pm,
6 November 2009
Birkbeck,
Malet Street, Bloomsbury
London wc1e 7hx
Rooms b36/b02 & b03

The English translation of Erdmut Wizisla’s formidable study Walter Benjamin and Bertolt Brecht: The Story of a Friendship was published this Autumn by Libris. No one has a better view of the much disputed relationship between these two figures than Erdmut Wizisla, director of Berlin’s Benjamin and Brecht Archives. Greeting the German edition, Momme Brodersen, Benjamin’s biographer, spoke for many when he wrote: ‘If this book had appeared decades ago, it would have terminated an unproductive debate in one fell swoop: that of the influence – be it fruitful, be it disastrous – of probably the most significant German playwright and poet of the 20th century, Bertolt Brecht, on probably the most significant critic of his day, Walter Benjamin’. Our conference celebrates the book’s publication and explores the ways in which Wizisla’s study augments, challenges or re-constellates previous analyses (most notably the one emanating from that other Story of a Friendship, published in English in 1982, by Gershom Scholem).

The conference is free, but please register beforehand by email to Julia Eisner, j.eisner@bbk.ac.uk

Any queries may be directed to Esther Leslie, e.leslie@bbk.ac.uk

Conference Programme
10am–5pm
Room b36, basement, Birkbeck, main building
Papers are c. 20 minutes long and are followed by discussion

10.00am Registration
10.20 Opening words

10.30 Peter Thompson (Sheffeld)
Brecht, Benjamin and the Crisis of Modernity

11.10 Chryssoula Kambas (Osnabrck)
From West to East: An External Examiner Remembers

11.50 Break

12.10pm Barbara Engh (Leeds)
Friendship and Clang Figures

1.00 Lunch break

2.30 Erdmut Wizisla (Berlin) – The Benjamin Archive and the New German Benjamin Edition

3.10 Tony Phelan (Oxford) Brecht on Benjamin – ‘On the Philosophy of History’

3.50 Break

4.10 Summing up – Esther Leslie
Constellations and Comradeship

5.00 Conference closes

Launch
5.30–c. 8pm
Rooms B02 & B03
Erdmut Wizisla, Walter Benjamin
and Bertolt Brecht – the Story of a Friendship, Libris, London 2009

‘Wizisla’s brilliant study of the complex and controversial intellectual relationship between Walter Benjamin and Bertolt Brecht will be the standard work on this subject for years to come. It blows away the dusty cliches that
have so far passed for scholarship in this area, thanks to Wizisla’s unsurpassed knowledge of previously unpublished documents and archive materials, which enables him to reconstruct and reconsider every dimension of Brecht and
Benjamin’s relationship from 1929 to 1940. Lucidly and accessibly written, this book is essential reading not only for Brecht and Benjamin specialists, but for all those interested in this crucial phase of twentieth century cultural history.’
– Steve Giles, Emeritus Professor of German Studies and Critical Theory, University of Nottingham.

5.30pm Welcome and wine
5.40 Words of memory and thanks – Nick Jacobs
5.45 Introduction – Tom Kuhn
6.00 Erdmut Wizisla – ‘My First Acquaintance with Brecht and Benjamin’
Thereafter wine and snacks

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ides: http://www.flowideas.co.uk