This November, activists from all over the world will get together for three weeks to discuss and study global affairs from a Marxist perspective. This course is a unique opportunity to go in depth with developments that challenge social movements. How to understand and respond to the economic crisis? How are social movements affected by climate change? What are the implications of post-colonial struggles and quick political changes? These are some of the key issues raised at the annual Ecosocialist School, hosted by the IIRE in Amterdam. The course is a place for activists from very different backgrounds to meet and learn from each other, and from the scholars who give the lectures.
Please see the draft programme below.
The Ecosocialist School is conducted in English, French and Spanish with simultaneous translations. We recommend people take part in the entire school, as all topics are interlinked and we wish to look in depth at the inter-connectedness of current challenges. However, for people who are not able to block three weeks in a row it is also possible to take part in one or two modules.
Participants are expected to take active part in the course by attending all lectures, group discussions and read the materials. The course is self-organized, which means that the participants are responsible for daily cooking and cleaning.
The participation fee varies for different parts of the world. Please send us an email if you are interested!
The draft programme:
Arrivals: Saturday 22 November
Introduction to the school and to the Fourth International, introduction of participants
First module : Analysis of capitalist society and its multiple crisis and oppressions
Sunday 23
Introduction to Marxism
Monday 24
The working class
Tuesday 25
A Marxist-feminist view on gender
Wednesday 26
The global economic crisis
Thursday 27
Women and the crisis of the capitalist system
Friday 28
Free Day
Saturday 29
Free Day
Sunday 30
The role of specific identities
Second module : The ecological crisis and ecosocialism
Monday 1 December
Marx and Engels on ecology
Tuesday 2
Ecological history of capitalism and ecosocialist alternative
Wednesday 3
Climate and food crisis
Thursday 4
Socialist democracy
Friday 5 Imperialism today
Saturday 6 Free Day
Third module : Strategic questions and situation in the different world regions
Sunday 7
The crisis in Europe and the strategic debates
Monday 8
Revolutionary strategy in the 21st century
Tuesday 9
Further deepening of the crisis in the Arab region
Wednesday 10
The political dynamics in Latin America
Thursday 11
Dynamics of the left forces in Asia
Friday 12
Colonialism and struggles in Africa, from independence to the current crisis
Saturday 13
Internationalism and the Fourth International
Sunday 14
Evaluation, cleaning