Marxism - highlights here

The irrepressible Ady Cousins has already posted videos of the best two talks I went to at Marxism - in London this weekend - on his excellent YouTube channel. Tariq Ali provided a clear and comprehensive survey of American imperialism in the Obama era. The Logan Hall, by far the biggest venue used at the event, was absolutely packed. He struck just the right balance in critically analysing the reality of US foreign policy today - it's not radically different to before Obama's election - while acknowledging that saying good riddance to Bush and Cheney was extremely welcome.



The other highlight was the talk John Rees gave about revolutionary leadership, which was linked to a short book about Lenin by the Hungarian Marxist Georg Lukacs. He managed to convey the essentials about both Lenin and Lukacs - himself an influential and exceptional figure in the marxist tradition - as well as illuminating the big questions about revolution, organisation and leadership.

Ady's also posted Slavoj Zizek's side of the Zizek-Callinicos debate, which I was also at on Saturday - especially popular with students, it had the Logan Hall overflowing. Although not rising to the standards of the Obama/imperialism and Lenin/Lukacs sessions, this meeting certainly generated a lot of discussion in the bar afterwards (not just due to Zizek's penchant for risque jokes).

Tower Hamlets College: a fight for the public sector

Richard McEwan, secretary of the UCU branch at Tower Hamlets College, was a speaker in the opening rally - attended by over 1000 people - of the Marxism festival last night. Staff and students at the college are battling agianst cuts, especially to the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses. Their militant campaign has included protests, walkouts and occupations - and it continues to build momentum. The report of Marxism's opening rally, online here, quotes Richard saying:

“The three and a half weeks since the cuts were announced have been the most intense and exciting that I can remember,” he said. “We have had unofficial walkouts, student protests, a huge march through Tower Hamlets and we will be on strike tomorrow.

“There has been an audacious level of resistance at Tower Hamlets. But we know that the biggest fight is coming in September – and we need to link up with the rest of the public sector to win it.”

He is absolutely right that the autumn will see more struggles in education and across the public sector. The dispute at Tower Hamlets College indicates how those who work in or use public services are being made to pay for the crisis. But it is also a signpost to the potential resistance that we can mount in response.

Culture vultures

As well as the many political meetings, there's a series of cultural events and films at Marxism this coming weekend. Some of the sessions are on cultural topics too, so all in all it's a fantastic event for arty farty lefties seeking their cultural fix. I thought I'd provide a round up of what look like being top notch performances, film showings, gigs and cultural sessions.

I've heard both Sam West and Michael Billington talk in previous years. Last year Billington, the Guardian's theatre critic, was interviewed by playwright David Edgar about British theatre since the war (I bought his excellent book on the subject, which he kindly signed). This year they are joining together in a tribute to the late, great Harold Pinter, outstanding playwright and fierce anti-imperialist (Sunday, SOAS). Edgar is back this year too, speaking about another of the great radical dramatists: Bertolt Brecht (Sunday, Royal National) .

I absolutely loved Call Mr Robeson when I saw it earlier in the year - Tyneside Stop the War hosted it as a fundraiser - and highly recommend it. I contacted Marxism organisers to suggest it, though I suspect they were planning to invite Tayo Aluko to perform his astonshing play anyway. It's a superb mix of Paul Robeson's songs - performed beautifully - with dramatic incidents from his life and a strong sense of his political heroism (Sunday, ULU).

Musical highlights include hip hop group Ramallah Underground headlining a night of 'Palestinian cultural resistance' (Saturday, Jeffery Hall), and the gig with Iraqi rapper Lowkey and the Neville Staple Band which closes the whole event (Monday, The Scala). Lowkey is involved, with Michael Rosen, in paying tribute to anti-war and left wing poet Adrian Mitchell in an evening of spoken word (Friday, Jeffery Hall). Rosen is also featuring as host of 'entertainment for lefties of all ages' called 'Socialists have kids too!' (Saturday, Jeffery Hall). It's designed for adults and their kids to attend together.

Film showings include Latin American film (Saturday, SOAS), a screening of 'The Battle for Haditha' accompanied by Q and A with director Nick Broomfield (Saturday, SOAS) and a lunchtime showing of footage from the recent victorious student occupation at SOAS, with a chance to hear from those central to the occupation (and some food thrown in too).

Finally, there are meetings on a wide range of cultural topics. I'd especially recommend Gareth Jenkins on Dickens (Friday), China Mieville on 'The politics of monsters' (Saturday) and Noel Douglas' illustrated talk 'Whose streets? Our streets!' (Sunday).

an alternative guide to Marxism

It's less than 2 weeks until Marxism, the biggest gathering of the year on the British left. It's organised by the Socialist Workers Party and takes place over 5 days in central London. Here is the full timetable.

You can read about the big highlights elsewhere. Here, instead, is my list of recommended sessions taken from the medium-sized and small venues. An alternative guide to Marxism, if you like...

Thursday 2 July
Anindya Bhattacharyya: Why does racism still exist?
Patrick Ward: The internet, democracy and the movement

Friday 3 July
James Meadway: Neoliberalism in crisis: the return of the state?
Sabby Sagall: Marxism and human nature
Jeremy Dear and Dave Crouch: Controlling the media in war: are governments winning the battle?
Lindsey German: Marx, Engels and the revolutionary tradition

Saturday 4 July
Chris Nineham: Anti-capitalism: ten years after Seattle
China Mieville: The politics of monsters
John Rees: Georg Lukacs on Lenin
Alan Gibbons and Michael Rosen: Campaign for the book

Sunday 5 July
Noel Douglas: Whose streets? Our streets! (An illustrated talk)
Costas Lapavitsas: A socialist response to the economic crisis
Helen Salmon: Was Lenin a democrat?
Shirley Franklin: How children learn - a socialist perspective

Monday 6 July
Anne Alexander: Islamism and the new Arab left

See you in the Institute of Education bar...