---------------------
Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6
Office Fax: (604) 291-5944
Home: Phone (604) 689-9510
Dear Friends and Comrades,
Please
forgive me for the impersonal nature of this note (and any duplicate
postings), but I'm just back to Caracas and am about to go into
overdrive.
I'm
writing to remind you about the Marx Conference, which is scheduled for
4-7 May in Havana (with a series of events in the preceding days). This
year, the conference is scheduled to take place at the Palace of
Conventions (where it concluded last year); and the format will be 4
commissions with simultaneous translation every morning between 10-1:30
(with additional space for informal group discussions) and then afternoon
plenary sessions (also with simultaneous translation) between 2:30 and 7.
At this point, the latter (which are conceived as opportunities for wide
discussion) are in initial stages of organisation and are likely to range
over topics such as imperialism; neofascism, terrorism and local
conflict; theoretical-methodological dimensions of anti-capitalist
struggle; state and social emancipation; and class struggle and social
movements in Latin America.
In order
to facilitate discussion, presentations in the commissions will be
limited to 10 minutes, and the conference organisers are requesting
papers of a maximum of 10 pages long (2500 words). The plan is to
translate these and to make them available in advance of the conference
on the conference website
(www.nodo50.org/cubasigloXXI/)
. Although the precise nature of the commission groupings will depend
on the papers submitted, on the basis of the themes solicited in the
conference call and the interest already expressed we do expect, among
others, sessions that will explore the theory and practice of Che and
other Latin American actors, the modern proletariat, sustainable
development as well as others on the theory and experience of socialism.
With significant participation from South Africa and Brazil, there is
also the potential for exciting exchanges on experiences with
neoliberalism in these two important countries.
Among the
non-Cubans who have already signaled their intention to participate in
this year's Marx Conference are Samir Amin, Ricardo Antunes, Azwell
Banda, Patrick Bond, Atilo Boron, Al Campbell, Ashwin Desai, Han Deqiang,
Theotonio Dos Santos, Julio Gambina, Pablo Gonzalez Casanova, Marta
Harnecker, David Harvey, John Holloway, Lau Kin Chi, Istvan Meszaros, Leo
Panitch and Emir Sader.
If you are
thinking about participating, you should check the conference call on the
website and should contact Jesus Garcia Brigos, Coordinator of the
Academic Committee, with your ideas about a paper (if you wish to present
one) at [EMAIL PROTECTED] as soon as possible. To be
able to focus on discussion, the sooner that papers are received, the
sooner they can be made available to participants.
Hoping
that we'll see you in Havana for May Day and the Marx
Conference.
in
solidarity,
michael
