For the first time in many years, the ISE is presenting a panel at the annual Left Forum, at Pace University, next to City Hall Park in New York City. Please join us!
The revolutionary project of social ecology
Sunday, June 9th, 12 noon, Room E307
With Brian Tokar, Dan Chodorkoff, Chaia Heller, and Eleanor Finley
Since the 1960s, social ecologists have advanced a revolutionary outlook that examines the problematic relationships between society, capitalism, social hierarchy and the natural world. Three generations of social ecologists will discuss social ecology in historical, philosophical, and political terms, focusing significantly on social ecology’s political strategy, which is rooted in confederated direct democracy. We will also trace the role that social ecology has played in informing movements from the anti-nuclear movement and ecofeminism, to the alter-globalization movement (Seattle, 1999), and Occupy and its many offshoots.
Brian Tokar is also chairing 2 other panels at the Left Forum this year, both on Saturday, June 8th:
Eco-capitalism and the myths of the “green economy”
(Cosponsored by the Global Justice Ecology Project and Union of Radical Political Economics)
Saturday (June 8th), 3:40 pm, Room E304
Brian Tokar • Les Levidow • Rachel Smolker • Carlos Marentes
The goal of “greening” the economy, once promoted by environmental activists worldwide, is now increasingly co-opted by those who seek to control, plunder and commodify all of nature. This agenda has played out at several recent international gatherings, in an aggressive “green economy” development agenda, in economic assessments of natural resources, and in new financial instruments to create markets for them. Proponents suggest that economic growth and current consumption levels can be made environmentally sustainable by shifting to more resource-efficient modes and more flexible resource allocations without challenging capitalism. This panel will offer diverse critical perspectives on the new eco-capitalism, as well as how people are organizing globally to challenge this agenda and advance alternative development models.
Climate justice: Challenges and prospects for an emerging movement
Saturday 5:30 pm, Room E303
Brian Tokar • Patrick Bond • Jacqui Patterson • Chris Williams • Marcela Olivera
“Climate justice” has become a unifying call for movements for indigenous rights, racial justice, alternatives to capitalism, and more. The overarching aims are to highlight the social dimensions and underlying inequities of the global climate crisis, press for genuine, justice-centered solutions, and influence the broader climate movement in a more countersystemic direction. This panel will offer a variety of US and international perspectives on the current state of climate justice, and the potential for a more unified and radical movement to challenge the root causes of global climate disruptions.
For more information, and to register for the Left Forum, see leftforum.org. Volunteer slots are also available if you’d like to attend for free.
