A new politics in Greece?
Social ecologist Peter Prontzos recommends a report on the continuing street protests in Greece, in response to the austerity plan passed by the Greek Parliament this week. The article explores some of the uncertainties, tensions and possibilities inherent in the Greek revolt. Excerpt: “Costas Douzinas, a law professor at Birkbeck, University of London, recently penned […]
New from Argentina: “Anti-Capitalism for Beginners”
Just out in English from Seven Stories Press. The author, Ezequiel Adamovsky, was interviewed this week on ZNet. Here’s an excerpt:
“Initially, the idea came to my mind in 2002. At that time, after the rebellion of December 2001 in Argentina, I was very much involved in the Neighbors’ Assemblies movement. We had all sorts of amazing political debates there. Most people had the feeling that the old Left had little to offer. And yet, they were craving for radical ideas and actions. There was the sense that we were building a new kind of movement, but there were no ideas, concepts or doctrines to name it […]
New review of “Remaking Society”
From U. of Toronto information & library science graduate student Ian Reddy. Interestingly, he describes first discovering Murray Bookchin’s writings after reading some of his 1990s critics. The review offers a fresh look at a classic work in social ecology: http://contratexts.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-murray-bookchin-1989-remaking.html.
Eco-Cultural Restoration in Colorado
by Eric Toensmeier The Woodbine Ecology Center is a unique educational center in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, offering courses, workshops, and events inspired by social ecology. Woodbine’s goal is eco-cultural restoration, bringing back the traditions of indigenous management that shaped the landscape for thousands of years. Their goal is to use these traditional […]
Vincent Gerber: 3 Facets of Social Ecology
So far only in French, at http://www.monde-libertaire.fr/ecologie/14178-les-trois-facettes-de-lecologie-sociale. Vincent also manages the French language social ecology web portal, www.ecologiesociale.ch. The site has an RSS feed that aims to inform subscribers of all new social ecology publications in French.
Social Determinants of Health
by Peter Prontzos (Langara College, Vancouver, BC)
Research has now clearly established that economic, and social variables – more
than individual or family behavior – are the most salient factors overall in
determining a child’s well-being […]
Novelist Lily Hoang interviews Dan Chodorkoff
Lily’s introduction begins:
He’s not the typical writer we would promote here. He’s got a head full of silverfox hair and an unironically killer moustache, and his writing is unabashedly political. His first novel, Loisaida, is a bildungsroman, following the development of a young anarchist, Cathy, as she fights “the man” from her squat. A viciously honest rendition of the naïve privilege of many young anarchists, Cathy learns the nuances of activism and politics. Part history lesson, part political guidebook, Loisaida is a book for anyone who’s carried a protest sign, shouted chants, felt the camaraderie of mass demonstrations, and had it all matter for shit.
Full interview at http://htmlgiant.com/author-spotlight/an-interview-with-dan-chodorkoff/
200th Anniversary of the Luddite Uprisings
November 2011 – January 2013 are the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprisings: a great opportunity to celebrate their struggle and to redress the wrongs done to them and their name. Today science and technology raises many more critical social, environmental and ethical issues, but from GM food and eugenics to plans for engineering the planets climate, from surveillance to nuclear power, these issues are rarely addressed properly, partly because anyone who raises criticism is denigrated as a ‘luddite’. History has been written by the victors and the Luddites are portrayed as opposed to all technology and progress: it is ironic that while the ideology of technology as progress has hardened into a rigid dogma, which must condemn all critics as ‘anti-science’, in fact the Luddites opposed only technology ‘hurtful to commonality’, (i.e. the common good). They destroyed some machines whilst leaving others, and earnt their living using a complex piece of technology, the hand loom. In their spirit, we make no apology for calling for real democratic control over science and technology. Public meeting in London, Weds. June 8th.
Greece: Urgent call for international solidarity
From ISE alum and former staff member Pavlos Stavropolous:
I have just received the following urgent call for international solidarity from comrades in Greece. We would all appreciate it if you can circulate it widely. As you probably already know, the situation in Greece has been critical for quite some time but it is getting worse. Hard fought-for rights and social gains are being laid on the butcher block. The Greek parliament has become nothing more than a rubber stamp for the marching orders from the IMF. Greece has been marked for becoming an example for the world, an example of how international capital can beat a country into subservience. Yet, throughout all this there has been a lively and ongoing resistance within Greece. This resistance needs international solidarity now more than ever. While the mainstream media focuses on the repugnant attempted rape of a chambermaid by the head of the IMF, they disregard the ongoing rape of entire countries and peoples by the IMF itself. It is up to people of good conscience to make sure that the real story of resistance and hope doesn’t get buried.
North & South, Ecology and Justice, Part 3
by Carmelo Ruiz-Marrero (Last of 3 parts) New beacons Fortunately, there are a fair number of beacons in the quest to form and inform a reconciliation of “progresismo” with ecology and thus carry out the unfulfilled mandates of 20th century “tercermundismo”- these include eco-socialism, social ecology, the global climate justice movement, and “décroissance”, which translates […]
