reading/learning group in manchester
Jan 5 2006 20:43
I've been toying this idea with some people - would there be interest for a some kind of reading and learning group for anarchists of various levels of knowledge and experience?
I feel that there is a lot of room for improvement in theoretical and political understanding of anarchist positions, and perhaps this could be a nice way of doing it.
I dont know about the details, perhaps we could just set up a group of people who would like to do this, it would work better if they would be committed to this so the thing would work. Dont know how often the group should get together, once a month or something? Perhaps read same papers, with some background work or something like that?
Anyways, i dont really have any clear idea how this could work - has anyone ever done anything like this before? Manchester Solidarity Federation hosts discussion evennings once a month which also serve as an educational tool and they seem to be going ok.
Jan 5 2006 23:35
#2
What we should do is learn to communicate telepathically (I read about it, sounds easy) so we can have it in the comfort (or decrepidness) of our own homes!
Jan 6 2006 08:24
#3
kidda - exactly!
refused - no mate, just... no!
Jan 6 2006 10:45
#4
JDMF wrote:
refused - no mate, just... no!
i KNEW you were going to say that 8)
an anarcho book group sounds well good 
what kind of things would you want to read?
Jan 6 2006 16:32
#5
I like the idea. It just needs enough people who are prepared to comit themselves. Unless family problems get in the way I'd be up for it. I think it's a better idea than "educational" meetings. I find them very predictable and often quite alienating. If we've all read the same thing beforehand then it should be more interesting. I presume it could be fiction as well as theoretical?
Jan 6 2006 16:44
#6
well, we could all have a choice of text and then go through the one by one?
But one thing i'd like to highlight is accessibility. Lets face it, the level of theoretical and political understanding among anarchists is often quite low, the heart is in the right place and we know vaguely what's up, and too often the thinking is done among the inaccessible theorist guru circles.
So no matter what the level of knowledge is, everyone should be welcome. The idea is improving knowledge and some of that empowerment stuff.
Personally i would like to go through some maurice brintons stuff from For Workers Power
Jan 6 2006 16:46
#7
There is an idea floating about to set something similar up in Manc already. We haven't got a name for it yet, but it will run along the lines of already established "Radical Theory Forum".
It's gonna be abit like a seminar series, not just for anarchists, but radicals in general, and trying to link up with sympathetic academics/students etc.
The format is gonna be a monthly meeting, the structure of which will be decided by another person each time. Someone presents a paper they've written, or an idea they've had and people discuss it.
It's designed to bring back theory into activist circles, and relate it to our praxis (not that these are necessarily 2 different things).
First forum is probably towards the end of Jan, if we get it organised till then.
I'll let you know about it...
Jan 6 2006 19:52
#8
If you want to use some of Brinton's work, can I suggest that a logical starting point would be As We See It and As We Don't See It. They are both available on the web, they are both straightforward and cover a lot of issues that are still relevant. http://www.af-north.org/awsiintro.html
Another good one is The Irrational in Politics - it examines fascism using Reich's sexual politics http://af-north.org/irrational.html - useful, but maybe for a later date.
I prefer the idea that everyone has read the text. I hate meetings where people consume others knowledge. On that score, it would be interesting to read some situationist stuff!
This is accessible: "a modest proposal for how the BAD OLD DAYS WILL END "http://af-north.org/bad_old_days.htmhink is worth a read is John Crump's text "A Contribution to the Critique of Marx" It looks at the contradictions between Marx's revolutionary theories and his bourgeois practice. http://www.af-north.org/marx_critique.htm
It would also be good to discuss some of Murray Bookchin's work. He's accessible and there's a guy at MMU who's doing research on him (lucky sod!) and would probably be willing to take part.
The number of Solidarity texts on the af-north site is cos I was in it once, so it remains a favourite of mine.
Jan 6 2006 20:49
#9
In case you don't know, we've started our first libcom online reading group here:
http://libcom.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7515
Though face-to-face ones are always good. In our library we've got an article with some useful tips and advice about how to do reading groups here:
http://libcom.org/library/reading-theoretical-works-chris-wright
Jan 22 2006 20:57
#10
Hey, should we resurrect this idea again now?
Who is up for this? Lets get a list of people together, advertise it, and lets go! We dont need hundreds to participate to make this a success
Two texts have been proposed, "As we see it" from Solidarity:
http://www.af-north.org/awsiintro.html
and
THE TYRANNY of STRUCTURELESSNESS
by Jo Freeman aka Joreen
http://www.jofreeman.com/joreen/tyranny.htm
I am personally happy with those two being the first texts - they are very different in nature, and both seem ace from the first glance.
Jan 22 2006 22:02
#11
either text is interesting. To be honest, the Tyranny of Structurelessness is probably most appropriate to the current situation wew find ourselves in!
Jan 27 2006 11:55
#12
Ok, the first ever Manchester Radical Theory Forum (or whatever it's gonna be called) is on this Tuesday.
It will be a general open discussion on questions surrounding the issues of theory and practice, e.g.:
Why engage in theory?
Which theory should inform our practice?
Does our practice inform our theory?
Is there a bourgeois conspiracy to turn the "movement" into a talking shop?
etc. you get it.
Everybody welcome, on Tuesday 31st at 8pm in the Marble Arch Pub on Rochdale Road
Jan 27 2006 12:12
#13
ah, is this the uni group? fantastic! More the merrier!
(or is this the same initiative?)
Mar 2 2006 12:15
#14
The second Manchester Radical theory Forum is on its way. We will talk about the relationship between theory and practice in our movements. The event will be structured around "the book"; hence with questions such as "is a book a theoretical representation of the world?", or maybe "is our practice an application of theories that we read about?". We don't want to favour either, theory or practice, therefore its not just a discussion group, but an event/happening as well. We'll reclaim capitalist space by holding it all in a corporate bookstore, and see what esle we can come up with to challenge the every-day (mis)functioning of the system. This is an experiment(!!!) in bridging the border between talking and action, so we need you to make it happen. The more people come, the more interesting it will be. Think of stuff to bring and share (biscuits, tea, etc.) and contribute!
Thursday 9th March
5 pm
The Business Room
Waterstones Deansgate
Manchester
8) 8) 8)
like an anarchist book club?
everyone reads something selected by the group
the group meets up for a coffee/orange juice/spring water
and you discuss whats what and explore the ideas that emerge through the discussions
that type of thing, or do you mean something else?
either way its a cool idea JDMF