SPGB Summer School

This could be interesting if members of the spgb were able and willing to engage critically (and without prejudice) with different ideas that have emerged over recent decades. New ideas like 'interesectionality theory' and it's practice come in many versions, some open to serious criticism (and I have my own), but others maybe more akin to analysis described in terms of 'class composition', could potentially be of use to those of us intent on contributing to the development of the class struggle in a communist direction. The important point is to look behind the different terminology to the underlying material conditions that such theory is trying, however inadequately, to understand.
The spgb's record in this area isn't great although I did find this reasonably good talk on their site;
www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/audio/radical-feminism-and-communism (radical as in everyday usage that is).
Not surprised though that the usual link to an ad isn't supplied here as some of their members have already made up their minds about all these issues even before they have heard the introductory talks and posted comments in less than comradely terms about the speakers.

So here is a link to the Summer school ad:
www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/event/summer-school-birmingham-35-august

I see that one spgb member unusually recommends this short rejection of 'Intersectionality' theory from a regular 'Weekly Worker' contributor here;
https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1206/intersectionality-is-a-dead-end/

In terms of my reference in post 3 above (despite my differences with some autonomist marxist theory) I'd recommend this contribution to discussion from a Marxist influenced anarchist as a useful critical examination of the relationship of 'class' and 'identity' different from much other 'Intersectionality' theory here:
https://libcom.org/library/rethinking-class-recomposition-counterpower

And this is also relevant to my mind in terms of the broader area of 'identity politics' see here:
https://libcom.org/blog/the-politics-affirmation-or-politics-negation-18112008

It's libcom so I'm taking the liberty of adding my bit even though I won't be in Birmingham for this event.

Spikey, as you probably know, this talk will be either audio or video recorded at a later date and posted on our website. Hopefully, i will remember this thread and announce it and your comments will be warmly received and, as always, read with interest.

While the SPGB's website is unavailable, people won't be able to use it to make online bookings for Summer School. So, if anyone would like to make a booking, then please contact the party's London offices (0207 622 3811) and arrangements for making a payment can be sorted out later.

Four sessions have so far been announced with a final one very shortly. Full details here:

https://www.meetup.com/The-Socialist-Party-of-Great-Britain/events/247330393/

In the circumstances and given the availability of day passes it might be worthwhile your publishing a timed agenda shortly?

So I see that two more items have been added to the list of talks, one on 'Sex and Power' and a showing of a film by Camilla Power (a number of texts by her available on this site) with a discussion, that makes the whole event look more interesting.
I'd just take this opportunity to add to my recommended texts above one more by Dauve here:
https://libcom.org/library/woman-question-gilles-dauve

Here is the final session:

'Dangerous Women: How History And The Establishment Hide Female Militancy'

"From the militant 18th Century female trade unionists who dunked strike-breakers under water pumps, to the matchwomen, suffragettes and the true founder the Me Too movement, many of history’s most inspiring women have been designated the ‘wrong kind of heroines’ and their stories suppressed or minimised."

Guest speaker Dr Louise Raw has spent 20 years uncovering them, and will introduce or enlarge upon the histories of women of colour, of the working-class and with disabilities, who have much to teach us even today.

We'll be able to publicise when each session is happening very soon.

If anyone would like to make a booking, please email [email protected], telephone 0207 622 3811 or send a cheque for the appropriate amount (full price or concessionary) to Summer School, SPGB, 52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN

Further details are on our Meetup group page.
https://www.meetup.com/The-Socialist-Party-of-Great-Britain/events/247330393/

It's just two weeks to go until the SPGB's 'Gender And Power' Summer School in Birmingham. We are happy to be able to confirm all the sessions and times, listed below.
The event will also include two exclusive publications, an exhibition and a bookstall.
Please let us know if you would like any further details (or if you have any special requirements: ground floor room, special diet etc).

Contact: [email protected]

Details of how to get to the venue can be found here:
https://www.fircroft.ac.uk/Pages/FAQs/Category/how-to-find-us

Friday 3rd August

Arrival from 17.00
18.30 – 19.00 Dinner
19.45
'Inside The Matrix'
This talk will argue against the premise that oppression is simply the product of class struggle and that feminism can be dismissed as identity politics which distract from the real issue. Feminism and socialism are not either / or, positions. An understanding of class, patriarchy and intersectionality is crucial to the challenge of establishing a world based on socialist principles.
Lorna Stevens and Paddy Shannon
21.30 Social

Saturday 4th August

7.30 – 8.45 Breakfast
10.00
'Equal Work For Equal Value?'
This talk will look at the relevance of value, and the labour theory of value to discussions around the gender pay gap in the workplace. It will look at value as a story told to lay claim to the output of society, and will relate that to Utopian visions of women and womanhood. It will argue that that value is not a value-free idea, but in fact a deliberate move in the class struggle to enforce the power of the capitalist class. Along the way, this talk will take in how the working class is exploited, and how this exploitation contains within itself the end of capitalist values. Finally, it will suggest that the struggle over equal wages contains within itself the drive toward the abolition of the wages system itself.
Bill Martin

12.30 – 13.15 Lunch
13.45
'Dangerous Women: How History And The Establishment Hide Female Militancy'
From the militant 18th Century female trade unionists who dunked strike-breakers under water pumps, to the matchwomen, suffragettes and the true founder the Me Too movement, many of history’s most inspiring women have been designated the ‘wrong kind of heroines’ and their stories suppressed or minimised.
Guest speaker Dr Louise Raw has spent 20 years uncovering them, and will introduce or enlarge upon the histories of women of colour, of the working-class and with disabilities, who have much to teach us even today.

18.30 – 19.00 Dinner
19.15
Film showing: 'Did Gender Egalitarianism Make Us Human?' by Camilla Power (Senior lecturer in Anthropology at the University of East London)
Introduced by Carla Dee and Richard Field, with discussion afterwards
22.00 Social

Sunday 5th August

7.30 – 8.45 Breakfast
10.00
'Sex And Power'
The sex industry makes up a significant, if partly-hidden, sector of the economy. Prostitution and pornography represent extremes of exploitation, lucrative to those with the power and damaging to those pushed into selling themselves. This talk will examine the differing impacts which the sex industry has on both women and men, and what this tells us about capitalism as a whole.
Mike Foster
12.30 – 13.15 Lunch
Depart

Forgot to mention:

Day visitors are welcome, but please book in advance.

whichfinder

Has anyone ever mentioned that you are the spitting image of Vincent Price? The similarity is really quite remarkable.

Noah Fence

whichfinder

Has anyone ever mentioned that you are the spitting image of Vincent Price? The similarity is really quite remarkable.

Never; you're the first... :-)

Unfortunately the subject matter of this summer school doesn't appear in the main heading but it does cover a number of the discussions and arguments in several of the more recent and extensive threads on libcom, so should be of more interest here than some others promoted by the spgb and certainly worth a visit irrespective of any other disagreements people might have with that organisation.

Just to emphasise #12 from whichfinder

If a particular topic interests you, turn up and participate. Advance notice would be nice, but not strictly essential, i am sure. A warm welcome would still be made.

Admin : This is incorrect, you can only come in if you have booked, contact via [email protected].

spgbschool

Regarding ajjohnstone's post above, the venue isn't ok with people just turning up. Please book in advance by emailing me at [email protected].

To echo Mike's post above, while it's OK to attend individual sessions PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP WITHOUT FIRST BOOKING AS YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED - security considerations and all that...

Thanks for the clarification

This is a policy imposed by the venue and not a departure from the SPGB's custom of holding meetings open to all.

Bookings for the Summer School will close at midnight on Sunday 29 July.

So can anyone who wants to come along but hasn't already made a booking, please contact [email protected] by the end of the weekend. The venue requires a list of all attendees beforehand.

So for the few libcomers still interested in the subject matter of this day school - in addition to the linked texts I mentioned before, three of the introductions with some limited discussion, is now available in audio format on the spgb website here;
https://worldsocialism.org/spgb/audio/sex-and-power/
Unfortunately the more controversial topic for the spgb ''Inside the Matrix' one got missed out - maybe it was sabotaged! but the other three are available. They are all of interest although the 'Equal Work for Equal Value' one is a bit difficult to follow at first as it includes some inserted audio illustrations which are not the speaker's own words.
I was persuaded to attend myself on this rare occasion and thought it was a genuine effort by the spgb to branch out and encourage some genuine discussion outside of it's usual comfort zone, with at least some results despite the poor non-member attendance.

I was reminded of the contribution by Bill Martin above titled 'Equal Work for Equal Value' when considering the summary points (particularly under 'work and gender as performance') from the AWW in their book review here:
https://libcom.org/blog/limitations-equality-class-strategybook-review-trico-victory-remember-11042019
Bill provides a useful background analysis from a marxist point of view using a variety of current and historical comparisons that contribute to an understanding of the continuing gender pay imbalance despite much modern day legislation aimed at reducing it, (even if the spgb collectively doesn't make best use of that in it's members involvement with the everyday class struggle where the AWW perhaps offers a better example).

And this is also a better critical contribution to the use and misuse of 'intersectionality theories' than that contributed by the ever-hopeful members of Lancaster spgb to that last spgb Summer school:
https://libcom.org/blog/class-racism-women-s-oppression-critical-thoughts-intersectionality-theory-19062019