Submitted on
Top Bar (by the Blues Café)
Is women's liberation possible under capitalism? Would socialist revolution automatically solve the problems oppression? We will be discussing these issues and putting the case for socialist feminism.
Submitted on
Lucas Arms, 245A Grays Inn Road, near Kings Cross
All the major political parties have spoken up in defence of 'the family' over the last years as a response to nearly every social problem from unemployment, binge drinking, crime to educational under-achievement. With high rates of divorce and separation and 'alternative' living arrangements - are traditional family structures on the way out?
What is unique to the modern bourgeois family form and what are its psychological effects? What do we think about the creation of alternative quasi family structures? Do socialist feminists want to “abolish the family”?
The forum will also look at the ideas that emerged in the 60s and 70s when 'the family' came under fire for subjecting the child to the private authority of parents, for reproducing gender oppression, stifling sexual liberation and acting against working class radicalism and solidarity...
All welcome.
Reading (if you have the time):
1. " 'SMASH THE FAMILY'? RECALLIONG THE 1960S", Chapter 2 from 'What is to be done about the Family' written by Lynne Segal. For a pdf of this e-mail brent@workersliberty.org
2. MODELS OF FAMILY STRUCTURE The final chapter of Mark Poster's 'Critical Theory of the Family'. Available online.
Submitted on
Lucas Arms, 245A Grays Inn Road, near Kings Cross
Children are human beings, but do we always treat them as such and who is to blame for that? The family under capitalism? The state? Parents? Can children have the same rights as adults? How can we change the way we think about kids, about who they are in relation to the adults around them? What kind of society will "put children first"?
A compendium of articles from this site can be downloaded here...
A leaflet advertising the next three meetings of the group can be downloaded here...
**** NOTE THIS IS A CHANGE OF SUBJECT FOR OUR APRIL MEETING*****
Submitted on
Lucas Arms, 245A Grays Inn Road, near Kings Cross
In this meeting we will examine and critique different feminist views of pornography Some feminists argue porn is an expression of an exploitative “male culture” and is irredeemably oppressive to women At the other extreme some say that porn as sexually explicit material can benefit women’s sexual liberation What’s wrong/right about these views and the all the others in between?
Suggested reading:
Book
Latest (against porn): Pornography: Driving the Demand in International Sex Trafficking (2007) edited by David E. Guinn and Julie DiCaro; Captive Daughters Media
On the net
http://www.wendymcelroy.com/
author of the book XXX a Woman’s Right to Pornography available on her website
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_Against_Pornography: history of radical feminist anti-pornography campaign
www.fiawol.demon.co.uk: Feminists Against Censorship
https://www.againstpornography.org: loads of stuff against porn!
Submitted on
Lucas Arms, 245A Grays Inn Road, near Kings Cross
What are the inherited/genetic differences between the biological sexes? Are they of any consequence? Or are most “differences” generated by social conditioning? What is gender anyway? And what are the implications for breaking down and transcending divisions between human beings?
Submitted on
Seminar Room 1, Keble College, Parks Road
Speaker: Sofie Buckland
Submitted on
Lucas Arms, 245A Grays Inn Road, near Kings X
During the French Revolution women were initially mobilised - as they always had been - around the economic and social crisis engulfing France. As the revolution unfolded women became organised, as women, to fight for the rights of women and girls. What did they want? Who was the Society of Revolutionary Republican Women? Why were they defeated. Come and find out! All women and men welcome... Reading material available (PDFs). Email socialist.feminist@gmail.com.
Submitted on
Women in rail and transport work in a male-dominated industry. The higher grades especially are dominated by men.
