International - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

Communist University 2012 takes place from August 20-26

international | anti-capitalism | event notice

Saturday July 07, 2012 02:06

by John Cornford - Communist Party of Great Britain

Communist University 2012
CU 2012 takes place from August 20-26

Communist University 2012 starts on Monday August 20 at 2pm. Because of the Olympic Games, we have moved to a new venue:
—
Glenthurston Apartments, 30 Bromley Rd. London, SE6 2TP
—
5 min walk from Catford railway station – there are trains leaving London Bridge Station every 10-15 minutes.

Map: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=SE6+2TP&hl=en&sll=53.80...&z=16

Organised by Communist Party of Great Britain.

Speakers and sessions

Confirmed speakers include:

Paul LeBlanc, author of “Lenin and the Revolutionary Party”

Hillel Ticktin, editor of “Critique”

Mark Fisher, author of “Capitalist Realism”

Yassamine Mather, chair of Hands Off the People of Iran

Moshe Machover, Israeli socialist and founder of Matzpen

Reza M. Shalgouni, Organisation of Revolutionary Workers in Iran (Rahe Kargar)

Mike Macnair, Communist Party of Great Britain and author of “Revolutionary Strategy”

Jack Conrad, Communist Party of Great Britain and author of “Fantastic Reality”

Lawrence Parker, author of “The Kick Inside – revolutionary opposition in the CPGB 1960-1991?

Chris Knight, author of “Blood Relations”

We are still working on the timetable. But to get a taste for the event, have a look at last year’s sessions:

The timetable from 2011 is available DOC and PDF file. There were a number of sessions dealing with the crisis of capitalism and, of course, the Arab Revolution.

http://cpgb.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/cu-2011-timetab...5.doc

http://cpgb.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/cu-2011-timetab...5.pdf

Highlights included:

Owen Jones (author of ‘Chavs: The demonisation of the working class’ was speaking on ‘The Trade Union and Socialist Coalition’: seeds of a new workers’ party or a useless halfway house?

Anne McShane (Irish socialist) was speaking on ‘The economic crisis and the growth of the left in Ireland’

Mark Fischer (CPGB): Unity is strength? Why the left keeps splintering
Camilla Power was addressing the issue: ‘Our Neanderthal cousins and the human revolution’

Jack Conrad, (CPGB, author of Fantastic Reality. Marxism and the politics of religion) was speaking on ‘The CPGB’s Draft programme and our differences with the left. What programmes are, how they should be organised and why they are so important’

Mike Macnair – CPGB, author of Revolutionary Strategy adressed the question of ‘Law, international relations and Marxism’

Chris Knight on ‘The first communist revolution: the origin of cosmetics, abundance, language, morality and being human’

Yassamine Mather(chair, Hands Off the People of Iran) on ‘Explaining the longevity of the Iranian theocratic regime’

Yassamine is an Iranian socialist in exile in Scotland. Her political activities on the Iranian left started in the 1980s in Tehran and later in Kurdistan. In exile, she has been a member of the coordinating committee of Workers Left Unity Iran. She is a member of the Centre for Socialist Theory and Movements (Glasgow University), the deputy editor of the journal Critique. As chair of Hands Off the People of Iran she is in daily contact with workers, women and students in Iran who are fighting against the threats of imperialism and their own theocracy – without a green scarf in sight, as she explains in this video:
http://vimeo.com/28898826

Hillel Tickin – Editor of Critique
Communist Student spoke to Hillel Ticktin about the ‘credit crunch’ and what it tells us about the dynamics of capitalism today

Capitalism in decline and the transition to socialism
http://communiststudents.org.uk/?p=1385

Details

How to book your place

full week, incl. accommodation in shared rooms – £170 normal price; £200 solidarity; £110 unwaged

first weekend, incl. one night’s accommodation – £35 (£20);

day – £10 (£5);

session – £5 (£3);

whole week, no accommodation: £60 (£30).

Our apartments consist mainly of double and triple rooms. If you would like to share with somebody in particular, please let us know. There is a heated indoor swimming pool in the venue and we collectively prepare lunch and dinner.

Please note that you can turn up on the day and pay for your ticket then (unless you want to stay over, in which case you need to let us know as soon as possible).

Send a cheque or postal order for a minimum of £30 to BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX (please mark the back with ‘CU 2012). Alternatively, you can use your debit or credit card to pay via PayPal on our homepage Communist Party of Great Britain. Just click on the button below* – and make sure you tell that this payment is for CU.

* http://www.cpgb.org.uk/home/communist-university-2012/d...tails

Creche

We are investigating the possibility of organising a creche at this year’s event – if enough people are interested. Please let us know asap if and when you would require this facility.

Introduction to Marxism and the CPGB

In addition to the normal programme, we will be running again a number of more informal meetings specifically designed to give an introduction to basic principles of Marxism and the politics of the CPGB. Especially younger comrades and those new to the CPGB are encouraged to ask questions, raise disagreements or any other points arising from the sessions at CU.

Videos and resources
http://www.cpgb.org.uk/home/videos

In this video, CPGB national organiser Mark Fischer gives an introduction to Communist University. He explains why this event is qualitatively different from, say, the Socialist Workers’ Party’s “Marxism” event.
http://www.cpgb.org.uk/home/communist-university-2012/v...urces

For the full list of videos from the event in 2011 , visit Communist University 2011 on Vimeo
http://vimeo.com/channels/234461