The Revolutionary Ideas Festival is set to be an exciting, educational and inspirational event this weekend! Here is the full agenda of what’s happening. If you’ve registered for this on Eventbrite, you will have received an email with the links to all the sessions.
If you don’t have the Zoom links and are a SA member contact your branch secretary or RI organiser. If you are not a member you can message SA on Facebook or WhatsApp 07956132470.
Saturday 28th November
11am: Historical commissions
- The revolutionary history of the struggle for black liberation Toya Chester (Socialist Alternative USA)
- Mass unemployment and the fascist threat: lessons from the 1930s Matt Kilsby (SA national committee) and Hugh Caffrey (SA political committee)
- From Cuba to Russia – does the working class have to be the engine of revolutionary change? Sue Berry (SA Kent & Medway) and Connor Rosoman (SA political committee)
2pm: Contemporary commissions
- US-China interinmperialist rivalry: a new cold war? Socialists from SA in China/Hong Kong/Taiwan
- After the US election: where now for the American working class? Paul Hunt and Andy Moxley (both SA political committee)
- How can the climate strikes win? Sammy Murphy (SA Brighton) and Sofia Wiking (SA national committee)
- The looming housing crisis: fighting evictions and high rents Dane Yates (SA Salford) and Bob Sulatycki (SA North London)
- Covid-19 and economic crises – fighting back in the workplace and trade unions Fiona Pashazadeh (SA Manchester) and James Kerr (SA South London)
6pm: Rally – Crisis and revolt: a world to win
- Ginger Jentzen, US socialist
- Jaco, Hong Kong
- Mike Forster, SA political committee
- Jacqui Berry, intensive care nurse
- A Belarussian socialist
Sunday 29th November
11am: Special oppression commissions
- From Brazil to Poland – feminist strikes, a mass women’s movement and a socialist feminist approach to struggle Caroline Vincent (SA political committee) and Yaara Cliff (SA North London)
- Statues, the police and Covid-19: the fight for black lives today Tom Costello (SA political committee), Eric Jenkins (SA USA), Louise Lewis (SA West Yorkshire)
- Organising for trans liberation Jade Ritchie (SA national committee) and Becci Heagney (SA political committee)
- Should socialists support Scottish independence? Chas Berry (SA Kent & Medway) and Darragh O’Dwyer (International Socialist Alternative)
- Revolutionary internationalism and the national question in Israel-Palestine Nof Azran (SA Coventry) and Claire Laker-Mansfield (SA political committee)
1pm: special meeting – what does it involve to join Socialist Alternative?
2pm: Theoretical commissions
- How does the modern working class fit into Marx’s economic theory? Jackie Grunsell and Paul Gerrard (both SA national committee)
- Would a stronger capitalism get poorer countries closer to socialism? Trotsky’s theory of the permanent revolution Jason Toynbee (SA Brighton) and Paul Callanan (SA national committee)
- What is dialectical materialism? Dave Jones (SA national committee) and Sarah Wrack (SA political committee)
- Special added session: Where now after Corbynism? The struggle for working class political representation Mike Forster (SA political committee)
5pm: Rally – Fighting for a ‘new normal’ for workers and young people
- Max Toynbee, school teacher
- Fred Ray, apprentice
- Jackie Grunsell, GP
- Matt Hirst, on the climate crisis
- Tom Barker, SA national committee
- Ruth Coppinger, socialist feminist fighter and former Socialist Party MP in Ireland
