From: glevy@PRATT.EDU
Date: Sun Oct 08 2006 - 18:10:56 EDT
PSA Annual Conference: University of Bath, April 11-13, 2007. Lea Haro has kindly organised two sessions on behalf of the group. If you are interested in joining in with either of these, or have a paper that you would like to give which might be the basis of an entirely separate session, please contact me as soon as possible. The sessions already organised are as follows: 1. Marxism and War Panel will discuss different Marxist theories on the relationship between war and political economy and its importance to the survival of capitalism. The panel will also take a closer look at the case of Iran. Papers: 1.1 Yassamine Mather, University of Glasgow: 'Workers in Iran: exploitation and conflict' Abstract: This paper will examine the neo liberal economic policies of the Islamic Regime in Iran, casualisation, systematic non payment of wages and the resulting conflicts in workplaces. The paper will look at the increasing penetration of the Iranian car industry by foreign multinationals and examine workers protests in Iran's largest car plant. 1.2 Hillel Ticktin, University of Glasgow, 'Marxist political economic theory of modern war' Abstract: This paper outlines a number of different Marxist theories on the importance of war and so a military economy to the survival of modern capitalism. The Monthly Review school laid particular stress on the role of the military sector in preventing an underconsumption crisis. Michael Kidron argued that the military sector was effectively withdrawn from the operations of the rest of the economy and consequently its investment did not count, so raising the rate of profit. Mandel argued against both, though he agreed that the military sector was important. It attempts to produce a critique of those views and argues that the growth of the military sector of the economy and the functional relationship of war to the capitalist economy are part of a wider penetration of capitalism itself consequent on its decline. Unlike Mandel it does argue that the Cold War has been crucial in preventing crisis but not in the arcane and bizarre form suggested by Kidron, or simply in holding back underconsumption. It discusses the different ways in which crisis has been prevented. It also argues that one cannot ignore the crucial role played by Stalinism and its counter ideology-anti-communism in disciplining workers. 2. Marxism and War II This panel will discuss Victor Serge and Rosa Luxemburg's position on war. Having lived through extremely turbulent periods both wrote extensively on the nature of war and its relation to revolution. Papers: 2.1 Lea Haro, University of Glasgow, ' Rosa Luxemburg and the theory of Mass Action'. Abstract: This paper will discuss Rosa Luxemburg's theory of mass action and her use as a symbol during critical periods of history. After her death in 1919 Luxemburg developed icon status. Her place as a symbol in the German Communist movement proved problematic for the Comintern. Unable to purge the party of Luxemburgism the Comintern distorted her image. This paper will explore how those distortions affected the perception of her theories. 2.2. Suzi Weissman, Saint Mary's College of California, ' Victor Serge and War' abstract: to follow. (It may involve a change of title but there is a possibility that the paper will be on Zborowsky and the growth of a climate of fear in the soviet union.)
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