Ideas for Freedom 2007

Ideas for Freedom is a weekend of socialist debate and discussion hosted by the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty: from the evening of Friday 29 June through to Sunday 1 July. Resource Centre, 356 Holloway Road, London N7.

Friday 29 June at the Bread and Roses, 68 Clapham Manor Rd SW4 (Tubes: Clapham Common, Clapham North; rail: Clapham High Street). 7pm till late. Film showing and discussion: "Offside'" (2006 film on women in Iran).
Iranian socialists introduce a discussion. Late bar.

Saturday 30 June at the Resource Centre 356 Holloway Road London N7 (Tube: Holloway Road)

12-1.30pm
- Is the fight in the Labour Party over? After Gordon Brown's coronation, how do we win working-class political representation? Speakers include John McDonnell MP
- The G8 summit: their meeting, our protests. With Paul Hampton and German activist David Graumann

2.15-3.30pm
- Forum: Darfur and the politics of humanitarian intervention. With Cathy Nugent, editor of Solidarity, and Hratche Koundarjian (Aegis Trust)
- For Palestinian solidarity, against a boycott of Israel. With Sean Matgamna and others
- Introduction to Marxism (1): Workers, multitude or people of goodwill?

3.45-5.15pm

- Does socialism have a future? Debate between Nick Cohen, observer journalist and author of "What's left?" and Sean Matgamna
- Do Labour Councils have to make cuts? RMT and Hackney tenants activist Janine Booth talks about the lessons today of the 1921 Poplar Council struggle and a campaigner talks about current anti-cuts struggles in Lambeth
- Intro to Marxism (2): Are revolutionaries violent?

6-8pm

- Forum on multiculturalism and anti-racism. With Priya Gopal, author of "Literary Radicalism in India: Gender, Nation and the Transition to Independence", and Camila Bassi
- Forum on the unions: why were we defeated in the 1970s and 80s, and how can we rebuild today? With Sheila Cohen, author of "Ramparts of Resistance" and Pete Radcliff

Social: Tommy Flynn's. Corner of Holloway Road and Liverpool Road. Late bar; live music

Sunday 1 July at the Resource Centre, Holloway Road

11am-1pm
- Forum on LGBT politics: 'Queer' – a useful concept in the struggle for sexual liberation?
- Marxist workshop: Understanding Marx's "Grundrisse", with Martin Thomas
- Marxist workshop: Anarchism and Marxism in the Spanish revolution (1936-9), with Mark Sandell

2-3pm

- The postal workers' dispute: a fight for the whole labour movement. A forum for working-class activists on how we can build solidarity
- Marxist workshop: "Josef Dietzgen - a first generation Marxist fights the battle of ideas". With Bruce Robinson
- Intro to Marxism (3): Do we need political parties?

3.15-4.15pm
- How the working class went global: Newsnight journalist Paul Mason discusses his book "Live working or die fighting"
- Intro to Marxism (4): What does it mean to be 'left wing'?

Final session: "The fight for workers' liberty"

More details about the event: email  awl@workersliberty.org or phone 020 7207 3997.