The Sumac Debates
Sumac Centre | 19.10.2010 12:58 | Social Struggles
The Sumac Debates are back by popular demand.
Every week a different theme will be discussed in an open debate. The first six themes are outlined below and they will be followed by such things as "Why not the G20?" and "Grassroots and Mass movements"
As the poster states they begin at 7:30, and will sometimes be introduced with a short talk or film, watch this space for more details on that, sometimes there will be food, and there will always be a bar open.
Every week a different theme will be discussed in an open debate. The first six themes are outlined below and they will be followed by such things as "Why not the G20?" and "Grassroots and Mass movements"
As the poster states they begin at 7:30, and will sometimes be introduced with a short talk or film, watch this space for more details on that, sometimes there will be food, and there will always be a bar open.
Is Capitalism the Crisis?- November 11th
The banks, the politicians and the big corporations keep complaining about the crisis. The media reports on financial chaos every week, but never do any of them ever suggest that it might the fault of the global financial system. Dissenting voices are out there, and have been out there for a very long time. This debate will highlight a few of those iudeas and challenge the capitalist ones.
Cutting up our Communities- November 18th
Every government talks about the importance of communities, whilst at the same time it creates hardship and divisions through welfare cuts and scaremongering. What do we think our communities are? How can we go about strengthening them? And how can we respond to the current cuts in the public sector?
False Solutions: What energy? And whose is it's? November 25th
Coal, Oil, Nuclear, Wind and Solar- Are we running out of energy? Is any of it sustainable? Who is using all of it? And who is profiting from it? How much longer can we continue to use energy resources which negatively affect our environment? When are we going to stop? And what will happen when we do?
Prisons and Pigs- December 2nd.
Everyone hates a policeman, except when they need something to help them protect their property/ The cops are the storm-troopers of capitalism, obsessed with power and authority. They get rid of the human debris of capitalism by smashing it into little pieces and sweeping it into prisons. What would the world look like without prisons and pigs? And how can we make that happen?
Everyday oppressions- December 9th
Gender, Race, Class and Ethnicity, societies norms position us in little boxes from which hierarchies and dominations are played out. These boxes often come to play a large role in what happens to us throughout our lives and how the rest of society treats us. What are these boxes really? Where do they come from? And how have become to play such a large role in all our lives?
Lights, Camera, Action: Who is watching us and why?- December 16th
Everyday new CCTV cameras go up, and little or no fuss is made about them. We can barely buy a loaf of bread without being filmed by a handful of different cameras. We're told it's for our own safety, the cameras are there to stop the criminals, and to protect the innocent. But who is really being protected? And at what point did all of this become so normal?
The banks, the politicians and the big corporations keep complaining about the crisis. The media reports on financial chaos every week, but never do any of them ever suggest that it might the fault of the global financial system. Dissenting voices are out there, and have been out there for a very long time. This debate will highlight a few of those iudeas and challenge the capitalist ones.
Cutting up our Communities- November 18th
Every government talks about the importance of communities, whilst at the same time it creates hardship and divisions through welfare cuts and scaremongering. What do we think our communities are? How can we go about strengthening them? And how can we respond to the current cuts in the public sector?
False Solutions: What energy? And whose is it's? November 25th
Coal, Oil, Nuclear, Wind and Solar- Are we running out of energy? Is any of it sustainable? Who is using all of it? And who is profiting from it? How much longer can we continue to use energy resources which negatively affect our environment? When are we going to stop? And what will happen when we do?
Prisons and Pigs- December 2nd.
Everyone hates a policeman, except when they need something to help them protect their property/ The cops are the storm-troopers of capitalism, obsessed with power and authority. They get rid of the human debris of capitalism by smashing it into little pieces and sweeping it into prisons. What would the world look like without prisons and pigs? And how can we make that happen?
Everyday oppressions- December 9th
Gender, Race, Class and Ethnicity, societies norms position us in little boxes from which hierarchies and dominations are played out. These boxes often come to play a large role in what happens to us throughout our lives and how the rest of society treats us. What are these boxes really? Where do they come from? And how have become to play such a large role in all our lives?
Lights, Camera, Action: Who is watching us and why?- December 16th
Everyday new CCTV cameras go up, and little or no fuss is made about them. We can barely buy a loaf of bread without being filmed by a handful of different cameras. We're told it's for our own safety, the cameras are there to stop the criminals, and to protect the innocent. But who is really being protected? And at what point did all of this become so normal?
Sumac Centre