Wed 8.05.09| Food, Venezuela, Energy

Should the neoliberal "free market" govern food production and distribution? Or can we learn from the efforts of Venezuela, under Hugo Chavez, to address food insecurity? Christina Schiavoni describes the transformation of that nation's food and agriculture system. David Pimentel points out the colossal energy demands of the US system, and proposes ways to reduce fossil fuel inputs.

Tues 8.04.09| Sold Out, Rising Up

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For months it felt like the people of California held their collective breath, until state lawmakers hammered out a budget package that the Governor signed. Mike Davis held neither his breath nor his tongue. He talked about the economic crisis, Democrat lawmakers, and Left organizing at Socialism 2009. And Vivek Chibber describes what kind of leverage working people have in relation to the state.

Mon 8.03.09| Early Socialists

Did socialism begin with Marx and Engels? Or do we need to go back to certain utopian thinkers of the early nineteenth century? And what did Karl Marx believe about workers, capitalism and revolution, anyway? Michael Newman discusses early developments in socialist theory and practice. Also, Mike Davis comments on California's budget crisis.

Wed 7.29.09| Somalia and AFRICOM

Minter & Volman, "The Somalia Crossroads" In These Times

Volman & Minter, "Making Peace or Fueling War in Africa" Foreign Policy in Focus

AfricaFocus Bulletin

Pirates off Somalia's coast; an armed insurgency inside that nation; a new US military command called AFRICOM. Will the Obama administration turn its rhetorical emphasis on diplomacy into reality in Somalia, or is the momentum in favor of military intervention? William Minter and Daniel Volman offer their perspectives. And Wilma Bonet directs the San Francisco Mime Troupe's Too Big to Fail.

Wed 7.08.09| Violence and the Panthers

Why did the Black Panther Party use violent rhetoric? Was the Panthers' struggle for liberation enhanced by their commitment to armed self-defense, or hurt by it? Curtis Austin argues that the Panthers' violent rhetoric both influenced the organization's growth and helped to justify the massive police repression directed against it.

Tues 7.07.09| Precarious Work

The era of stable, secure, steady work with one employer is over. According to Andrew Ross, precarity has become a central element in people's lives. What explains the rise of contingent employment, and how prevalent has it become in the creative economy and in education? Ross talks about recent trends and their impact, and offers his vision of an alternative to "flexploitation."
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