The New SPACE (The New School for Pluralistic Anti-Capitalist Education)
Winter & Spring 2007 Courses MARX'S CAPITAL, VOLUME I Andrew Kliman 14 sessions: Thursdays, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Feb. 15 - May 24, 2007 (no class March 22) DIALECTICS, THE ALGEBRA OF REVOLUTION: AN EXAMINATION OF HEGEL'S LOGIC Alex Steinberg 10 sessions: Tuesdays, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Feb. 27 - May 8, 2007 (no class April 3) FIGHTING SUPPRESSION OF DISSENT: ANOTHER LEFT IS POSSIBLE Andrea Fishman, Joshua Howard, Anne Jaclard, Andrew Kliman and Seth G. Weiss (the New SPACE Organizing Committee) 4 sessions: alternate Tuesdays, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m, March 13 - April 24, 2007 See course descriptions below. Please see the New SPACE website for additional information on courses and for pre-registration requirements. ______________________________________________________ MARX'S CAPITAL, VOLUME I Andrew Kliman 14 sessions: Thursdays, 7:00 9:00 p.m. Feb. 15 - May 24, 2007 (no class March 22) Tuition: $150 - $180, sliding scale This 14-week course is devoted to Volume I of Karl Marx's Capital: A critique of political economy. Marx analyzes the capital relation as a process of self-expanding value. Throughout the course, we will stress the relevance of this concept to the contemporary expansionism of the capitalist system and the new movements against global capitalism. The specific character of Marx's critique of capital, and its differences from others' critiques, will also be highlighted. We will go through most of the text fairly carefully, but proceed quickly through some lengthy discussions of factual material on struggles over the length of the workday, machinofacture, and the historical origins of the capitalist system in order to have more time to devote to more difficult portions of the work. The instructor will provide study questions to assist students as they work through the text. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain the Penguin (or Vintage) edition of Capital, since this is what will be cited in class. (The Penguin and Vintage editions are identical in terms of translation and page numbers.) Andrew Kliman has taught courses on Volume I and Volumes II & III of Marx's Capital at the New SPACE. A professor of economics at Pace University, he has written extensively on Capital, crisis theory, and value theory. His book, Reclaiming Marxs Capital: A Refutation of the Myth of Inconsistency, has just been published by Lexington Books. Many of Kliman's writings are available at his website: http://akliman.squarespace.com/ ______________________________________________________ DIALECTICS, THE ALGEBRA OF REVOLUTION: AN EXAMINATION OF HEGEL'S LOGIC Alex Steinberg 10 sessions: Tuesdays, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Feb. 27 - May 8, 2007 (no class April 3) Tuition: $120 - $150, sliding scale "Dialectics" is one of the most widely used and widely abused words in the lexicon of left-wing discourse. This series of classes will try to uncover the real philosophical and scientific content behind this elusive term. ??Is dialectics just a form of ritual incantation or pseudoscience? Or is it truly "The only logic of change to emerge out of the Western tradition", as one eminent scientist has asserted? ??Our investigation of dialectics will be focused on a reading of Hegel's Encyclopedia Logic. This is the one book wherein Hegel develops the dialectical logic that has both puzzled and inspired generations. Wherever possible, we will supplement the reading of Hegel with examples from such varied realms as sociology, politics, art and the natural sciences. ??No previous knowledge of philosophy or logic is expected or required. But this will not be a superficial summary of what some authors have called the "principles of dialectics". We will explore at a deep level the problems inherent in formulating a logic of change and their proposed solution by Hegel, Marx and Engels, as well as recent developments in chaos theory, biology and physics.??We will explore the difference between Hegel's version of dialectics and that of Marx's as well as various attempts by contemporary theorists to employ elements of the dialectic in their scientific work. We will also examine the attempts to systematize dialectical logic within the broader framework of logic by such varied figures as the Soviet philosopher E. V. Ilyenkov, the Hegelian John Burbidge and the pragmatist philosopher Nicholas Rescher.??Finally, we will discuss the implication of dialectics for developing a practice aimed at human emancipation. This is the side of dialectics that has been called "The algebra of revolution" by the 19th century Russian revolutionary and social theorist, Alexander Herzen; and this is why Marx said that the dialectic is considered "a scandal and an abomination" by a conservative bourgeoisie. ??Readings will include Hegel's Encyclopedia Logic, supplemented with selections from Engels' Dialectics of Nature and essays by contemporary philosophers, artists, social theorists and philosophers. Theodore F. Geraets translation of the Encyclopedia Logic is recommended. Alex Steinberg has taught courses on Hegels Phenomenology of Spirit and Reason in History at the New SPACE. He is facilitator of a philosophy and literature discussion group in Brooklyn and author of several essays, including "The Case of Martin Heidegger." He has also served as a member of the WBAI Local Station Board (2004) and as Chairperson of the WBAI LSB Programming Committee. ______________________________________________________ FIGHTING SUPPRESSION OF DISSENT: ANOTHER LEFT IS POSSIBLE Facilitators: Andrea Fishman, Joshua Howard, Anne Jaclard, Andrew Kliman, and Seth G. Weiss (the New SPACE Organizing Committee) 4 Sessions: alternate Tuesdays, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m, March 13 - April 24, 2007 Tuition: $45 $60, sliding scale [T]he most important effect of suppression is not on the dissident but on others who observe the process. Every case of suppression is a warning to potential critics not to buck the system. And every case in which suppression is vigorously opposed is a warning to vested interests that attacks will not be tolerated. Brian Martin This four-session workshop will provide tools for recognizing, understanding, dealing with, and combating suppression of dissent, and it will serve as a support group for victims of suppression. Drawing on New SPACE organizers extensive experiences during the last several years, we will often focus on suppression of dissent within the Left. Yet suppression of dissent on the Left generally takes the same forms and has the same dynamics and motivations as suppression of dissent elsewhere. Thus, everyone who has been a victim of suppression and/or who wants to fight suppression anywhere in society is encouraged to participate in the workshop. It will be of value to you as well, and your own experiences and thoughts will be most relevant and welcome. (Proponents of suppressive practices are also invited to come and argue with us!) The basic premise of the workshop is that diversity is not enough. New, liberatory ideas and ways of life develop through the engagement of opposing ideas and perspectives, and cannot develop without this. It is necessary to encourage, protect, and engage with dissident voices within our own groups and communities, and to fight suppression of dissent. It is also vital that, in order to help show that another world is possible, we begin to prefigure this other world by fighting suppression of dissent within the forums, publications, e-mail lists, and other institutions of the Left itself. Recognition that suppression of dissent is quite prevalent on the Left is a crucial component of the workshop. Leftists tend to view themselves as victims, but not also perpetrators, of suppression. As we will discuss, however, the Left frequently internalizes and reproduces within its institutions the suppressive practices, and the authoritarian attitudes that foster these practices, that prevail elsewhere in this society. The main classes of suppression identified by Brian Martin, an important anti-suppression activist and anarchist thinker direct suppression (attempts to stop or penalize dissidents), indirect suppression (ignoring dissidents, denying them access to resources and opportunities, etc.), and self-censorship (in order to avoid ostracism, harassment, rumormongering, etc.) are all very common within Left groups and institutions. Of course, these groups and institutions currently lack the power to deprive their internal dissidents of freedom of expression and movement elsewhere in society i.e., if they go away. Thus, as we shall discuss, a key objective of the suppressive practices employed within the Left is precisely to force or encourage dissidents to go away. Internal democracy, protection of internal dissent, and internal means to challenge those who wield power, which are needed in order to ensure engagement of opposing ideas and perspectives, are frequently absent. Countering attempts to justify this exclusionary behavior is another crucial feature of the workshop. For instance, we will examine the argument that people should be able to associate with whom they want. We will argue that exclusionary behavior toward dissidents is in fact a new form of enclosure, a monopolization of scarce social resources. Denying or limiting dissidents access to these resources is very different from associating only with those you want. We will also argue against monopolization of scarce social resources on the ground of the right to private property, and we will show how the freedom of association gambit has historically been used to justify racial discrimination in housing, employment, and education. Recognizing and dealing with the blaming the dissident tactic is a third crucial component of the workshop. On the Left, and in general, suppression is almost never admitted to. Instead, the suppressors and their apologists try to justify their actions against dissidents by blaming the dissidents performance, personality characteristics, methods (youre going about this the wrong way), motives, etc. We will discuss Brian Martins double standard test and how to apply it in order to expose the hypocrisy and illegitimacy of the blaming the dissident tactic. We will also discuss its authoritarian character, noting that, when dissidents are blamed and actions are taken against them, they are frequently deprived of the right to confront their accusers, to refute charges against them, to an impartial hearing, and other democratic rights. Most of the readings for the workshop will be taken from Brian Martins invaluable Suppression of Dissent website (http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent). For the first session, participants should have read and be prepared to discuss Suppression of dissent: what it is and what to do about it (http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/intro/DNAleaflet.html). ______________________________________________________ The New SPACE teachers, speakers, and organizers include: Stanley Aronowitz, Erika Biddle, Roz Bologh,Jack Z. Bratich, Stephen Eric Bronner, Crystal DeBoise, Andrea Fishman, Jeannette Gabriel, Loren Goldner, David Graeber, Andrej Grubacic, Robin Hahnel, Jesse Heiwa, Charles Herr, Joshua Howard, Anne Jaclard, Andrew Kliman, Louis Kontos, Joel Kovel, Eric Laursen, Houzan Mahmoud, Len Mell, Alan W. Moore, Bertell Ollman, Howard Seligman, Stevphen Shukaitis, Marina Sitrin, Tom Smith, Alex Steinberg, Bill Weinberg, Seth G. Weiss ______________________________________________________ New SPACE classes and talks meet at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center: 107 Suffolk Street, NYC (located between Rivington and Delancey Streets). F train to the Delancey Street station or J, M, Z to Essex Street station. See the New SPACE website for a map. ______________________________________________________ The New SPACE (The New School for Pluralistic Anti-Capitalist Education) http://new-space.mahost.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: 1 (800) 377-6183 _________________________________________________________________ Find sales, coupons, and free shipping, all in one place! MSN Shopping Sales & Deals http://shopping.msn.com/content/shp/?ctid=198,ptnrid=176,ptnrdata=200639
