***Call for Panels***
The 2000 Socialist Scholars Conference will take place from Friday, March 31 to Sunday, April 2,at Borough of Manhattan Community College, 199 Chambers Street, New York City. Join twothousand Socialist Scholars, radical democrats, union activists, political reformers, and hopeful revolutionaries who work inside and outside the system at the 18th annual Socialist Scholars Conference.
This year's theme, "Rockin' the Boat: Building Coalitions for the New Century," highlights the possibilities of gaining power as we aspire to grow instead of "go" through the 21st century. A viable American Left can challenge the power of capital and build a more egalitarian and just society only if it embraces the political, social, and cultural diversity of the country. We can unite the many people with real anger and real complaints, those tired of inadequate services, lousy education, a despoiled environment, expensive health care and a host of other social ills and injustices. We can see a glimmer of the future in the Siege of Seattle.
Last year 2300 activists, scholars, socialists, labor and community organizers and radical democrats from more than twenty countries met for a weekend of dialogue and debate. At more than 100 panels speakers and participants exchanged ideas, honed tactics, and discovered new ways to look at old problems. As the anti-WTO meetings in Seattle showed, conscious political intervention is possible, and we believe can be successful. Coalition building is a long and painstaking process in which, by definition, diverse interests, ideologies, and identities clash and coalesce. When it is successful mistrust and power politics give way to solidarity and cooperation.
Questions remain, however. With whom do we come together, domestically, internationally? Where do we hope to go? Should we democratic socialists organize to our right or consolidate the Left? Should we be organizing locally or creating national institutions? Are electoral coalitions compatible with movements of protest? How do we move from a cultural movement on the political margin of U.S. society to political movement contesting power?
We encourage panels to address issues covered by the theme. We are also eager to have panels on any and all subjects of interest to those who want a better world, one without exploitation and oppression.
We encourage wide-ranging discussion and debate. Diversity of opinion and experience, as well as in race, class, and gender, and sexual orientation give your panel and the Conference strength. We have participants organize panels (rather than submit papers) because panels with coherent themes are more interesting; they allow for meaningful debate and encourage participation from the audience. Panels are an hour and fifty minutes long and typically have three to five speakers, sometimes including a moderator. Talks of less than twenty minutes per speaker work best. They allow for exchange among and between panelists and audience.
*** Deadline for panel submissions is March 10, 2000.
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To submit a panel, please include a panel title, a list of panelists with one -and only one- affiliation per panelist, an address with email for each panelist, a sponsoring organization (if applicable) and a contact person with address, phone number, and email. Panels take place on:
Saturday, April 1, from 1:00 PM to 2:50 PM and
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Sunday, April 2, from 10:00 AM to 11:50 AM and
1:00 PM to 2:50 PM and
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Because classes are in session at the college, a very limited number of panels will begin at 10:00 AM. They will most likely be organized by the SSC planning committee. Please let us know your preference, and, given early notification, we will do everything possible to meet your needs.
The cost of a panel is $100. The fee includes admission for each of the panelist for the entire three day conference. There are no additional charges for panelists. Please make your checks payable to:
Socialist Scholars Conference
c/o Sociology Program/ CUNY Grad Center
365 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Literature tables and display areas are available to groups, vendors, and publishers at inexpensive rates; please inquire.
If you have further questions, please look for our web page at:
www.socialistscholar.org
or contact us at the above address, phone us at (212) 817-7868, or email us at: info at socialistscholar.org or
panels at socialistscholar.org