#jacobinreadinggroup

[viennajacobin]

Date: 12.12.

Time: 20:00-21:30

Location: Moishe House, Bäckerstraße 7/8, 1010 Vienna

In recent years, the phenomenon of "Euroskepticism"—various forms of opposition to the European Union—has gained a traction in the political mainstream that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. This has largely been the result of far-right political parties and right-wing movements within traditional conservative parties adopting Euroskeptic positions in order to take advantage of a popular resentment toward the political status quo that has intensified in the wake of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. Given that this right-wing Euroskeptic movement has by and large been characterized by incredible levels of xenophobia and racism, many on the left have reflexively adopted pro-EU positions in response. However, is this the response that we as leftists should be taking? In our December reading group, we will explore this question with the help of the following three articles:

Yanis Varoufakis, "Europe's Left After Brexit": https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/09/european-union-strategy-democracy-yanis-varoufakis-diem25/ Lee Jones, "Yanis Varoufakis's Fantasy Politics": https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/09/yanis-varoufakis-eu-syriza-diem25-europe-brexit/ Catarina Príncipe, "How to Understand the European Union": https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/10/eu-brexit-varoufakis-europe-lexit-troika/

[viennajacobin]

November Meeting

Date: 7.11.

Time: 20:00-21:30

Location: Bäckerstraße 7/8, 1010 Vienna

The 2016 election campaign has been a crazy time indeed. That being said, the craziness becomes eminently more understandable when viewed as a symptom of a global economic system in crisis. Come join us in discussing the following three articles, all of which help to ground this insight in different ways: Charlie Post, "The Republicans Have Been Trumped" http://www.brooklynrail.org/2016/10/field-notes/the-republicans-have-been-trumped Luke Savage, "Why Bernie Was Right" https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/10/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-podesta-emails-wikileaks/ Connor Kilpatrick, "Fool Me Once" https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/10/democratic-party-clinton-trump-white-voters-workers/

[viennajacobin]

October Meeting

Date: 10.10.2016

Time: 20:15-21:30

Location: Bäckerstraße 7/8, 1010 Vienna

For many Austrians, there is no more despised political party than than the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). Founded in the 1950s in part by former Nazis who had been blacklisted from membership in the center-left Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) and the center-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the FPÖ is viewed by many today as the party of xenophobia and racism, or even still as something of a home base for (not so) secret Nazi sympathizers. Scapegoating minorities and foreigners has long been central to the FPÖs electoral strategy, and in recent election years the party has put out billboards featuring slogans such as "Daham statt Islam" (Homeland instead of Islam), "Heimat Liebe statt Marokkaner-Diebe" (Homeland Love instead of thieving Moroccans), and "Mehr Mut für unser Wiener Blut" (More bravery for our Viennese blood). If this in itself weren't enough to evoke the darkest elements of Austria's past, FPÖ parliamentarians traditionally wear the blue cornflower, a Nazi symbol dating back to the 1930s, when they are sworn into parliament, and 39 percent of FPÖ parliamentarians belong to Austrian "Burschenschaften", far-right student organizations notorious for espousing variations of race science and Holocaust denial/apologia. Moreover, numerous party functionaries have links with neofascist and neonazi organizations and individuals. To name one prominent example, party leader Heinz Christian Strache had contact in the 1980s with "Wiking-Jugend", a German youth organization modeled after the Hitler Youth. To the casual observer, the numerous linkages between the FPÖ and rightwing extremism might seem like enough to render the party beyond the pale to the average voter. However, in spite of the widespread animus toward the FPÖ, the party has seen a steady string of election gains since 2008. In the May 2016 Austrian presidential election, FPÖ candidate Norbert Hofer narrowly lost a run-off election to former Green Party leader Alexander Van der Bellen, earning 49.4 percent of the vote. The election results were subsequently annulled due to irregularities in the vote tallying, and a new election is scheduled for October 2. For the first time since World War II, a far right party stands on the precipice of capturing the highest office of a Western European country. The first meeting of the Vienna Jacobin Reading Group will take place the evening after election day. With the help of the following articles, we will aim to arrive at a nuanced understanding of the conditions that have transformed the FPÖ into a viable electoral force and what can be done to destroy these conditions. Mandatory Readings 

1. Introduction Florian Bieber, "For Austria’s Far Right, a Way to Find Victory in Defeat":http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/25/opinion/for-austrias-far-right-a-way-to-find-victory-in-defeat.html?_r=1 "Mr. Hofer’s Freedom Party was founded in the 1950s in part as a home for former Nazis." 2. Fear of immigrants as the FPÖ's calling card? Zack Beauchamp, "A party founded by Nazis just lost the Austrian election—barely": http://www.vox.com/2016/5/23/11745038/austrian-election-2016-results-freedom-party "Political science research shows that the support for the European far right is driven principally by fear of immigration." 3. The FPÖ's evolution and the current crisis Benjamin Opratko, "Austria's New Right": https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/12/austria-freedom-party-strache-fpo-nazi-right-wing/ "The idea that the FPÖ is merely profiting from anxiety about migration therefore conveniently overlooks the far right’s strength before the refugee crisis."

Additional Readings 4. Party of the working class? "‘We are socialists, they are social democrats’: An Interview with Austria’s Socialist Youth": http://novaramedia.com/2016/09/04/we-are-socialists-they-are-social-democrats-an-interview-with-austrias-socialist-youth/ "You have to look at who is voting for the FPÖ. The thing that hurts the most is that it’s our people: workers, people with low incomes, the worst off in society. They’re the people who should be voting for the Social Democrats but they don’t anymore. It is because the Social Democrats have lost their connection to the working class." 5. Fighting respectable fascism Joe Sabatini, "Austria: The rise of respectable fascism?" https://rs21.org.uk/2016/07/03/austria-the-rise-of-respectable-fascism/ "sections of the far-left in German speaking countries are calling for an ‘Aufstand der Anständigen,’ or ‘assault on the establishment’. This is being supported by Marx21 in Germany and neue Linkswende in Austria. This would involve demonstrations, organising within trade unions, and unmasking Hofer’s connections with far-right student organisations, along with his wearing of a blue flower that signifies Nazi loyalties. A key part of this strategy would be to split those conservatives who want union with Germany against those who want Austria to remain separate."

[viennajacobin]

University of Vienna, Hörsaal 24. April 5, 2016.

Help us decide the topic of our May 2 meeting! Topic candidates are as follows:

"The Crisis Profiteers" (discussion of how various public and private institutions have responded to the refugee crisis, of their different missions and motivations and the role of capitalism in these; we will ask the question, does humanitarian assistance suffer for the sake of capital interest?)

"Liberalism versus Socialism" (discussion of the differences between "liberalism" and "socialism" in the broadest sense of the terms, of the post-Cold War emergence of "neoliberalism"/"Third Wayism" as an outgrowth of liberal ideology, and of whether a socialist politics stands to overcome liberalism's limitations)

"Organizing in Physical and Virtual Spaces" (discussion of strategies for organizing social movements in the digital age)

The poll is live until 8:00pm on April 21.

[rwcjacobin]

[location update!] Next Redwood City Jacobin Reading Group Meeting: Wednesday, 3/11, 6:00 pm - Lessons from Syriza

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3/11/15 meeting location update!

We’re in the astroturf room to your left as you enter - see you soon!

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Join the Redwood City Jacobin reading group this month to discuss the electoral victory of Syriza, the current political situation in Europe (Podemos, resistance to the troika, etc.), and what we can learn from them in terms of advancing economic justice and liberation here in the US and elsewhere in the world.

We will be gathering at Back Yard Coffee on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 pm (directions from the nearest Caltrain station - about a 5 min walk.) Back Yard is wheelchair-accessible.

Suggested for this meeting include the following:

"Syriza and the Radical Break" by Nantina Vgontzas, NYC sociology PhD candidate and graduate student / academic labor organizer  -

"Syriza’s leadership is operating under difficult conditions. How should we interpret its actions, and what would an alternative look like?"

"Ending the Creditor's Paradise" by Mark Blyth, professor of political economy at Brown University and the author of Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea.

"What would you tell six hundred leading German social democrats about their party’s handling of the Eurocrisis?"

"The Reality of Retreat" by Stathis Kouvelakis, teacher of political theory at King’s College London and currently serving on the central committee of Syriza.

"Syriza’s deal with Greece’s creditors hasn’t bought more time or avoided austerity. It’s demobilized Greek workers."

Extra credit / optional readings (if you're seeking a little additional background):

"Winning an Election Does Not Mean Winning Power" - a speech by Pablo Iglesias, a key leader of Podemos in Spain, on the strategy and vision of a struggle for a better Europe on the eve of Syriza's victory in January.

A speech given by Alexis Tspiras in Berlin in May 2014 outlining his vision for an reinvigorated left in Europe.

As always, feel free to bring anyone you think would be interested in the discussion and spread the word by sharing this post. (Reach out to [email protected] with any questions you might have.)

[rwcjacobin]

The Inaugural Meeting of the Redwood City Jacobin Reading Group - October 14

** UPDATE for folks attending tonight - we will be meeting inside in the room with the green plastic floor (and furniture stylized to look like a backyard) - I mistakenly thought it was a backyard in an earlier version of this post! **

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At last - a Jacobin Reading Group in Redwood City!

Join fellow local lefties to discuss some great texts and share an evening drink Tuesday, October 14, 6:30 pm at Back Yard Coffee (full details below).

The theme of this first gathering will be "Work Ethics -  Critical Takes on the Politics, Cultures, and Consciousnesses of Labor." Many of the readings will include a shout-out to Bay Area economies and experiences.

Here's what you need to know to meet up and links to the reading we'll discuss:

When again? Tuesday, October 14, 6:30 - 8:30 pm PT

Where again? Back Yard Coffee in Redwood City, CA. This is a locally-owned, independent (and awesome!) coffee shop located at 965 Brewster Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94063. Check out this link for charting transit routes. (If you are traveling by Caltrain, it's about a 5 minute walk from the Redwood City station - complete walking directions from station.)

What else? Weather permitting, the reading group will meet in the room with a green floor and furniture stylized to look outdoors-y. Back Yard Coffee is wheelchair-accessible.

What are we reading and discussion? These three articles - blurbs courtesy of Jacobin:

"In the Name of Love," by Miya Tokumitsu - “Do what you love” is the mantra for today’s worker. Why should we assert our class interests if, according to DWYL elites like Steve Jobs, there’s no such thing as work?

"She Can't Sleep No More," by Sarah Leonard - the political economy of Marissa Mayer

"The War on Migrants," by Daniel Gutiérrez - Migrant workers in cities like Tijuana bear the brunt of global capitalism’s assault on labor

Send any questions you might have to [email protected]. Looking forward to seeing you there, comrade!