Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture (Controversy Series) Announces 2008 Spring Calendar

Contact: Professor Doug Allen, 581-3860

ORONO — The UMaine Socialist and Marxist Studies spring lecture series, beginning Jan. 31 on the Orono campus, examines elements of war, peace, racism, democracy and international relations as they involve the United States, China, Iraq, Venezuela and a resurgent Russia in today’s world.
 
Open to the public at no cost, lectures are Thursdays from 12:30-1:45 p.m. in the Bangor Room of the Memorial Union, unless otherwise noted. The series is sponsored by the Marxist-Socialist Studies Interdisciplinary Minor and co-sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee (MPAC) and Campus Activities and Events, with support from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The programs focusing on racism also are cosponsored by Multicultural Programs and the Black Student Union at UMaine.  Speakers do not necessarily present socialist or Marxist viewpoints. For additional information, contact Professor Doug Allen, coordinator of Marxist-Socialist Studies at the University of Maine, by phone at 581-3860, or e-mail:  [ mailto:douglas.allen@umit.maine.edu ]douglas.allen@umit.maine.edu.

Lectures and panel discussions are presented by University of Maine philosophy, history and political science professors, UMaine students and visiting guests, all authorities in their areas of experience and expertise. The schedule for the spring series is as follows:

Jan. 31: “60 Years after the Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (Jan. 30, 1948): The Relevance of Gandhi’s Philosophy for Today’s World,” with professor Doug Allen, philosophy; (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

Feb. 7: “The Long Haul: Building Unity Against Racist Oppression,” with Jarvis Tyner, executive vice chair of the Communist Party USA and a founding member of the Black Radical Congress, and a leader in the struggle against racism and its relation to working-class liberation (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

Feb. 14: “Racism at UMaine, in Maine and Beyond,” a panel of University of Maine students Gimbala Sankare, Ashley Miller and Sandy Nesin (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

Feb. 21: “Year of the Rat: China-US Relations and Their Implications,” with history professor Ngo-Vinh Long (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

March 20: “5 Years after the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq: What Is To Be Done?” a panel presentation and teach-in (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series; cosponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee and the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine (Program will be held at 7 p.m. in 140 Little Hall, UMaine) Call 581-3860 for information.

March 27: “A Leftist Analysis of Elections: Why the Republican and Democratic Parties and the Political Process Are Obstacles to Real Democracy,” with Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

April 3: “The Destruction of the Modern State of Iraq,” with Sinan Antoon, from Baghdad, who received his Ph.D. from Harvard and is a faculty member at New York University, with specialization in premodern Arabo-Islamic culture and contemporary Arab culture and politics (12:30 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union). A widely published poet and essayist, Antoon will give a second lecture on Iraq on April 3, 7 p.m., in 140 Little Hall. On April 4 at 7 p.m. 140 Little Hall, he will show the widely acclaimed movie “About Baghdad,” which he co-produced and co-directed. Call 581-3860 for information.

April 10: “Public Intellectuals in the Early Cold War: Lessons for the 21st Century,” by history professor Nathan Godfried (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

April 17: “Empowering Venezuela Domestically and Internationally under Chavez: A New Alternative for Peaceful Conflict Resolution in the Hemisphere or the Decline of American Hegemony in the Hemisphere,” by Georges Kabche and Stefano Tijerina, UMaine students from Venezuela and Colombia (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

April 24: “Russia Resurgent: Implications for the Region and the World,” with professors James Warhola, Paul Holman and Seth Singleton, political science (Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series)

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FOR INDIVIDUAL CALENDAR LISTINGS

Jan. 31: “60 Years After the Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (Jan. 30, 1948): The Relevance of Gandhi’s Philosophy for Today’s World,” Professor Doug Allen, Philosophy. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series, 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

Feb. 7: “The Long Haul: Building Unity Against Racist Oppression,” Jarvis Tyner, Executive Vice Chair of the Communist Party USA and a founding member of the Black Radical Congress, and a leader in the struggle against racism and its relation to working class liberation. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series, 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

Feb. 14: “Racism at UMaine, in Maine, and Beyond,” a panel of University of Maine students Gimbala Sankare, Ashley Miller, and Sandy Nesin. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series. 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

Feb. 21: “Year of the Rat: China-US Relations and Their Implications,” Professor Ngo-Vinh Long, History. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series. 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

March 20: “5 Years After the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq: What Is To Be Done?” A panel presentation and teach-in. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series and Cosponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee and the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine. Note: This program will be held at 7:00 p.m. in 140 Little Hall, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

March 27: “A Leftist Analysis of Elections: Why the Republican and Democratic Parties and the Political Process Are Obstacles to Real Democracy,” Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series. 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

April 3:  “The Destruction of the Modern State of Iraq,” Sinan Antoon, from Baghdad, received his Ph.D. from Harvard and is a faculty member at New York University with specialization in premodern Arabo-Islamic culture and contemporary Arab culture and politics. (12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine) A widely published poet and essayist, he co-produced and co-directed the film “About Baghdad,” which he will show on April 4 at 7 p.m. in 140 Little Hall. He also will deliver a lecture on Iraq on April 3 at 7 p.m. in 140 Little Hall. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series. Call 581-3860.

April 10: “Public Intellectuals in the Early Cold War: Lessons for the 21st Century,” Professor Nathan Godfried, History. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series. 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

April 17: “Empowering Venezuela Domestically and Internationally Under Chavez: A New Alternative for Peaceful Conflict Resolution in the Hemisphere or the Decline of American Hegemony in the Hemisphere,” Georges Kabche and Stefano Tijerina, University of Maine students from Venezuela and Colombia. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series. 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.

April 24: “Russia Resurgent: Implications for the Region and the World,” Professors James Warhola, Paul Holman, and Seth Singleton, Political Science. Part of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series. 12:30-1:45 p.m., Bangor Room, Memorial Union, UMaine. Call 581-3860.