Twenty-First Annual Historical Materialism London Conference
Countering the Plague:
Forces of Reaction and War and How to Fight Them
7-10 November 2024,
SOAS, Russell Square, Central London
Deadline for abstracts: Friday 31 May 2024
*DEADLINE HAS NOW PASSED*
For inquiries contact: conference@historicalmaterialism.org
https://www.historicalmaterialism.org/
In 2024, all societies are connected to war, its politics, policies, propaganda and finances. This war, against workers, against nature, against the right to live, against the mere possibility of imagining freedom from exploitation and oppression, is led by capital; it supports and is supported by its imperialisms and the reactionary forces capitalism’s own reproduction requires. This war has many iterations: we highlight the genocidal suffering of the Palestinian people, imposed by their occupiers and the western imperialist complex (its chiefs and vassal states) who send the occupying forces bombs to kill, maim, displace. The women and children of Gaza constitute the majority of those victimised in the most abhorrent ways. The occupiers have targeted and flattened the social reproduction facilities of Gaza – hospitals and schools – and use the starvation of civilians as a weapon of war. The international ‘community’ watches as legality loses its meaning. Only lethal power seems to matter – exposing the authoritarianism and fascist-leaning underbelly of global capitalism.
Despite this, there is transnational popular will in supporting the Palestinian resistance. Workers and activists are blocking ports, highways, museums and military production sites, students are defying university administrations, holding vigils, staging walkouts, takeovers and hunger strikes. Anti-Zionist Jews have taken over bridges, railway stations and more. All this takes place despite the authoritarianism that threatens people’s freedoms and livelihoods for speaking out. Feminists on the anti-imperialist left are front and centre in these actions.
We are inviting proposals broadly on, but not limited to, the following themes/questions:
-How do we, as Marxist feminists, make sense of the contradictions that define this juncture?
-How do feminist ideas, theories, epistemologies and methods help us understand the unique gender dynamics of ongoing wars, settler colonialism, Zionism, white supremacy, militarism and the movements to fight them?
-What are the lessons of our own history and how does the history of feminist organising give us unique tools to mobilise in these struggles?
-How do we use social reproduction theory, feminist political economy, feminist international relations theory and feminist analysis of fascism, colonialism and imperialism to analyse and fight the current forces of reaction and war?
-What can we do to reinstate confidence in the revolution and how do we say ‘no more’ to the imperialist, extractivist wars, the wars against the displaced and the refugees – for these are wars too?
-How do we continue after our conferences, how do we re/build bridges torn by war and authoritarianism?
-Above all, at this moment, how do we support our Palestinian sisters as a first step towards the expansion of feminist anti-imperialism?
Complete panel proposals of three or four persons and roundtables on specific themes, books, or concepts are also encouraged. If you would like to discuss a proposal in advance, please email: conference@historicalmaterialism.org
Please note that this is an in-person conference only – a rationale for which can be found in the general call for papers. Online presentations will not be permitted. Participants will be expected to take part in the whole of the conference (not just their session or the day of their session) and to make themselves available for the scheduling of their session at any point during the entirety of the three and half days.
Individual proposals for papers and panels must include: i) Names of participants with e-mails, phone numbers and institutional affiliations. Where there is more than one participant, we require a clear indication of a corresponding author. ii) Title and abstract of the paper or panel. In the case of a paper, please submit an abstract of no longer than 300 words. In the case of a panel, please submit an overarching description of 300 words, names and details of each participant and abstracts for individual papers.
When submitting, please indicate that your paper or panel is intended for the Marxist Feminism Stream. Please also ensure that all contact information and institutional affiliations are accurate and up-to-date.
The deadline for submissions is Friday 31 May 2024. Partial submissions may be rejected.
*DEADLINE HAS NOW PASSED*
For all enquiries about the conference please contact: conference@historicalmaterialism.org
