MARXISM

Conference

COLORADO

IDEAS
THE SYSTEM
TO CHALLENGE

2014

denversocialists.org socialistworker.org

Colorado Marxism Conference

Thank you for attending the 2nd annual Colorado Marxism Conference; an event dedicated to bringing together revolutionaries and activists to exchange and debate ideas to advance our struggles. This year were happy to offer a series of sessions focusing on how Marxism relates to many different areas of struggle today and historically. Our featured speaker, Ahmed Shawki, is the author of Black Liberation and Socialism and the Editor-in-Chief of the International Socialist Review. Weve organized these sessions to include a 40 minute presentation on each topic followed by a 40 minute discussion period where youre very much encouraged to participate. We hope you enjoy the conference! In Solidarity, ISO Colorado Branches

Welcome to the

WHO WE ARE

The International Socialist Organization (ISO) is committed to building an organization that participates in the struggles for justice and liberation todayand, ultimately, for a future socialist society. The ISO has branches across the country whose members are involved in helping to build a number of struggles: the fights against police brutality, the New Jim Crow and racism; the struggle against anti-immigrant scapegoating, the fight for womens rights like the right to choose abortion, opposing anti-gay bigotry, and standing up for workers rights. In Denver & Boulder, our members are involved in the fight for public education, labor organizing and solidarity, environmental justice struggles, solidarity with Palestine and the struggles in the Middle East and a whole range of issues. Our Denver branch holds public meetings weekly on Wednesdays at 7PM at the Hooked on Colfax in the Speakeasy Room. Meetings feature discussions of our movement work, study of Marxist ideas and working-class and socialist history and regular discussion of current political events and topics.

SESSION SCHEDULE
10AM 10:15Am Announcements & Introduction Marxism & Social Movements

Ahmed Shawki Speaker: In the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels state that what distinguish-

es communists from other socialists is internationalism and looking for the movement as a whole. Looking for the movement as a whole is a fluid concept that expands to embrace ever more inclusive struggles against capitalism and for a just and sustainable world.

11:45AM

MARXISM & ECOLOGY

Speakers: David Long & Jon Cunningham
How can Marxism be useful when discussing climate change and ecological movements? This talk is heavily influenced by the work of Chris Williams and John Bellamy Foster.

1:15PM

LUNCH Hour
Complimentary Lunch Served in Room

2:15PM

Marxism & Race: The Life & Work OF CLR JAmes

Speaker: Ahmed Shawki
C.L.R. James was a revolutionary socialist whose history of the Haitian Revolution is indispensable to understanding the events in Haiti and their effects today.

3:45PM

Leninism, Trotskyism & other Socialisms

Speaker: Doug Singsen
The Marxian umbrella is wide and full of theory - what are all these -isms, how are they different and which are still important for struggle today?

LOGISTICS
LOCATION
You can find the conference downtown Denver at the Auraria Campus in the Tivoli Student Union building, Room 444. The closest cross street is 9th Steet and Auraria Pkwy.

Address: 900 Auraria Pkwy, Denver, CO 80204

Keep an eye out for signs to help you find the room location.

Parking, etc.
Please note that there is no free parking on Auraria Campus and it is very difficult to find free parking closeby. The most convenient parking area is the Tivoli Parking Garage on the corner of 9th Street and Auraria Pkwy. This garage is $6 and a short walk from the Tivoli Student Union. There are other, cheaper options on campus further from the building. Reference the Auraria Campus Parking Map for alternative parking areas and pricing. Alternatively, the C, D & E light rail lines stop at Auraria Campus at the Colfax at Auraria stop and the Auraria West stop.

MEALS & BREAKS

We are serving our attendees lunch at no charge at 1:15PM. There are Vegetarian/Vegan and Gluten Free options available. This is the only scheduled break of the day, so if you need to step out during a session please do so respectfully.

Haymarket
Check out our Haymarket Books table while youre at the conference. Weve got a great selection of titles on struggle and radical politics as well as Socialist Worker newspapers. We can only accept cash for these items.

FIND US:
denversocialists.org facebook.com/denversocialists @denversocialism isodenver@gmail.com

resources:
socialistworker.org wearemany.org haymarketbooks.org isreview.org