Tuesday, 4 December 2012

International conference on Rosa Luxemburg



International Rosa Luxemburg Society

Circular – Early December 2012

« Democracy and Revolution in the work of
Rosa Luxemburg »

International Conference
4-5 October 2013
Paris, Sorbonne, l’amphithéâtre Lefebvre

One of the most important contributions of Rosa Luxemburg to modern Marxist thought is her refusal to separate the concepts of “democracy” and “revolution”. This approach is developed in a) her criticism of the limits of bourgeois democracy, b) her conception of the revolutionary struggle as democratic self-emancipation of the great masses, c) her vision of socialist democracy with the workers’ councils’ system as a possible form of “dictatorship of the proletariat”, and d) her firm insistence - in discussion with Russian revolutionaries - on the importance of democratic freedoms in the transition towards socialism.
We will deal with the question of democracy in her writings on Marxism, on political economy and on the national question (self-administration and national autonomy as democratic solutions).
These are issues that remain relevant at the beginning of the 21 Century. The aim of the Conference will be not only to analyze the historical aspects and the texts themselves,  but also  the political significance of these issues,  in an epoch that sees a crisis of democracy within the context of crisis in capitalist civilization.
          Co-organizers/sponsors: Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in Berlin,  Transform Network,  Espaces Marx,  Foundation Louise Michel, the journals  Actuel Marx and Contretemps,  Agone Publishing House,  Smolny Collective,  and others.
Conference Languages: French and English with simultaneous translation
In general the participants have to carry the costs for travel and accommodation themselves. We are trying some fund raising actions to give financial support for travel and accommodation costs to those who need it. But actually we cannot tell whether a financial support will be possible. 
The number of speakers is quite limited (20) due to the one room venue with simultaneous translation. Therefore it might be possible that we are not able to accept all demands for registration of papers. But of cause everybody is welcome as conference participant whether with or without presenting a paper. 
Please send your request for registration or the proposal for your paper to:
Prof. Dr. Michael Löwy                Dr. Elisabeth Gauthier michael.lowy1@gmail.com                   elgauthi@internatif.org
Prof. Dr. Narihiko ITO                  Ottokar Luban
ito-lux248@nifty.com                              oluban@gmx.de

 

Our special thanks go to the Paris committee with Michael Löwy (chair), Elisabeth Gauthier, Jean-Numa Ducange, Claudie Weill, Aleksander Jousselin, Dominique Crozat, Claude Saligny, David Muhlman, Jacqueline Bois, and Eric Sevault who are preparing the conference since late 2011.

Prof. Dr. Narihiko ITO                   Ottokar Luban   

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