[matilda] 4 proposals: 1 - matilda seminars

[dan at aktivix.org]

Hi Gavin,

Sorry - I meant to acknowledge that you were already sorting something, and
totally forgot.  Twould be good to talk about how it'll all work together.  We
could knock up a joint flyer to get more people along...

We must be able to come up with something more appealing than seminar...!?

Dan
---

Quoting gavin at cyber-rights.net:

> I was already working on something KINDA like this...getting 
> academic types to come and present radical ideas/philosophers to 
> people who might find then useful, but who might not otherwise have 
> access to them, or a way into them or whatever.
> 
> Anyway, I've got a couple of folks lined up, just waiting to sort 
> dates. But the remit is a bit wider than the one you've proposed. 
> Maybe do it under a subheading of this - MATILDA seminars in 
> critical theory.
> 
> xxx
> 
> On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 15:46:33 -0700 dan at aktivix.org wrote:
> >Allo again,
> >
> >Proposal one:
> >
> >MATILDA seminars for change, or
> >MATILDA teach-ins 
> >(or any other good name that someone can offer.)
> >
> >Aim: 
> >
> >* A regular session, either weekly or fortnightly, with the 
> >underlying
> >co-operative principle of 'teach what you know, learn what you 
> >don't'. (Taken
> >from Access Space - thanks to them.)
> >
> >* The over-riding theme to be: "How can we change the world?"
> >
> >* I propose two focuses, probably alternating:
> >
> >1. Ideas and thinkers: someone comes along with a particular idea 
> >/ set of ideas
> >/ philosophy, presenting it in whatever way they want, and then 
> >opening up to
> >discussion.
> >
> >2. History and places: obviously connects to the above, but coming 
> 
> >along and
> >presenting a particular historical moment, or talking about a 
> >place, where
> >change happened or is happening.  What happened? What worked? What 
> 
> >failed?
> >
> >(These can obviously look at some of the most contentious 
> >historical moments in
> >revolutionary and left-wing history, and can go as far back as 
> >anyone wants -
> >when farming started, for example!)
> >
> >Now, I want this group to be absolutely as supportive of anyone 
> >who may not
> >currently be comfortable with presenting.  If you feel like you 
> >might want to
> >do this, please feel the fear and do it anyway!  Everybody else in 
> 
> >the group is
> >bound to being supportive of trying.  I'm crap at presenting - I 
> >actually have
> >a stammer.  It's mostly under control these days, but definitely 
> >re-surfaces
> >when in presenty mode! 
> >
> >So if I'll have a go, anyone can.
> >
> >Equally, experienced and confident ideas folk should come too - as 
> 
> >long as they
> >are self-aware.  The group dynamic, and ground rules for that, 
> >will be a vital
> >part of the sessions.  We'll regularly check on how people are 
> >feeling, how
> >they're developing, and whether they feel unable to contribute 
> >because of
> >negative dynamics.
> >
> >One dynamic I have seen repeated again and again at uni is a 
> >tutor's lack of
> >sensitivity to silence.  Some people - usually women in the 
> >seminar groups -
> >default to silence.  Blokes get all ranty and fond of their own 
> >voice.  So the
> >gender aspect is also key.
> >
> >It would also be good to put the seminars together into a WIKI 
> >format - creating
> >an ongoing series of investigations into the question of political 
> 
> >change.  How
> >can change come about? Is violent revolution the only way? Can we 
> >change the
> >world without taking power?  Has a global network of activists 
> >really changed
> >the chances for change on a global scale?
> >
> >And of course there's a whole series of questions that come out 
> >from our 'what
> >is MATILDA' process.  Talking about what direct action means could 
> 
> >itself be
> >hugely useful.  We can brainstorm onto big paper, and the results, 
> 
> >digitally
> >photo'd, can go straight up on the WIKI.
> >
> >So: proposals for topics please.  And for general questions.  I'll 
> 
> >start a WIKI
> >page.  Then we can think about a start date.
> >
> >more coming...
> >
> >love
> >
> >Dan
> >_______________________________________________
> >matilda mailing list
> >matilda at lists.aktivix.org
> >http://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/matilda
> 
> 
> 
> Get your free encrypted email at http://www.cyber-rights.net
>