It's perhaps predictable that the list should devote more energy to
discussing the etiquette of discussion than to the vital issues that
Wendy raises here.
Patently there's no easy answer. The difficult but achievable answers
consist in building alliances with others and using collective resources
to challenge what is being proposed. The list could be a useful way of
co-ordinating information about this kind of activity but people do
actually need to materially do it for themselves. The Midlands
Psychology Group formed itself to wield collective influence in
precisely this way and if we can do it, so can others. Clearly though,
the present moment also demands much more broad-based alliances that
involve users of services as well as their purveyors.
A more comprehensive understanding of what's going on is something that
might also be useful, and despite her many seductive charms in my
opinion we'll not find that in Polly Toynbee. Naomi Klein's 'The Shock
Doctrine' (2007) provides a highly accessible account of the political
and economic strategy currently being implemented here. It pre-dates
current events by a few years whilst prefiguring perfectly what is
happening, showing how the ideology driving current policy has its roots
in the 1960's and has informed economic policy across the globe in
recent years. Its recently been made into a film by Michael
Winterbottom: no idea what its like but he's a good director so if
you're a fan of infotainment maybe you'd prefer it in that format.
J.
On 25/10/2010 08:09, Wendy Franks wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I had a wonderful day out on Saturday at 'Feminism in London 2010'
>
> It was a day full of inspiration, but also, not just a little
> provocation in terms of how far society has to go in relation to
> equality of all sorts.
>
> A stream of amazing women stood up in various workshops, presentations
> and discussions, and offered critical analysis of situations from
> international 'development', sexualisation of children and
> commodification of women in a widespread and increasing 'pornification'
> of culture, and not least, the disproportionate burden upon women that
> is anticipated with the latest round of Tory spending cuts.
>
> In the interest of comradeship and extending our focus beyond our
> internal struggles for a moment, I wondered if anyone has news of
> action, or thoughts about how we might organise to resist?
>
> A union march went by the conference, and speakers were invited in to
> share ideas and plans. At present, a meeting is being set up for women
> to get together in London and develop further plans for protest, which I
> hope I will be able to attend. When I hear news, will try to remember to
> mention it here. On the way to London, a friend and I were discussing
> the use of technologies such as facebook to connect more widely and
> organise our response.
>
> I fear that many of us will sit in stunned silence and not know what to
> do about the attack on our public services and the poorest people in our
> society, while the very richest continue to legally evade making their
> proportionate contribution.
>
> I do not want to be one of the silent ones.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Wendy
>
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*********************************************************
John Cromby
Psychology Division, SSEHS
Loughborough University
Loughborough, Leics
LE11 3TU England
Tel: 01509 223000
Email: [log in to unmask]
Personal webpage: http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~hujc4/
Co-Editor, "Subjectivity": www.palgrave-journals.com/sub/
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The Community Psychology List has a new website/blog at:
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To post on the website blog, forum or twitter feed, contact Grant or David at the email addresses below.
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