August 2-9, London

A week of controversy and debate for the thinking left

Speakers and topics at this year’s event include:
Neil Davidson (Socialist Worker platform, Scottish Socialist Party) The Scottish bourgeois revolution Hillel Ticktin (editor Critique) Oil, crisis and rogue states Marcus Ström (CPGB and Socialist Alliance executive) and Steve Godward (SA executive and twice-over victimised firefighter) Where now for the SA? Graham Bash (editorial board Labour Left Briefing) Organising Labour’s “new left majority” Worker-communist Party of Iraq The working class and the struggle against imperialist occupation Jack Conrad (CPGB) and Sean Matgamna (Alliance for Workers’ Liberty) Afghanistan - revolution or Stalinist coup? Bob Pitt (editor What Next?) Popular fronts George Binette (Workers Power) The Clash and the politics of the ‘new wave’ Manny Neira and Mark Fischer (both CPGB) ‘Hard’ or ‘soft’ polemics? Jack Conrad (CPGB) Lenin and the ‘revolutionary defeatism’ slogan Mike Macnair (CPGB) The war and capitalist legality Plus many more sessions.

Date and venue
This year CU2003 runs from August 2 to 9 at Goldsmith College, Raymont Hall, 63 Wickham Road, New Cross, London SE4 (10 minutes walk from New Cross tube).

Each session lasts approximately two hours, with plenty of opportunity for contributions from the floor.

CU03 programme - rtf file Bedbug advert - pdf file Saturday 2
Morning		Afternoon
		1.45pm - 2pm Aims and methods of Communist University 2pm - 4.15pm What future for the Socialist Alliance? Marcus Strom and Steve Godward, both members of SA executive 4.45pm-7pm Socialists and the Labour party: organising the "new left majority" Graham Bash editor Labour Left Briefing
Sunday 3
Morning		Afternoon
10am - 12.30pm The provisional government slogan Steve Freeman		2pm - 4.15pm Scottish bourgeois revolution Neil Davidson Socialist Worker Platform in Scottish Socialist Party 4.45pm - 7pm Iraq; The working class and the struggle against US-UK occupation Worker-Communist Party of Iraq
Monday 4
Morning		Afternoon
10am - 12.30pm The origins and politics of the Morning Star's CPB Alan Stevens CPGB		2pm - 4.15pm Afghanistan: revolution or Stalinist coup? Sean Matgamna AWL, Jack Conrad CPGB 4.45pm - 7pm Democratic centralism Mark Fischer CPGB
Tuesday 5
Morning		Afternoon
10am - 12.30pm Islamic fundamentalism: ancient or modern phenomenon Clive Bradley AWL, Ian Donovan CPGB		2pm - 4.15pm Radical Christianity, revolutionary Marxism and the struggle for human liberation Ray Gaston vicar, All Hallows Church, Leeds 4.45pm - 7pm Origins of Islam Jack Conrad CPGB
Wednesday 6
Morning		Afternoon
10am - 12.30pm Class struggle in Europe Tina Becker CPGB, Toby Abse Socialist Resistance		2pm - 4.15pm Popular fronts and Marxism Bob Pitt editor What Next? 4.45pm - 7pm Human nature Michael Malkin CPGB
Thursday 7
Morning		Afternoon
10am - 12.30pm Marxism and law Mike Macnair CPGB		2pm - 4.15pm Oil, rogue states and capitalist crisis Hillel Ticktin editor Critique 4.45pm - 7pm The awkward squad Lee Rock CPGB
Friday 8
Morning		Afternoon
10am - 12.30pm Soviet cinema and the first five year plan Sarah McDonald CPGB		2pm - 4.15pm Daring to dream: sci-fi and social reality Jeremy Butler CPGB 4.45pm - 7pm Complete control: The Clash and the politics of music George Binnette Workers Power Evening performance Mayakovski's The bedbug (Please note correct date)
Saturday 9
Morning		Afternoon
10am - 12.30pm Polemics - hard and soft Manny Niera, Mark Fischer, both CPGB		1.30pm - 3.30pm Lenin and the revolutionary defeatism slogan Jack Conrad CPGB 3.30pm - 4pm Evaulation of CU2003