Historical Materialism: Worker Writing and Class Composition
Event Information
About this Event
As part of Historical Materialism London 2020, Notes from Below are hosting a talk on our recent publication: "From the Workplace", a collection of workers inquiries.
The pieces contained in this issue come from a variety of industries, from call centres to kitchens, courier bikes to warehouses, classrooms to online platforms, bars, supermarkets, and editorial offices, they also underline striking similarities in the organisation and experience of work today. Exploitation, insecurity, surveillance and isolation are themes that repeatedly appear in the contributor’s accounts, as do deep contempt for managers and companies that impose these conditions.
These inquiries provide vital insights into the working of capitalism today. These are insights that can only be generated from the workers perspective. Workers’ experience matters. It is the raw material of class struggle. It provides maps and tools to get us out of the current crisis. It is the basis for taking successful action. Beyond that, it begins charting the possibility of other ways to run society. As we have quoted many times in Notes from Below before: there can be no politics without inquiry!
Each piece is written by a worker, supported by a grant from the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust.
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A pdf of the collection will be sent on registration, with the online link sent before the event
We will be sending out the link to the live stream after registration
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As an alternative to the annual London Conference, the Historical Materialism Editorial Board has curated a small number of panels to maintain conversations and give comrades intellectual nourishment between the 5th and the 15th November.
You can find the full programme here.
PLEASE NOTE: All events for HM Online are free to register, however we would ask comrades who are able to please consider making a donation, which would help us enormously in covering the costs of putting of this programme of events. You can donate by selecting the 'donation' ticket type at registration for events in the series organised by HM.
Please consider subscribing to the Historical Materialism journal, published by BRILL, who are currently offering a 25% discount on individual subscriptions, valid until the end of the year. To use the offer, quote the discount code 70997 when subscribing here.