NEWS: Saturday's schedule was changed !!! We did so because well-known Neonazi Christian Sternberg from Lüneburg announced a demonstration for May, 23rd. We confront the Nazis and support the counter-demo "Stop the Nazis!". We will keep you informed on our website. Read more information here: www.netzwerk-gegen-rechts.net/ und hier: www.nazis-aufhalten.de

Under Construction /// Transformations in Times of Crisis

We are told to buy cars but at the same time are told to learn to tighten our belts. Great efforts are exerted to protect the domestic market, to save national businesses whilst at the same time making sure that one’s own access to global resources remains uninterrupted. Nations are willing to go to any lengths to defend this “privilege” of undisturbed access to global resources, including the use of military force, if necessary. The current set of measures taken to combat the crisis aims at securing resources and exploiting and maintaining global inequalities. We want to send out a loud and clear message saying “ya basta” to this type of crisis management and embark on the search for emancipatory alternatives, which can be utopian and concrete.

Everybody is talking about crisis. We too- but this is not all we will be doing! While some talk about a new quality of crisis, others perceive a capitalistic business as usual attitude. We consider the current state of affairs as being under construction. The restructurings underway are as diverse and conflicting as their underlying demands. The discursive and material construction sites worldwide are currently looking at hegemonic positions and strategies. It’s now time to touch base and join in their deliberations.

In the light of transformations in times of crisis, at this year’s 32nd BUKO we seek to discuss three major topics: the prevailing economic situation, climate & environment, and education. We will contemplating about the current situation from the perspectives offered by activists and social movements, thereby contrasting the bailout packages for banks and companies with the criticism levelled at the prevailing crisis management and the cross border interdependence as well as the imposed cultivation of agrofuels as a climate policy measure with its associated devastating social and ecological consequences. Moreover, we will discuss small-scale farming and the capitalisation of educational institutions and approaches to self-determined studying. Despite the fact that these protests and counter-strategies are far from becoming hegemonic, our objective is to discuss, expose and make these issues feasible.

Under Construction I: The global Economic Crisis

Here we will be looking at the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on the concrete labour and living conditions of people, especially those living in the southern hemisphere and Eastern Europe. People who are already in precarious jobs and with no social securities are directly affected by the crisis. Repressive measures and growing racism against migrant workers in Italy or lay offs in India or China further exacerbate the fight for survival. In many parts around the world, protests against exploitation and social scourges are on the rise. More and more people organise themselves and take part in protests. At BUKO32 we will analyse and discuss these processes.

Under Construction II: Climate Justice

We will be raising the question with regard to what realities- power, gender and /or North-South relations cause climate change and by the same token also be looking at which new conditions and relations are created as a result of climate change. What are the phenomena that social groups criticise and what are their demands with regard to social shift? Even though there are many from the left movements who hitherto have only reluctantly turned their attention to climate change, one thing is evident: emancipatory and global social justice movements will not get around dealing with this issue. Climate change is not a one-item topic only for those interested in nature and the environment. It is rather an expression of a far-reaching crisis of social (environmental) relations. We want to cast the view at the differences that exist when it comes to shouldering the responsibility for climate change and its impact on local relations. At the same time we will look at existing similarities and differences among movements and raising the following questions: Where do demands and analysis of social movements in the global North and South correspond in principal and/ or; where do they part ways and where do they even conflict? How can leftist climate policy practices with a button to top approach look like that are far from market oriented crisis management solutions?

Under Construction III: Education

Here we will be looking at an area which for many years now has been also declared a permanent construction site at official level. This is the case whether we are talking about the various education reforms be it in primary and secondary schools, in universities or at European level with the Bologna process. When ever the term reform is applied, we see a concept of education that primarily panders to market suitability, usability and efficiency. There is enough education for all- as long as money is sufficed. But often it is only sufficient for those who can afford education privately. Looking at it from a global point of view, this means large-scale exclusion. About 100 million children do not attend school. They are barred from accessing institutionalised education because of their origin.
The global and local restructuring processes are not met without resistance though. Whether in Europe (e.g. France, Greece) or Latin-American countries (Chile) there have been massive protests against the privatisation of education, cuts in public spending and school fees in recent years. In this perceived pull of globalisation, is there space for concepts, emancipation, sovereignty, equal opportunities, self-determination, collectivism etc.? What are alternative educational concepts and practises and what is an emancipatory term for education?

As you can see, we once again have thousands of questions, many construction sites and as so often, many of them unfinished. This will be a typical BUKO as we know it and we would like to warmly welcome you to it!

[Translate to English:] » Lüneburg: "Hier entsteht etwas Spannendes..."

NEWS: Für den Samstag, den 23. Mai, hat der Neonazi Christian Sternberg einen Aufmarsch bei der Stadt Lüneburg angemeldet. Wir stellen uns den Nazis in den Weg und unterstützen die Bündnis-Demo "Nazis Aufhalten!". Auf unserer Kongressseite werden wir euch auf dem Laufenden halten. Für Samstag haben sich die Workshopphasen verschoben. Informationen zur Demonstration gibt es hier:

www.nazis-aufhalten.de und hier www.netzwerk-gegen-rechts.net/

Under Construction. Transformationen in Zeiten der Krise

Einladung zum BUKO32, 21.-24.05.09 in Lüneburg

Autos sollen gekauft, aber Gürtel enger geschnallt werden; der heimische Markt wird abgeschottet, der nationale Standort gerettet; gleichzeitig darf der eigene Zugriff auf globale Ressourcen nicht gestört werden und dieses „Privileg“ wird zur Not auch militärisch out of area verteidigt: Die gegenwärtigen Krisen-Maßnahmen zielen auf die Sicherung von Reichtum und Ausbeutung und die Aufrechterhaltung globaler Ungerechtigkeiten. Dieser Art von „Krisenmanagement“ wollen wir ein deutliches „Ya basta!“ entgegensetzen und uns auf die Suche nach emanzipatorischen Alternativen - utopischen und ganz konkreten - begeben.

Alle reden von Krise. Wir auch - aber nicht nur! Während einige von einer neuen Qualität von Krisenhaftigkeit reden, sehen andere kapitalistisches Business as usual. Wir betrachten die derzeitige Lage als Under Construction. Sind doch die laufenden Umstrukturierungen so vielfältig und gegensätzlich wie die zugrunde liegenden Forderungen: Auf den diskursiven und materiellen Baustellen der Welt wird an hegemonialen Positionen und Strategien gearbeitet. Zeit, sich zu verständigen und Zeit, sich einzumischen!

Den Transformationen in Zeiten der Krise nähern wir uns auf dem 32. Kongress der Bundeskoordination Internationalismus (BUKO) anhand dreier Themenfelder: der herrschenden Ökonomie, dem Klima sowie der Bildung.

... Under Construction I: Weltwirtschaftskrise

Hier geht es um die Folgen der globalen Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise auf die konkreten Arbeits- und Lebensbedingungen von Menschen, insbesondere in den Ländern des globalen Südens und Osteuropas.

... Under Construction II: Klima

Hier stellen wir uns der Frage, welche Realitäten - Macht-, Geschlechter- und/oder Nord-Süd-Verhältnisse - den Klimawandel erzeugen und umgekehrt, welche neuen Bedingungen und Verhältnisse der Klimawandel schafft. Und: wie können linke klimapolitische Praxen „von unten“ fern der marktorientierten "Krisenlösungen" aussehen?

... Under Construction III: Bildung

Hier wird ein Bereich in den Blick genommen, der seit Jahren auch von offizieller Seite zur Dauerbaustelle erklärt wird. Sei es die Bildungs-, Schul- oder Hochschulreform oder auf europäischer Ebene der Bologna-Prozess: Da wo Reform drauf steht, ist ein Konzept von Bildung enthalten, das sich primär an Marktgängigkeit und Effizienz orientiert. Was sind demgegenüber alternative Bildungskonzepte und -praxen und was ist ein emanzipatorischer Begriff von Bildung?

Tausend Fragen, viele Baustellen und alles wie immer unfertig: Ein typischer BUKO eben, zu dem wir ganz herzlich einladen!

Die BUKO32-Vorbereitungsgruppe

Veranstalter: AsTA der Universität Lüneburg und Bundeskoordination Internationalismus.

 

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