Luddite gathering 2-5 May

[Socialist Party Head Office]

Received at Head Office:

Quote:

Dear Sir/Madam,



The Breaking the Frame gathering is an exciting, innovative weekend

event happening in May on the politics of technology. It will bring

together people from diverse fields: environmentalists, scientists,

artists and political campaigners. We think your readers will be

interested in this event, because it deals with some of their central

issues of concern. We are also currently running a series of monthly

meetings in London on different issues around technology.



The press release below gives more details of the event and the ideas

behind it.  Would you be interested in writing a news article or in

commissioning a feature?



We hope that you will be able to list our London meetings and the

gathering in your listing section. Please do not hesitate to contact us

if you have any questions.



Best wishes



Katharine Tatum

Breaking The Frame

tel 07854 256040/020 8809 4513

kath@breakingtheframe.org.uk

 

MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release February 2014 Breaking the Frame gathering will transform public debates on technology Luddites200, Scientists for Global Responsibility and Corporate Watch are co-organising a ground-breaking event that will change the way people think about technology. The Breaking the Frame Gathering on May 2nd-5th will bring together campaigns on the technology politics of food, energy/climate/ environment, the military, work/economics/austerity, the internet, civil liberties/privacy, health and gender etc, as well as trade unionists, radical scientists, artists and developers of alternative technologies. Confirmed speakers include Simon Fairlie (editor of The Land magazine), Jerry Mander (International Forum on Globalisation), Theo Simon (Stop Hinkley C), Hilary Wainwright, editor of Red Pepper and Danny Chivers (No Dash for Gas). The idea behind the gathering is to overcome the fragmented single-issue, reactive approach that dominates the way we deal with technology. Technology is a major force shaping the whole development of our society, yet we never have a democratic debate about it until it’s nearly too late, eg. when Monsanto starts putting GM soya in our food. We think it’s time for a much more systematic and joined-up approach to technology, that overcomes the democratic deficit in this area. The new approach will be based on bringing together the insights of different campaigns and movements, sharing skills, and learning from each other. The need for a systematic approach to technology is more urgent than ever as we face environmental crisis whilst new technologies, such as artificial intelligence/robotics, nanotechnology and synthetic biology threaten to massively re-shape our society. In preparation for the gathering Luddites200 is organising a series of events in London, details of which can be found on the Breaking the Frame blog (www.breakingtheframe.org.uk). These events have already begun a vibrant new conversation that questions accepted dogmas about technology, whilst accepting its genuine benefits. Some of the issues that will be discussed at the gathering include: • What does a critical politics of technology mean in the 21st century: democratic control or ‘low’ technology? • History of environmental society and environmental crisis; challenging the concept of progress through technology. • Experiences in different campaigns and struggles. • Alternative visions of social and technological development, and the transition to a sustainable and just society. There will be demonstrations and workshops on craft-based production, poetry, music, walking, etc. The gathering will be held at Unstone Grange, near Sheffield in Derbyshire, on May 2nd to 5th 2014. For further information, please contact David King 020 8809 4513 or luddites200@yahoo.co.uk. Notes for editors 1. Luddites200 is an informal network of technology politics activists, scientists, artists and trade unionists which was set up in 2011 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprisings and to open up new debates about the politics of technology (www.luddites200.org.uk). See also http://ludditebicentenary.blogspot.co.uk/ 2. The gathering has so far received funding from the Edge Fund, the Lipman Milliband Trust and the Lush Charity Pot.

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