Summer School 2020
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I’m happy to announce that 2020’s Summer School will be held on 7th – 9th August, at Fircroft College in Birmingham.
The theme of the weekend of talks and discussion is being decided by a poll over on the new Spintcom site, which members can sign up for at the groups[dot]io website. The two choices are ‘Marxism’ and ‘Technology’, based on suggestions received. The poll closes at the end of November.
Other details will be confirmed in due course!
Help! I can log in to spintcom no problem, but that’s about as far as I get.
I need more instructions to find what folk are suggesting. In really simple language please.
I’m still finding my way round it, too!
If you’re on the Home page, click on ‘messages’ on the menu to the left, and you’ll see the threads. On the Summer School poll thread, you just tick whichever box to cast your vote. I hope this helps.
Janet , Mike is speaking of the new spintcom list, which you have not yet signed up to. The link is below.
Just a reminder that voting for next year’s Summer School topic over on the new Spintcom closes at the end of November. Not long left!
The Socialist Party’s Summer School on Technology is to be held over the long weekend 7th – 9th August at Fircroft College in Birmingham. The event will look at technological progress and its application in the past, present and future. Talks will be announced over the coming months.
<p class=”yiv5864204741ydp3fe33764yiv2300308599ydpce81083dMsoNormal”>From the development of the first tools and the wheel through to the invention of the printing press, the steam engine, the microprocessor and beyond, technology has always shaped how we live. Scientific developments take place in the context of the social and economic conditions of the time. In capitalism, technological progress and how technology is used are driven by what is profitable and cost effective more than by what is really needed and wanted. This means that technology is often used in ways which go against our best interests, whether through environmental damage, the development of ever-more destructive weapons or the misuse of data gathered online and through social media. In a future socialist society based on common ownership and democratic organisation of industries and services, technology could really be used to benefit us, in harmony with the environment.</p>
<p class=”yiv5864204741ydp3fe33764yiv2300308599ydpce81083dMsoNormal”>Full residential cost (including accommodation and meals Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) is £100, and the concessionary rate is £50. Day visitors are welcome, but please book in advance.</p>
<p class=”yiv5864204741ydp3fe33764yiv2300308599ydpce81083dMsoNormal”>E-mail enquiries should be sent to spgbschool@yahoo.co.uk. To book a place online, go to spgb.net/summer-school-2020 or send a cheque (payable to the Socialist Party of Great Britain) with your contact details to Summer School, The Socialist Party, 52 Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7UN.</p>Bookings are now open for Summer School, and more details can be found here: https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/summer-school-2020/ Details of the sessions will be announced over the next few months.
Not wanting to put a downer on things but I was just looking at the TV news today – in particular an item on the unfolding coronavirus probably soon-to-be pandemic if cases continue to grow in exponential fashion. If I understood things correctly I believe the Health Secretary or some other government flunkey mentioned something about introducing measures to contain the spread of the virus including banning all public meetings. (This might be size-dependent though – Switzerland has already banned all events with over 1000 people in attendance)
Obviously if this happens this could possibly have an impact on party activity including the Summer School. Have comrades made any contingency plans in case this happens?
I suggest keeping an ear to the ground and following what happens..
I’m sorry to say that Summer School won’t be able to go ahead now. Fircroft College have had to cancel the booking, which is unfortunate but understandable given the current situation. Thanks go to those who had helped out, and at some point I’ll start thinking about Summer School 2021!
What about an online Summer School for 2020?
I make no claims to knowing the ins and outs of what it would take to do this tech wise, but maybe some of the speakers who were pencilled in speak at this year’s Summer School could deliver their talks online, and the videos could be uploaded to YouTube.
What’s the feasibility of live streaming such talks, etc to provide more interaction?
PS – Before anyone pipes up with the reply of ‘Well, what are you going to do about it?’
- I’m not tech savvy enough to undertake such a task. I’m just floating the idea for feedback. I’m presuming many of the speakers will already have their talks in place.
- I hope forum readers will appreciate that I’m already doing my ’10 minutes for socialism’ propaganda online, so it’s not a case of me wanting to dump work on the shoulders of other comrades.
Just in case anyone doesn’t already know, Summer School is now being held on Discord – in just one week’s time! More details, including how to sign up, can be found here: https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/summer-school-2020/
All the talks from Summer School 2020 on ‘Technology’ have now been uploaded to this website…
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