How Corbyn wrecked the anti-austerity-movement (probably)

David Bailey, University of Birmingham, School of Government and Society

The world keeps turning: Lessons from emancipatory struggles in the Middle East

Cemal Burak Tansel, University of Sheffield, Department of Politics

This joint event with the Global Political Economy Research Cluster takes place 3.30-5.30pm, Wednesday 27th April in University Place 4.206.

The elevation of Jeremy Corbyn – socialist activist, dedicated CND member and prominent supporter of Stop the War – to Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party has reignited in the UK an old debate about the relationships between social movements, formal political parties, and the state. Nevertheless, it should not be taken as an exceptional development. Examples from around the world show the need to re-examine these relationships. New parties of the Left in southern Europe, most notably Syriza in Greece, have emerged out of wide-ranging and multiple social movements against recession, austerity and inequality. Further afield, there have been the Gezi Park protests in Turkey, the detachment of part of the South African trade union movement from the ANC, itself a social movement in origin but now an established party of power, and widespread disruption in Brazil in opposition to the government. Moreover, although social movements have often been associated with ‘progressive’ politics, the rise of Right populist parties and movements such as Front National in France and the Tea Party in the US forces us to re-examine this as well. This seminar will address and explore the connections between social movements, political parties and the state from a variety of perspectives drawn from politics and sociology.

All welcome, but please reserve a place via Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/social-movements-political-parties-and-the-state-tickets-22886256409

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