Updates on International Socialism Journal 140

10 October: Recent issues of the International Socialism journal have carried a debate over the role of human nature in sexuality and sexual oppression. The argument arose following articles by Sheila McGregor on Sexuality, Alienation and Capitalism and Marxism and Women’s Oppression Today. These drew responses from Colin Wilson and from Nancy Lindisfarne and Jonathan Neale that stressed the constructed and ideological dimensions of sexuality.

The latest ISJ carries a reply to Nancy, Jonathan and Colin by John Molyneux who says the notion that sexuality is socially constructed “severs human behaviour from its natural or biological foundations”. John’s article has already sparked critical responses from Louis Bayman and Shanice McBean, among others.

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10 October: The latest edition of the International Socialism journal has been published and is available online. It leads with articles by Marxist economist Michael Roberts on the global recession and Julie Sherry on Len McCluskey’s strategy.

The journal includes a tendentious piece by Charlie Kimber and Alex Callincos titled The Politics of the SWP Crisis. Many comrades have objected to this article, including a significant section of the journal’s editorial board. They have written and signed a joint response, which has been sent to ISJ editor Alex Callinicos with a request that it be published on the journal website immediately.

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14 October: We heard from the ISJ editor yesterday that the response by 18 board members to Charlie Kimber and Alex Callinicos will be published on the isj.org.uk website. It should appear as part of a batch of other online articles being typeset and proofread this week.

Meanwhile Amy Gilligan has written a piece on her blog replying specifically to claims about the SWP’s student work, while Ross Spear has written an article taking issue with “diversions, distortions and omissions” employed by Alex and Charlie in their article.

Note: These pieces were published before rs21 was established as an independent organisation in January 2014. rs21 was founded by a group of people who had been in the opposition within the SWP and who left in response to its persistent mishandling of rape and sexual harassment allegations against a leading member.