Climate change: it’s going to take a revolution
Watch rs21’s video on why the obstacles to solving the problem of climate breakdown are intrinsic to our capitalist system.
Migration in the age of Imperialism’s four horsemen: part 3
For over three decades neoliberalism has run rampant at the expense of the working class and poorest of the world. But such a dismal interpretation of the world just will not do. The point is to change it. This requires us honestly to recognise the scale of the crisis while identifying those symptoms of resistance […]
Why Russia backs Assad: a view from Russia’s anti-imperialist left
The editors of the Russian socialist website openleft.ru analyse why Russia is now openly moving troops into Syria to support the Assad regime. A whole range of evidence [also here] indicates that Russia is activating its military aid for the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad up to the point of direct involvement of Russian troops in the […]
The Syrian Revolution and the crisis of the anti-war movement
Suddenly, everyone is talking about Syria. Saturday’s demonstration will be in solidarity with all refugees, but a Syrian refugee is one of the key organisers. Campaigners from the Syria Solidarity Movement UK and Stop the War Coalition are among those involved in the planning, along with many other organisations. Everyone should welcome this commitment to […]
Celebrations on the streets of Tehran
Hanif Leylabi analyses what the nuclear deal means for politics inside Iran. After two years of nuclear negotiations, the US, European powers, Russia, China and Iran have finally reached an agreement. At the heart of the agreement lies a trade-off between limits on Iran’s nuclear programme in return for the abolition of sanctions. Key points […]
The shape of Baltimore’s segregation
In an article from the Chicago-based red wedge website, Alexander Billet sees racism and capitalism combine in Baltimore’s history When it was announced some months ago that the city of Baltimore would start cutting off the water of poor residents, the comparison became inevitable: Baltimore is the next Detroit. It was, and is, still a prescient […]
Five reasons why Hillary Clinton won’t be good for women
With the launch of Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid last Sunday, Estelle Cooch argues that Hillary’s “feminist family values” will not lead to a breakthrough for the vast majority of women. Standing on a pavement in a generic looking suburb of America, Hillary Clinton launched her candidacy for the 2016 US presidency. “Americans have fought their way […]
Ferguson Spring
Shanice McBean discusses how the protests in Ferguson have been driven by the racism and injustice that permeates everyday life for black people in the USA. This article originally appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of the rs21 magazine. “Because of the way this society is organized, because of the violence that exists on the […]
The new grand alliance in the Middle East
Nancy Lindisfarne and Jonathan Neale explain the changing international alliances in Middle Eastern politics, and how this is connected to rising Islamophobia in Europe. This was originally published as part of a series on Feminism and Islamophobia on their website. In most of Europe and North America now there is only one acceptable form of racism: […]
Review: Safe Space
Colin Wilson is full of praise for a recent book on LGBT history, but highlights a broader political problem. Safe Space: Gay Neighbourhood History and the Politics of Violence Christina B. Hanhardt Duke University Press, £17.99 Safe Space charts the history since the 1960s of community organising in three neighbourhoods identified with LGBT people: the […]
The toxic hate behind the Chapel Hill murders
Nicole Colson looks at the background of bigotry behind the killing of three Muslims. This article was originally posted on the US website socialistworker.org. On the evening of 10 February, Craig Stephen Hicks murdered three of his neighbours in Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and Yusor’s sister, Razan Mohammad […]
The roots of American racism 4: state racism and the new black resistance
In the last of four articles, Bill Crane looks at “colourblind” racism and mass incarceration since the Civil Rights movement – and how they have contributed to the police racism and violence that has sparked the current protest movement. So far this series has described how racism has existed as part of the United States from its […]
Ferguson solidarity protests across the US: Photos and videos
After the decision not to indite Darren Wilson, people across the US people have taken to the streets to demand justice for Michael Brown. Join the protest tonight in London, 7pm, outside the US Embassy, organised by London Black Revolutionaries, NUS Black Students campaign, BARAC and Defend the Right to Protest. Washington DC: The protest […]
Historical Materialism 2014: Mobilise or organise
This year’s Historical Materialism conference included four[1] very useful sessions reflecting on the North American Labour movement. In the first of three articles, Unite activist Ian Allinson reports on discussions about alternative organising strategies. Workers in the North America face similar challenges to us in the UK, but generally worse: low and declining union density; […]
A deal to save the planet – or to wreck it?
Jonathan Neale is the international coordinator of the Campaign against Climate Change and the editor of the One Million Climate Jobs report. He has written this article on the Campaign website analysing what the deal means for all of us. Obama of the United States and Xi of China have signed a bilateral climate agreement. Much of the […]
America: Two Cheers for Marriage Equality
Colin Wilson is celebrating big gains for same-sex marriage in the US – but increased LGBT equality in the context of neo-liberal America is raising issues around race and class. This week has seen a striking victory for American campaigners for LGBT equality. On Monday the Supreme Court decided not to hear appeals from five states […]
The bombs won’t work: they’ll make things worse.
Hanif Leylabi writes on why we should oppose the latest British military adventure in Iraq
Nine years since Hurricane Katrina: has anything changed?
Nine years on from the devastating Hurricane Katrina, Lois JC, who visited New Orleans last year to see how the city had changed, writes on the lasting impact of the disaster.
Ferguson Latest: Mourning, Still Fighting
When a family invites the public to come share their grief at a funeral service for their young son, they’re sending a message: We must not forget his murder.
London protesters stand in solidarity with Ferguson
At the London vigil those attending chanted “hands up, don’t shoot”, following Ferguson protesters.
Review: Strike for America
Tomorrow over a million public sector workers will go on strike. Amy Gilligan reviews Micah Uetricht’s recent book Strike for America: Chicago Teachers Against Austerity which looks at how teachers in Chicago organised and won. Originally published in the Summer 2014 edition of the rs21 magazine The story of the victorious Chicago teachers’ strike […]
Video: building community support for a strike
Jonathan Neale, an rs21 member, talks about how to build community support for a strike.
rs21 Political Weekend: Social Movements and United Fronts Today
Rebecca Short writes: Colin Barker and Sølvi Goard’s workshop on Social Movements and United Fronts Today tackled arguments that are key for anyone organising on the left. As the room started to fill, a video was played from perhaps one of the most exciting struggles in the past year, that in in Bosnia Herzegovina, etching […]
The Kosovo War – 15 Years On
15 years ago today NATO forces began bombarding Serbia with high-tech bombs. For Blair and Clinton the Kosovo War was their ‘humanitarian’ intervention. However, as James B writes, the actuality of that conflict, and the legacy, is anything but. Fifteen years ago Europe was at war. The Kosovo conflict has been eclipsed in the popular […]
2013 in YouTube videos
Mark Bergfeld collects videos showing episodes of resistance from across the world in 2013.