Occupation

Why is it that nobody understands me, yet everybody likes me?

The ambivalence of the current German student movement

March 15, 2010 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

“DIESER HÖRSAAL IST BESETZT!” (“This lecture hall is occupied!”) In November and December 2009, signs bearing such slogans were found on doors at over 60 German universities. For the second time that year, a broad student movement managed to gain public attention for its demands. Protests at the University of Vienna kicked off what became a Europe-wide solidarity wave. In Germany, the Viennese protest first triggered occupations in Heidelberg, Münster, and Potsdam, after which students at many other institutions also became involved. [Read More]

Bologna Process Capitalism Germany Human rights Max Horkheimer Michael Burawoy Nationalism Occupation Protest Red-baiting Reform Strike Students Student politics Student Left

The New School occupation and the direction of student politics

February 1, 2009 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

THE OCCUPATION OF THE NEW SCHOOL Graduate Faculty building on 65 5th Ave. began in the late evening on December 17, 2008 and lasted over thirty hours. In the build-up to the action, differences arose respecting the aims and potential effectiveness of an occupation. Against both a negotiating committee and concrete demands, a group calling itself the “Autonomous Faction of Non-cooperation Against the Division of Labor,” pushed to extend the occupation. [Read More]

Anti-capitalism New School New SDS Occupation Socially Responsible Committee Student politics

Iraq and the election

The fog of "anti-war" politics

October 1, 2008 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

BARACK OBAMA HAD, UNTIL RECENTLY, made his campaign for President of the United States a referendum on the invasion and occupation of Iraq. In the Democratic Party primaries, Obama attacked Hillary Clinton for her vote in favor of the invasion. Among Republican contenders, John McCain went out of his way to appear as the candidate most supportive of the Bush administration’s policy in Iraq. Looking towards the general election, it is over Iraq that the candidates have been most clearly opposed: Obama has sought to distinguish himself most sharply from McCain on Iraq, emphasizing their differences in judgment. [Read More]

Adolph Reed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ANSWER Anti-imperialism Anti-war Ba'athism Bill Clinton Bush administration Democracy Democrats Election History History of the Left Imperialism Iran Iraq ISO Joe Biden Kurds Liberalism NATO Barack Obama Occupation Politics RCP (USA) Republicans Saddam Hussein Saudi Arabia Shia Sunni The Left The Right U.N Vietnam World Can't Wait