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WELCOME TO LEFT FORUM 2015 BOARD MEMBERS Thank you for participating in Left Forum 2015. and lobby areas of the conference center, located The conference has steadily grown over the years. near the registration tables. Ashley Abbott It has been transformed by a myriad of political The Exhibition, which includes book publishers, Seth Adler perspectives and the influence of thousands of Stanley Aronowitz publications and movement organizers, is one of participants from six continents. We are proud of several meeting and networking spaces for the Stephon Boatwright this year’s gathering, humbled by the diversity of conference. With so much happening at once, we Maria Carnemolla voices included, and honored that you can join us. ask that you help us keep things running smoothly. Kristin Lawler The Left Forum Board of Directors would like to Please keep your conference bracelet visible. (If Rob Robinson express our deep appreciation to John Jay College you lose your bracelet, you will have to purchase Richard D. Wolff of Criminal Justice, particularly President Jeremy another one.) Additionally, we ask that you not Travis, Jeff Brown, Cheryl D’Antonio, the Depart- overcrowd rooms; anyone who cannot find a seat to ment of Economics, and all those instrumental in please select another panel to attend. Please note VOLUNTEERS, INTERNS, bringing this conference to fruition. We are pleased & ACTIVISTS that the plenary sessions and all stand-alone events to have our annual conference back at a CUNY operate on a first come, first serve basis. The caf- Meriam Ayachi institution — as it was also our roots. And we are eteria, located on the second floor above the book Yingchen Bai all the more pleased that we are at an institution fair, will be open on Saturday and Sunday from Kazembe Balagun that by definition “educates for justice.” We also 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Finally, we encourage you to Jorge Cabanillas want to express our abiding appreciation to the take the opportunity to share and discuss ideas with hundreds of volunteers who help before, during, Diego Chica each other taking advantage of the rare occasion and after the event to make this weekend possible. Caitlin Fitzgerald for such rich public debate. We organize the Left Julianna Forlano This program guide includes the full conference Forum to open an arena for dialogue on the most Priscilla Grim schedule, and will help you navigate the more than pressing matters of our world, with an ardent belief 400 panels, workshops, and events happening that this will help to change it. To this end, we once Preeti Gurung this weekend. Please look through it carefully. The again thank you for your participation, and look Naeem Holman accompanying map should get you there on time, forward to seeing you in the future. jackrabbit furiosa but feel free to ask a staff member or volunteer for Yue (Onny) Jin In Solidarity, assistance. We also heartily invite you to partici- The Board of Directors Michael Lightsmith pate in the Left Forum Exhibition, held in the atrium and Staff of Left Forum Holly Lu Xin Heng Lu LEFT FORUM STAFF & ORGANIZERS Jose Luis Martinez Carlos Miranda Conference Coordinator ......................................................................................................................................Seth Adler Maria Myotte Administrative and Operations Coordinator �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Ashley Abbott David Nelson Advertising ............................................................................................................................................................ Daryl King Akua Ofori Art and Social Media ................................................................................................................................George Ygarza Sherry Onna AV and Technology ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Nancy Castro Chris Oyewole Database Coordinator........................................................................................................................................Yujin Joung Mia Ragozino Editorial/Graphic Design .......................................................................Matt Binetti, Laurie Bogat, Christian Cisneros Cathalina Rivera Event/Operations..................................................................................................................................................Mike Ryan Genny Roman Exhibition ..........................................................................................................................................................Karli Schwab Vicente Rubio IT Coordinator/Web Developer ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Carlos Mejia Justin Santiago Media Liaison ....................................................................................................................................................... Peter Rugh Francesca Scaraggi Panel Outreach and Administration ............................................................................... Evan Jones, Yasmina Madeira Yves Sorokobi Plenary and Logistics Coordinator .................................................................................................Gabriel Farofaldane Lisa Thompson Program Coordinator/Panel Administration .......................................................................................... Marcus Grätsch Kevin Valentine Program Guide ......................................................................................................................................... Steven Matthews Sage Velastegui Public Relations and Media .................................................................. Andanta Djafa, Theresa Eddins, Scott Mason Winnie Wong Registration .......................................................................................................................... Samantha Désiré, Serina Xue Video ....................................................................................................................... Alexandra Bourekas, Vincent Crincoli Volunteer Coordination �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Lily Bizuneh 1 NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! CONFRONTING THE CRISES OF CAPITALISM AND DEMOCRACY The 2015 Left Forum will take place in a period of excitement and transpires while the surveillance state apparatus pours-over and tears challenge. In Greece and Spain the Left has either taken power or is into more and more of everyone’s public and private lives. on the verge of it. At home, police violence is now being contested by In the past decade we have experienced a series of climate-related a popular upsurge of protest and resistance. And facing a solid reac- catastrophes: extreme weather that, among other events, has tionary front, president Obama has finally shown signs that the admin- destroyed crops and precipitated unprecedented hurricanes that have istration, however hesitantly, is responding to deep mass disaffection. devastated many cities and towns throughout the globe. Meanwhile, From the recent Syriza victory in the Greek elections and movements the powers that be sanction the depletion of the earth’s non-renewable against austerity throughout