Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 14:25:01 -0600
Subject: M-G: Spoons: Re-Announcing Marxism-Feminism


Someone suggested more information come with this announcement, so included
is the list information sheet.

Sally

The Spoon Collective is pleased to announce the addition of the
marxism-feminism list to the marxism space. 

"Marxism-Feminism" [or feminist socialism] is an important topic, one
continuously riddled with issues of feminism's reconcilation with,
"assimilation" into, and controversial relationship with marxist and
socialist politics and analysis.  It challenges marxism to deal more
directly with issues of gender/power differences, and presents a
much-needed critique of mainstream feminism's failure to deal meaningfully
with analysis of class structures and ethnic differences.  It offers
opportunities for unity of understandings and struggles in the midst of
difference and disagreement.
 
The purpose of this list is to provide a useful and thought-provoking forum
for discussion for all those interested in the intersection of feminism and 
marxism.  It is especially intended to create a meaningful dialogue amongst 
those working both inside and outside of "the academy" -  as well as other
communities of people too often separated by oppressive social structures.
We hope to open new lines of communication between
people with like-minded feminist and socialist visions, to assist in
establishing a more concrete and politically viable connection between
"feminist theory" and actual lives and day-to-day concerns of
working-class people everywhere.
 
All contributions should relate to issues of both class and gender,
whether explicitly or implicitly.
 
This is intended to be a long-term, on-going discussion list, which may
include periods that are devoted to more intensive focus on a particular
project, reading or topic.
 
Examples of some of the topics intended for discussion include [in no
particular order]:
 
        the relationship of marxist-feminist politics in and
        outside of the academy , esp. issues of concerning the
        so-called division between "theory" and "practice" 


        the necessity of establishing a feminist methodology that does not
        isolate or privilege gender at the expense of class and race, instead
        of the usual innefectual "listing" of differences in
        place of serious discussion of the ways that they inform
        our very notion of "gender" as such
 
        on a related note, how might an analysis of the reasons
        for second wave feminism's bourgeois origins help us
        avoid similar pitfalls today?
 
        a (re)evaluation of Marx's and Engel's positions on gender 
        and the family, esp. in relation to marxist and non-marxist
feminists' 
        treatment of these issues
 
        the relationship of the different meanings/significations of
        concepts such as "reproduction" and "nature" in feminist and
        marxist writings
 
        the present position of women in the international
        marketplace, esp. the role of gender in the
        international division of labor; what new modes
        of gender/class exploitation have arisen as a consequence
        of the intensive global expansion of capitalism in all its new
        and increasingly destructive forms?
 
        what new strategies can/must we devise to adequadely deal 
        with such changes (for instance, in communications, such as the WWW?)
        what  opportunities for effective political and social change 
        do they offer? how do issues of access/privilege complicate
        and inform any such opportunites? how world-wide is the WWW?
  
List discussion is unmoderated. There is open subscription policy, anyone
who chooses to subscribe will automatically be subscribed.  Only members of
the list may post
to the list.  "Moderation" will be exercised as needed to foster
discussion which advances the purpose of the list.

All posts are automatically archived and publically accessible, along
with many other list archives, through the Spoon WWW home page at
http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/~spoons/

------------------------------
The mailing address of the list is 
marxism-feminism-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu.  
Use this address to post messages, initiate or continue discussion etc.

The administrative address is majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu.  
Use this address for all administrative functions.  If you have any 
questions, don't hesitate to write to the technical moderator,
Sally Ryan <ryans-AT-freenet.msp.mn.us>

------------------------------
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