Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Teaching Marx: The Socialist Challenge


TEACHING MARX: THE SOCIALIST CHALLENGE

Announcing a forthcoming book: Teaching Marx: The Socialist Challenge
Edited by Curry Stephenson Malott, Mike Cole and John Elmore
To be published by Information Age Publishing
Critical Construction: Studies in Education and Society, see: http://www.infoagepub.com/series/critical-constructions 
Series Editor: Curry Stephenson Malott, West Chester University

“There is growing disillusionment with a social system where increasing productivity leads only to increased gaps between rich and poor, where reductions in social programs (retirement, health care, education) are the chief response an uninspired political sector can muster, and where non-sustainable exploitation of the Earth continues undiminished -- in short, as the looming, world-wide economic crisis draws nearer, the essays in Teaching Marx: The Socialist Challenge are critical reading. It is time for our teachers to prepare students not to take their place in an increasingly corrupt economy, but to bring about the fundamental changes we need to build an equitable, prosperous, sustainable future” -- Dr. Dennis Vickers, Humanities Department, College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, Wisconsin.
Teaching Marx: The Socialist Challenge is an extraordinarily important text at this juncture of world history. Functioning as more than just another pedagogical weapon to be used against the ideological structures of death and social hallucinogenics manufactured by the transnational capitalist class, it is a book that can provide fecund opportunities for teachers to re-learn how to put social and economic justice front and center in the agenda for educational reform by putting Marx front and center, where he belongs” -- Peter McLaren, Professor, UCLA and author of Che Guevara, Paulo Freire and the Pedagogy of Revolution

Teaching Marx: The Socialist Challenge provides a useful starting point for understanding the origins of today's global crisis of capitalism. Our work in public schools to encourage respectful dialogues between Indian and non-Indian students about local conflicts over land ownership, through the TERRA Institute, should encourage cooperative action to find common interests. This book reminds us to move those specific discussions to explorations of the causes of conflicts over land, including the imperatives of global capitalism” -- David Stanfield, TERRA Institute, www.terrainstitute.org

“As this book so clearly and illustratively points out, the work of Marx has always served as a critical tool for identifying and scraping away the residue of commodity relations as a means to an end of revolutionary purpose, and teaching Marx is therefore keynote to education becoming able to serve as a tool of liberation and revolution. The reasons for why this is so are very clear in the book. As its authors successively and in detail clearly point out, we are ‘educated’ to believe that we live in a meritocracy where god-given abilities and hard work afford position and reward, and the work of social institutions like the school play a key part in this. These institutions, as ideological apparatuses of the State, barrage us with propaganda and bombard us with ideas inside practices that are designed to convince us all that at the head of the equation of the constitution of the social and economic order is the work, skills, ideas, knowledge and commitment of individual people themselves and that the effort and competences of these individuals determine social position and the possibilities for economic reward and even social justice for all.
Put directly and simply, the book shows us how the public has been hoodwinked by the school and other social institutions to believe in the ethics of capitalism and its central ideological tenet that the present social order is natural and in the end inevitable and beneficial for us all. However, as well as critiquing the work of the school as an instrument of reproduction, the book also shows how and why the education system could and should challenge the anti-democratic perspectives that disguise and defend the current social relations of production and the ideological and material needs of the capitalist class. It offers that is an educational challenge to the inevitability and “correctness” of capitalism by showing how its laws can be made visible to ordinary people so the oppressive power of the capitalist class can be more correctly identified, challenged and defeated.  In this way the book both poses the question and provides answers concerning what role education can play in a possible future revolutionary moment: both as a “true” education as an act of liberation and as a dialectic lens for critiquing the world in which we live. Used appropriately the book can become a clear and fundamental ingredient for helping to create the possibilities for a more egalitarian and socially just world” -- Dennis Beach, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

“This collection by Malott, Cole and Elmore’s is a very timely contribution to the current revival of Marxism in education. The authors engage seriously with the ideas of Marx – from his theory of capitalist crises to the increasing impoverishment of the working class – and debunk many of the commonly held myths about Marxism. The compilation of writings provide a devastating rejoinder to those who believe that we can only make changes within the present system and show how this crisis has made discussion of socialist alternatives, in education and society, an urgent necessity. They argue that, in Marx’s words, the educators need to get educated and find ways – through their students, through what they teach, and through their political activism – to feed into wider movements of social change” -- Marnie Holborow, author on Marxism and Language, Dublin City University, Ireland.

“A spectre haunts the contemporary capitalist classroom: the ghost of Karl Marx. This volume explores the implications of opening the classroom door to Marx’s ideas, theories and outlook on capitalist and post-capitalist life. It does this in an engaging and thought-provoking manner, providing conceptual foundations and inspiration for teachers seeking to generate a critical edge and relevance to classroom activities in the current crisis of capital. Malott, Cole and Elmore have produced a book desperately needed by teachers, students, teacher-trainers and administrators in educational institutions dissatisfied with the apologetics and evasions of mainstream capitalist pedagogy” -- Glenn Rikowski Senior Lecturer in Education Studies, University of Northampton, UK.  

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‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Friday, October 19, 2012

Ruth Rikowski on 'Consciousness and Revolt' - by R.C. Smith


RUTH RIKOWSKI ON ‘CONSCIOUSNESS AND REVOLT’ – BY R.C. SMITH

On her Serendipitous Moments blog, Ruth Rikowski reviews and analyses Consciousness and Revolt by R.C. Smith.

Ruth notes that:

“Robert Smith’s basic position is that we need to abandon searches for the absolute and for objectivity, and not follow any particular ideology or idol. People's desire for the absolute arises from their need for security, argues Smith, but he says that this is a false sense of security. Also, that it is a form of self-deception, evasion and distortion. Instead, we need to focus on experiential life – and that this is what is meaningful and the way in which we should make sense of the world” (Rikowski, 2012, p.2).


DETAILS ON THE BOOK
Author: R. C. Smith
ISBN: 9780957096103
Publication Date: 01-12-2011
Pages: 424
Format: Soft Cover
Click for a 10 Page Preview
Price: £14.99
Heathwood Press is proud to announce the release of its inaugural publication, Consciousness and Revolt: An Exploration toward Reconciliation.


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Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
Glenn Rikowski on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/glenn.rikowski

The People Speak - by Anthony Arnove, Colin Firth and David Horspool


THE PEOPLE SPEAK: VOICES THAT CHANGED BRITAIN – BY ANTHONY ARNOVE, COLIN FIRTH AND DAVID HORSPOOL

A Message from Anthony Arnove

My new book with Colin Firth, THE PEOPLE SPEAK: VOICES THAT CHANGED BRITAIN, is just out from Canongate Books.

The book, inspired by the work of people's historian Howard Zinn, is a documentary collection of dramatic voices of protest and dissent from the twelfth century to the present.

You can read about the book here: http://www.canongate.tv/the-people-speak.html

There are some very moving readings and musical performances -- including by Vanessa Redgrave, a last-minute surprise guest -- from our launch event here: http://www.canongate.tv/the-people-speak-event-footage

Great photos from the event can be viewed here: http://www.eco-age.com/item/3807-The_People_Speak_
http://pinterest.com/ecoage/the-people-speak-2012/

An excerpt of Colin Firth's introduction and some selections from the book can be found here:
http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/scotland/colin-firth-presents-the-people-speak-voices-that-changed-britain-1-2539941

And you can check out our BBC Culture Show profile here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxHB8eRmXpA

I hope the book might be of interest.

Yours
Anthony

The People Speak tells the story of Britain through the voices of the visionaries, dissenters, rebels and everyday folk who took on the Establishment and stood up for what they believed in. Here are their stories, letters, speeches and songs, from John Ball to Daniel Defoe; from Thomas Paine to Oscar Wilde; from the peasants' revolts to the suffragists to the anti-war demonstrators of today. Spanning almost one thousand years and over 150 individual voices, these are some of the most powerful words in our history.

Colin Firth (CBE) is a Bafta- and Academy Award-winning actor. His films include The English Patient, Fever Pitch, Bridget Jones's Diary, Girl with a Pearl Earring, A Single Man and The King's Speech. Alongside Anthony Arnove, he was instrumental in bringing a televised stage performance of The People Speak to the UK in 2010.

Anthony Arnove is the author of Iraq: The Logic of Withdrawal, editor of Iraq Under Siege, Howard Zinn Speaks and The Essential Chomsky, and co-author, with Howard Zinn, of Voices of a People's History of the United States and Terrorism and War. He is the co-director of The People Speak with Chris Moore and Howard Zinn.

David Horspool is a historian and editor at the Times Literary Supplement. He is the author of two previous books: Why Alfred Burned the Cakes and The English Rebel: One Thousand Years of Trouble-making from the Normans to the Nineties. He writes for The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and the New York Times.

‘The People Speak’ at Canongate Books: http://www.canongate.tv/authors/colinfirthandanthonyarnove



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‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com 
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Glenn Rikowski’s paper, Critical Pedagogy and the Constitution of Capitalist Society has been published at Heathwood Press as a Monthly Guest Article for September 2012, online at:

Heathwood Press: http://www.heathwoodpress.com 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Heathwood Institute & Press



HEATHWOOD INSTITUTE & PRESS – AN INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE FOR CRITICAL THOUGHT

Heathwood Institute and Press

Heathwood Institute and Press is a non-profit, critical theoretical organization. Motivated and inspired by the Frankfurt School, our aim is to offer foundational social critique as well as promote concrete, critical alternatives to the type of social policy symptomatic of ‘damaged society’. As a critical theoretical organization, we strive to not only challenge the existing field of research and policy in contemporary society. We also strive to fundamentally challenge from a foundational and multidisciplinary perspective the existing social model, and with a mind toward the concept of systemic change.

Originally founded in December 2011 by a group of well-respected researchers, academics and activists, we are now actively bringing together and supporting individuals who are leaders in their area and whose scholarship possesses the potential to break new grounds in critical theoretical study and improve our understanding of how to sensitively measure and foster ‘human progress’ in contemporary society.

While our aim at Heathwood is to not only understand but also to measure social progress from a multidisciplinary, integrated and methodologically unique perspective; our motivation is to also develop simultaneously a post-Frankfurtian critical theory and to collectively promote the idea of foundational critique. In the interests of social progress we are geared toward excellence in scholarship and distinguished merit in terms of providing ground breaking research in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Psychology and Education, and with the ultimate goal of communicating the findings of our research in an engaging, practical manner that is both applicable to policy makers and accessible to the general public.

Our Mission

The mission of Heathwood Institute and Press is to address the root causes of social, economic and environmental inequality. In the process we are committed to the promotion of an informed and engaged citizenry; to promote a foundational awareness and understanding of social, cultural, economic and political processes; as well as to fight economic and social injustice, and to protect the diversity of nature and society and the natural systems upon which all life depends.

By investigating more generally the idea of ‘damaged society’ our goal is to produce highly respectable, critical works, whose seminal theses offer the more broad foundations for concrete, critical alternatives which affirm the notion of systemic change and the need for fundamental public policy shifts. In principle, we seek to further this mission by advancing a new wave of critical theory in to the 21st Century.

Our mission is three-fold:
1) To understand the fundamental human issues that prevent individual and collective harmony and well-being, and that impede social progress as well as the healthy development of Western civilization;
2) To identify catalysts for change on a fundamental level across the different spheres of society;
3) To engage with researchers, policy makers and most importantly the general public in effort to promote critical dialogue as well as active leadership and participation in the manifestation of social change

The Heathwood Institute & Press website is at: http://www.heathwoodpress.com/

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‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com 
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Saturday, October 6, 2012

I Love Transcontinental


I LOVE TRANSCONTINENTAL

I Transcontinental is a protest against corporate banality, mass-produced goods, human exploitation, and vulgarity.

We support originality, beauty, and harmony.

Our products are all individually mixed media hand-printed. No two are alike. We do not make more than three of any design (if that) because we want it to be yours, true, unique, and obscure. The clothes and accessories we craft are fair trade, organic cotton, using water based dyes and other such environmentally friendly materials.

This is a peaceful protest. We can only hope that beauty and art will tame the beast greed made our world into.

See I Transcontinental at: http://ihearttranscontinental.blogspot.co.uk/

This is a new, radical and dynamic development in art, design, music and protest Glenn Rikowski

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‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com 

Glenn Rikowski’s paper, Critical Pedagogy and the Constitution of Capitalist Society has been published at Heathwood Press as a Monthly Guest Article for September 2012, online at:

Heathwood Press: http://www.heathwoodpress.com 

Friday, October 5, 2012

D.H. Lawrence: A Journey



D.H. LAWRENCE: A JOURNEY

Blog item for ‘Serendipitous Moments’ by Ruth Rikowski


In this piece, Ruth Rikowski briefly describes her ‘D.H. Lawrence Summer Journey’. It was actually a journey that we both went on, as she read various f bits out to me, as she was reading this summer 2012.

D. H. Lawrence: an incredible writer; a writer that profoundly changed both of our lives.

Ruth’s initial intention was to find out more about the so-called Nietzschean effect in Lawrence’s work; how much of it was real and how much imagined and/or exaggerated?

Together we concluded that it was more a Nietzschean way of life that Lawrence embraced; the ‘going for life’ mentality. It was this, rather than adhering to any particular philosophical positions of Nietzsche’s, such as the ‘Will to Power’, which Lawrence actually disagreed with.

And it was Frieda Lawrence, his wife, who loved Nietzche and read lots of him, who really drove all this forward – she wanted to nurture a male genius and to live life more fully.

Lawrence himself preferred reading and writing literature.

G. H. Neville, Lawrence’s closest childhood friend said in his book ‘A Memoir of D. H. Lawrence: the Betrayal’ (Cambridge University Press, 1981):

“We bemoan, I bemoan, Lawrence as a lost leader of men. I believe that, could his undoubted gifts have been applied in other directions, he would have become the leader of a new world movement. I know that he could have become such a leader, but I sometimes feel that, even now, he has completed his real work, and that, ultimately, when a right conception of our Lawrence has spread throughout the world, that dreamed-of leadership will yet be his.” (Neville, 1981, p. 142)

Do read the piece, and let us aim to live life more fully – even in the limiting and limited form of life that is capitalist society.


**END**

‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com  
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
Glenn Rikowski on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/glenn.rikowski

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Critical Pedagogy and the Constitution of Capitalist Society



CRITICAL PEDAGOGY AND THE CONSTITUTION OF CAPITALIST SOCIETY

Critical Pedagogy and the Constitution of Capitalist Society was a paper I wrote originally for the ‘Migrating University: From Goldsmiths to Gatwick’, held at Goldsmiths College, University of London, on 14th September 2007. It has now been republished at Heathwood Press as the Monthly Guest Article for September 2012. Some of the links do not now work for the original paper, which was posted to The Flow of Ideas website in 2007. These have been rectified for the Heathwood Press version.

You can view the Heathwood Press republishing of Critical Pedagogy and the Constitution of Capitalist Society at: http://www.heathwoodpress.com/monthly-guest-article-august-critical-pedagogy-and-the-constitution-of-capitalist-society-by-glenn-rikowski/

Heathwood Press is the publishing arm of the Heathwood Institute – An Independent Institute for Critical Thought: a ‘radical academic collective of authors and researchers whose aim is to continuously and normatively break new grounds of intellectual and political thought’ (Heathwood website).

This is an exciting initiative: the sort of development that yields hope for the future.  

Heathwood Press can be viewed at: http://www.heathwoodpress.com

Glenn Rikowski, London 22nd September 2012


References as:

Rikowski, G. (2012) Critical Pedagogy and the Constitution of Capitalist Society, Monthly Guest Article or September 2012, Heathwood Press, online at: http://www.heathwoodpress.com/monthly-guest-article-august-critical-pedagogy-and-the-constitution-of-capitalist-society-by-glenn-rikowski/

Rikowski, G. (2007) Critical Pedagogy and the Constitution of Capitalist Society, A paper prepared for the ‘Migrating University: From Goldsmiths to Gatwick’ Conference, Panel 2, ‘The Challenge of Critical Pedagogy’, Goldsmiths College, University of London, 14th September 2007, online at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=articles&sub=Critical%20Pedagogy%20and%20Capitalism

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‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com   
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk






Friday, August 31, 2012

Life in the Higher Sausage Factory - The Paper


LIFE IN THE HIGHER SAUSAGE FACTORY – THE PAPER


LIFE IN THE HIGHER SAUSAGE FACTORY
Dr. Glenn Rikowski, School of Education, University of Northampton
Guest Lecture to the Teacher Education Research Group
22nd March 2012, The Cass School of Education and Communities, University of East London

At last, I have found the time to html code 'Life in the Higher Sausage Factory' and put it on The Flow of Ideas website.
I have added a short Preface to explain the provenance and development of the paper.

Here is the link to the paper: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=articles&sub=Life%20in%20the%20Higher%20Sausage%20Factory

Here is the full reference:

Rikowski, G. (2012) Life in the Higher Sausage Factory, Guest Lecture to the Teacher Education Research Group, The Cass School of Education and Communities, University of East London, 22nd March, online at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=articles&sub=Life%20in%20the%20Higher%20Sausage%20Factory

If you would like a Word version of this paper then send an email to Rikowskigr@aol.com and I will send it via email attachment.
Best wishes
Glenn Rikowski, London, 28th August 2012.

“Capitalist production is not merely the production of commodities, it is essentially the production of surplus-value. The labourer produces, not for himself, but for capital. It no longer suffices, therefore, that he should simply produce. He must produce surplus-value. That labourer alone is productive, who produces surplus-value for the capitalist, and thus works for the self-expansion of capital. If we may take an example from outside the sphere of production of material objects, a schoolmaster is a productive labourer, when, in addition to belabouring the heads of his scholars, he works like a horse to enrich the school proprietor. That the latter has laid out his capital in a teaching factory, instead of a sausage factory, does not alter the relation. Hence the notion of a productive labourer implies not merely a relation between work and useful effect, between labourer and product of labour, but also a specific, social relation of production, a relation that has sprung up historically and stamps the labourer as the direct means of creating surplus-value. To be a productive labourer is, therefore, not a piece of luck, but a misfortune” (Karl Marx, Capital, Volume I).

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‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Online Publications at: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=pub&sub=Online%20Publications%20Glenn%20Rikowski



Saturday, May 26, 2012

Promotional Film for '1839: The Chartist Insurrection' - by David Black and Chris Ford


PROMOTIONAL FILM FOR ‘1839: THE CHARTIST INSURRECTION’ – BY DAVID BLACK AND CHRIS FORD



This film was first shown at the book launch for 1839: The Chartist Insurrection, by David Black and Chris Ford, on 18th May 2012 at the Workers’ Educational Association, Clifton Street, London.
There is also a Foreword to the book, by John McDonnell MP.

I bought a copy of the book at the launch and finished reading it about an hour ago. It’s an accessible, well-researched and exciting book. It has a narrative style which the general reader, or those with little knowledge of Chartism, should find appealing. The many illustrations and the well-crafted covers (back and front) add to its aesthetic appeal. It is especially useful for history teachers (for GCSE and above) and A-level and undergraduate history, politics and sociology students. I will be using parts of it for my History of Childhood module and a new module I aim to develop on the History of Education. This is an important book, and deserves to be widely read --- Glenn Rikowski, London, 26th May 2012.


The promotional video, ‘1839: The Chartist Insurrection’ (which is also excellent for history teachers and students) can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JydjP23QAVc  

Music to the film was by David Black. It was produced by Go Canny Films.


1839: The Chartist Insurrection, David Black and Chris Ford, Unkant Publishing, ISBN: 978-0-9568176-6-2, Published: April 2012, 268pp

'This book assists us greatly in understanding the potential for future challenges to the system' --- John McDonnell MP
'In retrieving the suppressed history of the Chartist Insurrection, David Black and Chris Ford have produced a revolutionary handbook' --- Ben Watson


See Unkant Publishing: http://www.unkant.com/2012/04/dave-black-chris-ford-1839-chartist.html 


At Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/1839-Chartist-Insurrection-John-McDonnell/dp/095681767X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335198243&sr=8-1


At Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/1839-Chartist-Insurrection-David-Black/dp/095681767X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338028348&sr=1-1  

Waterstones: http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/david+black/chris+ford/john+mcdonnell/1839/9178370/


An earlier blog on this topic can be found at: http://rikowski.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/1839-the-chartist-insurrection/  


**END**


‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs  
‘Cheerful Sin’ – a song by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIbX5aKUjO8
‘The Lamb’ by William Blake – set to music by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw3VloKBvZc  




Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com  
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.myspace.com/coldhandsmusic  


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Ruth Rikowski on the Novels of Jane Austen and Douglas Kennedy


RUTH RIKOWSKI ON THE NOVELS OF DOUGLAS KENNEDY AND JANE AUSTEN



“Strange?

Putting Jane Austen (1775 - 1817) and Douglas Kennedy (1955 - ) together on one blog. Whatever is going on? How can this make any sense - putting an 18th century classical novelist alongside a contemporary best-selling novelist (even if he does aim to be serious as well as popular)?

That would be most peoples reaction, I feel sure.

So, what is all this about?

Well, this demonstrates something about my thought processes at the moment. My thought processes as I write my novel; which has turned out to be much more of an epic than I ever originally intended it to be! My levels of absorption deepen and widen. We continue.

Now, I have always rather literally believed this blurb that they put on fiction books:

"All of the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."

I somehow thought that many fiction writers simply thought up stories out of thin air, as it were. Not that I thought that all novelists operated that way; D. H. Lawrence, for example, clearly did not. No, I was not that naïve. But I certainly thought that quite a lot did. But now I am questioning that a bit.”


Continued at … http://ruthrikowskiim.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/strange-putting-jane-austen-1775-1817.html  


Posted here by Glenn Rikowski


All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com  


The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk


MySpace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/glennrikowski  


Saturday, April 28, 2012

Strike: 'Greenwich Libraries Staff to Strike over GLL Takeover'


STRIKE: ‘GREENWICH LIBRARIES STAFF TO STRIKE OVER GLL TAKEOVER’



"Unite union staff working at Greenwich Council's libraries are to strike for five days in protest at the council's decision to hand over the running of its libraries to GLL (Greenwich Leisure Ltd).

The switch to GLL management is due to take place from Monday 30 April but union representatives fear cuts to workers' pay and conditions, and are also angry about the lack of consultation over the move.

Strikes will take place on Friday 27th April, Saturday 28th April, Mondy 30th April, Tuesday 1st May, and Friday 11th May."

For some of the background to this, see Ruth Rikowski’s blog at:

http://ruthrikowskiim.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/diana-edmonds-head-of-libraries.html


As Ruth Rikowski notes:

“The predictions I outlined in my Globalistion book, 'Globalisation, Information and Libraries' (Chandos Publishing: Oxford, 2005) are coming to pass (though later than I originally figured) – libraries gradually being taken out of state control, firstly being run by trusts, charities and voluntary organisations, which paves the way for eventual and total privatisation.

How long will it take before the 'penny finally drops'? And how much will we have lost in the process and how much poorer will we be, before the 'penny finally drops'?”


For more information and comments about it all, see: http://853blog.com/2012/04/25/greenwich-libraries-takeover-gll-boss-speaks-out/#comments


Ruth Rikowski (2005) Globalisation, Information and Libraries: The Implications of the World Trade Organisation's GATS and TRIPS Agreements (Chandos Series for Information Professionals), Oxford: Chandos Publishing


At Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Globalisation-Information-Libraries-Organisations-Professionals/dp/1843340844/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335603744&sr=1-3  




**END**

‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs  


‘Stagnant’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkP_Mi5ideo  




Posted here by Glenn Rikowski


All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com  


The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk


Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.myspace.com/coldhandsmusic  


The Ockress: http://www.theockress.com/  


Friday, March 9, 2012

Life in the Higher Sausage Factory








LIFE IN THE HIGHER SAUSAGE FACTORY

Dr. Glenn Rikowski
School of Education
University of Northampton

Guest Lecture to the Teacher Education Research Group

Glenn Rikowski will talk about Capital in a Crisis of Higher Education, and Higher Education in a Crisis of Capital

22nd March 2012
5.00pm
The Cass School of Education and Communities
Room 2.02
University of East London
Water Lane
London E15 4LZ

“Capitalist production is not merely the production of commodities, it is essentially the production of surplus-value. The labourer produces, not for himself, but for capital. It no longer suffices, therefore, that he should simply produce. He must produce surplus-value. That labourer alone is productive, who produces surplus-value for the capitalist, and thus works for the self-expansion of capital. If we may take an example from outside the sphere of production of material objects, a schoolmaster is a productive labourer, when, in addition to belabouring the heads of his scholars, he works like a horse to enrich the school proprietor. That the latter has laid out his capital in a teaching factory, instead of a sausage factory, does not alter the relation. Hence the notion of a productive labourer implies not merely a relation between work and useful effect, between labourer and product of labour, but also a specific, social relation of production, a relation that has sprung up historically and stamps the labourer as the direct means of creating surplus-value. To be a productive labourer is, therefore, not a piece of luck, but a misfortune” (Karl Marx, Capital, Volume I).

**END**

‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs
‘Stagnant’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkP_Mi5ideo

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
MySpace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/glennrikowski

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Freud Exposure








THE FREUD EXPOSURE

Our youngest son, Gregory Rikowski, has recently been taking a very lively and critical interest in Psychology, Psychoanalysis and the work of Sigmund Freud and of the Freud family in general.


Leading on from this, he wrote an article about it all, entitled 'Freudian Crisis in the Modern Era', which is now on our 'The Flow of Ideas' website, see: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/print.php?page=402&slink=yes.

Continuing with this theme, Ruth and I have recently been to see the newly released film: 'A Dangerous Method', which focuses on Jung and Freud (although more on the former). The film is directed by David Cronenberg and stars Keira Knightley, as mentally tormented Sabina Spielrein, a Jewish Russian-born patient of Jung's; Michael Fassbender as Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, and Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud.

Official Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=664eq7BXQcM

More can be found on these issues at Serendipitous Moments, Ruth Rikowski’s blog, in a post with the title of ‘The Freud Exposure’: http://ruthrikowskiim.blogspot.com/2012/02/freud-exposure.html

Serendipitous Moments is at: http://ruthrikowskiim.blogspot.com

Glenn Rikowski

***END***

‘Human Herbs’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs


‘Stagnant’ – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkP_Mi5ideo
‘Cheerful Sin’ – a song by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIbX5aKUjO8
‘The Lamb’ by William Blake – set to music by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw3VloKBvZc

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com

Sunday, January 29, 2012

'Human Herbs' - by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon - A New Remix and Video






HUMAN HERBS’ – BY COLD HANDS & QUARTER MOON – A NEW REMIX & VIDEO

I believe in the afterlife
It starts tomorrow
When I go to work

The new remix was produced on 29th January 2011, in east London.

The new remix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs

Live, original version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h7tUq0HjIk

MySpace recording of ‘Human Herbs’: http://www.myspace.com/coldhandsmusic

'Cheerful Sin' – a song by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIbX5aKUjO8

‘The Lamb’ by William Blake – set to music by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw3VloKBvZc

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
The Ockress: http://www.theockress.com
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com

'Stagnant' by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon - A New Remix and Video






‘STAGNANT’ – BY COLD HANDS & QUARTER MOON – A NEW REMIX & VIDEO

“Psychology is a modern politician”

“Maximum levels of boredom
Disguised as maximum fun”

The new remix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkP_Mi5ideo

Live at the Belle View pub, Bangor, north Wales: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLjxeHvvhJQ

MySpace recording of ‘Stagnant’: http://www.myspace.com/coldhandsmusic

'Cheerful Sin' – a song by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIbX5aKUjO8

‘The Lamb’ by William Blake – set to music by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw3VloKBvZc

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
MySpace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/glennrikowski
The Ockress: http://www.theockress.com

All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com

Saturday, January 28, 2012

'Exile' - by Van Pace






‘EXILE’ – By VAN PACE

Exile is the second exiting short novel in the Theomachy series, which began with Heretic and the series continues with Enforcer.



Fourteen years ago, Brother Stefan made a terrible mistake. A single vengeful act, fuelled by grief and hatred and fear, in a lifetime of hard work and good intentions ... He has spent every waking moment since then serving the Beneficent Numina, and trying to make up for his error of judgement in the worst possible way – by eradicating himself and leaving an empty husk in place of his heart.
Stefan took shelter with the gods because they could forgive worse sinners than him. Seven centuries earlier, the Numina had forgiven the worst of the lot: Rory Kempe, first-and-only prophet to grace Xerxes – a planet forgotten by all others, and ruled over by a theocracy which had gladly turned its back on the Universe.
Then, through the machinations of Hathor – the Numina’s Primary Servant, and Xerxes’ ruling artificial intelligence – Stefan was sent off-world to retrieve Kempe’s own account of his conversion, known simply as the Book. Life beyond Xerxes proved to be more confusing and dangerous than he could have imagined.Now Brother Stefan returns to Rock Point Abbey with two responsibilities: Kempe’s journal, stolen from his homeworld centuries before, and a four-year-old orphan called Yuki. He delivers the Book to his superiors at Rock Point Abbey with relief, hoping to be allowed to take up his old life of walking and preaching.
But life has other plans for him.
Stefan used to be a clever and compassionate man. A strong man who would fight for his friends; would shelter the unfortunate and protect the innocent. He was a deep and passionate lover – he was loyal and caring and brave. And if it were not for that one terrible mistake, made so long ago, he could be all those things again ...
Stefan has spent fourteen years denying his past. When he gets the chance to change his future, it will take courage to make the right choice.
How does a man regain his honour, once he loses it?How does he reclaim the woman for whom his love has never wavered?How does he make amends for the death of a true friend?This time, Stefan is going to have to fight.


Thursday, January 26, 2012

'Heretic' - by Van Pace




‘HERETIC’ – By VAN PACE

Seven centuries after conquest of the human colony on Xerxes by the alien Numina, Brother Stefan’s religious order act as watchdogs against revolt. As he attends the deathbed of a heretic, the Numina give Stefan a warning to deliver to his superiors at Rock Point Abbey. The message is greeted with anger and distrust, and Stefan is forced to rely on an unlikely ally for protection: Hathor, the sole surviving artificial intelligence on Xerxes.


The price of Stefan’s safety is the retrieval of a stolen book, and the task will take him on a lengthy and dangerous journey to La Infanta – an off-world way-station on the verge of a bloody coup. Even away from Xerxes, other forces are in motion. The Numina may be stirring, but their ancient enemy the Berefhi are already advancing towards Xerxes. Between the two opposing alien sides, their agents and servants are poised, like pieces on a chessboard.


At the centre of all their actions, the stolen book exerts its hold over monks and rebels alike. This most holy of texts is flawed, and to read it is to invite the taint of heresy. By the end of their journey, neither Stefan nor any of his fellow passengers will remain unchanged. Some will survive and some will not, but all will be altered irrevocably.



Heretic is the first gripping short novel in the Theomachy series. The second is Exile.

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heretic-Theomachy-Series-ebook/dp/B006ZENW3C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327235126&sr=1-1

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Heretic-Theomachy-Series-ebook/dp/B006ZENW3C/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327623678&sr=1-3

**END**

'Cheerful Sin' – a song by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIbX5aKUjO8

‘The Lamb’ by William Blake – set to music by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw3VloKBvZc

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
All that is Solid for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/
The Ockress: http://www.theockress.com