Housmans Blog

On Saturday 6th March, Housmans kicked off our ‘Focus on Feminism‘ series of events with Nina Power and Lindsey German discussing ‘Feminism Today’. Incredibly 100 people crammed in to Housmans to hear them speak, and the atmosphere was electric. Lindsey and Nina also took this opportunity to launch their manifesto for feminism in the 21st century, which we reproduce here:

1. Globalisation and neo liberalism have had a profound effect on the lives of millions of women. Capitalism itself has created new forms and manifestations of women’s oppression.

2. Women’s oppression is a product of class society which has existed for thousands of years. It was only with the development of capitalism that large numbers of women developed a consciousness of their position and the ability to do something about it.

3. Women have been drawn into the workforce in millions but working in factories, offices and shops has not led to an improvement in women’s lives far less to liberation. Women suffer exploitation at work as well as still shouldering the double burden of family and childcare as well as paid work.

4. Women’s traditional role as wives and mothers has not disappeared but has been reinvented to fit in with the needs of exploitation. They are now expected to juggle all aspects of their lives and are blamed as individuals for any failings in family or work life.

5. The talk of glass ceilings and unfairly low bonuses for women bankers miss the point about liberation, which is that liberation has to be for all working women and not just a tiny number of privileged women.

6.Although all women suffer oppression and face discrimination, their life experiences are radically different. Women are not united as a sex but are divided on the basis of class. Middle and upper class women share in the profits from the exploitative system in which we live and use this benefit to alleviate their own oppression. Working class women are usually the people who cook, clean and provide personal services for these women, receiving low wages and often neglecting their own families to do so.

7.Women are more than ever regarded as objects defined by their sexuality. The commercialisation of sexuality with its lad and ladette culture, its pole dancing clubs and its post-modern Miss World contests keeps women being judged as sex objects as if nothing has changed since the 1950s.

8. This objectification, alongside women’s role as supposedly the property of men, leads to domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse. This abuse is under recognised and under reported. It was only in the 1960s and 70s that these issues began to be viewed as political.

9. To control their own lives, women must control their own bodies and sexuality.

10. Capitalist ideology prioritises the family and the subordinate role of women and children within it, while at the same time forcing individual members of the family to sacrifice ‘family life’ because of the pressures of work and migration.

11. The priorities of the profit system and the existence of the privatised family means that women’s oppression is structured into capitalism. Any genuine liberation has to be connected to a wider movement for human emancipation and for working people to control the wealth that they produce. That’s why women and men have to fight for liberation. Socialism and women’s liberation are inextricably connected.

12. We will not win without a fight. Every great social movement raises the question of women. In the 19th century the movement for women’s emancipation took its name from the movement to abolish slavery. In the 20th century women’s liberation took its name from the movements against colonialism around the world. 21st century women’s liberation has to fight to change the world and to end the class society which created oppression and exploitation in the first place.

Nina Power’s book ‘One Dimensional Woman’ is available by clicking here.
Lindsey German’s book ‘Material Girls’ is available by clicking here.

During March, we’re really excited to be exhibiting, in the shop, work by three different artists.

Dennis Gould

Dennis Gould is a poet, artist, cyclist and founder of the Stroud Football Poets. Politically and artistically active for over forty years, his beautiful posters use handmade paper and traditional letter-setting to often subversive ends. Prints of his own poetry and of anti-war slogans feature prominently, as do a selection of charmingly surreal pieces, including “Dadaist Cyclist.”

Cynthia Cockburn

Cynthia Cockburn’s photographs of female anti-war protesters span a twenty-three year period across Europe and Asia, from Greenham Common to Filipina women marching against militarism. A professor of sociology at London’s City University, she has undertaken fieldwork with women activists in India, Sierra Leone, South America and Israel-Palestine, examining the relationships between constructs of masculinity, the perpetuation of conflict, and the challenges to both posed by women’s activism.

Prof. Cockburn will be in-store on 10^th April at 5pm, with co-author Dibyesh Anand, discussing gender matters in global politics.

Alex Brew

Alex Brew’s work, entitled ‘Asking for It’ uses photographic images of the male body to explore women’s vulnerability to men’s aggression. Whilst a volunteer at the National Domestic Violence Helpline, she became interested in the dynamics of violence and power, and now runs workshops for Rape Crisis and in schools and universities.  She approached strangers and acquaintances to pose for her, alone, and in situations which for many women would carry the implicit fear of sexual violence. Brew’s work is by no means, however, a simple polemic against an intimidating Everyman – the images she has collected portray male vulnerability and the agency of the female photographer as often as they do potential aggression. Ultimately, the artist concludes that “a definite stand on the power relations between men and women never comes.”

Each month we ask one of our guest speakers to recommend 5 books; this month’s choices have been selected by peace activist Maya Evans. Maya will be at Housmans along side Tamsin Omond to discuss ‘Women and Activism’ on Wednesday 24th March – 7pm to 8.30pm. This talk is part of our ‘Focus on Feminism’ series – for more information on these event please visit http://www.housmans.com/events.php

Maya Evans picks 5

Food for Free (Collins, 2007; ISBN 978-0007247684; 272pp; £12.99)
by Richard Mabey
Handy for anyone stranded on a desert island or wanting to find gourmet treats from off the land, with the giant puff ball considered one of the ‘tastiest and most rewarding’ of foods, money is not essential to eat like a Queen.

Modern Japan (second edition) (Houghton Mifflin, 1997; ISBN 978-0395746042; 400pp; £31.99)
by Peter Duus
A readable history on one of the world’s leading economic powers from the 1800’s to the present day, especially interesting is the cultural history and a pro Japanese stance on its role during the second world war. An fascinating case of a nation which colonises, is colonised and devistated yet comes out on top.

A Dangerous Woman: A Graphic Biography of Emma Goldman (New Press, 2007; ISBN 978-1595580641; 128pp; £12.99)
by Sharon Rudahl
A cartoon biography of a female activist who made a huge impact. A story which has inspired me greatly and given me the belief that much is possible within one life time.

The Paper Bag Princess (Annick Press Ltd, 2009; ISBN 978-1554512119; 28pp; £5.95)
by Robert N. Munsch and Michael Martchenko
A short story of a kick arse princess who proves her worth by outsmarting a dragon and not letting conformity get in the way of being cool.

The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis (Souvenir Press Ltd, 1999; ISBN 978-0285635180; £9.99)
by Elaine Morgan

A collection of thought provoking evidence to show that human beings went through an aquatic phase in the course of history. A good introduction to the theory of evolution. Interesting and memorable.

Northampton’s finest, Alan Moore, is best known for graphic novels such as Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell and the transcendently beautiful Lost Girls. Dodgem Logic is his latest project, an eclectic collection of words and images in a magazine format that picks up where International Times left off.

Dodgem Logic  draws upon an overlooked and energetic pool of local Northampton talent, as well as numerous friends and co-conspirators from comic books, the arts and other entertainments, setting out to provide a splash of subterranean exotica in a bleached-out cultural and social landscape.

It’s won us over here at Housmans, and we still have a few copies of the first issue – at this time issue two is the latest. It could well be a future classic, so get them while you can. The website is a lot of fun too: dodgemlogic.com

Talking of International Times, we hear that someone has lovingly created an online archive of past issues – a chance to relive the heady days of ‘68+ underground publishing. Check it out here:   international-times.org.uk/

The archive is a work in progress, but there’s already plenty enough up to make a visit worthwhile.

MAW Peace History Conference
Dates: 16th Apr 2010 to 17th Apr 2010
Times: 9:30 am (16/4/10) to 5:15 pm (17/4/10)

This is the fourth peace history conference organised by The Movement for the Abolition of War. MAW holds the firm belief that there is much to learn from the history of past peace work and that we can be inspired by it. Yet, unlike the history of war, it gets too easily forgotten. These events are for everyone, academic or not. Those of you who have taken part in previous conferences will know their value and just how many interesting issues come up in the discussion as much as in the main talks. For details and booking form see the flyer below.

Location: Imperial War Museum, London.

Download the flyer here.

Yet more sad news in the passing of one of Britain’s most inspiring Anarchists, Colin Ward (August 14, 1924 – February 11, 2010). Colin’s brand of anarchism was very much in the do-it-yourself approach, no more so than in the work he did around housing for which he is perhaps best known. Colin’s arguments for anarchism are steeped in pragmatism and common sense – an anarchy of everyday life, if you will – and his presentation of them was reasonable and rational, and highly appealing as a result.

Here’s this from Ross Bradshaw who published many of Colin’s books:

“The anarchist writer Colin Ward, who died on the night of 11th February, was indirectly responsible for the existence of Five Leaves. We’d met years before, and like several people I later met, I’d been vaguely collecting Colin’s Anarchy (first series), still the best anarchist magazine produced in this country. A small group of us in Nottingham, publishing as Old Hammond Press, brought out a couple of pamphlets by Colin, one on housing, one on William Morris’s ideas of work. But in 1994 I got so fed up waiting for Faber to bring out the paperback of The Allotment: its landscape and culture that I offered to buy the rights. Colin said that as long as his co-writer, David Crouch, was in agreement he’d be pleased if Faber were to hand them over, and if it helped, the co-authors would do without royalties as they were simply pleased to have the book available in paperback.

Well, thousands of copies later Colin never regretted his generosity, and as well being the first book published by Five Leaves (though initially, for the sake of any bibliographers reading, Mushroom Bookshop), for years The Allotment kept the press afloat. We went on to publish Colin’s Arcadia for All (co-written with Dennis Hardy), Talking Anarchy (with David Goodway) and Cotters and Squatters. Colin also wrote the introduction to our edition of The London Years by Rudolf Rocker, who of course he knew. Rocker in turn knew Peter Kropotkin, whose Mutual Aid had such an influence on Colin as a political thinker. I’d hoped that we’d manage to fit in an edition of Colin’s Goodnight Campers! (on the social history of the holiday camp) while he was still with us, and his wonderful book on Chartres that was only ever published for Folio Society members. They will appear.

Five Leaves was not his only publisher by any means. Freedom Press brought out – and kept in print – his classic Anarchy in Action and other books on housing, social policy and – in advance of his time – a book on ecological transport. Housing, environment, transport, architecture, unofficial uses of the landscape, the education of children – Colin’s subjects were always full of positive examples of the way some people live now, and the way we could all live later. He had no time for what he called tittle-tattle. Colin developed a kind of Wardite politics and a close and loyal following ranging from George Mombiot to young libertarians who saw that there was more to life than permanent protest.”

Colin Ward was an inspiration to many, and his life’s work will live on in his books. We shall remember fondly Colin’s visit to Housmans for a relaunch of ‘Anarchy in Action’ in 2008. Our sympathies go out to Harriet, and everyone who knew him.

For those unfamiliar with Colin Ward’s work, Housmans has an extensive selection of his titles in the shop, but if you would like to buy online, some can be found here:
http://www.shop.housmans.com/Results.aspx?Search=colin+ward&Format=Books
and Anarchy in Action can be picked up here:
http://www.housmans.com/books.php

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, 27, joined the Army in 2004 and was sent to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2006. Whereas the army and politicians claimed that British troops were there to help, he was shocked to find that the Afghan people were against them. Ashamed and disillusioned, he went AWOL in 2007.  He handed himself in two years later, and was charged with desertion.

Then in October 2009 Joe, who already faces charges of desertion for refusing to return to Afghanistan, was arrested and charged with five counts of “disobeying a lawful order” for speaking at an anti-war demonstration in London, and for expressing his opposition to the war in Afghanistan to the media. The new charges carry a maximum penalty of ten years – in addition to the punishment for desertion.

Penalties for desertion and absence without leave and for other military related crimes are regulated in the Armed Forces Act 2008. According to section 8, desertion can be punished with life imprisonment if the aim was to avoid a period of active service, otherwise with no more than two years imprisonment. Being absent without leave can also be punished with imprisonment of up to two years (section 9).

On 30 July, Joe Glenton delivered a letter to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In this letter, he wrote:
“(…) I believe that when British military personnel submit themselves to the service of the nation and put their bodies into harm’s way, the government that sends them into battle is obliged to ensure that the cause is just and right, i.e. for the protection of life and liberty. The war in Afghanistan is not reducing the terrorist risk, far from improving Afghan lives it is bringing death and devastation to their country. Britain has no business there. I do not believe that our cause in Afghanistan is just or right. I implore you, Sir, to bring our soldiers home.”

War Resisters’ International believes that the new charges are a violation of the right to freedom of speech. In a report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee from September 2009, WRI pointed out that “Members of the Armed Forces “are not to take any active part in the affairs of any political organisation, party or movement. They are not to participate in political marches or demonstrations”. This is a serious infringement of the right to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly, as enshrined in Article 21 and 22 ICCPR”. Members of the Armed Forces are also not permitted to speak in public or to the media without prior permission, which is a violation of their right to freedom of expression (Article 19 ICCPR).

Britain is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and of the European Convention on Human Rights. The new charges against Joe Glenton are in violation of both human rights conventions.

War Resisters’ International calls for letters of support to Joe Glenton:
Lance Corporal Joe Glenton
Military Corrective Training Centre
Berechurch Hall Camp
Colchester
Essex CO2 9NU
Britain

War Resisters’ International calls for letters of protest to the British authorities, and British embassies abroad. A protest email to Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth can be sent at http://wri-irg.org/node/9250.

On Wednesday 3rd February we got the sad news that John Rety had died. John was well loved at Housmans, having instigated many of his ‘Poets for Peace’ readings in the shop, as well as supplying us with many of his poetry collections which he helped publish under the Hearing Eye imprint. John’s daughter is also co-editor of Peace News, itself published a couple of floors above the shop. John was also well known in anarchist circles as the one-time editor at the anarchist paper ‘Freedom’.

In his memory we reprint this loving tribute from Ian Bone:

“John Rety was the first anarchist I ever met and therefore directly responsible for everything! I loved John – he had that same twinkle in his eye and that same proper East European anarchist accent at last years anarchist bookfair as he did when I first met him on an Aldermaston march 46 years ago.He edited Freedom, he was THE TORRIANNO POET, he played chess, he laughed and when I interviewed him on Resonance FM last year he expressed himself so beautifully by shrugs and eyebrows and body language that I had to remind him he was on the radio! For me he was the best editor of Freedom and his passing leaves hardly anyone – apart from the similarly indefatigable Donald Rooum – left of that generation of anarchists who were the backbone of Freedom in the 50s and 60s like Philip Sansom, Alan Albon, Arthur Moyse and all.

When I first met him he was racing around Trafalgar square with a very jaunty silk red and black neckerchief around his neck and John always had style – and my partner Jane shouts out ‘ He was courteous which is a rare complement to an anarchist. During the Resonance interview I asked him when he first became an anarchist? ‘During the war in Budapest’ he said after many minutes of expressive thought ‘I think I was part of the resistance( aged 9!).

I pressed him further ‘ Didn’t you know if you were part of the resistance?’ ‘Well’ he said ‘ I was running around delivering packages to people hiding in ruined buildings so i think i must have been’. Our movement has suffered a sad loss – a very fine, honest,funny, steadfast human being has died. JOHN RETY.”

John shall be sorely missed by us all.

We have had inquiries about news of his funeral. At this time no date has been set, but please check back here, or look on the Torriano Poets website.

Ian Bone’s interview with John can be watched here:

Despite BAE (the world’s second largest arms manufacturer) hit with huge payouts over corruption charges by US prosecutors, it looks as if BAE remain beyond the law on their home turf. This from our friends at Campaign Against Arms Trade:

“CAAT is outraged that the Serious Fraud Office has once again let BAE off the hook on corruption. Today, the SFO announced it had reached a settlement with BAE Systems in relation to its long running investigations into corruption in BAE’s deals.

Please take 1 minute to add your name to our statement condemning this decision at www.caat.org.uk/offthehook

Despite admitting guilt, BAE face no meaningful sanctions. The decision means that there will be no opportunity to discover the truth behind BAE’s activities in South Africa, Romania and the Czech Republic.

We’ll be considering what other action we can take over the coming days, but in the meantime please help us build a mass statement of condemnation at
www.caat.org.uk/offthehook

Please pass it on! You can read more here: http://www.caat.org.uk/issues/bae/

Thanks so much for your support.”

Each month we’ll be asking one of our guest speakers to choose five books that have been influential to their thinking. This month we have ‘Dissident economist’ Harry Shutt, who will be coming in on Saturday 13th February to talk about his new book ‘Beyond the Profits System: Possibilities for the Post-Capitalist Era’, as well as reflecting on his 1998 work ‘The Trouble With Capitalism’ which predicted the recent crash. For more info on the event please visit http://www.housmans.com/events.php.

Harry points out that its hard to say these are a ‘top 5′ and certainly not in order of merit. For more info on each book just click on the title.

Harry Shutt picks 5

George Orwell, 1984

Marx / Engels, Communist Manifesto

Andre Gorz, Critique of Economic Reason

Gore Vidal, The Last Empire, Essays 1992-2000

David Cromwell and David Edwards, Newspeak in the 21st Century