IV International Conference on "The Work of Karl Marx and the Challenges of the 21st Century" Havana, Cuba, 5-8 May 2008

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IV International Conference on "The Work of Karl Marx and the
Challenges of the 21st Century"
Havana, Cuba, 5-8 May 2008

Venue: Palacio de Convenciones

This conference celebrates the 50th anniversary of the triumph of the
Cuban Revolution which occurred on January 1, 1959.

These are times of special importance for the destiny of humanity,
given the increase in imperialist aggression and its confrontation
with the resistance of peoples from all corners of the globe, who are
engaged in important struggles that involve transformative socialist
praxis. The Institute of Philosophy, through its "Permanent Workshop
for the Work of Karl Marx and the Challenges of the 21st Century,"
extends an invitation to its fourth Conference. Its purpose is to
provide a space for debates on the elaboration of proposals among
social and political activists, scientists, and all those interested
in the construction of the new world which is both necessary and possible.

With the passage of 125 years since the death of Karl Marx, the
strength of his work and its permanent capability to be enriched is
demonstrated by the actions of all those who struggle for the
emancipatory ideals announced 160 years ago in The Manifesto of the
Communist Party.

How can we contribute today to "the emancipation of the modern
proletariat," to forge "the consciousness of its own situation and
needs, and the consciousness of the conditions required for its own
emancipation?" This is a challenge which today is more urgent than
ever, given the continual and accelerated destruction of all our
spaces of mutual coexistence, a process which is driven by the
internal logic of capital.

The IV International Conference on "The Work of Karl Marx and the
Challenges of the 21st Century" will hold sessions, grouping the
debates around three axes of analysis and elaboration of proposals:

I. The nature of capitalism, imperialism, and their contemporary
contradictions.

II. The articulation of revolutionary subjects, the construction of a
new militant internationalism, social movements, classes, and
contemporary forms of class struggle in order to face and transcend
the "system of multiple domination" of capital.

III. The socialist alternative: the need to go beyond the reforms of
capitalism, the analysis of socialist experiences up to our times and
practical proposals to construct the communist society which allows
and requires the full development of human capacities in the current
conditions of the revolutionary process.

The participants in the Conference who are interested may also attend
the activities that have been scheduled for the first of May,
International Workers Day, and other events with Cuban and visiting
trade unionists on the 2nd of May. These events are sponsored by the
Confederation of Cuban Workers. There will also be Interactive
Sessions on "Cuba in the 21st Century: Socialism, Politics and
Economy" with the participation of distinguished Cuban specialists
that will be held before the Conference. To attend these additional
activities, please contact the Organizing Committee prior to March 31st.

CONFERENCE Registration fees:
150 CUC for presenters and attendees;
student fee: 50 CUC.

Cubans will pay their fees in Cuban pesos. All travel and
accommodation arrangements, travel to and from the conference site,
etc. are being handled by the conference official tour operator
Alejandro Vasallo (Cubatur; e -mail: eventos2@cbtevent.cbt.tur.cu)

All requests for participation should be submitted via e-mail to the
Organizing Committee as indicated below. Those interested in
presenting papers should submit their abstracts prior to the 20th of
March 2008. The maximum length of all papers should be 10 pages
double spaced (8 x 10 format) with 12 point font (maximum characters
20,000 including spaces). Abstracts should be one page and not
exceed 2,000 characters and should be submitted either on a disk or
via e-mail with Microsoft Word for Windows 95 or later versions. All
papers that are submitted will be published in advance on the web
pages of the conference (Cuba Siglo XXI and the Portal of Cuban
Philosophy), with the exception of those who ask that their work not
be published. Languages for the conference are Spanish, English, and
Portuguese.

Each presenter will have a maximum of 15 minutes for their
presentation in order to provide the maximum time for discussions and
debates. All those whose papers have been selected for presentation
in the panels will be advised by the 31st of March. Those whose
papers are not selected for presentation will have the option of
presenting their written work in Poster (120 x 80 cm) presentations,
coordinated in advance with the conference organizers

All information on the conference will be periodically updated on the
Cuba Century XXI website (www.nodo50org/cubasigloXXI) as well as the
portal of Cuban Philosophy (www.filosofia.cu).

We will continue working for the strengthening of our unity and
revolutionary action, which today is not only possible but imperative
for the continued existence of the human species.

Organizing Committee, Havana, Cuba. (www.nodo50.org/cubasigloXXI/)

Please submit abstracts and papers as well as any general information
requests to:
Jes?s Pastor Garcia Brigos, jpastor@infomed.sld.cu;
Roberto Lima, lima@filosofia.cu;
Nchamah Miller, iac@cubaconfmarx21.com.