Editorial
Dear reader,
The sixth issue of the transform! magazine presents a broad spectrum of texts relevant for the left discussion. The opening texts are On the Relationship Beetween Precariety and Staate Power by Judith Butler and History and the Critique ad capitalism by Moishe Postone. With the publication of both these texts we would like to contribute to the development of a general left culture of debate.
The thematic focus of the magazine is dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the World Social Forum, and the processes initiated by it. It lies in the very nature of the subject to approach it from very different perspectives (see also the Introduction to the thematic focus by Louis Weber).
In 2010, the work of the transform! network will be centred on two major projects. One of them deals with the multiple crisis of the global capitalist system. The first seminar in the context of this project took place in Vienna in the beginning of the year. The results are available on the transform!-website (www.transform-network.net). One of the central conclusions of the seminar – namely that the financial and economic crisis which broke out in 2008 has not yet been overcome but has entered a new stage – was only a little later confirmed by the flare-up of the debt crisis in a number of member states. In the meantime a broad public has become aware of the risks resulting from that crisis for the entire European structure in its current constitution. Haris Golemis and Elisabeth Gauthier sum up the results of the discussion for transform! That part of the magazine is supplemented by Hans-Jürgen Urban’s contribution on the need for a strategic re-orientation of the trade-unions’ European policy.
Our network’s second “major project” deals with the strategic perspectives of the left in Europe. In spring a first seminar took place in the context of this research line, the results of which have also been made accessible on our homepage. From the contributions proposed for discussion there, we are presenting Barbara Steiner’s survey on the “Electoral Performance of the European Left”, which is part of a comprehensive study soon to be published.
As usual, we are including reports on the next steps in the development of transform! The focus in this context is on two events: On the one hand, the foundation of the transform! Working Group Brussels, the goal of which is to provide space for the continuous discussion within the international community in Brussels. The Working Group made its first public appearance with two remarkably well attended events, one on the European Year of Poverty (see the article by Nicolás Muzi), the other on the debt crisis in Southern Europe. The second event is the transform! network’s first appearance at the Left Forum in New York, on which Eric Canepa has provided a report.
This issue’s cover printing as well as the illustrations inside the magazine were provided by Viennese painter Lisi Misera. The artist, born in Vienna in 1951, studied at the Academy of Applied Arts in Vienna and at the Académie des Beaux Arts in Paris. Among other places, she has lived and worked in New York, Paris and Africa. Exhibitions of her work took place in New York, Paris, Budapest, Milan and Vienna, just to mention a few cities.
The cover printing is from her “AFTER MILES SERIES”, inspired by the music of Miles Davis and was painted in Paris (Cité des Arts).
The graphic illustrations inside the magazine are from installations of the “AFTER MILES SERIES” (University of Applied Arts, Vienna and Lisi Misera Studio, Vienna in coorperation with a Jazz musicians).
As always we hope with this issue of our magazine to have provided interesting and inspiring reading. The editors and publishers are grateful for all criticisms and remarks.
Autores
