The Society for Socialist Studies 2023 Annual Conference May 27-30, 2023 York University, Toronto, Canada “Re-Imagining the Left” Please complete this form to submit a paper proposal before February 28, 2023. Any questions can be directed to 2023sssconference@gmail.com. Following a successful call for sessions, the Society for Socialist Studies is pleased to circulate this open […]
By Miglena S. Todorova Abstract This commentary addresses the marginal presence of authors, subjects, and issues focused on former socialist countries in Eastern and Central Europe, the Balkans and the former Soviet Union in “socialist studies” produced in Western English-language based academic journals, as well as the so-called “global political Left” these publications support. The […]
By Meg Holden Introduction Frank Cunningham’s new collection of essays, Ideas in Context, offers insights and anecdotes from a life of Canadian ideas that is lively and compelling, despite the author’s winningly sincere but unjustified emphasis on the modesty of his contributions. While Frank himself does not claim to be a pragmatist in his political […]
By Teppo Eskelinen and Keijo Lakkala Introduction The article discusses the recent treatment of Finland by the US Left, criticises this from a Finnish point of view, and engages in a discussion on treating existing countries in utopian terms and the need to analyse countries as evolving through power struggle rather than “models”.
By Himani Bannerji Introduction “When I agreed to write on Dorothy (Smith) I didn’t expect it to be a difficult task. She has been with me through much of my adult life, it would be a simple matter I thought, of sitting down with the intent of writing an account. It would begin at the […]
By William K. Carroll, with contributions from Debbie Dergousoff Daniel Grace Liza McCoy Eric Mykhalovskiy Gary Kinsman George J. Sefa Dei Abigail B. Bakan “The notion of making change from below offers openings to voices, needs, and interests that are not represented in contemporary regimes of power. It accords with new political realities, particularly when […]
By Luis LM Aguiar, Tina Il Marten and Yanick Noiseux Abstract Do Canadian federal prison-workers have a right to unionize? This key question is investigated in a case study approach to an attempt, by prison-workers, to organize a union in a Canadian federal penitentiary in British Columbia. The authors analyze prisoner-workers penal labour citizenship position […]
As a tribute to the robust scholarship undertaken by its members and to recognize their publication achievements, the Society for Socialist Studies awards an annual book prize for a significant contribution to socialist research in Canada. The award is named after the founder of Fernwood Books, Errol Sharpe, a leader in left scholarship since 1991. […]
By Ken Collier Abstract Class relations specific to finance capital arise among people in their struggles of life, defined within the broad bounds of the economies they help to form. Eras of economic and social transition from foraging to farming and fishing, through industry and now finance capital define classes, their relations, redefinition and renewal.
By Ali El Hajj-Hassan and Peter Ferguson Abstract In 1970 Giovanni Sartori articulated what he saw as the greatest challenge to political science in an increasingly globalized world: decontextualized traveling of concepts. As a solution he proposed the use of a “conceptual ladder” to help inform the decisions scholars make regarding the concepts they wish […]