Revolution Books

Prostitution..pornography..stripping..Across the world, the sex industry is booming. With war, economic crisis and natural disasters, more women (and men) turn to or are forced into sex work. At one end, the global sex industry is a source of immense profit for international corporations—both “legitimate” and otherwise. At the other end, many of the women involved in sex work are among the most desperate and exploited sections of the population. An acute question is posed: Could sex work be de-criminalized, transformed and a means through which women are actually empowered or does sex work only serve to further subjugate and exploit women? We propose a panel discussion/debate between advocates of the efforts to legalize and unionize sex work and those who are fighting to put an end to the commodification of women’s bodies and of sexuality itself. What conditions compel women (and men) into sex work? Is it possible to put an end to the sex industry without further demonizing and endangering women engaged in this work? What lessons can be drawn from the movements to abolish the sex trade as well as from those to unionize sex workers? What would a world where women and sexuality are truly liberated look – and feel – like? These, and other topics, will be explored by individuals with divergent points of view but a shared desire to strengthen the full empowerment and liberation of women.

One of the key prescriptions promoted by the International Monetary Fund, scholars like Jeffrey Sachs, and public figures like Bill Gates and Bono for ending global poverty is: microlending. This panel will challenge this idea and contribute to a much-needed dialogue and debate. Is there any actual evidence that microloans lift people out of poverty in Third World countries? Do micro-loans empower women, or chain them to financial dependency? And in what ways has micro-lending actually reinforced patriarchy—for instance in the market for dowries. How does a poor corn farmer in Mexico using ‘micro-credit’ compete with giant U.S. agro-firms with their ‘mega-credit”? Micro-lending has been used as a pretext to cut government social expenditures. The experience of micro-lending poses the question of whether capitalist market mechanisms can be used to serve social need—or whether a whole other organization of society and economy is needed. Among the panelists will be someone offering a radical, communist critique of micro-lending. We also aim to bring a viewpoint in support of micro-lending into the panel presentations and discussion.

One of the key prescriptions promoted by the International Monetary Fund, scholars like Jeffrey Sachs, and public figures like Bill Gates and Bono for ending global poverty is: microlending. This panel will challenge this idea and contribute to a much-needed dialogue and debate. Is there any actual evidence that microloans lift people out of poverty in Third World countries? Do micro-loans empower women, or chain them to financial dependency? And in what ways has micro-lending actually reinforced patriarchy—for instance in the market for dowries. How does a poor corn farmer in Mexico using ‘micro-credit’ compete with giant U.S. agro-firms with their ‘mega-credit”? Micro-lending has been used as a pretext to cut government social expenditures. The experience of micro-lending poses the question of whether capitalist market mechanisms can be used to serve social need—or whether a whole other organization of society and economy is needed. Among the panelists will be someone offering a radical, communist critique of micro-lending. We also aim to bring a viewpoint in support of micro-lending into the panel presentations and discussion.

Prostitution..pornography..stripping..Across the world, the sex industry is booming. With war, economic crisis and natural disasters, more women (and men) turn to or are forced into sex work. At one end, the global sex industry is a source of immense profit for international corporations—both “legitimate” and otherwise. At the other end, many of the women involved in sex work are among the most desperate and exploited sections of the population. An acute question is posed: Could sex work be de-criminalized, transformed and a means through which women are actually empowered or does sex work only serve to further subjugate and exploit women? We propose a panel discussion/debate between advocates of the efforts to legalize and unionize sex work and those who are fighting to put an end to the commodification of women’s bodies and of sexuality itself. What conditions compel women (and men) into sex work? Is it possible to put an end to the sex industry without further demonizing and endangering women engaged in this work? What lessons can be drawn from the movements to abolish the sex trade as well as from those to unionize sex workers? What would a world where women and sexuality are truly liberated look – and feel – like? These, and other topics, will be explored by individuals with divergent points of view but a shared desire to strengthen the full empowerment and liberation of women.