Friday 11 September 2009

Reflecting the growth

The 7th edition of the Student Socialist is a huge improvement in previous issues in many ways and really does reflect the huge growth and success of Socialist Students. The first issue to be in full colour it is both attractive in design and content.

The opening article 'Unlocking the Potential?' by Stephen Burrell of Aston University is a fantastic article which delves into what education is used for currently under capitalism and what education should be. It also poses the philisophical question of what a socialist education would look like and what its purpose would be. A fantastic place to start the magazine and make someone knew to socialism really think about what the alternative to capitalism would be. It really does set the reader up for the rest of the magazine.


Matt Dobson, National Organiser follows that up with 'Fight The Recession!' in which Matt outlines what the recession will really mean for young people and students in particular, what cuts in educational standards we will face and the battles against these cuts that we expect to face.


The next article is by Sean Figg, National Organiser of YFJ entitled 'What Is Socialism?' is an unfortunate neccesity in many ways. Unfortunate that we are in a position where we have to explain to young people what socialis is, but of course very neccessary for that reason. Sean provides an excellent article in that respect outlining the problems with capitalism and the socialist solution. Sean neither over simplifies in a patronising way nor over-complicates it to the point that someone new to socialist ideas would not be able to follow it.


Up next is a collection of small articles entitled 'Fighting Back!' with an introduction by Ben Robinson (YFJ Chair) and a selection of reports from various Socialist Student groups. This article highlights the camapagining work that Socialist Students in continually involved in on campus' all around the country.


Paul Phillips from Northumbria comes next with the article 'Discredited Parliamentary Shambles' in which Paul highlights the corruption of all the major parties, pointing our that they have no intention of helping out the working class or students. Paul Highlights the need for a Socialist alternative, a well worth read.


'Say No To Racism' is the next offering from Paddy Meehan, a young member of the Socialist Party in Northern Ireland. He highlights the rise of the BNP and the need for a class response to that. He also discusses the recent attacks on Romanian families in Northern Ireland and the role the Socialist Party played in defending them. Once again a quality offering.


A joint effort next from Kay Shipway (UCL) and Sarah Wrack (Sussex) 'For Womens Rights' They outline the problems facing young women currently, such as low pay, poor child care facilities in education, objectification & how a women's right to choose is not simply an issue for women but is quite clearly a class issue, this is highlighted by the accompanying picture which quite clearly shows many male activists also at an abortion rights demonstration.


Sarah Wrack comes back with another offering 'Stop The Slaughter' in which Sarsh discusses the Israeli assualt on Gaza earlier this year and analyises the new wae of student activism that followed from this, A must read article for an attempt to understand future campaigns.


the final article 'Afganistan War' by Jon Redford of Hertfordshire analysises the current devasting role of imperialism in not only in Afganistan but also in Northern Pakistan. Jon goes on to argue for a socialist solution to the problem.


Other important features to the magazine include:
A full page advert for the November 28th YFJ demonstration, A demonstration that Socialist Students will be helping to build for.
A full page advert for Socialism 2009, an excellent weekend of discussion ad debate at which Socialist Students will undoubtly be hosting sessions at again this year
A subsribtion advert for both 'the socialist' and 'socialism today' both excellent periodicals which often carry articles by Socialist Students members.


Overall this edition of the magazine is fantastic, the use of pictures really adds alot, it shows quite clearly that socialist students discusses ideas but is also very activist orientated.
Previous editions of the Student Socialist have always been good, but the edition is definately a pace setter both in terms of content and layout I would urge everyone to get a copy of the Student Socialist Issue 7

5 comments:

  1. The early editions were certainly a bit raw, both politically and visually. Is the YFJ demo on November 28th not going to clash with the RTWC? which I believe is also that day.

    One thing I would suggest for the Journal, and this is something which I have suggested to Workers Power and their Revolution magazine, is for a section titles 'debate', in which Socialist Students and another youth organization on left have a debate on a specific issue. Be good to thrash out ideas and also assist in raising political knowledge of the various approaches.

    As an alternative, you could adopt the Communist Students approach of shouting 'Marxism' at people at any and all opportunity,lol

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  2. have no knowledge about the RTWC so i would have to get back to you on that,

    As for a debate section I am not too sure about that simply because of space and the frequency of the magazine.
    However it must be noted that various Socialist Students groups hae reported debates they may be involved with on campus amongst various grousp, I think that is the correct approach because it truly represents the forces of different groups on different campus'.

    As for you points about Counist students,thats exactly what I will not be doing. I find it highly amusing that the first eeting they have in Machester this year will be 'Fighting for marxism on campus' because I have already mentioned that we unfortunatrly will hae to explain to many freshers what socialism is.

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  3. The actual content of their Marxism though! a minimum program, emphasizing democratic demands, then a maximum program for some unspecified time. Menshevism should be explained.

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  4. I thought the latest issue of the Student Socialist magazine is excellent, the full colour looks fantastics, and the layout has once more improved, I particularly liked what they had done with the report backs from various societies by taking extracts from them all.

    The previous two issues have featured debates on climate change and fees.

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  5. I must admit to having missed the previous two issues. I was not the best sales person for the magazine in Sheffield Socialist Students.

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