Student resistance to the EU ‘Bologna process’ of reforms in higher education has been taking shape in different European countries. These reforms explicitly consider university degrees should be relevant to the labour market. Italian students are taking the lead in the current phase of the fightback.
Faced with widespread revolt, government declares state of emergency
11 November 2005, byThe nightly riots in the poor neighbourhoods around France’s towns and cities have now been going on for two weeks. On November 7th, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced the government’s response. It was to resuscitate a 1955 law authorizing the proclamation of a state of emergency.
No to the state of emergency - Defy the curfew
10 November 2005To answer the wave of unrest the French government is giving itself sweeping repressive powers. We are reproducing three documents written in response; a national leaflet of the LCR (French section of the Fourth International); a joint statement by left and democratic organisations; and a press statement by LCR spokesperson Olivier Besancenot.
Racial and Religious Hatred Bill - a serious threat to free speech
9 November 2005, byBritain’s Blairite Labour government is proposing to introduce what they call the Incitement to Religious and Racial Hatred Bill, allegedly to protect Muslims against Islamophobia. A majority on the Respect National Council appear to find no problem with it. Alan Thornett argues that this is a big mistake.
“Welcome” ... Trotsky
2 November 2005, byCelia Hart, writer and member of the Cuban Communist Party, describes herself as a “freelance Trotskyist”. The article that we publish here, written on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the assassination of Trotsky by the Stalinist agent Ramon Mercader, was first published on the web site Rebelion.
Solidarity after the earthquake
1 November 2005, byOn October 8, 2005 Pakistani-controlled Kashmir suffered its worst earthquake in more than a century. Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF), is supporting the Labour Education Foundation which is establishing aid camps in the regions affected.
IV372 - November 2005 PDF
1 November 2005Download a pdf version of this month’s edition from here.
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