Conference on the Work of Karl Marx and the Challenges of the 21st Century, Havana May 5-8, 2008

International Conference on the Work of Karl Marx and the Challenges of the 21st Century
Havana, Cuba, May 5th to 8th. Venue: Palacio de Convenciones

This conference celebrates the 50th anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution
which occurred on January 1, 1959.

These are times of special importance for the destiny of humanity, given the increase
in imperialist aggression and its confrontation with the resistance of peoples from
all corners of the globe, who are engaged in important struggles that involve transformative
socialist praxis. The Institute of Philosophy, through its "Permanent Workshop
for the Work of Karl Marx and the Challenges of the 21st Century" extends an
invitation to its fourth Conference. Its purpose is to provide a space for debates
the elaboration of proposals among social and political activists, scientists
and all those interested in the construction of the new world which is both necessary
and possible.

With the passage of 125 years since the death of Karl Marx, the strength of his
work and its permanent capability to be enriched is demonstrated by the actions
of all those who struggle for the emancipatory ideals announced 160 years ago in
The Manifesto of the Communist Party.

How can we contribute today to "the emancipation of the modern proletariat,"
to forge "the consciousness of its own situation and needs, and the consciousness
of the conditions required for its own emancipation?" This is a challenge
which today is more urgent than ever, given the continual and accelerated destruction
of all our spaces of mutual coexistence, a process which is driven by the internal
logic of capital.

The IV International Conference on "The Work of Karl Marx and the Challenges
of the 21st Century" will hold sessions, grouping the debates around three
axes of analysis and elaboration of proposals:

I. The nature of capitalism, imperialism, and their contemporary contradictions.

II. The articulation of revolutionary subjects, the construction of a new militant
internationalism, social movements, classes and contemporary forms of class struggle
in order to face and transcend the "system of multiple domination" of
capital.

III. The socialist alternative: the need to go beyond the reforms of capitalism,
the analysis of socialist experiences up to our times and practical proposals to
construct the communist society which allows and requires the full development of
human capacities in the current conditions of the revolutionary process.

The participants in the Conference who are interested may also attend the activities
that have been scheduled for the first of May, International Workers Day, and other
events with Cuban and visiting trade unionists on the 2nd of May. These events are
sponsored by the Confederation of Cuban Workers. There will also be Interactive
Sessions "Cuba in the 21st Century: Socialism, Politics and Economy" with
the participation of distinguished Cuban specialists, that will be held before the
Conference. To attend these additional activities please contact the Organizing
Committee prior to March 31st.

CONFERENCE Registration fees: 150 CUC for presenters and attendees; student fee:
50 CUC. Cubans will pay their fees in Cuban pesos. All travel and accommodation
arrangements, travel to and from the conference site, etc. are being handled by
the conference official tour operator Alejandro Vasallo (Cubatur; email: eventos2@cbtevent.cbt.tur.cu)

All requests for participation should be submitted via e-mail to the Organizing
Committee as indicated below. Those interested in presenting papers should submit
their abstracts prior to the 20th of March 2008. The maximum length of all papers
should be 10 pages double spaced (8 x 10 format) with 12 point font (maximum characters
20,000 including spaces). Abstracts should be one page and not exceed 2000 characters
and should be submitted either on a disk or via e-mail with Microsoft Word for Windows
95 or later versions. All papers that are submitted will be published in advance
on the web pages of the conference (Cuba Siglo XXI and the Portal of Cuban Philosophy),
with the exception of those who ask that their work not be published. Languages
for the conference are Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Each presenter will have a maximum of 15 minutes for their presentation in order
to provide the maximum time for discussions and debates. All those whose papers
have been selected for presentation in the panels will be advised by the 31st of
March. Those whose papers are not selected for presentation will have the option
of presenting their written work in Poster (120 x 80 cm) presentations, coordinated
in advance with the conference organisers.

All information on the conference will be periodically updated on the Cuba Century
XXI website (www.nodo50org/cubasigloXXI) as well as the portal of Cuban Philosophy
(www.filosofia.cu).

We will continue working for the strengthening of our unity and revolutionary action,
which today is not only possible but imperative for the continued existence of the
human species.

Organising Committee, Havana, Cuba. (www.nodo50.org/cubasigloXXI/)

Please submit abstracts and papers as well as any general information requests to:
Jesús Pastor Garcia Brigos jpastor@infomed.sld.cu;
Roberto Lima lima@filosofia.cu;
nchamah miller iac@cubaconfmarx21.com)