AS WELL AS its direct campaigning, the educational work of the Fourth International (FI) is critical for its militants and others we work with. The International Institute for Research and Education (HIRE) in Amsterdam is closely linked to the Fl and provides very important resources.
These Include the maintenance of an enormous library of Marxist and progressive texts in a number of languages, the publication of the Notebooks for Study and Research and the regular organisation of seminars and schools for participants from all over the world.
The majority of participants are usually from the third world and their participation is only possible because of the financial contributions of those in the richer parts of the globe.
Here we print a report by Tatau Godinho on the highly successful month long Women's school that took place last summer - an event that we intend to repeat this year If funding and resources can be secured. So write that cheque! Third Women's School Breaks Records "THE IIRE's one-month Women's School in July 1997, the third session of this kind turned out to be our best-attended session ever. In fact we have never had to turn so many candidates away, not only for lack of money but simply for lack of room.
After a gap of four years the success of this seminar, both in attendance and in its development, makes clear the need to continue with a specific programme on feminism and women's struggles.
The seminar was attended by 28 women from 16 countries all over the world. The group of seven Latin Americans represented Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico and Puerto Rico. There were two women from the USA and a young participant from Quebec.
A substantial group of ten Europeans was composed of women from Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Portugal, the Basque country and Spain.
The international bloc was completed by South Africa, the Philippines, India and Jordan.
A very important aspect of the group was the presence of young women: nearly half of the participants were under 30.
The programme of the seminar included debates on a broad range of themes on the social, economic and political situation of women, and current theoretical discussions of feminism from a Marxist point of view.
The discussion on the new trends in the international economy showed the need to develop studies on the role of women's work today, the effects of neoliberalism on women in the labour market, and also how cuts in welfare services put a heavy burden on women's shoulders, 'particularly restricting their job perspectives.
Fighting oppression A rich aspect of this international seminar was how it brought together women activists from dif ferent parts of the world engaged in the feminist movement, trade-union work, political parties as well as NGOs, for all of whom the struggle against women's oppression is not inst an intes ment but their everyday political engagement.
In this atmosphere the section on "Marxism and feminism", followed by lectures on contemporary polemics about "modernity", was an important moment of reflection on the new challenges the left has to face today...."
LETTEI