Scholars discuss about Marxism at Casa de las Americas

Havana, Jul 5 (Prensa Latina) Scholars from eight countries are participating today in the International Summer Course "Marxist Thought and Political Practices in Afro-America", organized in Havana by Cuba's Casa de las Americas.

Until next Friday, participants from Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom and Cuba will share opinions and debate on the contributions of Caribbean intellectuals to Marxist political economy, a lecture to be given by Graciela Chailloux.

Other lectures will be “Does Marxism have color? Afro-American versions of world history”, by Daniel Montañez; and “African Marxisms. A look from Southern Africa”, by Pablo Gilolmo.

The book “For the intellectual sovereignty of the Caribbean: the New World Group”, by Graciela Chailloux, Norman Girvan and Kari Polanyi Levitt, published by Casa de las Americas, will also be presented as part of the wide-ranging program.

In addition, “Black Bolshevik, autobiography of an Afro-American communist, by Harry Haywood”, by Daniel Montañez and Juan Vicente Iborra; and the volume “Island Socialism. Cuba: panorama of socialist ideas, 1818-1899”, by Jorge Luis Montesino.

At the opening of the event, essayist and writer Zuleica Romay, director of the Afro-American Studies Program of the institution, explained that the academic program of this course does not intend to historicize the developments of Marxism or delve into its philosophical assumptions.

Its contents invite reflecting on some of the most heated debates of our time, revisit theoretical proposals and political practices that provide references, methodologies and experiences for today’s cultural and political battles, she said.

The Cuban intellectual warned that “Marxism is not a European theory, but a universal one. It is only one, as some comrades claim -with mistrustful determination-. Of course, they are right, although I would like to point out that it is one in its historical plurality”