OPEN UNIVERSITY OF THE LEFT PRESENTS:

ALTERNATIVES TO CAPITALISM:
PARTICIPATORY ECONOMICS AND MARKET SOCIALISM

As corporate capitalism reveals an ever-uglier face around the globe, OUL hosts two speakers advocating two distinct paths to a more just, hopeful and humane future. Mitchell Szczepanczyk, of the Chicago Area Participatory Economics Society (CAPES), presents the "Parecon" model,
in which democratic decision-making replaces the market mechanism. Mitchell will explain the values behind Participatory Economics and discuss the processes and institutions that would allow Parecon to function.

David Schweickart, professor of philosophy at Loyola University, will critique the Parecon model and make a case for what he calls Economic Democracy, essentially a form of market socialism. The speakers will have a chance to rebut each other's arguments, at which point the floor will be opened to comments and questions.

Socialism is a house with many rooms, and this event is a rare opportunity for us to consider the strengths and weaknesses of different programs and clarify our own vision of a post-capitalist world.

WHEN & WHERE:
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2:00 PM at IN THESE TIMES,
2040 N. MILWAUKEE AVE. (2nd floor), Chicago, near
the CTA Blue Line's Western-Armitage stop.

WHO:
MITCHELL SZCZEPANCZYK is an activist, political theorist and media gadfly. In addition to his work with CAPES, Mitchell is an organizer with Chicago Media Action (CMA) and a contributor to Chicago Indymedia and other projects. He has previously appeared at OUL, where he and his CMA colleagues discussed media consolidation and related
issues. He hosts a weekly public affairs radio show on WHPK.

DAVID SCHWEICKART is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University, where his primary areas of research are Social and Political Philosophy, Philosophy and Economics, and Marxism. He has published several books on these topics, including "After Capitalism" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002)
and "gainst Capitalism" (Cambridge University Press, 1993). He is co-author (with B. Ollman, J. Lawler and H. Ticktin) of "Market Socialism: The Debate Among Socialists" (Routledge, 1998).

FOR MORE INFO:
Call (847) 677-5474 if you have a question or would like to lead an OUL session. Please forward this announcement to anyone you think may be interested in attending the program. For more information about OUL, or to join the
OUL Yahoo group, go to www.yahoo.com and click on "groups," type "oulchicago" and click the search button. Click on "oulchicago" to see recent news and announcements or to join the group.

ABOUT THE OUL:
The Open University of the Left (OUL) is an independent, non-sectarian, free-speech forum formed in 1987 to organize presentations, discussion groups and film showings about politics, current events, literature, philosophy,
history and social theory.

UPCOMING OUL PROGRAMS:

THURSDAY, FEBBRUARY 15, 7:00 PM: OUL welcomes STEVE MACEK, media studies professor at North Central College and author of "Urban Nightmares: The Media, the Right and the Moral Panic over the City." Prof. Macek will discuss the mass media's systematic demonization of the "inner city."

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2:00 PM: JOHN BEACHAM of Chicago ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) will discuss the need to build a mass movement to end the war. The presentation will take place as International ANSWER gears up for the planned March 17 march on the Pentagon.

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 7:00 PM: JOAN BRUNWASSER, election reform advocate and voting integrity editor of the progressive Web site www.OpEdNews.com speaks on "The Making of an Activist" -- how ordinary citizens can
effectively bring their causes into the public arena. She will be accompanied by journalist and commentator ROBERT KOEHLER.

SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2:00 PM: JOHN ROSS, correspondent for The Nation and other publications and author of three books about the Zapatista movement, will discuss recent political and social developments in Mexico.

(Please note that upcoming OUL events are subject to change, and new events may be scheduled as opportunities arise. We'll let you know about changes, cancellations, etc. through frequent updates via our Yahoo group list.)