When: 7pm 2nd Monday of the month
Where: Fairly Square cafe, 51 Red lion St London WC1R 4PF For more information visit www.breakingtheframe.org.uk, Facebook: breaking the frame or contact luddites200@yahoo.co.uk .
Gathering on the politics of
technology provisional dates May 2nd-5th 2014 Together
with Corporate Watch, Scientists for Global Responsibility and
Eco-labs, Luddites 200 will be organising a 3-day
gathering/conference in Northern England. The aim of the gathering
is to launch a new network of individuals and campaign groups
focusing on the politics of technology. If you're interested in
climate change, food sovereignty, extreme/renewable energy, nuclear
power, surveillance, military technology, GM food, trade union
issues, alternative technologies, you’re invited.
Amongst
the topics for discussion at the gathering will be:
-
History
of the Luddite uprisings, industrial society and environmental
crisis
-
What
does a critical politics of technology mean in the 21st century: democratic control or ‘low technology’?
-
Presentation
of experiences in different campaigns and struggles, skillsharing.
-
Alternative
visions of social and technological development, and the transition
to a sustainable and socially just society; challenging the concept
of progress through technology.
-
Plans
for new campaigns and actions.
In
addition there will be demonstrations and workshops on craft-based
production, poetry, music, walking etc. To register your interest,
contact us. Archive of supporters’ updates
May
2012 March
2012 February
2012 November 2011 October
2011 July
2011
Past Events
January 19th 2013 York: Commemoration of hangings of Yorkshire Luddites  York Alternative History are planning an event commemorating the hangings of 17 Luddites in January 1813, which will include talks, a ceremony and an evening music event. Contact yorkalternativehistory@gmail.com for more information.
November 18th 2012 2pm-5pm People’s History Museum Manchester: Talks and celebrations of the Luddites in Lancashire 
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Music: One Accord group
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Exhibitions and artwork: Westhoughton Local History Group, Kevin Threlfall
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Talks: Richard Holland (Luddites Bicentenary blog), Garth Ratcliffe (Westhoughton Local History Group)
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Poetry: reading of poetry from the Luddites200 national poetry competition
Suitable for adults and children aged 12 and above. Free. Donations to the museum and to Luddites200 gratefully received Organised by Luddites200 and the People’s History Museum.
Huddersfield
Luddites200 Festival April
27-29th 2012. The
festival, which attracted hundreds of locals and many from farther
afield, was a joyous celebration of the Yorkshire Luddites, combining
music, poetry, theatre, filmand craft demonstration with talks on
the Luddites and discussions of current issues raised by technology.
A compilation of entries to the poetry competition is in preparation.
For a brief report, the programme and some recordings and texts, click here. ‘Green’
Economy or Greed Economy? March
24th 2012 London  A
day of talks and poetry in preparation for the intergovernmental
Rio+20 intergovernmental conference. Speakers from the World
Development Movement, ETC group, Biofuels Watch, ETC group, Econexus
Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group and The Land
magazine discussed issues such as:
-
Whose
interests are served by technocratic ‘green solutions’?
-
What
are the risks of synthetic biology and geoengineering?
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What’s
wrong with putting financial values on nature?
-
Can
we build a real green economy based upon economic justice?
For
background resources and video/audio recordings of the talks, click
here.
A
follow-up to the event was a protest outside the Planet Under Pressure conference,a science conference
which claimed to provide scientific leadership for the Rio+20
process. The conference was also disrupted by London
Rising Tide.
Leeds
benefit gig Nov 24th 2011
7-11pm TJs
Pub* 121 Woodhouse St, Leeds LS6 2JH
Boff
Whalley Phil Moody (Chumbawamba) Theo
Simon (Seize the Day) Gary
Kaye Three
Sheets T’ Wind Raphael
Attar Variety Hour Dan
Audio Docterre
Tickets
£6, £4 concessions on the door London film screening/Housmans peace diary launch Nov 4th 2011
A
screening of The Luddites, a drama documentary about the events in
Yorkshire in 1812, plus New Technology, Whose Progress?, a
documentary about industrial automation and workers’ responses in
the 1980s, featuring Tony Benn and Mike Cooley of the Lucas Aerospace
Shop Stewards.
At
this event, we also launched the 2012 Housmans Peace Diary,
which contains a special feature feature
on the Luddites and current technology issues such as GM food,
nuclear power, drones, reproductive technology, nanotechnology and
‘geoengineering’.
Celebrate
The Luddites’ 200th Anniversary!  Friday November 4, 2011 7 pm Sumac Centre 245 Gladstone Street,
Nottingham NG7 6HX
On
the exact 200th anniversary of the first Luddite attack at Bulwell
near Nottingham, (‘Mischief Night'), Chris Weir of the Nottingham
archives told the story of the 1811-12 uprisings and what the
Luddites were fighting for. Michael Reinsborough of Luddites200 spoke
about technology issues in the 21stcentury
including the use of technology to cut jobs as part of the public
sector cuts and issues such as GM food, nuclear power and
surveillance. Click here for the Nottingham Post story.
Celebrating
the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprisings: a meeting to discuss
technology politics then and now June
8th 2011, London
In
1811-12 artisan cloth workers in the Midlands and North of England
rose up against factory owners who were imposing new machines and
putting them out of work. Since the 1950s the Luddites have been
painted as fools opposed to all technology and progress, but in fact
the Luddites were very selective in their attacks, breaking only
machines they thought were 'hurtful to Commonality'. What can the
Luddites teach us about the ongoing use of technology to replace
workers’ jobs, as well as issues like GM food and nuclear power?
Can we escape the myth that technology always brings progress? On the
anniversary of the first action against a GM crop site in Britain,
come and discuss the issues with speakers from:
Luddites200
Organising Forum Stop
GM Communication
Workers’ Union activist Stop
Nuclear Network. |