Politics
The Socialism conference is a center of political education rooted in ideas, perspectives, and strategic debate. Our purpose is to provide a forum for addressing not just the “how,” but especially the “what” and “why” of left politics and social movements.
The discussions, meetings, and exchanges that take place at the conference are curated to achieve theoretical and historical depth as well as political breadth and representation. The Socialism conference strives to bring in a wide range of radical politics and provide the opportunity for those with differing viewpoints to learn from each other and contend in a healthy and comradely space. Our speaker selection and panel topics seek to reflect good-faith debate and contribute to political clarity.
As part of building the left we need, we are also committed to uplifting and centering the voices and organizations of the oppressed. We seek to make Socialism the place where Black, Indigenous, women, trans, and other oppressed voices are prominent and powerful.
Education
For us, the point of political education is to inform and influence social movement activity by providing political tools to make those movements stronger. We believe that the ideas presented and discussed during the conference are meaningful to participants only insofar as they respond to the urgency of experiences, reframe and address the challenges of activism, clarify pressing political problems, or ground contemporary organizing in historical continuity and purpose.
Community
In addition to being a center of political debate and education, a significant aspect of the conference’s value derives from its physical embodiment of community. We maintain that building a forum and vehicle for left politics depends substantially upon the cultivation of community and trust among those who take part.
The Socialism conference inspires participants with an energy and commitment to changing the world by showing attendees that they are not alone – whether in their ideas, in their aspirations, or in their work. Through the ‘rally’ atmosphere of our plenaries, the intergenerational exchanges in discussions, and the connections made at organizing meet-ups, the Socialism conference is a national gathering that builds community, bridges geographic isolation, and preserves historical memory. Just as much as the politics and education, this community is crucial to our mission of inspiring the confidence that a socialist world is possible.