Noted recall: The goal is to describe, in just a few words, what the article is about. Additionally, if I think the article is particularly note-worthy (good or bad), I will comment on that. Compare this to a small sticky note, something to jog your memory about the contents of an article. Of course, if I miss the point of an article, or fail to find anything remarkable, that is entirely the fault of the reviewer.
Available at: https://isreview.org/issue/110/issue
The Democrats Won't Defeat Trumpism - Lance Selfa
(read 2018-10-24)
Author predicts Democrats will win the House, then only focus on Russia investigation and ignore social issues.
Lessons from the Teachers' Strike Wave - Dana Blanchard
(read 2018-10-24)
Short recap of recent teachers' strikes in different states. Discusses different factors, what each group was able to accomplish, working with (or without) existing labor unions, how people organized. Seemed important to the author to stress republicans and democrats are both responsible for the state of affairs that led to the strike.
More Than a Ballot Line - Bill Crane
(read 2018-10-25)
This article is about socialist candidates and generally people more left than democrats running under the Democrat ticket. Reasons why candidates do this; better success than 3rd party. But (so the article says) this will ultimately fail because the Democratic party is capitalist, so anti-capitalist forces will always be dampened to the point of being ineffective. Then some history of why there isn't a labor party. Closes discussing why, in order to have a socialist party, change needs to come from without, need to stop running candidates as Democrats because the Democratic party will always (?) prevent anti-capitalist change.
The Roots of Crisis, Stagnation, and Financialization in the Real Economy - Hadas Thier
(read 2018-10-29)
A few short pages about: one of the main reasons of the 2008 financial crisis was too much success, and needing to supply new financial investments to meet demand.
Tepid Growth, Social Polarization, and Openings to the Left - David McNally
(read 2018-10-29)
A few short pages about lack of growth in real wages.
From Stagnation to Boom? - Lee Sustar
(read 2018-10-29)
A few short pages on causes of world economic growth over the past few years; the rise of China; what might trigger a recession.
Sub-Saharan Africa and the Crisis - Lee Wengraf
(read 2018-10-29)
A few short pages on modern imperialism in Africa.
Capitalism: Now and in the Future - Michael Roberts
(read 2018-10-29)
A few short pages on capitalism, how profit is generated from capital, the decline of profitability, and how the cycle repeats.
Grassroots Organizing in Appalachia - Eric Kerl interviews Elizabeth Catte
(read 2018-10-29)
Read this. Interview with historian and political organizer focused on Appalachia. Topics covered: West Virginia teachers' strike, opioid crisis, abortion, race poverty.
Should Socialists Support Catalonia's Independence Movement? - Eva Maria
(read 2018-10-30)
Some history of Spain, rise of nationalism, reasons Catalonia has shifted towards independence. What role socialism has in the independence movement.
The Retreat of the Pink Tide in Latin America - Jeffery R. Webber
(read 2018-10-30)
Read this. Interview on politics in Latin America. Impeachment of Dilma in Brazil. Morales election in Bolivia; candidate Lula. Foreign involvement in Latin America, with particular focus on China.
The Return of Scientific Racism - Phil Gasper
(read 2018-10-30)
Short overview of racism claims backed by science, and reasons for why these claims are not true. Early history, IQ and Flynn effect, social origins of race in the early US colonies, DNA differences and genetic sequencing. Misuse of popular research, e.g. David Reich, by people like Charles Murray and Michael Barone both of American Enterprise Institute.
What's the Matter with the Israeli Working Class? - Daphna Thier
(read 2018-10-31)
Looks at socialism in Israel, with a focus on the working class. Says it's necessary to interpret the situation as colonialism, with Israel being a unique situation. That settler-colonial working class is different from other working class; strong amount of nationalism. Lots of foreign aid and land accumulation (taken from Palestinians) lead to increased wealth; this was possible through partnership with the state through MAPPAI. So strong national zionism, closely tied to most labor in Israel. And additional exploitation of Palestinians as source of cheap labor; and the state spends less on Palestinians than on Israel citizens in social aid programs. So majority of working class Israel has a vested interested in keeping Palestine in a position of being exploited (land, labor).