About

The International Working Group, founded in 1999 in Berlin, wants to reflect upon society in Germany and to relate it to the state of affairs in other parts of the world. We do not develop neutral analyses. Nor do we pursue traditional internationalist solidarity work or show solidarity with national liberation movements. We discuss critically the form of society which is not the best we could imagine. It has created all the material means to enable every human to live a good life but lets millions and millions live in misery. We do not put up with the fact that the production of goods does not follow human needs but the rules of accumulation of capital. We want to sharpen the awareness that we do not live under under a societal model geared to meet the needs of people, but to secure the continued existence of a capitalistic mode of production.

Following different theoretical approaches, we share an interest in theorizing and reflecting the specific forms of racist exclusion and national formation, capitalism and gender relations in Germany and abroad.

A main aim of our work is political education and international exchange. We deal with issues like antisemitism in Germany and Europe, the transformation process in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the peace process in Israel, politics of history in Chile, the war in Yugoslavia, the ethnological view onto the other, anti-American resentment, criticism of leftist solidarity work and the no global movement or the question what leftist politics mean in the U.S.

We organize public discussions, seminars and, most of all, political journeys. We find lecturers on our main issues or connect people with our partners in Germany or abroad. We sometimes publish documentations of our political journeys and discussions, which can be found on our website.

Most of our projects are supported financially by government or EU agencies or educational institutions.

Currently, the main issue at our meetings is the role of non-governmental organizations (NGO) in society. NGOs have developed expertise in areas like human rights, environmental issues and racism, but they rarely relate the conditions that create the deplorable state of affairs with their work. In our opinion, the current form of society makes it impossible to sustainably solve social evils.

At the same time, NGOs deliver indispensable services for individuals and communities, especially in the developing countries. The NGOs which provide these services depend on foreign donors like the Open Society Fund or German foundations associated with political parties, which makes NGOs a possible vehicle for political influence of the donors.

Our theoretical and empirical findings will be presented and discussed on a workshop from October 31st until November 2nd, 2003.

Main Focus: Political Journeys

We organize political journeys for young people. In groups of up to twelve people we go to different countries in order to meet critical groups and individuals. We have gone to Chile, Israel, Russia, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Argentina, Yugoslavia, Romania and the United States, among others.

During our trips abroad we meet with our respective partner organisation and other groups and individuals such as anti-repression groups, media projects, student organisations, youth groups, human rights advocates, squatters, feminists, anti-fascist, anti-racist, marxist and anarchist activists and so forth. Sometimes we meet Jewish groups to talk to them about antisemitism, history politics, Jewish life, migration etc. in their country. Talking to party members, unionists, ambassadors and members of minorities of different kinds can also help us answering our questions. The participants not only learn about the conditions in the countries we travel to, but also about leftist theory and and activism there.

We also invite groups to visit Germany, creating a schedule of political and cultural activities and workshops open to the public, which are announced on our website.

All participants decide about their activities themselves during the trip, create their schedule together and prepare the meetings. There is also enough time for tourist activities. Everybody is free to extend its stay.

The knowledge and understanding of the political culture of our destinations is deepened by prepared compilations of articles and preparatory workshops. After the trip, there may be follow-up meetings, public discussions or booklets documenting the results.

Anybody who is interested in organization of society and politics and in our chosen issues is invited to join our journeys. The participants do not have to share our view but are encouraged to shape their own. Nonetheless, certain discussions we will not face: racist, sexist and antisemitic behavior is not tolerated. One does not need to be a member of our organisation, one does not have to know a foreign language or a lot about the destination.

Internationaler Arbeitskreis e.V.
P.O. Box 30 92 40
10754 Berlin
Phone: +49-30-2101 7877
Fax +49-1212-5-186.19.082

info@iak-net.de

Texts

About us