We are pleased to announce the latest edition of the URPE newsletter.
Click here to download a PDF: URPE Newsletter Volume 50 #1
This issue takes seriously the challenge of “political economics,” in a time of polarization, military conflict, and unrest. Our objective is to provide a venue for serious discussion of political issues, beyond the scholarly work of the Review of Radical Political Economics, and to supplement the URPE listserv with more deliberative contributions. This issue is interdisciplinary in methodology, reflecting the work of Marx across the modern disciplines of history, political science, economics, and psychology, among others. The growing concern about right-wing extremism and fascism (however defined) is reflected in the articles in this issue.
We welcome contributions for the May issue, due April 30, 2024, as well as letters to the editors regarding this issue. Click here to submit your article or letter to the editor.
The contributions in this issue include:
“Report on the Fascism Panel at the American Historical Association National Meeting” , San Francisco, January 6, 2024, submitted by Mike Meeropol.
“Whatever Happened to the Labor Aristocracy: A Brief Sketch of the State of the US Working Class,” by Dan Lazare.
“Coalition Building: The Critical Challenge Facing the Left” by Marianne Hill.
“Marx’s Theory Muted” by Cale Brooks, a review of the book by Soren Mau, Mute Compulsions.
Invitation for nominations for the URPE Editorial Board by Enid Arvidson.
From newsletter editor Marianne Hill and Steering Committee liaisons and co-editors Smita Ramnarain and Ann Davis. We rely on your donations to support our work. Click here to donate today!
Click here to download a PDF: URPE Newsletter Volume 50 #1
URPE Newsletter: Call for Submissions
Submissions are welcome by members, activists, and related organizations. The deadline for submission for the next issue is April 30th 2024.
See mission statement below.
Please identify author with every submission, with a brief bio, and indicate type of submission:
- Essay with references
- Op Ed
- Letters to the co-editors
Typical length of essays is 2000 – 3000 words, in concise, civil language.
Click here to submit your article or letter to the editor. Submissions are to submitted to to be curated by editor Marianne Hill. The coordinators of the newsletter with the URPE steering committee are Ann E. Davis and Smita Ramnarain.
Brief bios for the volunteer co-editors:
Marianne Hill (Ph.D. economics) has served on the boards of URPE and of IAFFE. She has both academic and popular publications, including several in Dollars and Sense. Her most recent book is Building A Solidarity Society: Power, People and Planet (Palgrave, 2022). As Senior Economist at the University Research Center of Mississippi, she did the state economic forecast from 1990 to 2013, before retiring to Maine.
Brief Bios of the coordinators of the newsletter with the steering committee:
Smita Ramnarain (she/they) is Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Rhode Island. Smita’s research focuses on the political economy of development in South Asia, especially with regard to examining development issues using the lens of gender. Her work has examined post-conflict reconstruction, peacebuilding and development, feminization of poverty and female headship, environmental change and more recently, social reproduction and labor-related issues. She has carried out field-based research in Nepal and India for several of these projects and her work has been published in diverse and interdisciplinary fora such as Feminist Economics, Gender Place & Culture, and the Community Development Journal, as well as in edited volumes. In addition, she is interested in economic pedagogy and methodology and methods.
Ann E. Davis is a retired Associate Professor at Marist College, 50-year URPE member and member of the steering committee since 2010. She is the author of four books, as well as several articles in RRPE among other journals and book chapters. Please contact her with any questions or suggestions at adavisa@gmail.com
This editorial team will be in touch directly with authors for any suggestions, and retains the final decision regarding publication in the newsletter, based on quality and relevance.
URPE Mission Statement for Newsletter
The objective of the URPE newsletter is to provide a more accessible and informal venue to discuss current issues in political economy, as well as matters relating to URPE. The newsletter would be provided as a service to members, for information, updates on political issues and actions, resources, and potential organizational efforts with partners. The newsletter would be distributed to the member listserv on a regular basis. We would invite contributions from individual members, students and faculty, as well as activists from progressive organizations. The content would be edited for accuracy, civil discourse and responsible sources, avoiding polemics. Particular topics of interest include state and local struggles regarding voting rights, abortion, academic freedom, free speech vs. censorship, public taxes and expenditures at all levels, the labor movement, as well as national and international issues regarding race, class, gender, ethnicity, climate change, military conflicts, and geopolitical transformations. We would prioritize diversity in topics and contributors and would be open to alternative radical perspectives, while encouraging respectful and informed debate.
The last newsletter issue was 2019:
https://urpe.org/newsletter/spring-2019-vol-49-3/
The role of the newsletter co-editors is to receive and to curate contributions from members regarding accuracy, civility, relevance to current issues and concerns of the membership. The editors may also contribute content to the newsletter. Two members of the steering committee will coordinate with the editors, and provide consultation as needed.
The newsletter renewal includes the following:
- Regular publication (quarterly or bi-annual) via the listserv and on the website.
- Edited entries would be provided by the membership and the editor, with clear standards: such as concise writing, essays based on evidence, respectful tone, newsworthy content and relevant news regarding URPE. Essays and analysis based on reputable sources would be encouraged, as well as opinion pieces.
- Discussions of the newsletter on the listserve would be monitored for tone and accuracy.
- Volunteer co-editors of high academic credentials and interest in broad coalitions are part of this effort.
- Regular reports would be provided to the SC about commentary and participation.