Exploring capitalisms inherent connection to war with Dilar Dirik
This course is ideal for anyone looking for a critical introduction to the militarism of the west and how their methods have a global impact.
War and Capitalism
In five lectures, Dilar Dirik introduces the topic of war through an anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist and feminist lens. By linking war and militarism to systems and structures of oppression, it aims to provide a critical framework for understanding one of the most pressing issues in the world today – one that affects us all.
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Dilar Dirik is an independent researcher, writer and author of The Kurdish Women's Movement.
The course is great for anyone interested in a world without war, whether you're trying to understand capitalism and militarism, or want to expand your thinking.
What you'll learn:
Lecture 1: War and the World-System
Contextualizing systems of violence through a historical lens.
- what is war and why does it exist?
- colonialism, imperialism, capitalism
- war and global injustice
- people’s war as the weapon of the oppressed
Lecture 2: Capitalism and the Economy of War
Understand the ways in which the global economic system interacts with war.
- militarism and the arms industry
- border regimes
- surveillance capitalism
- labour and class struggle
Lecture 3: Methods of War
Expand knowledge of the scale of modern warfare conduct beyond ‘hot wars’.
- secret wars: intelligence and covert action
- counterinsurgency and counterterrorism
- cognitive warfare: the battle for the human mind
- the future of war: AI, drones, and beyond
Lecture 4: War and Society
Deepen understanding about the wider societal, cultural, and economic impact of war for communities and in everyday life.
- war and societal culture
- patriarchy, nationalism, and fascism
- blurred lines and war crimes
- militarism in everyday life
Lecture 5: A World without War: Peace as a Revolutionary Horizon
Think of peace as a radical political struggle, connected to system change.
- false solutions: peace on the oppressors’ terms
- quests for justice and truth
- censorship, policing, and criminalisation of anti-war action
- peace as an internationalist effort