As the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians continues into 2024, it is clear that as socialists our goals must be to pressure our government into establishing a ceasefire. We also understand that if Palestinian liberation is truly to happen, we have to build the political support for the cause in the United States, the country uniquely responsible for supplying arms and bankrolling Israel’s indiscriminate bombing and horrific campaign in the region.

As such, the Political Education Committee along with the Palestine Working Group has put together a reading series based on a book selected by popular vote among the chapter membership. That book, The Hundred Years War on Palestine: A Century of Settler Colonialism and Resistance by Rashid Khalidi, will be read on a weekly basis throughout January and February. By learning together as comrades, we hope to bring the chapter around a shared understanding of Palestinian history and why it has such a central place in our socialist struggle for the emancipation of the International Working Class.

Reading Group Session Dates and Times:

  • Wednesday, January 3rd at 7 PM: Session 1 – Introduction to the Book [RSVP HERE]
  • Tuesday, January 9th at 7 PM: Session 2 – Review of Key Concepts and the First Declaration of War, 1917-1939 [RSVP HERE]
  • Wednesday, January 17th at 7 PM: Session 3 – The Second Declaration of War, 1947-1948 [RSVP HERE]
  • Tuesday, January 23rd at 7 PM: Session 4 – The Third Declaration of War, 1967 [RSVP HERE]
  • Wednesday, January 31st at 7 PM: Session 5 – The Fourth Declaration of War, 1982 [RSVP HERE]
  • Wednesday, February 7th at 7 PM: Session 6 – The Fifth Declaration of War, 1987-1995 [RSVP HERE]
  • Tuesday, February 13th at 7 PM: Session 7 – The Sixth Declaration of War, 2000-2014 [RSVP HERE]
  • Wednesday, February 21st at 7 PM: Session 8 – Conclusion and Reflection on the Book [RSVP HERE]

Political Education Committee’s Study Series Archive:

We periodically revisit past study series curricula in Night School formats, and previous readers are freely available below: 

A Study Series on Black Leftist Thought (2022) (Reader Forthcoming)

This series introduces attendees to the writings, speeches, and perspectives of Black leftists through most of the twentieth century. Through original sources in writing, audio, and video, we will trace back the history of discourses introduced and developed by Black socialists, all of which have profound impact on our political landscape today.

Lost Angles: Piecing Together a Socialist LA (2020, 2021)

This series takes a look at many of the often overlooked pieces of Los Angeles’ socialist past, present, and future exploring the development of the freeway system, the radical communities of the 20s and 30s, Hollywood’s connection to the CPUSA and the Red Scare, LA’s Third World Left movements, and the campaign for the San Fernando Valley to secede from LA at the turn of the 21st Century. Through these local struggles, we seek to connect with the place where we live and engage with the past as a way to guide our current work together.

Class on Class (2018)

This study series examines a selection of foundational concepts and inquiries, with the goal of more deeply grounding our collective struggle in rigorous socialist analysis.

Imperialism Study Series (2019)

Building on concepts introduced in the Class on Class, this series examines the relationship between imperialism and capitalism as articulated by leftists thinkers from the 19th century through today. Across installments, this series is designed to highlight the deep and varied theories on the left and create a space for open, healthy discussion.

Socialism & Electoralism Night School Series (2019-2020)

A series of informal Night Schools designed to complement DSA’s local and national commitments to Bernie’s campaign and  engage with this candidacy within the broader context of socialist strategies and perspectives on electoral politics.