GM soybean: Latin America's new colonizer by Miguel Altieri and Walter Pengue | 21 Jan 2006 Seedling - January 2006 n Latin America, the frontiers to soybean production are being pushed back aggressively in all directions at a breathtaking rate. Driven by export pressures and supported by government incentives, soybean fields are taking over forests and savannah in an unprecedented manner. The implications of the monoculture model and its supporting machinery for the environment, farmers and communities are discussed below. n Latin America, the frontiers to soybean production are being pushed back aggressively in all directions at a breathtaking rate. Driven by export pressures and supported by government incentives, soybean fields are taking over forests and savannah in an unprecedented manner. The implications of the monoculture model and its supporting machinery for the environment, farmers and communities are discussed below.
Intellectual property provisions of bilateral and regional trade agreements in light of US federal law (draft) by Frederick M. Abbott | 21 Jan 2006
Liberating diversity: from defence to offence... by GRAIN | 15 Jan 2006 Seedling - January 2006 A European Seminar on Seeds entitled “Liberate Diversity” was held in Poitiers, France, in November 2005 A European Seminar on Seeds entitled “Liberate Diversity” was held in Poitiers, France, in November 2005
Brand Name Bullies & Arts Under Pressure by Brewster Kneen | 10 Jan 2006 Seedling - January 2006 Brewster Kneen reviews two quite different books that discuss the excessive applications of copyright and trademark law mainly in the US. Brewster Kneen reviews two quite different books that discuss the excessive applications of copyright and trademark law mainly in the US.
Sowing Autonomy - Gender and seed politics in semi-arid India by GRAIN | 5 Jan 2006 Seedling - January 2006 GRAIN reviews this new book by Carine Pionetti GRAIN reviews this new book by Carine Pionetti
Liberate Diversity by RSP/CNDSF | 21 Dec 2005 This is the background document to "European Seminar on Seeds" held on 25-26 November 2005 in Poitiers, France, organised by Réseau Semences Paysannes (RSP) and Coordination Nationale pour la Défense des Semences Fermières (CNDSF) This is the background document to "European Seminar on Seeds" held on 25-26 November 2005 in Poitiers, France, organised by Réseau Semences Paysannes (RSP) and Coordination Nationale pour la Défense des Semences Fermières (CNDSF)
Copyright Copyleft by Alternative Law Forum | 20 Dec 2005 an illustrated parody of a comic book brought out by the World Intellectual Property Office an illustrated parody of a comic book brought out by the World Intellectual Property Office
The Temporary Autonomous Zone by Hakim Bey | 20 Dec 2005 The Temporary Autonomous Zone is Hakim Bey's most famous work. It describes the political tactic of creating temporary space that eludes formal structures of control. This essay expounds on the importance of 'dealing with the present' as any attempt at permanence deteriorates to a structured system that inevitably stifles individual creativity. "It is this chance at creativity that is real empowerment." The Temporary Autonomous Zone is Hakim Bey's most famous work. It describes the political tactic of creating temporary space that eludes formal structures of control. This essay expounds on the importance of 'dealing with the present' as any attempt at permanence deteriorates to a structured system that inevitably stifles individual creativity. "It is this chance at creativity that is real empowerment."
Contesting Corporate Globalism by James Goodman | 20 Dec 2005 Debates about the politics of globalisation centre on conflicting interpretations of the dominant sources of power in globalising late-modern society - over whether the key power-sources are institutional, cultural or material. These contrasting conceptions of globalised power generate diverging predictions about the likely sources of contestation and democratisation. The three predictions are characterised here as «globalist adaptation», «localist confrontation» and «transnational resistance». Each leads to a particular set of protest strategies, and are being actively exploited by social movements, but each has its inadequacies. Each are discussed and a concluding section debates the possibilities for conflict or concertation between them. Debates about the politics of globalisation centre on conflicting interpretations of the dominant sources of power in globalising late-modern society - over whether the key power-sources are institutional, cultural or material. These contrasting conceptions of globalised power generate diverging predictions about the likely sources of contestation and democratisation. The three predictions are characterised here as «globalist adaptation», «localist confrontation» and «transnational resistance». Each leads to a particular set of protest strategies, and are being actively exploited by social movements, but each has its inadequacies. Each are discussed and a concluding section debates the possibilities for conflict or concertation between them.
Nationalism and Globalism: Social Movement Responses by James Goodman | 20 Dec 2005 This essay talks about relational complexities that cut accross social movements, and the corresponding shift or melting of the 'national' and 'international' dichotomy, in the fight against globalisation. The new forms of political community paradoxically reach out beyond national-state borders into transnational communities of conscience. They express combinations of nationalism and cosmopolitanism, deeply contradictory and oxy-moronic, but no less potent. It seems Nairn's Modern Janus remains with us - exploring new realms of cosmopolitan solidarity while retaining roots in past reservoirs of national solidarity. This essay talks about relational complexities that cut accross social movements, and the corresponding shift or melting of the 'national' and 'international' dichotomy, in the fight against globalisation. The new forms of political community paradoxically reach out beyond national-state borders into transnational communities of conscience. They express combinations of nationalism and cosmopolitanism, deeply contradictory and oxy-moronic, but no less potent. It seems Nairn's Modern Janus remains with us - exploring new realms of cosmopolitan solidarity while retaining roots in past reservoirs of national solidarity.