Luddite gathering on May 2-5

[Simon Fairlie]

Breaking the Frame

Luddites 200, Scientists for Global Responsibility and Corporate  
Watch are co-organising a
ground-breaking event that will change the way people think about  
technology.
The Breaking the Frame gathering will be held at Unstone Grange, near  
Sheffield in Derbyshire, on May 2nd to
5th 2014.

The gathering will bring together campaigns on the
technology politics of food, energy/climate/ environment, the military,
work/economics/austerity, the internet, civil liberties/privacy,  
health and gender etc, as well
as trade unionists, radical scientists, artists and developers of  
alternative technologies.

Confirmed speakers include Simon Fairlie (editor of The Land  
magazine), Jerry Mander
(International Forum on Globalisation), Theo Simon (Stop Hinkley C),  
Hilary Wainwright,
editor of Red Pepper and Danny Chivers (No Dash for Gas).

The idea behind the gathering is to overcome the fragmented single- 
issue, reactive
approach that dominates the way we deal with technology. Technology  
is a major force
shaping the whole development of our society, yet we never have a  
democratic debate
about it until it’s nearly too late, eg. when Monsanto starts putting  
GM soya in our food.
We think it’s time for a much more systematic and joined-up approach  
to technology, that
overcomes the democratic deficit in this area. The new approach will  
be based on bringing
together the insights of different campaigns and movements, sharing  
skills, and learning
from each other. The need for a systematic approach to technology is  
more urgent than
ever as we face environmental crisis whilst new technologies, such as  
artificial
intelligence/robotics, nanotechnology and synthetic biology threaten  
to massively re-shape
our society.

In preparation for the gathering Luddites200 is organising a series  
of events in London,
details of which can be found on the Breaking the Frame blog
(www.breakingtheframe.org.uk). These events have already begun a  
vibrant new
conversation that questions accepted dogmas about technology, whilst  
accepting its
genuine benefits.

Some of the issues that will be discussed at the gathering include:
• What does a critical politics of technology mean in the 21st  
century: democratic
control or ‘low’ technology?
• History of environmental society and environmental crisis;  
challenging the concept
of progress through technology.
• Experiences in different campaigns and struggles.
• Alternative visions of social and technological development, and  
the transition to a
sustainable and just society.
There will be demonstrations and workshops on craft-based production,  
poetry, music,
walking, etc.

For further information, please contact David King 020 8809 4513 or
luddites200 at yahoo.co.uk.

Notes for editors
1. Luddites200 is an informal network of technology politics  
activists, scientists, artists and
trade unionists which was set up in 2011 to celebrate the 200th  
anniversary of the Luddite
uprisings and to open up new debates about the politics of technology
(www.luddites200.org.uk). See also http:// 
ludditebicentenary.blogspot.co.uk/
2. The gathering has so far received funding from the Edge Fund, the  
Lipman Milliband
Trust and the Lush Charity Pot.


Simon Fairlie
Monkton Wyld Court
Charmouth
Bridport
Dorset
DT6 6DQ
01297 561359
chapter7 at tlio.org.uk

http://www.thelandmagazine.org.uk/
http://www.thescytheshop.co.uk/

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