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Austin DSA’s Political Education Committee is hosting a reading group (Sunday, 2/07, 2:00pm CST) over Aimé Césaire's pamphlet, Discourse on Colonialism, which was first published in 1950.

Described as a declaration of war against the forces of colonialism, a "third world manifesto," Césaire's text carves a knife deep into the very heart of Western bourgeois civilization. His is "a hand grenade, tossed with deadly accuracy, clearing the field so that we may write a new history with what's left standing."

This pamphlet is a great introduction to reading third-world political literature with DSA comrades, and this reading group is a great way to get to get involved with Austin DSA.

The event with begin with a 10-15 minute presentation over the core ideas expressed in this text, followed by a focused discussion.

The topics we’ll be discussing from this pamphlet include: How does fascism arise? What is the relation between fascism and colonialism? By what logics did colonization reproduce itself historically? How does Empire maintain itself today? How does colonization transform the colonizer as it simultaneously mortifies the colonized?  

Reading Discourse should take you about 3-4 hours, including the time it takes to re-read parts and to take notes. Rest assured, your world will transform in the process.

**Please take the time to read the text first!** Bring your notes, insights, takes, and questions to the discussion. Robin Kelly's introduction provides helpful background context for who and why Césaire is as well.  

After the opening lecture, we will have time for open discussion with guided questions.

Link to download the file: