Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Khanya: a Journal for Activists



Khanya: a journal for activists is a journal project of Khanya College. Established in 2002, the bi-monthly journal is run by an Editorial Collective that comprises mainly Khanya College staff and other progressive individuals. It seeks to compliment the work that is done by Khanya College within working class and poor communities. The following are the major aims of the Journal:

1. Re-building the fighting organisations of the working class and the poor in general, and building new forms of organisation capable of responding to new challenges of struggle;
2. Revitalising theoretical approaches to social analysis that form an important inheritance of egalitarian social movements all over the world;
3. Developing new theoretical approaches to better understand new developments in the world today;
4. Building a layer of activist cadre that is dedicated to democracy and egalitarian social change;
5. Building a culture of critical debate among the emerging layer of activists;
6. Developing the capacity of activists to engage in critical social analysis and debate;
7. Creating spaces for activists to publish, and have access to the work of other activists; and,
8. Providing a vehicle for activists to access debates on democracy and social change taking place among activists in other parts of the world.

In terms of its editorial policy, the Journal has a commitment to open, vigorous but comradely debate within progressive forces; tolerance of different views within the progressive movement; anti-sexism; anti-racism; commitment to social and economic justice; commitment to progressive approaches to environmental questions; and a commitment to non-market based forms of social organisation. Further, within these broad principles, freedom of expression is the guiding editorial policy of the Journal, and as such, the Collective does not impose views that contributors should conform to.

Brief note on Khanya College
Khanya College is an independent non-governmental organisation based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Established in 1986, the primary aim of Khanya College is to assist various constituencies within working class and poor communities to respond to the challenges posed by the forces of economic and political globalisation. Khanya College offers assistance through providing educational and training workshops, publications and research to organisations and individuals in these communities. Khanya College contributes to these challenges by emphasising solutions based on social solidarity, popular democracy and participation, organisation and mobilisation.

Our website is currently under construction, but you can access previous editions of the journal on: http://www.khanyacollege.org.za/journal13.html and navigate from there.