News analysis in an accessible and educational way

Ilrig was founded in 1983 and for the most part conducts research on international subjects, mostly relating to the anti-globalization movement. The articles in WWN give a concise summary of the research results. According to Mzimasi Mngeni [3], “The principal aim of this newsletter is to educate the working class in neo-liberal politics, as well as in other areas that are important to our readers.” There is a desire to be well-researched and intellectual while remaining accessible to the general public. Leonard Gentle, president of Ilrig, adds, “We strive to analyze current events and debates in South Africa in an accessible and educational way.”

For example, in the June 2007 edition, there are articles on a diverse array of problems. What kind of support should be given to the women in Zimbabwe whose demonstration was violently suppressed? In the international column, how can we study the Argentine workers who took control of their ceramics factory in Zanon in 2001? All this goes along with an economic and political analysis that speaks against the hegemony of South Africa on the African continent. In each of these articles, historical background introduces the problem, and the articles that follow are often the products of research conducted by Ilrig. There is also a column called “Alternatives to Globalization” which serves as a further link by addressing current events in social movements, demonstrations, and actions taken by partner organizations.

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Ilrig holds strongly to the notion that the subjects of its articles should be accessible to a working-class readership. Leonard notes that “the articles are written to be accessible to everyone, because there are activists for whom English is not the first language;” in other words, written in simple English. The same logic applies when the articles are written. According to Leonard, they “are not written by professors but, most often, by the Ilrig team and by activists from unions and social movements.”

There is also an interesting column called “My Organization.” This allows one organization (union, NGO, etc.) or a social movement to present its cause. In the June 2007 edition, the organization that appeared was the Masibambane Unemployed Project (MUP) [4]. The organization was founded in 2003 and aims to form a network between former union members who are now out of work. The column in WWN gives MUP the opportunity to publicize the campaigns it is working on currently. Mzimasi Mngeni explains the necessity of this column: “We invite community organizations to write about the current progress of their campaigns, while it is usually difficult for them to communicate and to resist.” WWN thus becomes a newsletter that tries to present high-level information and analysis, while at the same time targeting a working-class public. WWN is an accessible and educational tool that teaches people and strengthens social movements.

Also read: Resonances Africa N° 17 - October 2007