As we face austerity and what seems like an ever changing global economic situation, understanding the reasons behind it all can seem daunting.

Really Open University will be hosting a 2 month crash economics course at the Space Project. We present a beginners guide to economics through lectures, discussions, film showings and workshops unravelling the financial jargon, examining the history and analysing the causes of the crisis whilst also collectively creating our own resistance to this new stage of Capitalism.

Each session works on its own so you are free to come to as few or as many as you like. For further readings and discussions around a specific area of economics, check out the New Weapons reading group on "Crisis".

6th Feb –"Economists and commoners: an introduction to the capitalist 'science' " David Harvie

A brief historical introduction to the ways in which economists have remade the world, and remade us in their image - and are continuing to do so. And why we should care.

David Harvie is a senior lecturer in finance and political economy at the University of Leicester, political activist and member of the Free Association collective.

13th Feb – "Inside Job" Film Showing

Film highlighting the systemic corruption within the financial system and how it led to the debt crisis. This will be followed by a discussion on the central role played by debt in Neoliberalism. The session should explain the ideology of debt and how it is inherent to the capitalist system, a great introduction to the following workshop...

20th Feb – Corporatewatch Debt Resistance Workshop

As we all face more and more debt, this is a practical workshop on how we can resist it in our everyday lives. Corporatewatch is a research group providing information on corporations and supporting campaigns against them.

27th Feb – "What we got for £850 billion: finance and its functions" David Harvie.

The second lecture from David Harvie, focusing on financial institutions and the technicalities (in everyday language) of the financial markets. How do they work? What does the jargon mean? Why did the British state commit £850 billion to bailing out the banks and why is finance so essential to neoliberal capitalism.

We'll have more events in March including reflections on the Eurozone crisis by the Occupied London blog, and talks by the ex-Deterritorial Support Group and Paul Mason. Keep an eye on the website for further details!