Professor Lilia Monzó, of the College of Educational Studies, hosted three key speakers of the International Marxist Humanist Organization (IMHO) in “Marx for Today,” a special session of her Freshman Foundations Course (FFC) Revolution and Education on October 20th. Speakers included Kevin Anderson from UC Santa Barbara, author of numerous Marxist texts, including Marx at the Margins; Ali Kiani, a member of the workers councils during the 1979 Iranian Revolution and Persian translator of various Marx’s works; and Stephan Hamel, Marxist musicologist and scholar from UC Irvine.

The event launched with a brief introduction by renowned revolutionary critical pedagogue Peter McLaren. Also present were additional members of the IMHO. What was referred to as a “historic event” created a space to explore Marx’s thought and develop a vision for a better, freer, and more just humanity.

Professor Monzó herself is a member of the IMHO and the Paulo Freire Democratic Project (PFDP) at Chapman University. In the audience FFC students were joined by various faculty, students, and community members, including various members of the PFDP, Suzanne SooHoo, Peter McLaren, Anaida Colon-Muniz and Angie McLaren.

Dr. Monzó indicates that plans are underway to bring IMHO to Chapman more regularly and to collaborate with its members in study groups and other activities. Dr. Monzó points out that given the current conditions of social inequality and human suffering, serious engagement with the expansive work of Karl Marx is absolutely necessary.