Tony Benn

Tony Benn is Britain’s most prominent left wing figure. In the 1980s he was a figurehead of the left wing inside the Labour Party. Since leaving parliament he has remained a committed campaigner for justice and is currently president of the Stop the War Coalition.

Slavoj Žižek

Slavoj Žižek is a cultural critic and philosopher known across the world for his powerful intellect and rich humour. At Marxism 2010 he will join Alex Callinicos and John Holloway in a panel discussion on the idea of communism.

Gary Younge

Guardian columnist Gary Younge returns to Marxism this year to look at Obama’s first year and a half in power and the response it has drawn from the US right. He will also introduce a discussion around identity, the subject of his new book.

Hester Eisenstein

A professor of sociology and a socialist feminist based in New York, Hester Eisenstein will be participating in a series of meetings on women’s liberation and will also talk on her new book, Feminism Seduced.

Tariq Ali

First coming to prominence in the events of 1968, historian, novelist and journalist Tariq Ali is a celebrated figure on the left. He is currently on the editorial board of New Left Review which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

Haifa Zangana

A political prisoner and then exile from Iraq under the Saddam Hussein regime, Haifa Zangana has been one of the most important voices against the US/UK led occupation of her country. A novelist, author and artist, she will be speaking about the situation in Iraq today.

Michael Rosen

Michael Rosen is a poet, writer, campaigner and broadcaster. Formerly the children’s laureate, he writes and performs for all ages and is passionate about education, which he will speak on this year. He will also host an evening of poetry.

Gareth Peirce

As a human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce has worked on many of the most high profile legal cases involving miscarriages of justice. At Marxism this year she will speak alongside former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg and Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four.

Christine Buchholz

Christine Buchholz was elected to the German parliament for Die Linke (the Left Party) last year, in one of the most important developments for the European radical left. She recently visited Afghanistan, which she will be speaking on at Marxism.

István Mészáros

One of the world’s leading Marxist thinkers, István Mészáros is the author of many books and essays, including the seminal work Marx’s Theory of Alienation. His meeting at Marxism this year is on the crisis of parliamentarism.

Matt Wrack

Matt Wrack is the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union. He will be joining other trade unionists to discuss the way forward for the unions in the context of the new government and the cuts that it wants to inflict on workers and public services.

Sheila Rowbotham

A socialist and feminist, Sheila Rowbotham will be speaking on her latest book, Dreamers of a New Day, where she will look at the role of working class women and their struggle in shaping the world we live in today.

John Holloway

John Holloway is a prominent figure of the international left and is currently based at the Autonomous University of Puebla in Mexico. He will discuss his new book, Crack Capitalism, at this year’s Marxism as well as being part of the panel on the idea of communism.

Ghada Karmi

Palestinian author and campaigner Ghada Karmi will talk about the ongoing fight for freedom of the Palestinian people. She writes for a number of journals and newspapers and is a proponent of a single-state solution to the Palestinian struggle.

Alex Callinicos

Alex Callinicos has made a number of major contributions to Marxist theory through such books as The Resources of Critique and Imperialism and Global Political Economy. He is a member of the Socialist Workers Party and, among other things, will be speaking on his new book, Bonfire of Illusions.

Stephen Rose

Steven Rose is a biologist and neuroscientist who has played a major role in countering arguments around evolutionary psychology. He is also a staunch anti-Zionist campaigner and an active supporter of BDS (boycott, disinvestment and sanctions against Israel).