Department of English

This course will focus on Marxist thought as it has developed around the world from the 19th century to the present. The first half of the class will be devoted almost entirely to Marx’s own writings. We will bring a philosophical, rhetorical, and methodological attention to these texts and give particular attention both to the hinge between idealism and materialism and to Marx’s method of interpretation. The second half of the course will consider Marxist thought from the 20th and 21st-centuries as it has been elaborated in different parts of the world and in response to concrete class struggles. Close attention will be given to Marxist critiques of imperialism, colonialism, and neocolonialism, including their ideological manifestations. Other topics that will be addressed include Marxist accounts of feminism, national self-determination, ecological destruction, and fascism. Advanced undergraduate and submatriculated M.A. students interested in this course should contact the instructors to request permission to enroll and submit a permit request via Path@Penn.