Marx and Marxism

Rather than attempting to present yet another overview or ‘user manual’ of Marxism, this course will focus on a series of 8 key texts written by Karl Marx, in their social context, and develop an understanding of the historical significance and meaning of each. In this way, participants will gain a thorough grasp of the legacy of Karl Marx, why Marx became the icon of a revolutionary workers’ movement, and why a serious study of his work is the sine qua non of understanding twentieth century social theory and philosophy. The final day of the course will be devoted to assessing the reception of Marx in the social movement known as ‘Marxism’.