HUM 350: Great Figures: Marx

Course Description:

It might be said of Karl Marx what was once said of his predecessor, G.W.F. Hegel, that he is now, with the fall of the Berlin wall and the so-called “the end of history,” truly a “dead dog.” Yet, at the same time, there is no contesting the fact that Marx (and Engels) have had and continue to have an enormous impact on contemporary debates within political and social theory and, indeed, the arts and literature, from feminism, through Critical Theory and post-structuralism to liberal debates on the nature of social justice. This course shall provide a comprehensive over-view of the major writings of Karl Marx, from his early philosophical writings to his mature critique of political economy.

Seminar:

While there will be occasional lectures to provide context, the course will follow a seminar format. Students will be required to do short presentations as a way of provoking discussion of the readings. They will also be called upon to give a short “protocol” at the start of each class to summarize the main points of the previous class.

Required Texts: