Hated, worshipped, insulted, applauded, Marx produced one of the most inspiring critical theories. As a philosopher, economist, sociologist, political scientist, historian, political activist, Marx remains, 200 years after his birth, an inevitable reference to understand capitalism and to scrutinize human societies’ future paths.
Global capitalism’s present-day is part of a social and environmental crisis that threatens humankind and our planet. In this context, Marx’s ideas meet a reinvigorated interest, even among non-Marxists. A non-dogmatic Marx reader will acknowledge capitalism is a bearer of progress as well as regression. Furthermore, if we decline mechanistic and deterministic notions, then capitalism may not disappear by itself. We need consequently to explore various alternatives and the possibilities of collective action within the framework of numerous social movements.
The Symposium will bring together scholars discussing Marx’s legacy and applicability for the present. It welcomes proposals from different disciplines, approaches, methodologies and countries.
The Thematic Areas include:
- Marx’s dialectical and historical materialism: unity, contradiction, change and progress;
- Work and technology: industrial revolution, digital revolution and changes driven by “industry 4.0”;
- Capital and social struggles: economy, politics, society and the State;
- Capitalism, globalisation and imperialism: unequal development, inequalities and social exclusion;
- Nature and society: the social and environmental crisis of capitalism;
- Socialism, models and real-world experiences: successes, failures, and lessons for the future;
- Alienation, ideology and utopia: thinking ways out of capitalism;
- Philosophy, social and political sciences in the Marxist tradition: knowledge production, (neo) Marxist authors, praxis and activism;
- Citizenship, education and culture(s): Marxist and neo-Marxist perspectives;
- New research objects from the Marxist legacy.