Throughout his career Stuart Hall engaged with Marxism in varying ways, actively rethinking it to address the political and cultural exigencies of the moment. This collection of Hall's key writings on Marxism surveys the questions central to his interpretations of and investments in Marxist theory and practice. It includes Hall's readings of canonical texts by Marx and Engels, Gramsci, and Althusser; his exchanges with other prominent thinkers about Marxism; his use of Marxist frameworks to theorize specific cultural phenomena and discourses; and some of his later work in which he distanced himself from his earlier attachments to Marxism. In addition, editor Gregor McLennan's introduction and commentary offer in-depth context and fresh interpretations of Hall's thought. Selected Writings on Marxism demonstrates that grasping Hall's complex relationship to Marxism is central to understanding the corpus of his work.
Industry Reviews
"Brilliantly revising Marxism to incorporate the cultural turn, Stuart Hall not only created critical cultural studies, but he helped construct the intellectual world within which a cultural sociology could emerge." - Jeffrey C. Alexander, author of (What Makes a Social Crisis? The Societalization of Social Problems) "A much-needed collection staging the brilliant Jamaican British sociologist Stuart Hall's engagement with Marx in and out of the establishment of the iconic Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham and his teaching at the Open University. The pieces coauthored with students and the active discussions of the selected pieces by a former student who also taught at the Open University make this volume a living theatre production of a powerful moment in British theoretical practice." - Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, author of (Chintar Durdasha/Jukti o Kalpanashokti) "I have also narrated the effort it took for me to access his work to illustrate the importance of the Selected Writings now being released by Duke University Press. It is an event of profound historical significance that a new generation will be able to begin its political and theoretical education with systematic access to Hall's writing. . . . Selected Writings on Marxism, edited by Gregor McLennan, which should make apparent Hall's importance as a major figure in the history of Marxist theory." - Asad Haider (The Point) "McLennan's editorial introduction and discussions in each part of the volume provide invaluable context for Hall's essays, enabling the reader to appreciate the distinctiveness of each contribution as well as the development of Hall's thought. This book will be invaluable to scholars and graduate students in the fields of sociology, history, critical theory, and cultural studies, and it will be essential for any readers concerned with the Marxian intellectual tradition. Essential. Graduate students and faculty." - T. Wheatland (Choice) "As Marxism regains its intellectual appeal for a new generation emerging amid the multiple crises and catastrophes of late capitalism, this meticulously edited volume is a timely and welcome addition to the excellent and developing Stuart Hall: Selected Writings series." - Christian Hogsbjerg (H-Socialisms, H-Net Reviews) "It is clear that the Selected Writings on Marxism and Selected Writings on Race and Difference are two collected editions that have wide appeal to those working across the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Taken together, they appeal to readers who are not familiar with Hall's intellectual work, showing the development of his work over several decades. For those familiar with Hall, they help us to deepen our knowledge of the intellectual currents Hall engaged with, and the debates and political interventions he sought to make." - Ali Meghji (Cultural Studies) "This is an excellent selection of Stuart Hall's approach to Marxism that Gregor McLennan has expertly put together and commentated on ... an essential collection for scholars and students alike seeking a true overview of how Hall uniquely understood the social world." - Owen Worth (International Review of Social History)
