200 Years of Marx
March 22, 2018
In some parts of the world the 2008/9 crisis of finance already sparked renewed interest in the oeuvre of Karl Marx and his congenial partner Friedrich Engels. In particular, The Capital seemed to be custom-made to understand and explain the crisis-ridden development of capitalism and shed light on the contemporary capitalist economy and its effects like the global increase of social inequalities, increasing unemployment, precarity, and poverty as well as ecological catastrophes. But while such pressing issues make sociologists as well as the media or wider parts of society re-discover their analysis of capitalism, Marxian theory remains contested and there is a rich body of research on Marx worldwide. Karl Marx’s 200th birthday has stimulated Global Dialogue to invite colleagues from around the world to contribute to this symposium with reflections on Marx, Marxism and Marxian sociology, the traditions behind, and their relevance for today. The symposium starts with a look back at the philosophical roots, before moving forward through reflections and controversies on how to work with Marxian theory or what is missing in it. It shows what we can see through the lenses of Marx about labor, the state, the law, social inequalities and other issues.
