In the course of their education in political science, students commonly encounter what is called a [sometimes ‘the’] Marxist approach to, or interpretation of, a structure, system, movement etc. What gets thrown into the mix is, in other words, some Marxism but not much Marx. This Junior Seminar will reverse these priorities by focusing on a selection from Marx’s most important writings themselves, seen in the context of their historical inception as well as in the theoretical context that follows from or is raised by these writings.
Reading list and Syllabus to be announced. Admission to the Seminar [a minimum GPA of 3.3 is normally a pre-requisite] to be determined by the instructor after interviewing student applicants. Students will be graded on the basis of a research paper, first drafts of which will be due at mid-term, though active participation in our weekly meetings will also be taken into account.