Post-Marxism Versus Cultural Studies: Theory, Politics and Intervention

Post-Marxism versus Cultural Studies is an innovative exploration of the ethical and political significance of Cultural Studies and Post-Marxist discourse theory. It argues that although Cultural Studies and post-Marxism tend to present themselves as distinct entities, they actually share a project – that of taking on the political. Post-Marxism presents itself as having a developed theory of political strategy, while Cultural Studies has claimed to be both practical and political. Bowman examines these intertwined, overlapping, controversial and contested claims and orientations by way of a deconstructive reading that is led by the question of intervention: what is the intervention of post-Marxism, of Cultural Studies, of each into the other, and into other institutional and political contexts and scenes?

Through considerations of key aspects of Cultural Studies and cultural theory, Post-Marxism versus Cultural Studies argues that the very thing that is fundamental to both of these 'politicised' approaches – the quest to establish a theory of intervention, and to relate this to a practice – actually remains frustrated and unrealised as a direct result of the way this has been approached. Because of this stalemate, Post-Marxism versus Cultural Studies proposes a new theory of pragmatic intervention – one that is derived from Derridean deconstruction, post-Marxism and Cultural Studies, and which will be of importance and value for politicised academics and intellectuals working in all areas of political and Cultural Studies.

Key Features

An innovative take on the disciplines of Cultural Studies and Post-Marxism with a clear account of what Cultural Studies and post-Marxism are and why they are important.

Offers explanations, accounts and critiques of key figures of Cultural Studies and post-Marxism, such as Butler, Derrida, Hall, Laclau, Mowitt, Rorty.

Draws out the similarities and clarifies the significance of the differences between the approaches and develops a new perspective on the theory and practice of intervention.

Shows how, by seeing the links and differences between the approaches, both post-Marxism and Cultural Studies can be reorientated in order to have positive results in the political world.