EUR  â¬136.80EUR  â¬114.00 excl. VAT
The Ideology of Work
Theoretical Humanism, Work and Labour
Series: - Historical Materialism Book Series, Volume: 311
Author:
In On the Reproduction of Capitalism, Louis Althusser cited an appendix which, it seems, remains lost or was never completed. This appendix was titled âthe Ideology of Workâ.
This book takes inspiration from this appendix, to think about what is at stake for both Marxism and sociology in analysing work from an Althusserian perspective today. The dominant form of this ideology of work today is theoretical humanism. This book demonstrates how theoretical humanism has undermined the analysis of work and makes the case for a Marxism in sociology with a committed theoretical anti-humanism at the forefront of its endeavour.
This book takes inspiration from this appendix, to think about what is at stake for both Marxism and sociology in analysing work from an Althusserian perspective today. The dominant form of this ideology of work today is theoretical humanism. This book demonstrates how theoretical humanism has undermined the analysis of work and makes the case for a Marxism in sociology with a committed theoretical anti-humanism at the forefront of its endeavour.
Samuel J.R. Mercer is a lecturer in social policy at Liverpool Hope University. He is a member of the editorial board of Rethinking Marxism and has published work in journals such as Economy and Society and Décalages.
Acknowledgements
Introduction: The Ideology of Work
â1âA Crisis of Marxism
â2âStructure of the Book
1 The Humanist Controversy
â1âHumanism as a Theoretical Problem
â2âHumanism as a Political Problem
â3âAnti-humanism after Althusser: The Spinozist Detour
â4âAnti-humanism after Althusser: The Hegelian/Lacanian Detour
â5âA Sociological Detour: Anti-humanism and Work
â6âConclusion
2 The Concept of âLabourâ in Marxâs Critique of Political Economy
â1âMarx Explodes the Concept of âLabourâ
â2âA âPolitics of Labourâ
â3âLabour and Ideology
â4âConclusion
3 âSocial Labourâ and the Critique of Work in Marxist Theory
â1ââSocial Labourâ
â2âTheory, Politics and âSocial Labourâ in the Marxist Critique of Work
â3âConclusion
4 Theoretical Humanism and the Post-work Imaginary
â1âA Brave New World of (Post-)work
â2âThe Problem with Post-work
â3âThe Theoretical Humanism of Post-work Thought
â4âConclusion
5 Social Reproduction and Theoretical Anti-humanism
â1âA âCrisisâ of Feminism?
â2âEmotion, Alienation and Reproductive Labour
â3âTowards an Anti-humanist Theoretical Feminism: Social Reproduction Theory
â4âConclusion
6 âMakingâ History: The Concept of Labour and the Anthropocene Discourse
â1âLabour and the Theoretical Humanism of the Anthropocene
â2âAlienation, Modernity and the Anthropocene
â3âHumanism, Historicism, Marxism: Labour Between âFossil Capitalâ and the âCapitaloceneâ
â4âConclusion
Conclusion: Marxism in Sociology
References
Index
Introduction: The Ideology of Work
â1âA Crisis of Marxism
â2âStructure of the Book
1 The Humanist Controversy
â1âHumanism as a Theoretical Problem
â2âHumanism as a Political Problem
â3âAnti-humanism after Althusser: The Spinozist Detour
â4âAnti-humanism after Althusser: The Hegelian/Lacanian Detour
â5âA Sociological Detour: Anti-humanism and Work
â6âConclusion
2 The Concept of âLabourâ in Marxâs Critique of Political Economy
â1âMarx Explodes the Concept of âLabourâ
â2âA âPolitics of Labourâ
â3âLabour and Ideology
â4âConclusion
3 âSocial Labourâ and the Critique of Work in Marxist Theory
â1ââSocial Labourâ
â2âTheory, Politics and âSocial Labourâ in the Marxist Critique of Work
â3âConclusion
4 Theoretical Humanism and the Post-work Imaginary
â1âA Brave New World of (Post-)work
â2âThe Problem with Post-work
â3âThe Theoretical Humanism of Post-work Thought
â4âConclusion
5 Social Reproduction and Theoretical Anti-humanism
â1âA âCrisisâ of Feminism?
â2âEmotion, Alienation and Reproductive Labour
â3âTowards an Anti-humanist Theoretical Feminism: Social Reproduction Theory
â4âConclusion
6 âMakingâ History: The Concept of Labour and the Anthropocene Discourse
â1âLabour and the Theoretical Humanism of the Anthropocene
â2âAlienation, Modernity and the Anthropocene
â3âHumanism, Historicism, Marxism: Labour Between âFossil Capitalâ and the âCapitaloceneâ
â4âConclusion
Conclusion: Marxism in Sociology
References
Index
It would be of interest to academic libraries and to both specialists and students in the areas of Marxism, philosophy, sociology and political theory.