
History and Event
From Marxism to Contemporary French Theory
Nathan Coombs(Author)
Edinburgh University Press
Published on 21. September 2015
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-0-7486-9899-8 (ISBN)
Description
Nathan Coombs demonstrates that the Marxist science of history has been reimagined by a strand of contemporary French theory after Louis Althusser. Taking a comparative approach, he explores the technical details of both traditions' historical sciences. He argues that their articulations of history and event affect how we approach political transformation and view the role of theoreticians in political practice. Coombs establishes the continuities and discontinuities between classical Marxism and Althusserian theory, bringing you new readings of Hegel, Marx, Lenin, Althusser, Badiou, Meillassoux and complexity theory.
Reviews / Votes
Noble and impressive. -- Edward Thornton, Royal Holloway, University of London * Marx and Philosophy Review of Books * Scholars interested in French theory or Marxism will find the book a delight, drawing from many sources. Graduate students will find the book a useful synthesis of ideas and will no doubt be able to cite Coombs in his own right. -- Nick J. Sciullo, Illinois College * Political Studies Review * This is a valuable and important book... It gives a good overview of this important field of issues; and, most importantly, it seeks to bring Marxism and recent French theory back into a dialogue which has been lacking for a long time now, and that is to be welcomed. -- Sean Sayers, University of Kent * Science & Society * This book is a timely intervention in both classical and post-Althusserian Marxist philosophies. Drawing upon both traditions, Coombs makes a compelling case for a nuanced rather than combative understanding of the relationship between historical necessity and the contingency of events. -- Iain MacKenzie, Centre for Critical Thought, University of Kent Coombs pays tribute to Marx as the master of historicization who challenged orthodoxies with rationalism. This absorbing study acknowledges the power of 'grand narratives' by considering how they are made to arise, and it shows us how crucial beauty, bravado and imagination are to a science of the event. -- Terrell Carver, Professor of Political Theory, University of BristolMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
522 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7486-9899-8 (9780748698998)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2015
1st Edition
Edinburgh University Press
€103.99
Available for download

E-Book
09/2015
1st Edition
Edinburgh University Press
€0.00
Available for download
Person
Nathan Coombs is Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the University of Edinburgh.
Content
Preface and Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I. History and Event in Marxist Dialectics
1. Hegel's Leaps and the Historicist Theory of Knowledge
2. Marx's Idea of Communist Transformation
3. Lenin's Philosophy: A New Dialectics of Revolution?
Part II. Events and Historical Judgement after Althusser
4. Althusser's Science: Naming the Epistemological Break
5. Badiou's Decision: To Give Up Leadership, Somewhat
6. Meillassoux's Politics: Speculative Justice
Part III. Suggestions about Where this Road Might Take us
7. Afterword: Towards a Complex Science of History
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Introduction
Part I. History and Event in Marxist Dialectics
1. Hegel's Leaps and the Historicist Theory of Knowledge
2. Marx's Idea of Communist Transformation
3. Lenin's Philosophy: A New Dialectics of Revolution?
Part II. Events and Historical Judgement after Althusser
4. Althusser's Science: Naming the Epistemological Break
5. Badiou's Decision: To Give Up Leadership, Somewhat
6. Meillassoux's Politics: Speculative Justice
Part III. Suggestions about Where this Road Might Take us
7. Afterword: Towards a Complex Science of History
Notes
Bibliography
Index