Insurgent Metaphors: Essays on Culture and Class

Marxism's cultural turn, which aimed to overcome its 'ontological crisis,' has failed in sub-continental South Asia, leading to the survival of 'culturally-turned Marxism' as a sign of the crisis it was meant to surpass. This theory's canonization as a mere analytic of culture has blurred politico-ideological lines and detached it from notions and conceptions of class and class action. This book aims to remedy the situation by presenting 13 essays from South Asia that explore the intersection of culture, politics, and ideology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 04 October 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Marxism's cultural turn, which has been a dominant feature of its operation for at least the past four decades, continues to defy the initial hope it held out. The notion that such a shift would ultimately rescue Marxism from its 'ontological crisis' is on the brink of collapse. This is undoubtedly true in sub-continental South Asia. Naturally, 'culturally-turned Marxism' persists as a symbol of the very crisis it was intended to overcome. The academic and broader circles' canonization of it as a mere analytical tool of culture has blurred the politico-ideological boundaries. As a result, the quietist impulse shared by this theory of the science of revolution with so-called poststructuralism suggests its complete detachment from all notions and conceptions of class and class struggle.

The 13 essays included in this book are intended as a modest effort from South Asia, where communitarian postcolonialism and 'Marxist culturalism' represent the most respected trend in radical theory, to address the situation.

Weight: 557g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032365527