This colloquium will consist of a close reading of a single theoretical text: Eugene Victor Wolfenstein’s Psychoanalytic-Marxism: Groundwork. As the title suggests, this is, in my opinion, the most systematic, thorough, and “serious” attempt thus far to bring two apparently incompatible systems, marxian and psychoanalytic studies, together in one mutually modifying theory. It begins by tracing its own genealogy, examining the works of Wilhelm Reich, Erich Fromm, Herbert Marcuse, and others, as well as, of course, the fundamental concepts of Marx and Freud; it then lays the “groundwork” by rearticulating the importance of the dialectical method; and, finally, attempts the combination. Unlike most humanistic deployments of marxian methodology, it does not confine itself to variations of “ideology critique” but insists instead on adapting Marx’s work on political economy per se to a critique of sociality and culture. It takes marxian analysis as seriously as it does psychoanalysis, and critiques both fairly stringently. This is an important book for those interested in either one of these areas.
The book is divided into three parts; hence the first three (substantive) meetings of the colloquium will be devoted to the reading and discussion of one part per meeting. (Relevant antecedent and supplementary material can also be brought into these discussions). I am hoping to persuade Professor Wolfenstein to attend the final meeting of the colloquium.
Students who wish to take this colloquium for credit will be required to present one oral report on some aspect of Psychoanalytic-Marxism during the quarter. Pdf copies of the entire book will be available for those who prefer that format (Psychoanalytic-Marxism.pdf). For those who wish to hold a material copy in their hands, there are a handful of used/new copies available on the internet below $20 (and others for over $20); the book is apparently out of print.
TENTATIVE MEETING & READING/DISCUSSION SCHDULE:
First Meeting (brief): April 4: Intro and organization
– assigning of oral reports, etc.
Second meeting: April 18
PREFACE:
Chapter 1: Of All Possible Worlds We Only Have One . . .
PART ONE: ASSEMBLAGE
Chapter 2: Marx Against Freud
Chapter 3: Freudian-Marxism
Chapter 4: Beyond Freudian-Marxism
Third meeting: May 2
PART TWO: GROUNDWORK
Chapter 5: Dialectic and Method
Chapter 6: We Are the Problem We Are Trying to Solve
Chapter 7: Social Production
Fourth meeting: May 16
PART THREE: CONSTRUCTIONS AND CONFIGURATIONS
Chapter 8: Lordship and Bondage
Chapter 9: Transference and
Transformations
Chapter 10: Taking the Cure
Fifth meeting: May 30
POSSIBLE VISIT BY PROFESSOR WOLFENSTEIN
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