Overview

This introduction to the politics of poststructuralism focuses on two interrelated themes: the culture of Western Marxism and contemporary neo-liberal capitalism. One of the book's main arguments is that poststructuralism is not a form of anti-Marxism. Indeed, poststructural philosophers view themselves in some kind of relationship to the legacy of Marx: either they have been Marxist or still view themselves as Marxist. In a post-Marxist era they have invented new ways of reading and writing Marx. The other major argument concerns a critical engagement with neo-liberalism, an ideology that is committed to the revitalization of homo economicus and neo-classical economics. On this model, the social is re-described in terms of the economic. No longer content to analyze and describe economic behaviour in terms of choices involving the allocation of scarce resources, neo-liberalism imperialistically elevates itself to the position of a global social science able to explain all rational conduct, or even simply all behaviour. The book is a deconstruction of neo-liberalism, considered as a world-historical political project aimed at a form of globalization.

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9780742509863

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Reviews

Micheal Peters is thoroughly immersed in the 'politics of poststructualism' but expresses his ideas with an enviable clarity and power. For anyone trying to understand what holds poststructuralism, as a 'movement of thought, ' together, this is the place to start.--Stephen J. Ball

Micheal Peters is thoroughly immersed in the 'politics of poststructualism' but expresses his ideas with an enviable clarity and power. For anyone trying to understand what holds poststructuralism, as a 'movement of thought,' together, this is the place to start. -- Stephen J. Ball, University of London An outstanding book... Michael Peters provides an excellent critical survey of several major twentieth century French thinkers who either respond to or play against poststructuralist ideas and values as they grapple with political challenges of neoliberalism, globalization, and the rise of a knowledge economy ... very readable and theoretically important. -- Timothy Luke, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Peters provocatively challenges many misreadings of poststructural (and postmodern) writings on political and cultural analysis. He shows the relation and divergences of this writing to Marxism and finally, provides ways in which to seriously rethink the political in contemporary life. Poststructuralism, Marxism, and Neoliberalism is well-written, lucid in argument, and insightful in how it moves the philosophical discourses into policy and political analysis. -- Tom Popkewitz, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Author Information

Michael A. Peters is professor of education at the University of Glasgow and University of Auckland.

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