The Incomplete Projects: Marxism, Modernity, and the Politics of Culture

by Carl Howard Freedman

A concise, lively account of Marxist thought and American culture

The Incomplete Projects reevaluates the role of Marxist theory in the study of culture and makes a case for Marxist cultural analysis as a relevant political practice. Part I provides the reader with a comprehensive and lively overview of Marxist thought. Part II is a collection of case studies analyzing a wide range of cultural objects, from the novels of Philip K. Dick to the television series M*A*S*H. The objects of study are either American or British in origin, reflecting the dominance of Anglo-American culture in our new global economy; they are also what Freedman describes as 'middle culture,' falling somewhere between the bifurcated categories of high and low art. Through these case studies, Carl Freedman shows that it is impossible to make sense of capitalism without the Marxist critique and demonstrates that cultural analysis is an especially appropriate form of discourse in which to begin thinking politically. This book is particularly timely and relevant to anyone interested in the study of culture.

250 pages, Paperback

First published December 23, 2002

About the author

Carl Freedman was born in North Carolina and educated in the public schools of Chapel Hill and Raleigh. He received his higher education at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), Oxford University, and Yale University. He has taught at Yale, at Wesleyan University (Connecticut), and, since 1984, at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge), where he is the Russell B. Long Professor of English and has been named a Distinguished Research Master. He is the author of many books, articles, and reviews that cover a wide range of topics in modern thought and culture: most notably Marxist critical theory, science fiction, film, and US electoral politics. He lives in Baton Rouge with his wife, an attorney, and has one daughter, a software tester, and one stepdaughter, a librarian.

Reviews

[Pat Rolston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated Freedman's comparison of Marxism at it's inception with the uncanny convergence and accuracy of his theories concerning the evolution of Capitalism and it's status in today's global economy. I am not a student of Marx, leaving me less than qualified to judge the author's suppositions, but I know enough to suggest for anyone interested in Marx and history they will find this a worthwhile read. The book has resulted in me wanting to study Marx in more depth and for that I am grateful. I particularly enjoyed the cultural commentary regarding MASH, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Phillip K. Dick, and Orwell as related to Marxism and society.