Marxisms from Latin America: Traditions and Dialogues

Seminar 1928

Chair: CLACSO
Coordination: Luis Edgar Alvarenga Vásquez (DCEFyS/UCA, El Salvador)
Home: 29 / 07 / 2019 | Registration: 04/02/2019 al 28/07/2019

Teaching team: Luis Edgar Alvarenga Vásquez, Amparo María Marroquín Parducci, Carlos Ernesto Molina Velásquez, Ricardo Ribera Sala and Ricardo Ernesto Roque Baldovinos

Workload: 12 weeks – 90 hours.

Payment methods
If you have a link with a CLACSO Associated Center:

Paying in one payment: USD 95 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).

If you have a link with a Network or Institution Associated with CLACSO:

Paying in one payment: USD 140 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).

If you do NOT have a link with a CLACSO Associated Center:

Paying in one payment BEFORE 08/07/2019: USD 150 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).
Paying in one payment: USD 190 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).

Course presentation:

This seminar seeks to critically examine the issues raised by both Marxist philosophical production and that which engages with Marxism from a Latin American perspective. Its aim is to stimulate reflection on current challenges to emancipation in the region and to open a space for discussion about the need to update critical thought. Consequently, it will address authors from Latin American traditions of emancipatory thought, as well as some Western authors who have had or continue to have a significant influence on social and political struggles or on the development of critical thinking within the region.

In the current moment, characterized not only by a neoliberal restoration but also by the advance of the hegemony of conservative and authoritarian thought and by resistance movements and governments, it is important to update emancipatory thought. This is necessary to strengthen the theoretical analysis that underpins a liberating praxis capable of meeting the challenges of this moment. Within the currents of emancipatory thought in and from Latin America, Marxism occupies a special place. It is necessary not only to draw upon the Marxist traditions produced in Latin America but also to engage in critical dialogue, from the perspective of the region's circumstances and problems, with authors, issues, and movements inspired by Marxism in different eras and realities. The aim is to provide tools that stimulate the production of creative reflection and critical analysis, tools that are enriched by the diverse experiences and knowledge of the region.

Contents:

Rosa Luxemburg and contemporary Latin America.
Marxism and liberation theology. A mutual challenge.
Ignacio Ellacuría's dialogue with Marxism: Towards a liberating philosophy.
Marxism and decolonial critique.
José Carlos Mariátegui and the challenges of the 21st century.
Martín Barbero and his dialogue with Benjamin and Adorno on popular culture. Dialogues between the Frankfurt School and Latin America. Strategies and paths for thinking about culture.
Post-Marxism: Hegemony in Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe.
Ernesto Laclau's post-Marxism and populism.
The critical anthropology of Franz J. Hinkelammert.
Castro-Gómez and his critical reflection on Zizek and Foucault.

General Bibliography of the Seminar

Luxemburg, Rosa. “Reform or Revolution”, “The Crisis of Social Democracy” or “Junius Pamphlet”, “Organizational Problems of Russian Social Democracy”, “The Russian Revolution”. Ocean Sur, 2015.
Ellacuría, Ignacio. "Liberation Theology and Marxism."
Popular Liberation Forces: "Letter from the Popular Liberation Forces (FPL) “Farabundo Martí” to the progressive priests" (fragments), in Luis Alvarenga, The Grammar of Gunpowder, San Salvador: UCA Editores, 2016, pp. 242-247.
Girardi, Julio. Marxism and Christianity. Madrid: Taurus, 1968, pp 339-352.
Alvarenga, Luis. "A critical theory for El Salvador. Negativity, historicization and liberating praxis in Ignacio Ellacuría." ECA, volume 68, No. 732, pp. 19-34.
Ellacuría, Ignacio: "Utopia and prophecy from Latin America. A concrete essay of historical soteriology."
Dussel, Enrique. “Eurocentrism”, in 1492. The concealment of the other. Towards the “origin of the myth of modernity”, La Paz, Plural, 1994, pp. 13-22.
Maldonado Torres, Nelson. “On the coloniality of being: contributions to the development of a concept”, in Santiago Castro Gómez and Ramón Grosfoguel, The decolonial turn: reflections for an epistemic diversity beyond global capitalism. Bogotá: Siglo del Hombre Editores; Universidad Central, Instituto de Estudios Sociales Contemporáneos and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Instituto Pensar, 2007, pp. 127-167.
Mariátegui, José Carlos: “Seven Interpretive Essays on Peruvian Reality”, Amauta, Lima, 1992.
Mariátegui, José Carlos: “Defense of Marxism”, Amauta, Lima, 1978.
Mariátegui, José Carlos: “The Morning Soul”, Amauta, Lima, 1970.
Mariátegui, José Carlos: “The contemporary scene”, Amauta, Lima, 1964.
Mariátegui, José Carlos: “Let's Peruvianize Peru”, Amauta, Lima, 1988.
Martín Barbero, J. (1998). From media to mediations. Communication, culture and hegemony. Bogotá: Convenio Andrés Bello. Chapter III (part I): Cultural industry, capitalism and legitimation.
Entel, A. Lenadruzzi, V. and Gerzovich, D. (2008). Frankfurt School. Reason, art and freedom. Buenos Aires: Eudeba. Pages 201-234: Chapter VI: The Frankfurt School in Latin America.
López, S. (2018). "Times out of time: the afterlife of a book." In Omar Rincón (ed.). Thinking from the South. Bogotá: Fescomunicación. Pp. 90-105.
Laclau, Ernesto and Chantal Mouffe. “Beyond the Positivity of the Social: Antagonism and Hegemony” in Hegemony and Socialist Strategy. Madrid: Siglo XXI, 1987.
Laclau, Ernesto. “The Impossibility of Society”, in New Reflections on the Revolution of Our Time. Buenos Aires: Nueva Visión, 2000, pp. 103-106.
Laclau, Ernesto. “Populism. What does the name tell us?”, in Panizza, Francisco (ed.), Populism as a mirror of democracy. Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2007, pp. 51-70.
Laclau, Ernesto. “Logics of political construction and popular identities,” in Coraggio, José Luis and Laville, Jean-Pierre (eds.). Reinventing the Left in the 21st Century: Towards a North-South Dialogue. Los Polvorines: National University of General Sarmiento, 2014, pp. 253-265.
Molina Velásquez, Carlos, Body, Law and Sacrificiality. The Critical Anthropology of Franz J. Hinkelammert, UCA Editores, San Salvador, 2017.
Castro-Gómez, Santiago. "The government of populations", in: History of governmentality (I) Bogotá: Siglo del Hombre Editores, 2016, pp. 55-94.
Castro-Gómez, Santiago. "Revolution or capitalism? Yes, please!!" in Revolutions without a subject. Slavoj Zizek and the critique of postmodern historicism. Mexico: Akal, 2015, pp. 151-198.

FAQ

What do I need to take a CLACSO virtual seminar?

The basic requirements for taking a seminar are:

Availability of at least 4 hours per week to dedicate to the seminar course.
Internet access.
Reasonable handling of communication and computer tools.
Language proficiency in the language in which the course will be taught. The official languages are Spanish and Portuguese.

What is the length of a CLACSO virtual seminar? What is the total number of hours?

The seminars last 12 weeks, plus the completion of a final project. A total of 90 hours of dedication will be credited.

What is the work modality and dynamics?

A course consists of twelve classes, each accompanied by required readings, supplementary readings, discussion forums, and learning activities proposed by the teaching team, as well as partial submissions and a final project. The course is delivered online and asynchronously. Some instructors may propose synchronous activities. In these cases, the time and date will be agreed upon in advance between the teaching team and the students to ensure everyone's participation. To pass the seminar, students must participate in at least 80% of the discussion forums and activities proposed by the instructors, complete all scheduled partial submissions, and pass the final project.