Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Stephen Dozeman
Guest: Babak Amini (Assistant Editor, “Marx, Engels, and Marxisms” series, Palgrave)
Episode Title: The Renaissance of Marxist Studies: A Discussion with Babak Amini
Date: December 1, 2025

This episode of New Books in Historical Materialism features an insightful conversation between host Stephen Dozeman and Babak Amini about the “Marx, Engels, and Marxisms” book series published by Palgrave. They discuss the origins, mission, and international scope of the series, its contribution to advancing Marxist scholarship, and recommendations for listeners new to the series. The episode offers a vibrant look at how contemporary editors and authors are reevaluating, expanding, and internationalizing Marxist studies for the 21st century.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Vision of the Book Series

[02:45–05:28]

• Initiation: The series launched in 2014, co-founded by Marcello Musto (a younger scholar of Marx) and Terrell Carver (a senior scholar). Babak Amini joined as assistant editor a few years later.
• Shared Approach: The founding editors, despite different traditions, share a "rigorous, historically contextualized, and textually based approach to Marx." (Babak Amini, 03:03)
• Plurality of Marxism: The aim is to challenge the notion of “Marxism as monolith”—focusing instead on its plurality, both historically and theoretically.
• Critical Reevaluation: The series is intended for those interested in a "profoundly critical reexamination of the tradition itself."

  “...it is indeed wrong to think of Marxism...as a monolith. Understanding such plurality...is a prerequisite for a critical reexamination of Marxism as we move forward into the 21st century.”
  — Babak Amini [04:20]

2. Distinctiveness and Editorial Approach

[05:28–07:39]

• Breadth of Focus: The series includes research on:
  • 19th–21st c. Marxist thinkers
  • Labor and social movements
  • Marx’s analysis of contemporary issues
  • Reception of Marxism globally
• Reception Studies: It pays special attention to how Marxism is received in various global/local contexts, especially through translation and exposure to previously neglected voices.
• Addressing Linguistic Barriers: The editorial team seeks to bring less-accessible non-English Marxist scholarship to Anglophone readers.

3. Internationalism and Translations

[07:39–09:26]

• Global Exchange: A core goal is to "create a space for English language editions of notable contributions already published in other languages."
• Overcoming Obstacles: Acquiring translation rights and facilitating cross-cultural scholarly exchange is seen as crucial, but challenging.
• Broader Intellectual Dialogue: The series aspires to widen the “frontiers of studies of Marx and Engels and Marxism” internationally.

  "Such internationalizational debate to pull intellectual activities from various linguistic, geographical, political, [and] disciplinary backgrounds together is really required for any serious reexamination of Marxism...”
  — Babak Amini [08:42]

4. Anthologies and Edited Volumes

[09:26–12:53]

• Types: Includes both classical anthologies (e.g., collections of Marx’s original writings, such as “Marx's Writings on Alienation”) and edited volumes of scholarly essays.
• Editorial Standards: Highlights the difficulty and rigor of assembling cohesive, multi-authored works, and the series’ commitment to “rigorous and cohesive volumes.”
• Role of Anthologies: Despite some skepticism towards edited volumes in academia, the team values them as vehicles for multiple perspectives on important topics.

5. Recommendations and Thematic Highlights

[12:53–19:13]

• Diversity of the Series: 62 volumes published, with approximately 60 more under contract.
• Subfields Covered:
  • Reception studies (e.g., Carver & Blank’s work on “German Ideology”; Joseph Vacco’s “Alternative Modernity” on Gramsci; Kon Kangal’s work on Engels)
  • Heterodox Marxist thinkers (e.g., on Gramsci, Zygmunt Krakauer, Rosa Luxemburg, Danielievskaya, Jean Jaurès, Benjamin)
  • Political theory (especially Marxism’s relationship with liberalism; e.g., August Nimitz’s “Marxism versus Liberalism”, Iacono’s “The Bourgeois and the Savage”)
  • Political economy and Marxian economics (e.g., Szepanski’s “Financial Capital in the 21st Century”; Rodriguez’s work on neoliberal Chile; Melo & Sabadini’s “Financial Speculation and Fictitious Profit”)
  • Postcolonial perspectives (e.g., Vigita’s on Ambedkar and socialism in India; Samadar’s “Marx and the Postcolonial Age”)
• Upcoming and Niche Topics:

  • Paolucci’s on Bourdieu and Marx

  • Piranha Santella’s on Marxism and social movements

    “Bringing those voices that are not heard as much and not studied as much into the English speaking world is one of the contributions of the series.”
    — Babak Amini [15:55]

    “Audiences with various interests would find at least a couple of titles in the series to dig into and hopefully have a critical engagement with new debates.”
    — Babak Amini [18:54]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Understanding such plurality in historical and theoretical terms, I think is a prerequisite for a critical reexamination of Marxism...” — Babak Amini [04:20]
• “Our series has been able to play a role in creating a bridge...in the direction of international exchange of ideas at the frontier of studies of Marx and Engels and Marxism.” — Babak Amini [08:30]
• “We think [edited volumes] do serve an important role in bringing together contributions not from one single voice, but multiple voices with multiple perspectives on a specific topic.” — Babak Amini [11:42]
• “It is quite clear that, audiences with various interests would find at least a couple of titles in the series to dig into and hopefully have a critical engagement with new debates.” — Babak Amini [18:54]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:26 – Introduction to the episode and series by Stephen Dozeman
• 03:03 – Babak Amini on the origins and inspiration for the series
• 05:51 – How the series sets itself apart from others in the field
• 08:04 – The importance of translations and the international perspective
• 09:59 – The role and challenges of anthologies and edited volumes
• 13:13 – Recommendations for where to start in the series
• 15:55 – On bringing lesser-known international voices into English
• 18:54 – Concluding remarks on the series’ breadth and importance

Conclusion

The episode offers an engaging overview of how contemporary Marxist scholarship is expanding via translation, editorial rigor, and an emphasis on the plurality and global reception of Marxism. The Palgrave “Marx, Engels, and Marxisms” series stands out for its commitment to internationalism, theoretical diversity, and critical reevaluation. Whether you’re a scholar or a curious newcomer, the series offers numerous entry points to the new frontiers of Marxist thought.