Antonio Gramsci: Beyond Marxism and Postmodernism (Critics of the Twentieth Century)

In this study, Renate Holub attempts to reclaim Antonio Gramsci's theory from classical Marxism, instead placing him in a broader European critical context, alongside the Frankfurt School, phenomenology, and sociolinguistics. Holub emphasizes Gramsci's affinities with the cultural theories of the Frankfurt School (Horkheimer, Bloch, Brecht, Benjamin), and also points out the links between Gramsci's linguistic and phenomenological forms of knowledge. Holub conveys the conceptual and methodological complexity of his work, which is, the author claims, relevant to the construction of today's critical theory. Language & Literature Book Cover 1 Half-Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 7 Editor’s foreword 9 Acknowledgements 13 1 Gramsci and critical theories: towards a ‘differential pragmatics’ 16 MARXISM AND MODERNISM 16 MODERNISM, GRAMSCI AND THE FRANKFURT SCHOOL 24 BEYOND THE MODERN: LINGUISTICS AND PHENOMENOLOGY 32 TOWARDS A ‘DIFFERENTIAL PRAGMATICS’ 35 2 To realism farewell: Gramsci, Lukacs and Marxist aesthetics 45 CRITICAL PRACTICES 45 PREDICAMENTS OF HISTORY 51 GRAMSCI’S MANZONI: AN INTELLECTUAL WITH CLASS 61 LUKÁCS’ READING OF MANZONI 72 3 The industrialization of culture: Gramsci with Benjamin, Brecht and the Frankfurt School 80 MODERNIST THRESHOLDS 80 GRAMSCI, TURIN AND CULTURE INDUSTRY 86 4 Gramsci’s theory of consciousness: between alienation, reification and Bloch’s ‘principle of hope’ 104 OBJECTIVITY, SUBJECTIVITY AND GRAMSCI’S PIRANDELLO 104 SUBJECTS OF POPULAR CULTURE 113 5 Phenomenology, linguistics, hegemony 128 BETWEEN PERCEPTION AND RECEPTION: GRAMSCI’S DANTE AND HIS READERS 128 TOWARDS A CRITICAL THEORY OF ACTIVE COMMUNICATION: GRAMSCI AND VOLOŠINOV 142 THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF THE PRISON WORLD: GRAMSCI AND MERLEAU-PONTY 151 6 Gramsci’s intellectual and the age of information technology 160 THE ADVENTURES OF A CONCEPT IN GRAMSCI’S TEXTS 160 Model 1: The traditional intellectual: artist, philosopher, poet 162 Model 2: The ‘Structure of Feeling’ and ‘Intellectual Community’ 164 Model 3: The ‘organic intellectual’, the ‘new intellectual’, the ‘critical specialist’ 172 Model 4: The ‘universal intellectual’ 177 ‘MODE OF PRODUCTION’ AND ‘MODE OF INFORMATION’ 179 BETWEEN HABERMAS AND LYOTARD: GRAMSCI’S INTELLECTUAL AND ‘DIFFERENTIAL PRAGMATICS’ 188 7 In lieu of a conclusion: Gramsci, feminism, Foucault 199 Notes 212 Bibliography 243 Index 254 Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 Editor’s foreword......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 13 MARXISM AND MODERNISM......Page 16 MODERNISM, GRAMSCI AND THE FRANKFURT SCHOOL......Page 24 BEYOND THE MODERN: LINGUISTICS AND PHENOMENOLOGY......Page 32 TOWARDS A ‘DIFFERENTIAL PRAGMATICS’......Page 35 CRITICAL PRACTICES......Page 45 PREDICAMENTS OF HISTORY......Page 51 GRAMSCI’S MANZONI: AN INTELLECTUAL WITH CLASS......Page 61 LUKÁCS’ READING OF MANZONI......Page 72 MODERNIST THRESHOLDS......Page 80 GRAMSCI, TURIN AND CULTURE INDUSTRY......Page 86 OBJECTIVITY, SUBJECTIVITY AND GRAMSCI’S PIRANDELLO......Page 104 SUBJECTS OF POPULAR CULTURE......Page 113 BETWEEN PERCEPTION AND RECEPTION: GRAMSCI’S DANTE AND HIS READERS......Page 128 TOWARDS A CRITICAL THEORY OF ACTIVE COMMUNICATION: GRAMSCI AND VOLOŠINOV......Page 142 THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF THE PRISON WORLD: GRAMSCI AND MERLEAU-PONTY......Page 151 THE ADVENTURES OF A CONCEPT IN GRAMSCI’S TEXTS......Page 160 Model 1: The traditional intellectual: artist, philosopher, poet......Page 162 Model 2: The ‘Structure of Feeling’ and ‘Intellectual Community’......Page 164 Model 3: The ‘organic intellectual’, the ‘new intellectual’, the ‘critical specialist’......Page 172 Model 4: The ‘universal intellectual’......Page 177 ‘MODE OF PRODUCTION’ AND ‘MODE OF INFORMATION’......Page 179 BETWEEN HABERMAS AND LYOTARD: GRAMSCI’S INTELLECTUAL AND ‘DIFFERENTIAL PRAGMATICS’......Page 188 7 In lieu of a conclusion: Gramsci, feminism, Foucault......Page 199 Notes......Page 212 Bibliography......Page 243 Index......Page 254 Antonio Gramsci examines the influential work of the great Italian thinker. Renate Holub seeks to reclaim Gramsci from classical Marxism, and instead places him in the broad European critical context--alongside the Frankfurt School, phenomenology, and sociolinguistics. This book points to Gramsci's affinities with the cultural theories inscribed in the critical theory of the Frankfurt School (Horkheimer, Bloch, Brecht, Benjamin). It also establishes affinities between Gramsci's linguistic and phenomenological forms of knowledge. Placing Gramsci in this broader context evokes the immense conceptual and methodological complexity of his work, a complexity Holub discusses in terms of "differential pragmatics." It is this very complexity which is, the author claims, relevant today when constructing our own critical theories. Faced with the transnationalization of capital, the centralization of monetary and economic power, and the decentralization of production processes, a critical theory today must investigate, in the context of information technology, the possibilities of alternative positions to such an order. Gramsci's methodological itineraries are more useful, this book argues, than other critical theories in developing ways of seeing and doing that are commensurate with the complexities of this era. -- Publisher description This Book Provides The First Detailed Account Of Gramsci's Work In The Context Of Current Critical And Socio-cultural Debates. Renate Holub Argues That Gramsci Was Ahead Of His Time In Offering A Theory Of Art, Politics And Cultural Production. Gramsci's Achievement Is Discussed Particularly In Relation To The Frankfurt School (adorno, Horkheimer, Benjamin, Bloch, Habermas), To Brecht's Theoretical Writings And To Thinkers In The Phenomenological Tradition Especially Merleau-ponty. She Argues For Gramsci's Continuing Relevance At A Time Of Retreat From Marxist Positions On The Postmodern Left. Antonio Gramsci Is Distinguished By Its Range Of Philosophical Grasp, Its Depth Of Specialized Historical Scholarship, And Its Keen Sense Of Gramsci's Position As A Crucial Figure In The Politics Of Contemporary Cultural Theory.