Marxism and the Task of the (Post)Humanities

In the wake of the "theory" revolution, the humanities have changed radically, but the most important transformation is in their interpretive logic, namely the assumptions, discourses, and reading strategies by which they made sense of cultural texts - from novels and poetry to films, videos, cultural events (e.g. sports) and social moments (e.g. Katrina, war).Understanding these changes is necessary because they have great significance in shaping the cultural consciousness and interpretive unconscious of people in their everyday lives. This volume argues that as a result of these changes, humanities have been reduced to teaching communication and the digital and affective skills which are necessary for the contemporary cyber workforce. Consequently the role of humanities, which is to produce critical understanding of cultural meanings and social values in a democratic society, has been diminished. The book proposes a new mode of teaching humanities based on critique and a materialist understanding of language.