GPOL
6799

Socialism and Anarchism

New School for Social Research: Politics

Liberal Arts
Graduate Course
Degree Students (with Restrictions)
Socialism and Anarchism
Spring 2025
Taught By: Chiara Bottici and Nancy Fraser
Section: A

CRN: 15669

Credits: 3

In the long history of efforts to conceive alternatives to capitalism, two terms stand out: socialism and anarchism. But what is their relation to one another? Are they them mutually antithetical or complementary? What are the respective insights and blind spots of each? Are there good reasons to prefer one of them to the other–above all, in the present conjuncture? These questions form the heart of our seminar. We will address them both historically and systematically. We will begin with early texts, such the “Manifesto of the Equals” (1796), where anarchism and socialism were one and the same anti-capitalist philosophy, and then explore the historic debate between Marx and Bakunin, which focused on the state and the role of the party, to which a split between the two perspectives is usually attributed. But we will also examine exchanges between anarchists and socialists on other timely questions–including the family and ecology. Readings by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Karl Marx, Mikhail Bakunin, Peter Kropotkin, Friedrich Engels, Alexandra Kollontai, Emma Goldman, He Zhen, Maria Mies, David Graebner, and Chiara Bottici, among others.

College: New School for Social Research (GF)

Department: Politics (POL)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Seminar (R)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 9

Add/Drop Deadline: February 3, 2025 (Monday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: April 15, 2025 (Tuesday)

Seats Available: Yes

Status: Open*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 9:30am EDT 10/23/2024

Meeting Info:
Days: Monday
Times: 1:55pm - 3:45pm
Building: TBD
Room: TBD
Date Range: 1/20/2025 - 5/14/2025