Abstract
Architectural theory as we know it today is informed by Western, neo-Marxist theories. But throughout history Marxism has influenced architectural thinking in many more ways than just through this well-known intellectual trajectory. Distinct forms of Marxist architectural theory have been articulated in countries where orthodox Marxism was the foundation of political theory or where Marxism inspired revolutionary or postcolonial struggles. This Special Collection of <em>Architectural Histories</em> examines architectural theory and its Marxist imprint in the Second and Third World from the 1950s to the 1980s, the interconnections between these different countries and traditions and the entanglements with postcolonial or anti-imperialist theories. It offers a preliminary inventory of what was going on where, and who were some of the key figures. It provides the groundwork for a more precise mapping of the worldwide impact of Marxist thinking on architectural discourse.
Highlights
Architectural theory as we know it today is thoroughly informed by Western, neo-Marxist theories of the Frankfurt School and others
Stanek’s earlier dealings with Henri Lefebvre, and his thorough knowledge of the architectural exchanges between the Second and the Third World — the central theme of his upcoming book Architecture in Global Socialism — make him an ideal partner in this conversation. In producing this Special Collection, several challenges came to the fore, of which we would like to highlight two
Whilst the historical narratives offered in this collection are an important step in ‘deprovincializing’ Marx, to refer back to Harootunian’s phrase, at the same time, this ‘deprovincialization’ of Marxism’s history is what Dipesh Chakrabarty (2000) set forth as theory’s challenge, to ‘provincialize Europe’
Summary
Architectural theory as we know it today is informed by Western, neo-Marxist theories. Distinct forms of Marxist architectural theory have been articulated in countries where orthodox Marxism was the foundation of political theory or where Marxism inspired revolutionary or postcolonial struggles This Special Collection of Architectural Histories examines architectural theory and its Marxist imprint in the Second and Third World from the 1950s to the 1980s, the interconnections between these different countries and traditions and the entanglements with postcolonial or anti-imperialist theories. It offers a preliminary inventory of what was going on where, and who were some of the key figures. It provides the groundwork for a more precise mapping of the worldwide impact of Marxist thinking on architectural discourse
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