Reading Poulantzas

The Greek Marxist and political sociologist Nicos Poulantzas is one of the most influential postwar European left thinkers. Although he died more than 30 years ago, this discourse argues that Poulantzas’s political impulses and studies are more topical than ever. Offering valuable insight, the book maps controversies and reflects upon the differing views regarding how Poulantzas’s work should be continued and surpassed. Four major themes are explored: the economy and the state in the capitalist mode of production; power and domination; space and statehood; and crisis, transformation and political strategies.

Lars Bretthauer is a PhD candidate for political science at the Free University of Berlin. He works on materialist state theory, the politics of surveillance, and intellectual property rights. Alexander Gallas is a professor in the department of sociology at Liverpool John Moores University. John Kannankulam is a junior professor of political economy and European integration for the Institute for Political Science at Marburg University in Germany. Ingo Stützle is an editor at the monthly Analyse & Kritik newspaper and a PhD candidate in the department of political science at Marburg University.