Interdisciplinary Curricula: Marxist and Socialist Studies

The Marxist and Socialist Studies curriculum encourages students to look at the world from a variety of Marxist and Socialist perspectives. Many departments offer approaches that have their foundation in the work of such economic theorists as Adam Smith and such political philosophers as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Such approaches seem to assume that capitalist values are “natural,” “according to human nature,” progressive, just, or simply the only way that rational people would view the world. Marxism and Socialist perspectives challenge such assumptions and judgments and such a world outlook.

All students who elect the Marxist and Socialist Studies curriculum should take PHI 342, Marxist Philosophy I: The Philosophy of Karl Marx, and at least three other courses from the “core courses” and two courses from the “elective courses.” In addition, these courses should be taken from at least three different disciplines.