Date: 21 Dec 96 17:35:32 EST From: Chris Burford <100423.2040-AT-CompuServe.COM> Subject: M-I: Das Argument The exchanges between Hinrich and Gerwin about the new German "Dictionary of Marxism" stimulated me to look again at a copy of "Das Argument" I bought in 1994. [BTW in fairness to all of us I must decline thanks for translating Gerwin's piece, since I merely polished his English version for style, hopefully without distortions. My impression is that it is a more direct sort of article than the more subtle German one submitted for the readers of taz. ] I thought anyway it might be useful to share some comments about Das Argument with the list, particularly since it turns out that both Hinrich and Gerwin appear to be critical of its position, and yet it seems to claim a certain status in German Marxist circles. So here are my comments and I invite correction. The word "Das Argument" has connotations of "critical analysis" rather than of quarreling. The journal by its 203rd issue at the beginning of 1994 was claiming it was in its 36th year of publication. The editors were the same as the editors of the "Dictionary", Frigga Haug and Wolfgang Fritz Haug. The editorial board appeared all to have German names. Interestingly there was/is also an "autonomous" women's editorial board, (some of whose names could be scandinavian in origin). A list of contributors in 1992 and 1993 contain authors, among whom I recognise, Balibar, Guenter Grass, Fredric Jameson, Harry Magdoff, Salman Rushdie, Paul Sweezy. The journal is published two-monthly. The Argument Publishing House and delivery are from Hamburg. Editorial offices are in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin. The back page lists bookshops where Das Argument publications are available in 25 cities in Germany, 3 in Switzerland and one in Austria. The journal seems as a deliberate policy to carry advertisement for other publications, as well as tables of contents. The latter include in this issue: Deutsche Zeitschrift fuer Philosophie Berliner Debatte Kokret Mittelweg 36 Dir Neue Gesellschaft Frankfurter Hefte Peripherie Psychologie und Gesellschafts Kritik TheaterZeitSchrift Vorgaenge Wechsel Wirkung Widerspruch Zeitschrift fuer Marxistische Erneuerung. This would suggest a degree of networking and cross-fertilization. If time permits I will post the English summaries of the articles in that issue to give a flavour. If anyone comments on Das Argument, I would be interested to hear what they think are its strengths and weaknesses. Chris Burford London --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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