Date: Wed, 14 Feb 1996 19:19:26 +1100
From: davidmci-AT-coombs.anu.edu.au (David McInerney)
Subject: Re: Orthodoxy


On the "Amherst school" that Louis alludes to, I think he means AESA
(Association for Economic and Social Analysis or something like that --
i.e. the editorial board of _Rethinking MARXISM_) -- members include
Stephen Cullenberg, Richard Wolff, Stephen Resnick, Bruce Roberts, Julie
Graham, Katherine Gibson, Richard McIntyre, Jonathan Diskin, etc.   As I
have made clear before, I do not agree with their interpretation of
Althusser, which seems to be some strange theory of "overdeterminationism".
I think a distinction should be drawn, however, between AESA and
_Rethinking MARXISM_, which has developed into a forum for the discussion
of a wide range of Marxist viewpoints (including even AMs such as Smith and
Coram in a recent issue).  This should be encouraged.  It certainly seems
more fruitful in many ways than the name-calling and baiting which seems to
prevail on this list at the moment.  Negri shares with Deleuze and Guattari
an interest in Spinoza and Marxism, and although they may disagree on
specific points there are obviously points of convergence.  Such points of
convergence do not mean, however, that they are of one mind.  To suggest
that is obviously silly.  The best source of Negri's views on class is
obviously reading Negri's writings on class, not the simple fact that he
was friends with Guattari or anyone else.  I am friends with postmodernists
too.  Does that make me a class traitor?

David.


>On Tue, 13 Feb 1996 glevy-AT-acnet.pratt.edu wrote:
>
>>
>> Well ... the "Amherst School" is a rather vague expression since it
>> includes divergent perspectives like those of Resnick and Wolff and SSA
>> (Social Structure of Accumulation). Neither of these perspectives
>> explicitly *reject* the "primacy of class." David M. might want to add
>> something about R&W who are broadly sympathetic to the Althusserian
>> perspective.
>>
>
>Louis: I recently read Resnick and Wolff's tribute to Althusser shortly
>after his death. It is an extremely clear rejection of the primacy of
>class. I have no idea what the SSA is. Yeah, I should have not referred
>to the "Amherst School". My impression is that this is shorthand for
>Resnick and Wolff. If it isn't, apologies to one and all.
>
>>
>> On what basis are you combining Delueze/Guattari with Negri?
>>
>
>Louis: Maybe I am confused. I am speaking of Antonio Negri, born in 1933,
>who co-authored that hippie manifesto "Communists like Us" with Guattari.
>It is entirely possible that you folks are talking about another Negri.
>If you are, then apologies to one and all.
>
>
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