ONLINE COURSE - Marxism and History: Introducing Historical Materialism

This online course starts Monday 10 March and comprises 5 modules over 10 weeks.

The online course will be supplemented with a series of fortnightly 90 minute zoom classes at the following

Mon 10 March 7pm – intro

Mon 24 March 7pm – module 1

Mon 7 April 7pm – module 2

Mon 21 April – module 3

Mon 5 May – module 4

Mon 12 May - module 5

The zoom sessions will be recorded so there will be an opportunity to ‘catch up’.

This course introduces students to the Marxist understanding of history in which ‘humans make their own history, but in conditions that are not of their choosing.’ Students will learn about how to apply the key concepts of ‘historical materialism’.

1. The importance of history in the struggle for socialism
2. Understanding the movement of history (or how change happens)
3. Class struggles and revolution
4. Social being, social consciousness
5. Making Our Own History

This course studies Marx and Engels' theory of historical change - or 'historical materialism' - and how it relates to their revolutionary politics.

Students enrolling on this course will learn:

1. The core concepts of Marx and Engels 'historical materialism' and how they relate to Marxist theories of revolution

2. How these concepts have been applied by historians and revolutionaries to understand the past and to transform the present

3. How to apply historical materialism to their own history and the current moment

The course is taught on a ‘distance’ basis by a combination of Zoom tutorials and the on-line provision of materials and interactive discussion on the Moodle platform.

The course comes with a core text ‘Making Our Own History: A User’s Guide to Marx’s Historical Materialism', which is used throughout. Students are strongly recommended to buy this.

Purchase a copy of 'Making Our Own History' from the Marx Memorial Library

Host or Publisher Marx Memorial Library