CFP: Call for Chapter Proposals – A Companion to Marxist Aesthetics

Call for Chapter Proposals – A Companion to Marxist Aesthetics

Editor: Kishore Kumar K. P. (Department of Philosophy, University of Kerala)

We invite chapter proposals for contributions to A Companion to Marxist Aesthetics, a comprehensive and cutting-edge volume that explores the historical evolution, critical debates, and contemporary relevance of aesthetic theory grounded in the Marxian tradition.

This companion is intended to serve as a definitive reference work for scholars, students, and researchers working in philosophy, literary theory, political aesthetics, cultural studies, art history, and adjacent disciplines.

Scope and Aim

Each chapter will combine a rigorous and accessible overview of a particular theme or figure in Marxist aesthetics with an original scholarly intervention. We aim to reflect the diversity of global Marxist thought; spanning classical theory, Western Marxism, post-Marxism, decolonial aesthetics, and contemporary art criticism while maintaining strong philosophical coherence. Contributions from interdisciplinary, intersectional, and non-Western perspectives are especially encouraged.

Suggested Topics

1. Foundations and Classical Thinkers

   • Marx and Engels on art and ideology

   • Early Marx and the concept of species-being in artistic production

   • Aesthetic alienation and commodity fetishism

2. Aesthetics and Historical Materialism

   • Art, labor, and the material base

   • Class struggle and representation in art

   • Dialectics of form and content

3. Western Marxism

   • Lukács, Bloch, and the ontology of art

   • Theodor Adorno and aesthetic autonomy

   • Walter Benjamin: aura, reproduction, and revolutionary potential

4. Marxist Literary and Cultural Criticism

   • Raymond Williams and cultural materialism

   • Structuralism, Althusser, and ideology critique

   • Fredric Jameson and the political unconscious

5. Art, Politics, and Praxis

   • Socialist realism and its critiques

   • Radical avant-garde and the politics of form

   • Art and revolution in Latin America, Asia, and Africa

6. Contemporary and Post-Marxist Directions

   • Žižek, Badiou, and the return to communism

   • Neoliberalism and the commodification of aesthetics

   • Postcolonial, feminist, and queer engagements with Marxian aesthetics

7. The Aesthetic in Everyday Life

   • Spectacle, consumption, and mediated desire

   • Art in the age of digital capitalism

   • Popular culture, memes, and the new aesthetic proletariat

8. Thinker-Focused Chapters

   • Focused examinations of individual theorists, artists, or movements in relation to Marxian aesthetics

9. Other Topics

   • We welcome proposals that challenge boundaries or introduce new theoretical directions within Marxian aesthetic thought.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome chapter proposals of approximately 500 words, including:

• A working title

• A brief abstract outlining the scope, key arguments, and original contribution of the chapter

• A short bio (including affiliation and any relevant publications)

Timeline

• Deadline for Proposals: November 05, 2025

• Notification of Acceptance: November 30, 2025

• Full Chapter Submission: March 1, 2026

• Editorial Feedback Returned: April 30, 2026

• Final Revised Chapters Due: June 15, 2026

• Chapter Length: 6,000–8,000 words

Submission and Inquiries

Please submit proposals and direct questions to:

• Kishore Kumar K. P.  – [email protected]

• Publishers – [email protected]