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COVID-19 and the Planetary Crisis Multiplicity: From Marxist Crisis Theory to Planetary Assemblage Theory

Albert, Michael

COVID-19 and the Planetary Crisis Multiplicity: From Marxist Crisis Theory to Planetary Assemblage Theory Thumbnail


Authors

Michael Albert



Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis gives us occasion to reflect on the insights and limitations of Marxist crisis theory. While ecological Marxists in particular have made incisive analyses of these crises, I argue that traditional Marxist frameworks are insufficient for conceptualizing twenty-first century global crises, which emerge from complex material entanglements across multiple socio-ecological systems and take on self-organizing dynamics that exceed human agency. I therefore suggest that an encounter between ecological Marxism and Deleuzian assemblage theory can provide a more productive theoretical foundation for understanding the COVID-19 crisis and mapping what I call the broader "planetary crisis multiplicity."

Citation

Albert, M. (2022). COVID-19 and the Planetary Crisis Multiplicity: From Marxist Crisis Theory to Planetary Assemblage Theory. Theory and Event, 25(2), 332-363. https://doi.org/10.1353/tae.2022.0015

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 20, 2021
Publication Date Apr 13, 2022
Deposit Date Jun 24, 2021
Publicly Available Date Jul 29, 2022
Journal Theory and Event
Electronic ISSN 1092-311X
Publisher Johns Hopkins University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 25
Issue 2
Pages 332-363
DOI https://doi.org/10.1353/tae.2022.0015
Publisher URL https://muse.jhu.edu/article/852388

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COVID19 and Planetary Crisis Multiplicity (final version).pdf (466 Kb)
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Copyright Statement
This is the version of the article accepted for publication in Theory & Event, 25 (2). pp. 332-363 (2022) published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Copyright © 2022 Johns Hopkins University Press





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