The Gramscian Moment

Antonio Gramsci's Prison Notebooks are today acknowledged as a classic of the human and social sciences in the twentieth century. The influence of his thought in numerous fields of scholarship is only exceeded by the diverse interpretations and readings to which it has been subjected, resulting in often contradictory images of Gramsci. This book draws on the rich recent season of Gramscian philological studies in order to argue that the true significance of Gramsci's thought exists in its distinctive position in the development of the Marxist tradition. Providing a detailed reconsideration of Gramsci's theory of the state and concept of philosophy, The Gramscian Momentargues for the urgent necessity of taking up the challenge of developing a "philosophy of praxis" as a vital element in the contemporary revitalisation of Marxism.

Peter D. Thomas lectures in the history of political thought at Brunel University in London. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Historical Materialism: Research in Critical Marxist Theory.