Books that Changed Humanity #2: The Communist Manifesto

Books that Changed Humanity is a book club with a difference. Each month, the Humanities Research Centre hosts an expert from one of a variety of disciplines, who will introduce and lead the discussion of a major historical text. All of these texts, which are drawn from a variety of cultural traditions, has had a formative influence on society and humanity. The series aims to highlight and revisit those books which have informed the way we understand ourselves, both individually and collectively, as human beings.

The series aims to bring together readers from all backgrounds and vocations. Individuals from beyond and within the university community are warmly invited to come, listen, and share their thoughts about some great works of literature over a friendly glass of wine. Though the events will be casual in nature, RSVP is essential, both for catering purposes and for the distribution of preliminary reading materials for each text.

Please register here.

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In our second event, Honorary Associate Professor Rick Kuhn will introduce and discuss The Communist Manifesto, published by Karl Marx and Friedrick Engels in 1848.

Dr Kuhn completed an economics degree, with majors in politics and economics, at the University of Sydney in the mid 1970s. He was radicalised in the tail end of the mass student movement. Then, while a Commonwealth public servant, he became active in socialist, union and social movement politics, before doing an honours year in politics at Macquarie University. He returned to the public service in Canberra in 1979, initially as a member of the elite Administrative Trainee Scheme. After completing a PhD on the economic ideas of the Australian labour movement, back at the University of Sydney, Rick resumed work as a public service economist in Canberra. His first appointment at the Australian National University was in 1987. He retired as a reader in Political Science in 2013 and is currently an adjunct reader in Sociology. Rick's publications have dealt with labour movement economic thought and class in Australia, German, Austrian and Australian politics and political economy, Marxist theory-particularly the work of Henryk Grossman-as well as the nature of the Australian Labor Party and racism in Australia. His 2007 book 'Henryk Grossman and the Recovery of Marxism' won the international Isaac and Tamara Deutscher Prize. His published work demonstrates a powerful combination of political commitment and scholarship, and he has continued to be involved in activist politics.