Vygotsky and Marx: Toward a Marxist Psychology

This important book fills two interrelated gaps in the field of psychology, firstly by developing a Marxist orientation to psychology and secondly by explaining how psychological pioneer, Lev Vygotsky, contributed greatly to this trend. Through outlining core principles in Marxist psychology, the book offers a framework for continuing Vygotsky’s Marxist legacy in new areas of the field.

This book documents the neglect in Vygotskyian studies of Vygotsky’s deep use of Marxist concepts. Chapters then overcome this neglect. They explain his use of many Marxist concepts in his theoretical and methodological writings, demonstrating how Vygotsky utilized specific Marxist meanings in his work on consciousness, signs, development, imagination, creativity, secondary language acquisition, and unit of analysis. Chapters also address how Vygotsky dealt with incompatible theories and methodologies, illustrating how Marxist and Vygotskyian psychology can grow from anti-Marxist, anti-Vygotskyian approaches to psychology, such as psychoanalysis.

This book marks an original contribution to the field of psychology, offering a new understanding of both Vygotsky’s work, and cultural and Marxist psychology. Furthermore, it expands the field of Marxism to include psychology. It will be of interest to all students and researchers of cultural, educational and developmental psychology as well as the history of psychology. It will also appeal to social theorists and Marxist scholars