CENTRE FOR MARXIAN STUDIES

Marxism as a system of thought has profoundly influenced the philosophical, economic, political and cultural life of the twentieth century. Its application has not been limited to a particular discipline. Thinkers in almost all disciplines have developed methodologies following Marxian logic, both to explain existing phenomena and to develop new strategies. The growing importance of Marxian methods and concepts resulted in setting up the Centre for Marxian Studies as an interdisciplinary forum in the Faculty of Arts, Jadavpur University in 1995.
The objective of the Centre is to promote research and understanding of socio-economic issues involving the essentials of Marxian concepts, through both theoretical and empirical investigations. It aims to provide a forum for interaction between faculty members and scholars of various departments of the University as well as other academic institutions. Its activities include discussion sessions, lectures, conferences, seminars and workshops for dissemination of new ideas and research involving key Marxian concepts.

Outline of the admin1istrative/academic structure

The Academic Committee of the Centre is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. The members include the Deans of the three Faculties, 6 external members and 37 internal members from various departments of the University.
The admin1istrative Committee consists of the Vice-Chancellor as Chairperson, the Deans of the three Faculties, and eight internal members. The running of the Centre is entrusted to the Co-Ordinator.

Contact
Library
Research Projects
Seminar/Conference

Contact

Name of the Co-Ordinator
Prof. Debesh Chakraborty
Department of Economics

Name and address of the Centre
Faculty of Arts, Jadavpur University
Kolkata 700 032

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Books in the Library of the Centre
The Centre maintains a small library, mainly of books associated with the theory and practice of Marxism

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Research Projects

No. of ongoing research projects, with total outlay

One, Rs.22,000

No. of research projects completed in last 3 years, with total outlay

One, Rs.15,000.

Ongoing research projects

• Marx's Law of the tendency of the rate of profit to fall: An experiment with the manufacturing sector of India, 1073-1991. (UGC minor research project, Rs.22,000)

• Estimation of the rate of surplus value and organic composition of capital and the general rate of profit in the Indian economy for the year 1991-92 in a Marxian framework. UGC minor research project, Rs.15,000)

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Seminars/ Conferences

Workshop

History of Communism in India: Unexplored Areas (31 March 1997)

Conferences

• Conflicts in Indian Society: Marxian Perspectives (20-21 March, 1998)
• Communist Manifesto (5-6 February, 1999)
• Models of Socialist Practices in the New Millennium (25-26 February, 2000)
• Marxism and Democracy (15-16 March, 2001)

Lectures (Annual Prabhat Kar Memorial Lecture)

Speakers

• The Late Indrajit Gupta, former Union Home Minister (1998)
• Prof. Amiya Kumar Bagchi, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences (1999)
• Prof. Prabhat Patnaik, Jawaharlal Nehru University (2000)
• Prof. Mihir Rakshit, Director, ICRA (2001)
    (This Lecture has been instituted from an endowment made by
     the All-India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA).

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