Moishe Postone (1942-2018) was a critical theorist and an historian. His work engaged with Marx, the Frankfurt School, and contemporary society and political economy. In Time, Labor, and Social Domination, Postone developed a rigorous theory of the core dynamics of capitalism. There he clarified the limitations of traditional Marxisms, provided a reinterpretation of Marx’s main categories, and demonstrated the importance of Marx’s theory for an understanding of neoliberal capitalism today. Postone further developed a critical theory of modern antisemitism, and he made significant interventions in the German politics of memory; his analyses of reductive and ultimately reactionary critiques of capitalist modernity on the Left as well as the Right had a profound impact on scholars and political activists. As a committed educator, he worked with many graduate students, and he led an undergraduate social science sequence for 25 years. Postone was Thomas E. Donnelley Professor in the Department of History and the College at the University of Chicago, as well as an associate of the Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies and co-chair of the Chicago Center for Contemporary Theory.

The Moishe Postone Legacy Project is a collaboration among Postone’s family members, friends, and former students. It seeks to make Postone’s work available to all, and to promote engagement with his ideas. The MPLP is managed by a steering committee led by the executor of his estate, and it is housed by the Center for Transcultural Studies. It was generously seeded by a grant from the Alfred Landecker Foundation, as well as donations from friends and family. You can find an overview of all of our projects on the About page.

Moishepostone.org is maintained by the MPLP. The site is a work in progress, and we will continue to develop and expand it. Currently it provides a bibliography of Postone’s published works and interviews, and information on the collection of his papers that we are preparing for the archives. We intend to share extensive unpublished writings and audio and visual recordings. At present you can find a preview of archival documents, as well as audio and video recordings of some of Postone’s seminars. We’ll also share news and updates on conferences, publications, and other projects. We invite you to check back often and subscribe to our newsletter.