Which Gramsci, Why Now?

In his opening lecture, Joseph Buttigieg, author, professor of English and Fellow of the Center for European Studies at the University of Notre Dame, focuses on the continuing relevance of Gramsci after the events of 1989. He examines the "versions" of Gramsci in circulation and proposes a reading of Gramsci's works tht addresses some of today's most salient social, cultural and political concerns.

The seminar that took place on the following day focuses on:

1. Gramsci's Concept of Civil Society--hegemony, the function of intellectuals in civil society, and Gramsci's thinking on the role of the left party.

2. Gramsci's Analysis of Modernity--in response to the seemingly decisive defeat of the Italian left at the hands of fascism, Gramsci embarked on a detailed study of contemporary culture and society most evident in his notes on Americanism and Fordism.