Louis Althusser
French Marxist philosopher who attempted to develop a scientific Marxism purged of Humanism. His concept of Ideological State Apparatuses has been enormously influential in cultural studies. He strangled his wife during a mental breakdown in 1980 and spent the rest of his life in psychiatric institutions.
Works
- For MarxEssays defending Marxism against humanist and historical interpretations
- Reading CapitalCo-authored structural analysis of Marx's Capital as theoretical system
- Lenin and PhilosophyEssays on ideology, philosophy, and Leninist revolutionary theory
- Essays on IdeologyCollection on ideology, state apparatus, and subject formation
- The Future Lasts ForeverAutobiography examining mental breakdown, theory, and personal tragedy