Søren Mau’s Mute Compulsion: A Marxist Theory of the Economic Power of Capital (Verso, 2023) offers a compelling entry point for examining the exercise of power in our contemporary post-industrial world, moving beyond traditional frameworks of violence and ideology. Bringing together philosophical, economic, historical, and sociological perspectives, the book enriches both the reading experience and the discussions that follow.
This activity is open to researchers and students—whether affiliated with Praxis-CFUL or not—who are interested in a deep analysis of political economy. Sessions will take place on Thursdays (except for Friday, May 2nd) from 12h30 to 14h00 in Room Pedro Hispano (Department of Philosophy).
Working language: English
Co-organizers: Mariana Teixeira (mariana.o.teixeira [at] edu.ulisboa.pt) and Juana Polo López (juana.lopez [at] edu.ulisboa.pt)
Program
Session 1 | 27 March
Introduction (pp. 1–19)
Session 2 | 3 April
Part I: 1. Conceptualising Power and Capital + 2. Power and Marxism (pp. 23–69)
Session 3 | 10 April
3. The Social Ontology of Economic Power + 4. The Human Corporeal Organisation (pp. 70–103)
Session 4 | 24 April
5. Metabolic Domination + Part II: 6. Transcendental Class Domination (pp. 104–151)
Session 5 | 2 May
7. Capital and Difference + 8. The Universal Power of Value (pp. 152–199)
Session 6 | 8 May
9. Value, Class, and Competition (pp. 200–221)
Session 7 | 22 May
Part III: 10. The Despotism of Subsumption (pp. 225–252)
Session 8 | 29 May
11. The Capitalist Reconfiguration of Nature + 12. Logistical Power (pp. 253–295)
Session 9 | 5 June
13. Surplus Populations and Crisis + Conclusion (pp. 296-326)