Today we witness the existence of a new generation of Marxist researchers. These people are the protagonists of this Conference.

Studies on Marxism have always involved an ebb and flow of theories that cut across generational divides, which is why we need a space where the young can share their research.

Two centuries after its birth, Marxian thought has expanded and transformed into a plural network of Marxist currents that span multiple theoretical and philosophical fields. From its inception, this intellectual framework gave rise to diverse traditions and schools which, whether in dialogue or in controversy, have maintained their vitality to this day.

After the initial debates on the reception of Marxism and the various orientations of the socialist movement, a process of diversification emerged that expanded its presence in very different national traditions and theoretical currents, configuring a global cartography of contemporary Marxist thought. Under various labels, decisive contributions were made in social philosophy, critical theory, cultural analysis, theory of the state, studies on ideology and hegemony, as well as historical, scientific and political interpretations that renewed the materialist legacy.

Historical materialism has influenced and/or dialogued with philosophical areas such as political philosophy, aesthetics, ontology, dialectics and ethics, among others, as well as with almost all of the social sciences and a large part of the natural sciences, as demonstrated by the fields of sociology, political economy and historiography —although this list is by no means exhaustive. Concepts such as the relationship between economic base and superstructure, the critique of ideology, and the theory of history have been reinterpreted from diverse perspectives within an ever-ongoing debate.

The relationship between Marxism and the sciences —both social and natural— has been another fruitful ground of enquiry. The epistemological reflections of historical materialism opened up dialogues with the philosophy of science, with social studies of technology, and with attempts to rethink logic from a dialectical perspective. Equally significant have been the recent interactions of Marxism and environmentalism, which have fostered a rethinking of the relationships between economy, nature, and society from materialist and critical approaches.

Feminist, decolonial, and queer currents have profoundly enriched contemporary Marxism. Their dialogue has reformulated classic categories such as labour, reproduction, ideology, exploitation, and subjectivity, articulating them with gender, race, coloniality, and sexuality. This has generated new ways of understanding domination and has opened up lines of research focused on social reproduction, the criticism of patriarchy, processes of dispossession, and contemporary configurations of desire and identity.

In the field of aesthetics, Marxism has generated multiple and, oftentimes, contrasting approaches. Although its founders did not develop a systematic aesthetics, their insights paved the way for a critical tradition that addressed issues such as committed art, the relationship between art and ideology, the social function of cultural forms, and symbolic production under specific material conditions. These reflections have been developed in aesthetic theory as well as in literary criticism, semiotics, the theory of artistic language, and cultural studies.

As a whole, Marxism today permeates all areas of philosophical thought, interacting with the sciences and the arts. Despite having been declared obsolete on multiple occasions, its ability to shed light on structural problems in our societies explains the renewed interest that it has generated and will continue to generate, as demonstrated by all the young researchers who continue to take Marxism as an essential reference point for understanding reality and, of course, for changing it. This conference appeals precisely to young people with this dual spirit of theoretical and political commitment, seeking to create a space wherefrom to continue invoking that spectre which, within and without the confines of academia, continues to haunt the world.

The list of proposed themes for this 1st International Conference of Young Marxist Researchers is the following:

1. 1. Methodological contributions from historical materialism and dialectics.
   2. Marxist historiography and the history of socialism.
   3. Debates on Western Marxism and critical theory.
   4. Critique of political economy.
   5. (Neo)Marxist political economy.
   6. Marxism, science and technology.
   7. Marxist aesthetics, arts and cultural imaginaries.
   8. Marxist approaches and methodologies in the social sciences.
   9. Marxism within debates on the state and legal theory.
   10. Liberation Theology and the question of religion in the Marxist tradition.
   11. The presence of Marxism in Spanish and Latin American philosophy.
   12. Theories of imperialism and decolonial studies.
   13. Marxisms in non-Western traditions and anti-racist theories.
   14. Intersections of marxism, feminism and queer theory.
   15. Eco-socialist visions.
   16. Marxism and communication.

Proposals must be submitted through the online form by 14th April, 2026, providing all the information requested therein, including an abstract of up to 250 words and a biographical note of up to 100 words. Proposals for papers, posters, panels, and presentations of books or projects are welcome, in-person and on-site.

Organised by

With the support of