In honour of Birnbaum's democratic socialism

Norman Birnbaum, the eminent US sociologist, socialist and political commentator, died last week at the age of 92. Birnbaum was a co-publisher of Eurozine partner Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik, where in November he published a final article. It is a characteristically brilliant, if bleak critique of the global situation today and of the enduring myth of US hegemony. We link to the English version below, together with a short selection of texts that share the spirit of Birnbaum’s democratic socialism.

‘Modes of denial: On the legend of US liberal hegemony’ by Norman Birbaum 

‘Apocalyptic populism‘ by Wendy Brown (2017).

‘Economic democracy‘ an interview with Alain Supiot by Thibault Le Texier (2018).

‘The crisis of neoliberalism in Europe: Prospects for European solidarity, post-Brexit‘ by Michael Rustin (2016).