This volume brings together original and timely writings by internationally renowned scholars that reflect on the current trajectories of global capitalism and, in the light of these, consider likely, possible or desirable futures. Essays focus to varying degrees on developing distinctive theoretical frameworks and using them to clarify both the history of the present political economy and how progressive political economic trends might be extended from the present into the future. A distinctive feature of the collection is its effort to develop new mediations between theory and history, a deeply problematic relationship in the social sciences. These contributions offer original perspectives both to theory construction and to the use of theory in historical analysis. In short, this volume provides theory-informed writing that contextualizes empirical research on current world-historic events and trends with an eye towards realizing a future of human, social and economic betterment.

Robert Albritton is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Political Science at York University.

Bob Jessop is Professor of Sociology at the University of Lancaster.

Richard Westra is Associate Professor of the Division of International and Area Studies at Pukyong National University, South Korea.

Introduction: Political Economy and Global Capitalism; Theorizing the Contemporary World; Technological Dynamism and the Normative Justification of Global Capitalism; Eating the Future: Capitalism Out of Joint; What follows Neo-liberalism? The Deepening Contradictions of US Domination and the Struggle for a New Global Order; Monetary Policy in the Neo-liberal Transition: A Political Economy Critique of Keynesianism, Monetarism and Inflation Targeting; Volatile, Uneven and Combined Capitalism; The Erosion of Non-Capitalist Institutions and the Reproduction of Capitalism; The Transformative Moment; Frontiers of Cadre Radicalization in Contemporary Capitalism; Green Marxism and the Institutional Structure of a Global Socialist Future; Index

‘This is an illuminating collection of essays on where we are and where we might end up, from a distinguished international and interdisciplinary group of scholars and activists.’ —Stuart Elden, Associate Director of the International Boundaries Research Unit, Durham University

‘This book makes an important contribution to thinking about ways in which humanity can advance beyond the capitalist enrichment of the few at the expense of the many.’ —Simon Clarke, Director of the Russian Research Programme, University of Warwick

‘Far from heralding the end of history or geography, this excellent volume explores the temporalities and spatialities that are constitutive of capitalism today.’ —Noel Castree, School of Environment and Development, University of Manchester