Marshall Berman

Marshall Howard Berman (November 24, 1940 – September 11, 2013) was an American philosopher and Marxist humanist writer. He held the title of Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the City College of New York and at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where he lectured on political philosophy and urbanism. Berman was born in New York City and grew up in the Bronx. His father died when he was young, and his family later moved to Kingsbridge. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and was an alumnus of Columbia University. He pursued further studies at the University of Oxford, where he studied under Sir Isaiah Berlin, and completed his Doctor of Philosophy at Harvard University in 1968. Berman began his teaching career at City College in 1968, continuing there until his death. He was also an active contributor to various publications, including Dissent, The Nation, The New York Times Book Review, and the Village Voice. Berman's intellectual journey was deeply influenced by his discovery of Karl Marx's "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844" during his time at Columbia University, a revelation that shaped his subsequent work. He is most famous for his book "All That Is Solid Melts into Air," which examines the experience of modernity. Other notable works include "The Politics of Authenticity," "Adventures in Marxism," and "On the Town: A Hundred Years of Spectacle in Times Square." His final publication was the "Introduction" to the Penguin Classics edition of "The Communist Manifesto." Berman died of a heart attack on September 11, 2013, in New York City. His work is characterized by a personal tone that connects historical trends with individual observations, offering a unique perspective on urban life, Marxism, and the complexities of the modern condition. He offered a definition of modernism that emphasized its capacity for self-critique and renewal, contrasting it with postmodern philosophies.