TY  - JOUR
T1  - RETHINKING ALTHUSSER: DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM, IDEOLOGY, AND KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION IN CONTEMPORARY THEORY
TT  - RETHINKING ALTHUSSER: DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM, IDEOLOGY, AND KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION IN CONTEMPORARY THEORY
AU  - Büyükbay, Can
PY  - 2025
DA  - June
Y2  - 2025
DO  - 10.17498/kdeniz.1658727
JF  - Karadeniz Uluslararası Bilimsel Dergi
JO  - Karadeniz | Black Sea | чёрное море
PB  - Hayrettin İVGİN
WT  - DergiPark
SN  - 1308-6200
SP  - 98
EP  - 111
IS  - 66
LA  - en
AB  - This article explores the enduring relevance of Louis Althusser's dialectical materialism, particularly his theory of ideology and the philosophy of science in contemporary debates within social theory. Drawing on Althusser’s key works, including For Marx (1970) and Reading Capital (1970), as well as recent critical interpretations, this study examines how Althusser’s materialist philosophy provides a framework for understanding the production of knowledge and the role of ideology in shaping both scientific and social structures. The article argues that Althusser’s conceptualization of science as a “theoretical practice” is central to understanding the dynamics of scientific revolutions amd offers a materialist alternative to humanist interpretations of Marxism. By synthesizing Althusser’s work with contemporary discussions in the philosophy of science, the article highlights the applicability of Althusser’s dialectics to modern scientific and social theory. Additionally, it explores Althusser’s contributions to the understanding of class struggle and subjectivity in knowledge production and asserts that his ideas continue to inform critical theory’s engagement with the complex relationships between structure, agency, and ideology. This article ultimately seeks to reaffirm Althusser’s position as a pivotal figure in the development of Marxist theory and philosophy and offers a robust framework for analyzing the intersection of science, ideology, and social change.
KW  - Structuralism
KW  - Althusser
KW  - Marxism
KW  - Knowledge Production
KW  - Science Philosophy
N2  - This article explores the enduring relevance of Louis Althusser's dialectical materialism, particularly his theory of ideology and the philosophy of science in contemporary debates within social theory. Drawing on Althusser’s key works, including For Marx (1970) and Reading Capital (1970), as well as recent critical interpretations, this study examines how Althusser’s materialist philosophy provides a framework for understanding the production of knowledge and the role of ideology in shaping both scientific and social structures. The article argues that Althusser’s conceptualization of science as a “theoretical practice” is central to understanding the dynamics of scientific revolutions amd offers a materialist alternative to humanist interpretations of Marxism. By synthesizing Althusser’s work with contemporary discussions in the philosophy of science, the article highlights the applicability of Althusser’s dialectics to modern scientific and social theory. Additionally, it explores Althusser’s contributions to the understanding of class struggle and subjectivity in knowledge production and asserts that his ideas continue to inform critical theory’s engagement with the complex relationships between structure, agency, and ideology. This article ultimately seeks to reaffirm Althusser’s position as a pivotal figure in the development of Marxist theory and philosophy and offers a robust framework for analyzing the intersection of science, ideology, and social change.
CR  - Althusser, L. (1970). For Marx. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
CR  - Althusser, L. (1971). Lenin and philosophy and other essays. New York, NY: Monthly Review Press.
CR  - Althusser, L., & Balibar, É. (1970). Reading Capital. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.
CR  - Assiter, A. (1984). Althusser and structuralism. The British Journal of Sociology, 35(2), 272–296. 
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.1984.tb00104.x
CR  - El Hassan, I. S. (1986). Consciousness and ideology: A critique of Lukács, Althusser, and Poulantzas. Dialectical 
Anthropology, 11(1), 49–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00147826
CR  - Gordy, M. (1983). Reading Althusser: Time and the social whole. History and Theory, 22(1), 1–21. 
https://doi.org/10.2307/2505233
CR  - Schwartzman, D. W. (1975). Althusser, dialectical materialism and the philosophy of science. Science & Society, 
39(3), 318–330. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40401861
CR  - Sprinker, M. (1985). Politics and theory: Althusser and Sartre. MLN, 100(5), 989–1011. 
https://doi.org/10.1353/mln.1985.0019
CR  - Stewart, A. (2008). Althusser's structuralism and a theory of class. Critique: Journal of Socialist Theory, 36(3), 
421–443. https://doi.org/10.1080/03017600802434524
CR  - Stolze, T. (1998). Deleuze and Althusser: Flirting with structuralism. Rethinking Marxism: A Journal of Economics, 
Culture & Society, 10(3), 51–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/08935699808685540
UR  - https://doi.org/10.17498/kdeniz.1658727
L1  - https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4694387
ER  -