Norman Geras
Encyclopedia
Norman Geras is Professor Emeritus of Government at the University of Manchester
. In a long academic career
, he has contributed substantially to the analysis of the works of Karl Marx
, particularly in his book Marx and Human Nature and the article 'The Controversy About Marx and Justice', which remains a standard work on the issue.
Geras was born in Bulawayo
, then in Southern Rhodesia
(now Zimbabwe
). Arriving in the UK in 1962, he attended Pembroke College, Oxford
and graduated in 1965 with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and was a research student from 1965 to 1967 at Nuffield College, Oxford
. He joined the University of Manchester as a Lecturer in 1967, retiring as a Professor in 2003.
For some years Geras was a member of the editorial board of New Left Review
. Since July 2003 he has maintained a weblog, Normblog, which focuses on political issues, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, which he backed, his academic interests and a range of other topics, including popular music, cricket
and films.
He was a founder of the now moribund Euston Manifesto
Group and one of the principal authors of the manifesto. Geras is a staunch admirer of Tony Blair
and is a supporter of the war on terror
.
He has been married to the children's writer Adèle Geras
(born Jerusalem, 1944) since August 1967. Their daughter, Sophie Hannah
is an award-winning poet and author.
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. In a long academic career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
, he has contributed substantially to the analysis of the works of Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, particularly in his book Marx and Human Nature and the article 'The Controversy About Marx and Justice', which remains a standard work on the issue.
Geras was born in Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, then in Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
(now Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
). Arriving in the UK in 1962, he attended Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
and graduated in 1965 with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and was a research student from 1965 to 1967 at Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college and primarily a research establishment, specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. It is a research centre in the social sciences...
. He joined the University of Manchester as a Lecturer in 1967, retiring as a Professor in 2003.
For some years Geras was a member of the editorial board of New Left Review
New Left Review
New Left Review is a 160-page journal, published every two months from London, devoted to world politics, economy and culture. Often compared to the French-language Les Temps modernes, it is associated with Verso Books , and regularly features the essays of authorities on contemporary social...
. Since July 2003 he has maintained a weblog, Normblog, which focuses on political issues, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, which he backed, his academic interests and a range of other topics, including popular music, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and films.
He was a founder of the now moribund Euston Manifesto
Euston Manifesto
The Euston Manifesto is a 2006 declaration of principles by a group of academics, journalists, and activists based in the United Kingdom. The statement is a reaction to what are asserted to be widespread violations of leftist principles by others who are commonly associated with the political Left...
Group and one of the principal authors of the manifesto. Geras is a staunch admirer of Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and is a supporter of the war on terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
.
He has been married to the children's writer Adèle Geras
Adèle Geras
Adèle Geras Adèle Geras Adèle Geras (born 1944, Jerusalem, is an English writer for young children, teens and adults. She has written more than 74 books, that have either been published or are in waiting...
(born Jerusalem, 1944) since August 1967. Their daughter, Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah is an English-born poet and novelist. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a junior research fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford...
is an award-winning poet and author.