Mike Davis: Prophetic Marxist Historian and Activist
Mike Davis is best known for his investigations of power and class — read his work!

The legendary Marxist thinker and activist Mike Davis explored political power and social class for decades. His sharp analysis and glittering prose criss-crossed over urban studies, political economy, social theory, and US history to reveal the ravages of global capitalism on people and planet as well as areas for resistance.
Sometimes referred to as ‘the prophet of doom’ due to his unwavering commitment to scrutinising the systems of misery and violence on which capitalism depends for its survival, it was a title that never sat well with him. His work was never in service of disaster-mongering, but rather intended to equip us to better understand what must be done in the face of such calamity.
Read an excerpt from Ecology of Fear, his classic book on LA as locus of ecological destruction: The Fire Boom.
And an excerpt from the new edition of Old Gods, New Enigmas, where he takes a fresh look at the critique of Marx: Mike Davis on Surfing Marx's Collected Works.
The Essential Mike Davis
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Listen to Mike’s close friend and comrade Ruth Wilson Gilmore, in conversation with Owen Hatherley on The Verso Podcast discussing his life, legacy, and the geography of struggle.