Marxism, Colonialism, and Cricket: C. L. R. James’s Beyond a Boundary

Widely regarded as one of the most important and influential sports books of all time, C. L. R. James’s Beyond a Boundary is--among other things--a pioneering study of popular culture, an analysis of resistance to empire and racism, and a personal reflection on the history of colonialism and its effects in the Caribbean. More than fifty years after the publication of James’s classic text, the contributors to Marxism, Colonialism, and Cricket investigate Beyond a Boundary’s production and reception and its implication for debates about sports, gender, aesthetics, race, popular culture, politics, imperialism, and English and Caribbean identity. Including a previously unseen first draft of Beyond a Boundary’s conclusion alongside contributions from James’s key collaborator Selma James and from Michael Brearley, former captain of the English Test cricket team, Marxism, Colonialism, and Cricket provides a thorough and nuanced examination of James’s groundbreaking work and its lasting impact.

Contributors. Anima Adjepong, David Austin, Hilary McD. Beckles, Michael Brearley, Selwyn R. Cudjoe, David Featherstone, Christopher Gair, Paget Henry, Christian H gsbjerg, C. L. R. James, Selma James, Roy McCree, Minkah Makalani, Clem Seecharan, Andrew Smith, Neil Washbourne, Claire Westall

David Featherstone is Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Glasgow.

Christopher Gair is Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Glasgow.

Christian Høgsbjerg is Lecturer in Critical History and Politics at the University of Brighton.

Andrew Smith is Reader in Sociology at the University of Glasgow.