Paul Burkett (May 26, 1956 – January 7, 2024) was an American economist, educator, and musician known for his writings on ecological Marxism. ^[1] He published numerous works on eco-socialism, including collaborations with scholars John Bellamy Foster and Martin Hart-Landsberg. ^[2] Burkett taught at Syracuse University, Auburn Correctional Facility, the University of Miami, and Indiana State University. ^[3] Burkett also performed jazz saxophone under the moniker PapaPatty, named in honor of his late son Patrick. ^[3]

Burkett and his twin brother Patrick were born in Wyandotte, Michigan, to parents William Loyd Burkett and Dorothy Whalen Burkett. ^[4] After attending Wyandotte Roosevelt High School and Kalamazoo College, Burkett went on to earn his Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from Syracuse University in 1984. ^{[4] [5]}

Burkett died from complications of acute myeloid leukemia at his home in Terre Haute, Indiana, on January 7, 2024, at the age of 67. ^[4]

Career

Burkett spent many years teaching at the university level, retiring from Indiana State University in 2020. His articles appeared in Monthly Review, ^[6] Climate & Capitalism, and International Socialism. ^[7]

Works

• Marx and Nature: A Red and Green Perspective (1999)
• Development, Crisis and Class Struggle: Learning from Japan and East Asia (2000) with Martin Hart-Landsberg
• China and Socialism: Market Reforms and Class Struggle (2005) with Martin Hart-Landsberg
• Marxism and Ecological Economics: Toward a Red and Green Political Economy (2006)
• Marx and the Earth: An Anti-Critique (2016) with John Bellamy Foster

References